AGENDA ITEMS FOR DEPARTMENTAL COUNCIL (JCM) MEETING - 27th November 2013

Agenda Items  for Departmental Council (JCM) Meeting on 27^th November, 2013 at 10.00 A.M. in G.P. Roy Committee Room, Dak Bhavan, New Delhi

(Author's Note : Items related to GDS is elaborated - please note)

1	1	Non counting of the training period for drawal of increment
2	15	Irregular interpretation in filling up the posts of LSG (NB) in Accounts line – request modification
3	17	Modification in the revised Postmen/Mailguard recruitment rules As per the previous recruitment rules, 50% of the Postmen/MG vacancies were reserved as Group  D promotional quota ( 25% seniority and a 25% merit ) The unfilled up Group D promotional quota vacancies were offered to GDS under merit quota. But as per the revised recruitment rules the 25% seniority quota of MTS is removed and the unfilled Group ‘D’ quota vacancies are offered to open market recruitment. This has adversely affected the promotional chances of senior Group D staff and also the GDS. This is in violation of the understanding reached with the staff side. It was assured that there will not be any open market recruitment of the post of Postmen/Mail guard cadre. Further in the previous recruitment rules out of the 50% Postmen/MG/Vacancies earmarked for GDS, 25% were under seniority quota and 25% under merit quota. But in the revised recruitment rules entire 50% vacancies are earmarked for merit quota only, thus curtailing the promotional chances of senior GDS. It is requested to review the Postmen/Mailguard recruitment rules to remove open market recruitment and also to restore seniority quota promotion.

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Denial of relaxed standards to GDS in the appointment of Postal Assistants in the revised recruitment rules - regarding. In the Recruitment Rules for the Postal Assistants communicated vide Directorate letter No.60-9/2009-SPB-1 dated 8/5/2012, the process of applications for admission to write the examination for the unfilled up vacancies of LGOs by the GDS to PA/SA, the minimum mark in the Plus Two examination has been prescribed as 50% of all communities including SC/ST whereas in the open competition for the direct recruitments through examination it was fixed as 45% for SC/ST applicants. This is an utter violation of the spirit of the constitution of India and defeat the very purpose of reservation in the appointments. It should have been fixed at least as 40% for such categories. It is therefore requested to kindly cause immediate action to amend the recruitment rules accordingly at the earliest.

5	24	Irregular postings ordered in the LSG Promotion in some Circles :
6	27	Preparation and maintenance of APARs of officials working in Post office – Case of S. K. Region Karnataka Circle.

  7     32       Request for filling up of 25% vacancies of Mail Guard posts by                       promotion by selection cum seniority of Multitasking staff

                   The posts of Mail Guard under 25% by promotion by selection cum seniority of Multitasking staff, have not been filled up in RMS in many       Circles despite clear instructions were issued by the Directorate. The eligible officials were denied of their promotion in the vacant selections under the scheme of 25% by promotion by selection cum seniority of multi tasking staff.

           Unfortunately, the new recruitment rules issued for filling up of 25% by promotion by selection cum seniority of multi tasking staff for the years 2009 2010.2011& 2012 was not observed in many Circles through clear guidelines are issued.

                 It is requested to cause suitable instructions in this regard and also to fill all the MG Vacancies in accordance with the instructions contained in Directorate memo No 44-2/2011-SPB-I dated 27.01.2011. and No. 45-2/2011 -SPB-I  dated 18.10.2012.

8	42	Problem related to MMS.
9	44	Fill up the  4 posts of Superintendent Sorting among HSG-I officials
10	52	Revision of Syllabus for Departmental Exams: As the only avenue open to the cadre of Postman / MTS for higher promotion is that Postal Assistants through competitive examinations. The Department opted for revision of syllabus and pattern of examinations and the Staff Side to agree to it. It was told to us that the revision of syllabus and pattern of examinations would go a long way to help more candidates get through the examination to avoid many vacancies go unfilled after every examination. It took a long time for finalizing the syllabus and new method of examination introduced for LGO exam. However it is found that contrary to what was told by the Department the examinations of LGOs as well as the examinations from GDS to Postman and MTS have become so tough that it has become extremely difficult to answer many questions.  This has led to a situation wherein the candidates could not get through these examinations and a large number of vacancies remain unfilled after the examinations

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Grant of PA Promotion on seniority to Plus 2 qualified Postman and MTS There are many postmen employees having qualification Plus 2 should be made eligible for promotion to PA for provisioning some percentage for this cadre on the basis of seniority – cum -fitness.

