List of GDS items for Departmental Council Meeting to be held on 20-12-2016 -FNPO

Date : 18.12.2016

List of GDS items for Departmental Council Meeting to be held on 20-12-2016 -FNPO

1. Issue of Departmental Identity Cards to all staff, including GDS – Reg.

Present days, the necessity of proving Identity is predominantly increasing in all walks of life. In several departments, the staff are having their departmental identity cards and using with prestige. The employees of the Department of Posts scattered throughout the nation deserve to have departmental ID to use it on travel, visit, tours and on off campus duties etc. It is requested to cause action to provide a departmental Identity card with photo to all the staff of the department which is very purposeful.

2. Spot payment of incentive to SPM / BPM for securing RPLI business

Despite the fact the incentive for procuring RPLI business is prescribed in the Directorate letter No. 35-15/78-LI (Vol. III) dated 21-08-96 and 27-11-96, the incentive money has not been paid to the officials’ years together directly as prescribed therein.

Incentive is being paid based on the business procured.  As such there should be no link to pay the incentive with allotment of funds.  Incentive be paid on the spot which will motivate and improve the business.  The Chief General Manager PLI vide his D.O. No. 75-15/87-LI (Part) dated 04-01-2006 intimated the Chief Postmaster General, Tamil Nadu Circle that one proposal for delinking the payment of incentive from allotment of funds has been sent to the Directorate for approval.  It is requested to finalise.

3. Delegation of Powers of Limited Transfers of GDS Staff to PMG:

At present, the powers of Limited Transfers of GDS Staff are with the CPMGs. Due to such centralized powers, GDS Employees posted in remote areas from their native place face many problems when they seek transfers near to their native place. Further, the conditions for Transfers of GDS Staff required to be relaxed. And the powers of limited transfers of GDS Staff should be delegated to Regional PMGs. The condition of three years’ service for transfer of GDS Employees appointed on compassionate ground needs to be removed.

4.Item No./DC/3/15 - Recruitment of Postmen & MTS through GDS & Casual Labourer & (MTS Group D) Staff Only. Through Examination and Seniority-cum-fitness :

Since last few years, the exams for recruitment of Postmen and MTS Staff are conducted by outsourced private agency M/s CMC Limited. However, there are many loop holes in the procedure of recruitment followed by the agency. A number of malpractices and dummy candidate are observed while conduct of these recruitments by the said outsourced agency and in many cases the whole recruitment is challenged in the court of law, VO and Policy Enquiry. As a result, recruitment of Postmen and MTS Staff is totally stopped which has increased the work load on existing staff and also resulted in hampered delivery.

For this purpose, recruitment of Postmen and MTS Staff is suggested to be carried out only through GDS Staff. Also, the exams for these recruitments through GDS Casual Labourer & (MTS Group D) Staff, the exams should be conducted by department itself.

5. Expected modifications for recruitment of Postmen are : 

Out of total vacancies, 50% quota should reserved for promotion of MTS Staff to Postmen (through exam), 25% quota should be reserved for GDS Staff through open exams and balance 25% quota which is presently reserved for Direct Recruitment through exam should be diverted only for GDS Staff on Fitness cum Seniority Basis as the GDS Staff are not departmental employees. And recruitment of GDS Staff against this quota is same as direct recruitment. Also, the unfilled quota from 50% reserved for MTS to Postmen remains unfilled due to many reasons which in future is diverted to direct recruitment. This unfilled quota of MTS to Postmen should also be diverted to recruitment from GDS Staff.

6.Expected modifications for recruitment of MTS are :

 Out of total vacancies 50% quota should be reserved for GDS Staff through exam, 25 % quota should be reserved for GDS Staff through Seniority cum Fitness Basis and the balance 25% quota should be reserved for casual labourers. In case, where casual labourers are not available, this 25% quota should be diverted to GDS Staff.

7.Request for not abolishing the GDSV/SV post despite there has been decline in sale of stamps on the basis of the latest statistics.

The statistics of latest nature can not reflect the actual quantum and potential of office in so far as the sales are concerned. There had been a dearth of stamps for a few months and stocks are replenished only recently.

 The work rendered surplus because of the abolition of the stamp vendor have to borne by the counter PAs. The counters are adequately manned due to shortage of staff and further the augmentations of clerical staff are overdue in many of the offices where the abolition of SV are intended. 

 The work of the staff at counters, if interspersed with sale of stamps, the pace and flow of the other main transactions as per the MDW will be terribly upset which will attract the wrath of the customer who have to wait .With addition of more and more new items of work like IMT, Mobile money transfer etc, the counter PAs are really overburdened as each and every transaction of kind requires briefing with customers considerably. It is needless to say what sort of additional work is in store for them once the hand –on – device are introduced and at the stage the output of this performance by field officials are to accommodate in the office transaction .

