MODEL LETTER TO MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT FOR REQUESTING TO DIRECT THE 54 POINTS TO GDS PAY COMMITTEE

MODEL LETTER TO MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT FOR REQUESTING TO DIRECT THE 54 POINTS TO GDS PAY COMMITTEE 

     National Union of Gramin Dak Sevaks

            (FEDARATION OF NATIONAL POSTAL ORGANISATIONS)    

                                                                                                                       DIVISION

 NO.NUGDS/Div/MP’s/Memorandum/March                                         Date: 01.03.2016

To,

The Honorable Member of Parliament,

New Delhi.

Respected Sir,

            Subject: Departmentalization of Grameena Dak Sewaks working                           in the Postal Department

                                   On behalf of all the members of our union we have prepared a memorandum on the aspirations of all Grameen Dak Sewaks left as mirage for so many decades though 5 GDS Committees were constituted earlier. We have requested you sir /madam through our letter No.NUGDS/CHQ/MP’s/Memorandum/Nov. dated 02.11.2015 to present our problems in Parliament and get the directions to include GDS also in 7 th Central Pay Commission instead of separate GDS Commissions as earlier constituted. But Sir/ Madam, to our misfortune GDS was not included in the 7 th CPC and one Departmental Committee is constituted as done earlier.

                                   This GDS service was started 130 years ago as extraneous service on honorarium, later converted in to extra departmental service and finally named as Grameen Dak Sewaks with very low pay scales. The department is getting all its services in rural India on par with urban India but not allowed equal pay structures along with departmental postal officials in a view that GDS are assigned with less workload and engaged for limited hours. But Sir/ Madam, the country is so developed and a rural Indian demanding the same services at par with urban area and to fulfill the desire of rural India, the Branch Post offices numbering about 1,26,000 located in rural India are the only outlets to serve rural India .No other department spread to each and every village in the country except postal department with its Grameen Dak Sewaks. In deed this is realized by the Govt. of India and Govt. of all States and Union Territories and utilizing Branch Post offices for their services such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme  ,Social Security Pensions etc. other than this ,this Branch Post office is doing agency services such as savings bank, the only banking services in many villages as on today also and the department has given cores of rural postal life insurance policies to villagers in rural India and assured the lives for the term spread to maximum 37 years i.e, in between 18 years to 55 years for which the rural post office is the only servicing agent and it cannot be undertaken by another service organization to cater to the needs of rural public. The term Grameen Dak Sewaks engaged for limited hours is out dated as every Branch Postmaster is spending 10 hours a day at his post office for attending to his normal work i.e., savings bank  including recurring deposits ,rural postal insurance, mails ,registration ,parcels ,value payable services, money orders and delivery etc, and for attending to other service schemes  i.e., MGNREGS at an average of 1400 a/c  and Social Security Pensions at an average of 800 a/c at every Branch Post office.

                            The Govt. of India through its Communications and IT Ministry is set to a launch a slew of schemes on 2015 December 28 that will seek to digitally connect rural post offices across the country and enable Core Banking facilities . Further Govt. of India has decided to provide 1,30,000 hand-held devices by march 2017.For this also our GDS are the officials to attend the said work and to develop rural India in digitally devised lines. This is the high time to bring these Grameen Dak Sewaks in to main stream of the departmental officials rather civil servants of Govt. of India with full workload of 8 hours and with pay scales designed at par with departmental employees

                                   Our opinion to bring us to the main stream rather our demands are enclosed to this letter in fifty four points. Sir /Madam we are working at your footsteps and covering entire your jurisdiction. Kindly show sympathy on us and endorse and recommend these Fifty four points to Sri. Kamalesh Chandra , GDS Commission constituted to examine Grameen Dak Sewaks services to the address given below.

Sri. Kamalesh Chandra

Chairman,GDS Committee

                    &

Shri. T.Q. Mohammad

Secretary,GDS Committee

Malcha Marg Post Office

New Dehi -110021

                                       or

Through E-mail to gds.com.feedback@gmail.com .

or 

India post website 

www.indiapost.gov.in

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                               Yours sincerely

                                                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (                                           )

                                                                                                            Divisional Secretary

Suggestions/Feedback to GDS Committee.

1)         The motto of GDS is part-time should be scrapped by giving 7 ½ hours workload to each official as it is available.

2)         The term “Sevak” should be replaced by “employee”.

3)         No BO is running on loss in real terms by keeping the thinking that it is a mixture of many agency services and by considering it is a public essential service, GDS can be made departmental.