12	73	Issues of Postmaster Cadre officials
13	77	Abnormal delay and non finalization of Recruitment Rules for PA, Circle office.
14	85	Discrimination in service for appearing LGO exam between Postmen & MTS As per the existing rules, the minimum qualifying service prescribed for appearing LGO exams for Postmen and Group D is three and five years respectively and there is a clear discrimination between the equal Group ‘C’ for appearing the same LGO exam. As both the posts of MTS & Postmen are in union Group ‘C”, this discrimination is incorrect. It is therefore requested to reduce the five years period to MTS as three years.
15	86	Engagement of Qualified GDS in vacant Posts of PA/SAS The shortage of staff in Postal Assistant/Sorting Assistant is very acute due to non filling of vacant posts, prolonged officiating in LSG, HSG II & HSG I Posts, diversion of Posts to ME & System oriented works, deputation to circle office etc. The officials are forced to look after two or three PAs works daily which causes erosion in efficiency and criticism from customers. In order to overcome the present shortage, it is requested to kindly cause orders to engage well qualified GDS available in the department on daily rated basis as if engaged in Postmen/Group ‘D’ short term vacancies.

16	92	Conduct of Postmen exam – request modification (i) Despite the introduction of objective type, the questions are being set above the standard of state board syllabus in matriculation. (ii)  As the exam is conducted on a regional basis, the GDS is forced to spend huge amounts for journey, stayal etc. to write the exam. (iii) As the answers are asked to be written in white papers instead of OMRs, there are several corruptions in the valuation as well as in the exam centre. There is scope for quo replacing the answer papers and it will lead to major corruption. As such it is felt that earlier practice of divisional wise exam is better and it should be conducted on OMR method and answer sheet should be in the prescribed sheet supplied by the Department with some identification work and not write paper.
17	95	Lifting Ban on filling up the Post of Stenographer Grade III
18	103	Regular Promotion in LSG / HSG-I to SBCO Cadre.
19	87	Non filling up of canteen staff

20	102	Request to withdraw the extension of business hours up to 5.00 PM (total 7 hours) including Saturdays against ILO norms and against 5 day week- administrative office / 6 day week – operative office principles.
21	102A	Maintaining LR strength and filling up the vacancies Due to acute shortage of staff, the existing LRPAs were positioned against regular vacant posts, years-together,  and slowly the LR P.A. S were amalgamated within the  sanctioned strength mostly in all the Divisions  and the  Rectt. was denied against  the 10% LRPAs posts, as in the case of residual vacancies. Hence  a thorough review is requested in order to restore the LR strength exclusively.
22	6	Stepping up of pay in case of postman and Group ‘D’ officials – regarding.
23	10	Revision of cash allowance to SPMs in the absence of Treasurer.
24	12	Allowances required restoration & Now introduction

25	16	Applicability of various kinds of TA in Case of System Administrators.
26	18	Special Pay to PO & RMS Accountant
27	20	Creation of New Posts of System Administrators and Marketing Executives instead of redeployment of the sanctioned PA posts
28	28	Revision of PPOs of Pre-2006 Pension cases
29	29	Eligibility for drawl of Increment on 1st July of every year 3rd Up-gradation under MACP and Regular Promotion thereafter:

25	16	Applicability of various kinds of TA in Case of System Administrators.
26	18	Special Pay to PO & RMS Accountant
27	20	Creation of New Posts of System Administrators and Marketing Executives instead of redeployment of the sanctioned PA posts
28	28	Revision of PPOs of Pre-2006 Pension cases
29	29	Eligibility for drawl of Increment on 1st July of every year 3rd Up-gradation under MACP and Regular Promotion thereafter:

30	36	Extension of Medical facilities for the treatment of employees and their families
31	37	Extension of Medical facilities at P&T Dispensaries - Jalpaiguri & Siliguri.
32	38	Recognition of Private Hospitals as referral hospitals in Assam and NE Circle
33	47	Non-implementation of the decision taken in postmen related issue committee constituted under the chairmanship of CGM, PLI to consider the issues related to postman. (a)            Extraction of data entry work from Postman- (b)            Scheme of payment of Incentive to Postmen: (c)            Combination of beats: (d)            Delivery of Heavy parcels and EPP articles:  (e)            Corrigendum on density of population:  (f) Creating of justified additional posts
34	49	Door to Door Scientific Measurement of Beats:-

