Agenda for the four-monthly meeting with Chief PMG

1. Regarding provision of Canteen in the campus of the Circle Office through outside agency for consumption by Postal Staff.    

Brief:- There was a proposal for provision of Canteen in the campus of the Circle Office through outside agency for consumption by Postal Staff. After some initial step, there is substantial improvement in the matter.

During the summer, mercury remains constantly above 45 degree Celsius for months together at Bhubaneswar. Be it Summer, Winter or Rainy Season the Postal Staff of Circle Office and Bhubaneswar GPO are suffering by going outside for their refreshment and Lunch. Therefore, provision of a Canteen inside the campus is a bare necessity for the Staff.

This Association urges for early action in the matter.  

2. Granting of 3% fitment benefit at the time of promotion to IP Cadre who have availed financial upgradation under MACP in lower Grade Pay

Brief:- Audit has disallowed the benefit to the Inspector Posts with the observation that as per para 4 of Annexure-I to GOI DoP&T OM No.30534/3/2008-Estt(D) dated 19.05.2009 if the Government Servant gets his regular promotion in the hierarchy of his cadre after availing financial upgradation under MACP he will only granted the difference of grade pay without any additional increment.

          Clarifications issued vide Department of Posts (Postal Accounts Wing) letter No. 3(4)/10/PA-Admn)/475-496 dated 07-02-2013 and No. 3(4)/10/PA-Admn)/07 dated 05-04-2013 which inter alia states that “The promotional hierarchy of a Postal Assistant is LSG---HSG-II---HSG-I. PA can only become eligible for promotion to JAO (now merged as AAO) cadre by qualifying the relevant examination. Thus promotion of PA to AAO is not in its promotional hierarchy. The officers who have got MACP/regular promotion in different hierarchy will be eligible for the benefit of 3% fitment benefit at the time of fixation of Pay on regular promotion to AAOs cadre as the promotion to the cadre of AAOs is not in the hierarchy of PA”. It is also learnt that the PAO is allowing this benefit to the AAOs.

          In similar analogy since one PA can only become eligible for promotion to Inspector Posts cadre by coming out successful in the relevant competitive examination, and therefore, the promotion to the cadre of Inspector of Posts is not in the hierarchy of PA. Thus the officers who have got MACP/regular promotion in different hierarchy will be eligible for the benefit of 3% fitment benefit at the time of fixation of Pay on regular promotion to Inspector Posts cadre like AAO.

          Since it is affecting several individuals in Inspector Posts cadre, this Association urges kind intervention to uphold the principle of equality, and to decide the cases of Inspector Posts in the light of clarifications issued in case AAO cadre.

3. Request for invoking PAD Act, 1850 for recovery of Public money involved in Loss and Fraud Cases from the properties of prime offenders.  

Brief:- There is a sense of insecurity in the IP/ASP cadre for imposition of penalty of heavy recoveries as subsidiary offender by remotely connecting minor lapses by subjective interpretation of rules who are discharging variety of tasks at one time with all precaution and good intention.

It is also a matter of concern that no action is being taken for implementation of the PAD Act, 1850 for recovery of the pecuniary loss to the Government caused by the Principal offender for better avoidance of the loss. Ultimately it is encouraging for commission of more loss and fraud cases.  It is well-read that the present Circle Administration has a very good relationship with the State Govt. authorities and, therefore, there is a scope for the Circle Administration to utilize this opportunity to help the Divisional Administration in implementation of the PAD Act in loss and fraud cases.

This Association requests the Circle Administration to take every possible steps to ensure invoking of PAD Act, 1850 in conjunction with the judgments in SLP No.7111/2004 and WP No.33207/2006 of Hon’ble High Court of Allahabad for recovery of loss from the properties of Prime offenders and their dependents as per the Directorate Letter No. 4-66/TN-16/2009-Inv dated 19-03-2015.