 Already the sale of stamps are being done at counter in the form of PSR collection which is not assigned with time factor for commutation of the work load .The present work load for booking of accountable articles are one and the same  for both type, either   stamps affixed  or cash collected. If the stamp are to vended by the PAS , inevitably it will tell upon the efficiency of the other work resulting in public to prefer the alternate services. 

Hence it is requested to allow the Stamp vending staff of bigger office where the work load of the counter PA are far in excess of available staff hours and augmentation of the staff are justified.{In most of the offices the working strength of clerical strength is less than the sanctioned strength.}

8.REQUEST FOR CLARIFYING, STREAMLINING AND ENSURING UNIFORM PROCEDURE IN MAKING CONTRIBUTION TO THE HAPLESS GDS EMPLOYEES UNDER THE SERVICE DISCHARGE BENEFIT SCHEME :

• In most of the Divisions, obtaining of PRAN subsequent to the initial batch as on 01.04.2011 has not been done even though the Scheme is mandatorily applicable for all the GDS engaged under regular basis on or after the introduction of Scheme, on completion of one year service. 

• In many of the Divisions, the GDS who are permitted to make matching contribution vide DG Lr. No. 6-11/2—9-PE-II (Part) dated 31.10.2013 were not given the opportunity to do so by notifying them in time before the due date prescribed i.e., October 2013. 

• Likewise, extension of one more opportunity for opting the SDBS who kept away the Scheme earlier has not also been done by proper dissemination of the instructions on the subjects.

• The Department’s contribution of Rs.200/- per month is required to be made in full other than the absence unauthorisedly from duty in addition to Put-off. The contribution of Rs.200/- is proportionately reduced for LWA periods also. The LWA is not an unauthorized absence as per Rule 7 of GDS [Engagement & Conduct] Rules, 2011. The DDOs are considering the stipulation in Para 4(b) of notification dated 01.04.2011 that the contribution will not be made for such beneficiaries for whom TRCA are not drawn by the DDOs. Even though TRCA is not drawn to the regular GDS availing LWA, his substitutes are drawing minimum of the TRCA scale applicable to regular GDS. Hence, such cases either should not come under the kinds’ of unauthorisedly absent from duty. Even, a step further, this non drawl of TRCA and its implication for the GDS working elsewhere against MTS/Postman Posts temporarily on short term basis are ordered to be given the contribution of Rs.200/- in full regardless of the leave availed by him in MTS/Postman post.

9.Request for ensuring uniformity in fixing of TRCA by the Divisional Heads to GDSBPMs who are merged with functions/duties over and above the BPM work.

* The merger of duties of BPM are resorted to  in order to increase the work load to pay either higher or retain the existing TRCA to  BPMs on abolishing the redundant post as per the DG letter no. 14-16/2001-PAP (pt) dated 11-10-2004.

* But on contrary, in such incidents, the overall work load of the BPMS  inclusive of the merged function are not taken in account for TRCA fixation on the plea that the designation the incumbents of BPM post merged with other duties should not be changed. 

* The BPMs are merely paid with Combined duty allowance only when the duties of the other post are attached as temporary measure pending the filling up of post or for some other reason like POD etc.

* Thus BPM who are merged with additional duties of other post on its abolition are underpaid and not remunerated as per the overall work load and in specific to the scales meant for the predominant work as per the rules on the subject.

10.REQUEST FOR ESCHEWING THE UNWARRANTED DELAY IN DRAWING THE exgratia Bonus to GDS officials;

The exgratia bonus for GDS officials who were on duty during the preceding financial year are eligible for the Bonus provided they are engaged on regular basis on observing all engagement formalities.

Under ambit of all engagement formalities, the verification of characteristics & antecedents and Mark sheet etc., are contemplated and the  bonus is not drawn for them treating them Provisional.

Even though both the above procedures are mandatory as pre-engagement formalities, in practice, it is not done in time and GDS selected provisionally for regular engagement remain ineligible for bonus for want of regular engagement order.

In fact, in many of the cases, the bonus for GDS officials are not granted for years together. Even more worse to realize that even if engagement is regularized from date of provisional selection, the bonus is not given for the lapsed period.

It will not be of any serious harm to rules, if the bonus is given in case where verification of characteristics & antecedents and Mark sheets are wanting. In as much as the bonus is given only for the service rendered by the GDS who have since been engaged on observing the Engagement procedures on regular basis. In no way, they cannot be equated with substitutes or the stop-gap appointees who are the only entities who can happily be called other than regular appointees. The concept underlying this is misconceived/misaddressed, disabling the regular GDS in not getting the bonus due for them. Even the so construed regular GDS issued with regular engagement orders after due verification of Characteristics & antecedents and mark sheet are also liable for termination under Rule-8 of GDS [Engagement & Conduct], Rules, 2011.

Thus, GDS on regular engagement other than substitutes, stop-gap appointees, un-provisional appointees vide ProformaA  & B are alone not eligible for bonus.

Source : FNPO