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Cadre Restructuring of Postman and MTS The item is long pending and to be discussed and decided. The first and foremost issue on which a bias against the Postman is clearly visible is that of cadre restructuring for this cadre. The Department though conceded to form a Cadre Restructuring Committee during the strike negotiations with the Postal Joint Council of Action had issued orders omitting the cadre of the Postman and MTS from the ambit of cadre restructuring. This shows the mind-set of the Department on the important issue of cadre restructuring of Postman and MTS cadre. The stand of the Postal Directorate was against the direction of the Official Side in the National Anomaly Committee that every department shall go into the issue of cadre restructuring for boosting the promotional avenues of employees rather than depending too much on the MACP Scheme for that purpose. It is a known fact that the cadre of Postman and MTS have no in-situ promotion in their cadre except the promotion to the cadre of Postal Assistant through a competitive examination. Every other cadre other than the cadres of Postman and MTS have their own hierarchical promotions in their own cadre and this discrimination cannot be ended without a proper cadre restructuring in place for the Postman and MTS cadre. Even the flimsy promotion for the cadre of Postman earlier to the introduction of TBOP/BCR like Head Postman, Sorting Postman etc have disappeared from the scene and as on date no promotion in the cadre is available to both these cadres. Unfortunately the Department of Posts not only in a position to appreciate our contention as well as the proposal for cadre restructuring based on a percentage basis as available to all cadres in the Department of Railways but not inclined to consider any cadre restructuring proposal to these cadres. The absence of any promotion to them in their own cadre leaves them totally frustrated and takes away any incentive to perform better to the services. This has to be properly appreciated and attended to by the Postal Directorate in the absence of Cadre Restructuring Committee failed to find out any alternate proposals to our proposal based on percentage.

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Creation of Posts of Postmen against newly constructed  Cities / Area:  Instances of the creation new Raipur city (capital of Chhattisgarh) have come to notice wherein the construction of buildings has started and mails started pouring for the staff working huge construction.  Accordingly expansion of many cities like Gurgaon and Faridabad etc is also going on all sides resulting excess work for delivery.  It would be appreciated if necessary sanction of postmen staff according to construction/expansion is taken before hand avoiding delivery complication in the future.

37	58	Cycle Maintenance Allowance to MTS:  The Cycle Maintenance Allowance is paid to all Postman staff without any conditions whereas the MTS Staff who are engaged in letter box clearing etc like out of office work are excluded from the ambit of CMA. This is unjustified. The MTS Staff also is to be paid CMA without any conditions as like Postman staff. Our Union urges upon you to issue necessary orders to pay CMA to all MTS without any conditions
38	59	Grant of OTA to Postmen staff: Whenever excess work is done by postmen staff:  It is seen that the grant of OTA/compensation is not granted to them whenever they return late due to excess work.  They should be considered for grant of OTA for excess work performed by them like PAs working in the Post offices.
39	60	Grant of Special Allowance /Increment:

40	61	Revision of Fixed Monetary Compensation (FMC) : This has reference to your office  letter No 10-7/2003.P.E.II dated 24th Nov 2010 wherein the existing rate of revision has been enhanced for each category except Multi Tasking staff whose rate of remuneration has been reduced @ Rs 60/- per holiday for 4 hours  whereas MTS staff was getting @ Rs 63.45 per holiday for 3 hrs on an hourly basis @ Rs 21.15 per hour. Protracted correspondence made proved in fructuous. These need to be reviewed for proper justice to the MTS staff.
41	62	Grant of cash handling allowance to cash overseers and  mail overseers
42	66	Norms for delivery staff  All Delivery POs, all the Beats of Postmen in the PO’s may be calibrated at equidistant. One postman for the work of 450 minutes be allotted Orders may be issued on the subject. One hour allotted for advance preparation of the work in computerization should be included in the data calculation in the revision cases. (i) Unaccountable Postal articles may be ordered to be delivered to watchman (Security) of the flats/Society or at the Society Office, due to heavy shortage of field staff. (ii) Undelivered accountable article returned with remarks ‘time barred’ delivery should be permitted and no action be taken for such remarks. ‘Time barred’ for delivery may be approved as prescribe remark for return.