4)         All GDS BOs may be converted into departmental BOs and renamed as “Rural Post Offices”.

5)         All GDS BOs staff should treated as departmental officials holding civil posts and renamed as “Rural Post Masters” and “Rural Postal Assistants”.

6)         Total expenditure on Rural Postal employees including OMA paid to each Rural Post Office may be met by Ministry of Finance.

7)         Commission on SB and RD accounts standing at BOs may be kept with Ministry of Finance.

8)         Accounts work, Accounts supervision, Administrative Supervision done by Department of Posts may be taken up as reciprocal services for its services received at Rural Post Offices such as mails, sorting, delivery, stamp sale, registration including V.P and Insured, Speed post, Money Orders, Mahatma Gandhi NREGs and Social Service Pensions.

9)         Mails, Sorting, Delivery, Stamps sale, Registration including VP and Insured, Speed Post, Money Orders, Mahatma Gandhi NREGs and Social Service Pensions related to Department of Posts at Rural Post Offices may be taken up by Ministry of Finance as reciprocal services for its work done by Department of Posts such as Accounts, Accounts Supervision and Administrative Supervision.

10)        Department of Posts may increase its revenues at par with scheduled Banks and Couriers as those Banks and Couriers are being survived with the same limited jurisdiction.

11)        For doing Inspections and Investigations of Rural Post Offices and supply of stationary relating to SB and RD to Rural Post Offices, the subsidy to the tune of Rs. 650/- crores (approximately) paid on Rural POs may be paid to Department of Posts in proposed setup also.

12)        Commission received by Department of Posts on services such as NREGs and Social Service Pensions may be kept by Postal Department as it is received from different source.

13)        As the conditions “holding honorary posts being self sufficient” is an “obsolete” one in present conditions of the country, it is necessary to bring all GDS under the category of “Departmental Rural Postal Employees” and their services to be considered as essential services as the Rural Post Office is the only outlet for the Government to serve the rural public.

14)        All Rural Postal employees may be considered as departmental Group ‘C’ or Group ‘E’ by giving status of holding civil post in the Government.

15)        The BPM may be named as “Rural Post Master” (RPM) with 7 ½ hours workload for Post Master’s duties.

16)        Other GDS employees in a BO may be named as ”Rural Postal Assistants” (RPA) with 7 ½ hours workload for their duties such as delivery, conveyance, LB Clearance, packing, stamp sale put together.

17)        GDS Posts in HOs / SOs / RMS may be converted into MTS.

18)        The income and cost of a Rural Post Office may be ignored as it is only essential public service available in a village and demanded by public and their leaders and used by state governments also as only way for them to serve the rural public.

19)        Statistical workload and financial positions of Rural Post Offices may be assessed in Triennial reviews here after called as Audit as these reviews can be used for 100% verification of accounts standing at Rural Post Offices also.

20)        The constitutional provisions under Article 309 and 311 should be applied to Rural Postal Employees.

21)        All GDS stamp vendor posts in Departmental Post Offices may be upgraded to MTS or Postman as the case may be and shortfall of workload if any may be utilized for Registration etc. of the said office.

22)        Basic qualification for future appointment, by selection or promotion should be 10 + 2 with 60% of marks in Plus 2 for Rural Post Master and 8^th standard may be continued for Rural Postal Assistants.

23)        Maximum age limit for entry as Rural Postal employee should be 35 years with relaxation admissible to SC, ST and OBC. For promotions there should be relaxation by 5 more years i.e. 40 years it would be better to reduce to 3 years with relaxation to SC, ST and OBC employees as it is observed for some categories in the department. Commission may consider the age of superannuation.

24)        Selection at the time of entry should be at divisional level through employment exchanges of the district, but on merit basis in the requisite qualifications.

25)        All “Rural Postal Employees” should be imparted with concerned Trainings as designed for the purpose.

26)        The present service restriction of 5 years for promotions should be reduced to 3 years. In addition 50% RPM posts may be earmarked to outsiders through employment exchange, out of remaining 50%, 25% may be earmarked for RPAs on seniority cum fitness basis with the requisite qualifications of RPM through DPC. Remaining 25% vacancies on merit as if outsiders through employment exchange, but applications may be called for in the division, For both the types of above DPC / selection minimum 3 years of service may be fixed. If any vacancy is unfilled, it should be given to Employment Exchange immediately without carrying forward for next year. The Rosters should be maintained as usual at divisional level.

27)        However by virtue of services rendered the Rural Postal employees such as Rural Post Master and Rural Postal Assistant may be allowed MACP I, II, III for 10 years, 20 years, 30 years completion of service respectively.

