Transaction Audit of DOPT for the year 2014-15 in the matter of stepping up of pay of Senior Assistants: DOPT OM dated 30.12.2021

 Transaction Audit of DOPT for the year 2014-15 in the matter of stepping up of pay of Senior Assistants: DOPT OM dated 30.12.2021

IMMEDIATE

F.No.6/3/2021-CS-I(S)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, PG & Pensions
Department of Personnel & Training

2nd Floor, A Wing, Lok Nayak Bhawan, Khan Market
New Delhi, the 30th December, 2021

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Audit Para No.13 of Transaction Audit of DOPT for the year 2014-15 in the matter of stepping up of pay – regarding

The undersigned is directed to invite attention of the Ministries/Department to the OM No.18/2/2007-CS.I dated 20.05.2014 issued by this Department in the matter of stepping up of pay of Senior Assistants (now ASOs) on their promotion as Section Officers with reference to their junior Assistants (ASOs).

2. However, as Ministries/Departments are already aware, the OM dated 20.05.2014 and the re-fixation orders issued by the Ministries/ Departments in compliance with the instructions issued vide OM dated 20.04.2014 have been challenged in a number of Writ Petitions filed in the High Court of Delhi. Thus the matter is presently sub-judice and the Hon’ble High Court through its interim orders in the WPs filed in the matter has stayed downgrading of the pay and recovery from their pay of the petitioners and the non-petitioners who are similarly situated subject to submission of Affidavit of Undertaking. Accordingly, this Department issued instructions vide OM dated 01.07.2019 and 01.06.2020 in consultation with Department of Expenditure to comply with the directions of Hon’ble High Court and it was also instructed that if any officer, whose pay has been restored in accordance with these instructions, superannuates or retires voluntarily, his/her case may be dealt with as per the provisions of CCS (Pension) Rules 1972 relating to provisional pension, payment of gratuity etc.

3. In this regard attention is also invited to this Department’s OM No.18/2/2014-CS-I(S) dated 27.12.2016 vide which it was informed that the DG Audit had raised the following audit para in the matter: Para No. Brief of Para 13 of Transaction Audit for the year 2014-15 Non-submission of excess amount borne by the ministries by the virtue of irregular/ wrong stepping up of pay

4. The aforesaid audit para could not be settled for the reasons stated in para 2 above. However, the Standing Audit Committee (SAC) which reviewed the pending audit paras of this Department in its meeting held on 07.12.2021 has desired that a detailed Status Report indicating the number and names of the officers who have been granted stepping up of pay in contravention to the instructions issued by this Department may be submitted to them.

5. In Order to comply with the directions of the Standing Audit Committee, Ministries/Departments of Government of India are requested to furnish the information as per the attached format (Annexure) latest by 15.01.2022 clearly indicating the number and names of all the officers who have been granted stepping up of pay and whose case has been reviewed or qualify for review as per OM dated 20.05.2014.

(Zachariah Thomas)
Under Secretary to the Government of India
Ph: 24624046