43	74	Anomaly in grant of one increment to the MTS stagnated and their DNI falls in between 01.01.2006 to 30.06.2006.
44	75	Non grant of MACP promotions to the Drivers promoted from Group ‘D’ cadre
45	81	Recovery of CGHS subscription from the date of issue of card instead of Date of joining.

46	84	Counting of training period for postmen service. The DOPT issued instructions to count the training period of qualifying service to the direct recruited officials and it is in vogue. Whereas the same has not been extended so far to the GDS who have appointed as Postmen/Group ‘D’ on direct recruitment for duly counting their training period as qualifying service for all purposes. It is therefore requested to kindly cause orders to construe the training period of Postmen/MTS shall be taken as the qualifying for all purposes.
47	90	Arbitrary imposement of recovery from APM Accounts for excess drawal of Bonus to GDS in AP Circle. The Directorate caused orders to recover the excess Paid bonus to GDS from the APM Accounts/Postmasters instead of recovering the amount from the concerned GDS or appealing against the Court decisions for non recovery of the excess paid amount. The court did not specify that the amount should be recovered from any one. One Head Postmaster has been proceeded Rule 14 on the date of his retirement and converted as Rule 9 and did not get the retirement benefits for the reason of excess drawal of Bonus to GDS. This is arbitrary, unjust and against to the orders on the subject. Suitable orders may please be issued to withdraw the earlier instructions to fix responsibility on APM/Postmasters and the amount may be recovered from the officials to whom it is paid.

48	94	Non grant of MACP to Para Medical staff
49	101	Grant of peripheral HRA in consonance with the List of Urban Agglomerations notified in 2011 Population totals released by the Census of India 2011 of Govt. of India, instead of awaiting for dependency certificate years-to-gether from the respective collectors.
50	9	Enhancement of additional HRA to the SPM’s not provided with post attached quarters

51	76	Non grant of MACP to the SBCO officials appointed from Postmen etc
52	104	Financial Upgradation to Pre-UDCs.
53	30	Acute shortage of MTS staff in RMS in all circles and Non  arrangement of Substitutes and keeping the GDS MM and Temporary Casual labourers posts in RMS wing unfilled: The work load of the MTS staff in particular has increased manifold due to heavy shortage of MTS Group` C ` in  all  circles,  whereas due Retirement/Death number which is more than 50% sanctioned posts, and if a sufficient number of GDS and Temporary Casual Labourer are not available In RMS unit the existing staff are suffering very much and forced to perform OT duties every day.  Further as there are no substitutes arrangement in place of MTS in all Circles, the vacant posts are left unfilled since long time. Alternative arrangement of engaging coolies/outsiders on a temporary basis may please be considered. In some  Circles  the casual mazdoors engaged  in MTS vacancies in RMS are actually being utilised to Sort mail (SA Duties) instead of in MTS duties. Their remuneration is also calculated on the basis of MTS pay scale, thereby the shortage in Sorting Asst is being managed at the cost of MTS. This is resulting in heavy additional workload on the MTS who are present in the sets.

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Creation of MTS Posts to the tune of vacant GDS MM and Temporary  Status Casual Labourer Posts in RMS Consequent upon the issue of Directorate Orders for keeping the GDS MM and Temporary Status Casual Labourer  posts in RMS wing unfilled, the work load of the MTS staff in particular has increased manifold. The Circle, Regional and Divisional Administration have taken advantage of the said orders to keep the vacancies of all such GDS MM and Temporary Status Casual Labourer unfilled. They have not taken any effort to assess the actual work hours to be performed by those vacant GDS posts to create necessary Multitasking Staff posts. It is requested to  kindly issue suitable instructions to all concerned to immediately assess the total hours of work pertaining to the vacant GDS MM and Temporary Status Casual Labourer posts in RMS and take measures to create appropriate posts of Multitasking Staff in order to mitigate the problems of staff and the RMS services.