28)        All conduct and disciplinary rules and procedures under CCS (CCA) rules 1964 available to departmental employees may be extended to Rural Postal employees also.

29)        The pay structure suggested is as follows:

Initial fixation to RPAs / RPMs as follows at the time of implementation of 7^th PC.

Rural Postal Assistant:

Up to 5 years	18000 + GP
After 5 years	18000 +1 increment i.e. 5% on 18000 + GP
After 10 years (MACP I)	18000 + 3 increments i.e. 15% on 18000 + GP (For MACP I one more increment)
After 15 years	18000 + 4 increments i.e. 20% on 18000 + GP
After 20 years (MACP II)	18000 + 6 increments i.e. 30% on 18000 + GP (For MACP II one more increment)
After 25 years	18000 + 7 increments i.e. 35% on 18000 + GP
After 30 years (MACP III)	18000 + 9 increments i.e. 45% on 18000 + GP (For MACP III one more increment)
After 35 years	18000 + 10 increments i.e. 50% on 18000 + GP i.e. 18000 + 9000 = 27000 which is less than proposed pay component of MTS i.e. 29000 which is a promotional post. If this is not followed there will be no charm in promotions.

Rural Post Master:

To show difference between RPA and RPM, 2 increments may be given to RPMs at initial stage of fixation also. Then,

Up to 5 years	18000 + 2 increments i.e. 10% on 18000 + GP
After 5 years	18000 +3 increments i.e. 15% on 18000 + GP
After 10 years (MACP I)	18000 + 5 increments i.e. 25% on 18000 + GP (For MACP I one more increment)
After 15 years	18000 + 6 increments i.e. 30% on 18000 + GP
After 20 years (MACP II)	18000 + 8 increments i.e. 40% on 18000 + GP (For MACP II one more increment)
After 25 years	18000 + 9 increments i.e. 45% on 18000 + GP
After 30 years (MACP III)	18000 + 11 increments i.e. 55% on 18000 + GP (For MACP III one more increment)
After 35 years	18000 + 12 increments i.e. 60% on 18000 + GP i.e. 18000 + 10800 = 28800 which is less than proposed pay component of MTS i.e. 29000 which is a promotional post. If this is not done there will be no charm in promotions.

As such Grade pay for Rural Postal Assistants and Rural Post Masters in 7^th PC is suggested as follows.

            Rural Postal Assistants:

At initial stage	4000 x 1000 / 1800	=	2222 i.e. 2200.
On MACP I (after 10 years of service)	4000 x 1100 / 1800	=	2444 i.e. 2400.
On MACPI I (after 20 years of service)	4000 x 1200 / 1800	=	2666 i.e. 2600.
On MACP III (after 30 years of service)	4000 x 1300 / 1800	=	2888 i.e. 2900.

Rural Post Masters:

At initial stage	4000 x 1400 / 1800	=	3111 i.e. 3100.
On MACP I (after 10 years of service)	4000 x 1500 / 1800	=	3333 i.e. 3300.
On MACPI I (after 20 years of service)	4000 x 1600 / 1800	=	3555 i.e. 3500.
On MACP III (after 30 years of service)	4000 x 1700 / 1800	=	3777 i.e. 3800.

            In all the above cases it is rounded off to next hundred and where as in the case of MACP II it is rounded off to below hundred to remove the dissatisfaction to MACP III candidates. However proposed GP to RPA / RPM is less than proposed GP component of MTS at minimum i.e. Rs. 4,000/-.

            Increments: 5% on basic pay + GP every year besides one increment of 5% each for MACP I, II, III promotions. This is in addition to 2 increments i.e. 5 + 5 =10% allowed to Rural Post Masters on initial fixation and 5% raise after completion of every 5 years.

            Maximum of the scale: Rs. 1, 28,000/- with a length of 38 years.

            Pay Band: Should be pay band 1 shifting other pay bands by one number or giving special pay band i.e. pay band R is suggested for Rural Post Masters and Rural Postal Assistants.

30)          CCS Pension rules available to departmental employees may be applied for Rural Postal employees and GPF and all pensionery benefits including Group Insurance Scheme may be applied to all Rural Postal employees at par with departmental employees giving credit to their date of entry in the department.

     Here one case is requested in either of the cases i.e old pension system till 31.12.2003 entrants and New pension       scheme wef 1.1.2004, the monthly minimum pension received by Rural Postal Employees should be Rs.1000/- as it is given by the Govt to poor citizens of India as this GDS is much poorer than that poor citizens having getting no monthly income beyond superannuation though he served those poor citizens particularly in the payment of the said social security pension for many more years.

31)        All the allowances admissible to departmental employees may be extended to rural postal employees at the rate admissible to departmental employees in the following cases.

            i) Dearness Allowance.       ii) Office Maintenance Allowance (In the place of FHR) ranging between Rs. 500 – Rs. 950 with an annual raise of Rs. 50/-.

            iii) Electricity and Water charges for Office.

            iv) HRA ranging between Rs. 800 – Rs. 1520 with an annual raise of Rs. 80/-

            v) Transport Allowance: Rs. 150/- per month for official use.

            vi) Cycle Maintenance Allowance: Rs. 150/- for office use to perform outside work.

            vii) Overtime Allowance: Maximum 3 hours on a working day beyond 7 ½ hours work if another post in the office is on leave or otherwise and Sundays / Holidays as ordered by divisional head if required. Allowance should be on prorata of pay + GP + DA for one day.

            viii) Travelling Allowance: Travelling allowance would be as shown in the Table at 16.11A .

            ix) Boat Allowance: As demanded by boat operator.

            x) Children education Allowance: At par with departmental employees.

            xi) RTF: At par with departmental employees.

            xii) Cash allowance to RPM on par with ‘C’ class departmental SPM.

            xiii) Other allowances such as special duty allowance being paid in Assam and NE Circle, Uttarakhand Allowance, Remote Area Allowance, Naxalite Threat area Allowance, Bad Climate Allowance, Winter Allowance and Project Allowance etc.,

32)        All kinds of leaves admissible under CCS (leave rules) 1972 besides casual leave to departmental employees may be extended to Rural Postal employees with same limitations in all respects.

33)        Leave encashment facility available to departmental employees may be extended to Rural Postal employees. In addition 15 days leave encashment every year may be allowed to Rural Postal employees to enable leave cases and arrangements there on to be reduced.

34)        Leave travel Concession at par with departmental employees.

35)        Advance of leave salary and advance of pay may be allowed to Rural Postal employees at par with departmental employees.

36)        5% of leave reserve may be maintained at divisional level.

37)        Medical allowance of Rs. 600/- p.m to Rural Postal employees for minor ailments and for hospitalization, it is in recognized hospitals at par with departmental employees.

38)        All welfare measures available to departmental employees may be extended to Rural Postal employees also, such as,

            a) Interim Relief.

            b) Transfers      i) In the interest of service such as thrown out.

                                    ii) Request transfers including Rule 38 and Mutual’s.

            c) Compassionate Appointments: 1) To the family members of all deceased.

                2) To the dependents of Rural Postal employees retired on invalidation.

            d) Bonus.                      e) Identity Cards.           f) Funeral expenses.

            g) Loans: Loans may be given to Rural Postal employees on par with departmental employees. This may be extended for education of children and marriage of daughters.

            h) Advances: All advances available to departmental employees may be extended to Rural Postal employees such as Cycle advance, Natural Calamity advance (available now), Festival advance, Medical advance, Pay advance, Leave Salary advance, Motor Cycle advance, House Building Advance (to be extended).

39)        Uniforms: At par with departmental employees.

40)        Fixed Stationary Charges: At par with ‘C’ class departmental offices and officials.

41)        Counting of Past Service: The service rendered as ED or GDS may be counted to newly renamed Rural Postal employees as departmental service.

42)        Head Quarters: Where the Rural Postal employee is born in the establishment for drawal of pay and allowances.

43)        Security: At par with departmental employees.

44)        Norms: At par with Departmental Post / Post Office.

45)        Workload: All works performed by Rural Postal employee counts for workload.

46)        Incentive for promoting small family norms: At par with departmental employees.

47)        Incentive to Sports person: At par with departmental employees.

48)        Date of Superannuation: At par with departmental employee, but maximum age to be reviewed by Commission.

49)        Payments of retirement / terminal benefits: At par with departmental employees.

50)        Contributory negligence to be removed.

51)        Basic amenities such as infrastructure to office and public to all Rural Post Offices, to be provided. All requisite forms are to be supplied. Divisional Office to be treated as secondary unit of supply. Sub division to monitor supplies.

52)        All Trade Union facilities available to departmental employees may be extended to the Unions of Rural Postal employees and Rural Postal Assistants. (One Union for one banner)

53)        All the above suggestions are exhaustive, but Committee is requested to look after anything left over.

54)        Finally the GDS Pay Committee is requested to extend all facilities available to Departmental Post Offices / Departmental employees to Rural Post Offices / Rural Postal Employees.