55	48	Provisioning the facility of Mobile telephone to Mail Overseer/Cash Overseer
56	93	Impact of down gradation of ED SOs in to ED BOs – request to provide manpower. After the down gradation of EDSOs and converted them as BOs, the following works were added to the class II and class III offices. Issue and payment of money orders, supervision of delivery works, closing and opening of a mail bag, account bag and cash bag. Work related to MPKBY agents attached to EDSOs are translated to account office as MPKBY agents cannot be attached to EDBOs. Pass books of all new accounts opened in EDBOs has to be issued by account office apart from the incorporation of SB/RD/TD deposit and withdrawals in ED BOs. All the works mentioned above are being managed single/double handedly besides the work of their own. It is therefore requested to provide adequate manpower either redeployment or by means of compensation etc. to the single/double handed offices.

57	40	Creation of more  L-1 offices & problems thereon
58	45	Provide modern infrastructure and work materials to RMS offices
59	46	Introduction of more cross bags between L1 and L2 offices within the circle.
60	70	Provision of issue of VIP card for Railway reservation to JCM Departmental Council Members for attending Departmental Council Meeting
61	78	Formation of separate RMS division of Uttarakhand Circle
62	79	Fixing prescribed tenure for Marketing Executives and grant of Special Allowance

63	33	Non Supply of Uniform Chappals etc., to Ladies and Gents:- It has been brought to the notice of this union that uniform cloth both polyster and woollen, shoes, chappals, etc., have not been supplied to eligible RMS staff in Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Punjab etc.  Kindly ensure supply of the all items of uniform etc., to the eligible staff.
64	35	Construction of Postal Staff quarters in Madurai
65	41	Ensure supply of canvas bags and discontinue plastic bags.

66	50	Supply of better quality of uniforms (a) Provision of cash payment in lieu of non supply of uniform and kit items:
67	51	Supply of Kit Book:
68	69	Maintenance of P&T Colony, Sahar, Mumbai
69	21	Penalising innocent officials in the name of minus balances
70	64	Ledger Agreement
71	65	Centralization of RD, MIS, SCSS Work
72	88	Duplication of work both manual & Computer – Request to cause orders to dispense with manual entries.

73	98	Checking of Vouchers of all Small Savings Schemes
74	105	Withdrawal of operative work from SBCO Staff:
75	89	Non refund of the amount recovered under the New Pension Scheme & Non settlement of dues to the deceased/retired employees under NPS.
76	82	Enhancement of special casual leave for union meetings. At present, 20 days have been allowed for the grant of special casual leave to the officials for attending union meetings, circle conference, seminars etc. This is insufficient. Further in some circles, the days in which the union secretaries attending the Monthly Meetings/Bi-monthly Meetings are also construed as special casual leave instead of duty period as the formal meetings with administration will not cover up with other union meetings. It is therefore requested to clarify the same and also to enhance the number of special casual leave to attend union Meetings/Seminars.

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Supply of Government Orders from all sections to Recognised  service unions. In spite of repeated instructions, the staff unions are not receiving the orders of the Directorate then and there and we could aware of such orders from the unit levels in many occasions. This is deplorable. It is therefore requested to arrange some mechanism to prompt dispatch of all circulars to the service associations.

78	25	Fitting of Glass panels in counters – Phase I and II Project Arrow offices
79	26	Provision of AC and water cooler in all Project Arrow Post offices

80	71	Heavy delay in the disposal of Rule 9 cases
81	72	Unwarranted delay in finalization of disciplinary cases
82	80	(Replacement of old computers & printers)
83	97	Computerization : There is a statement from the Higher officers/ Government that, 155000 POST OFFICES are computerized. We brought it to the notice  of the administration that, there is more than one lakh branch Post Offices where no computers are installed. In many department /offices printers are not provided as per requirement. The entries in Pass Books of Small Savings Account including SB & RD Accounts are done manually. No History sheets have been maintained for computers and other instruments. Old computers are not replaced for  many years. Due to load shedding the staff is forced to do the  work manually  and the in charge  of Pos(SPM/PM)  are sitting in the PO’s upto midnight  for sending DET. The Government has given a lot of funds for modernization / computerization  of PO’s. But there is no proper utilization of funds. The Divisional heads are sending reports as “All the PO’s have been completely computerized but in reality it is not true.     The staff side therefore demands for proper utilization of funds allotted for computerization. Old computers should be replaced time to time and printers should be provided to all PO’s as per their requirement. The staff side further demands that, the committee may be appointed to visit any Post Office in small cities and rural area at any time at all levels and the union representatives should be a member of said committee.

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