NFPE WRITES TO Dte DEMANDING JUSTICE TO POSTMASTERS
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF POSTAL EMPLOYEES
CHQ: 1st Floor, North Avenue Post Office Building, New Delhi - 110001
Ref: PF/NFPE/Staff Dated – 16.07.2014
To
The Secretary
Department of Posts
Dak Bhawan, New Delhi – 110001
Sir,
Sub: - Continuing injustice to the Postmaster cadre – request for remedial measures – reg.
By
various references the injustice caused to the Postmaster cadre
official have been brought to the notice of the Directorate but the
results of the actions taken are yet to come. The minds of the affected
Postmaster cadre officials are in the burning state and this
disappointed category needs and deserves justice on the following
issues.
1. It
is happened while calling for volunteers to Postmaster cadre, it was
assured to the applicants under initial constitution vide para 4, 5, 6
of the Directorate letter No. DG (P) No. 4-17/2008-SPB II dated
07.02.2011, that the same years as minimum Qualifying service will be
adhered for the promotions of Postmaster grade I to Postmaster Grade II
and Postmaster III as in the cases of LSG to HSG II and HSG II to HSG I.
Many senior HSG II officials opted for PM Grade II are now bypassed by
junior HSG II officials remained in the General line by getting HSG I on
completion of 3 years of Qualifying Service.
As
assured during the initial constitution of Postmaster Grade by
Directorate to maintain same qualifying service, all the Postmaster
Grade II officials having 3 years of service in HSG II & PM Grade II
combinedly may be promoted to Postmaster Grade III by taking into
account of anomaly caused to Postmaster Grade II officials. The above
matter was taken up with the Directorate in the JCM Departmental Council
meeting on 27/11/2103 under Sl. No. 12 and Item No. 73 and the staff
side was replied that the proposal is being drafted for sending it for
the DOPT/UPSC for relaxation of recruitment rules in order to promote
Postmaster Grade II to Postmaster Grade III with 3 years of service in
Postmaster Grade II/HSG II.
Till
date, no positive action in this regard has come out and the fate of
the affected Postmaster Grade officials are still worsening as their
junior counter parts in erstwhile HSG II gradation list are now promoted
to HSG I and some become Postmaster Grade III under belated initial
constitution while the senior erstwhile HSG II officials earlier opted
for PM Grade II are in the same Post.
The
above injustice anomaly tampered the ambitions and rightful career
aspirations that can never happen in any other administration or
department.
2. On
several occasions in person and through writing it is being requested
to convene a special meeting exclusively for the problems and issues of
the Postmaster Cadre. But for unknown reasons, the above request is not
materialized till date. A meeting is required to be convened exclusively
for Postmaster cadre issues which may lead to sort out the bottle
necks.
3. In
the year 2011, 2012 when the PS Group ‘B’ exam were conducted, the
optees for Postmaster Grade despite their LSG service for more than 5
years are denied abruptly to sit in the examination. A fair number of
senior and efficient officials opted for Postmaster cadre was kept out
from the race of PS Group ‘B’ and their career ambition is ignored in an
unscientific manner. In the same way, young and dynamic Postmaster
Grade I officials are denied to sit in the IP examination to enhance
their grade pay and career option which is not inconsonance with the
natural justice. If the grade Pay of an IP is equivalent to Postmaster
Grade-I, then nobody will opt for IP cadre, but the Postmaster Grade-I
is designed as less than that of IP cadre.
The
Postmaster Cadre officials are to be made eligible is sit in PS Group
‘B’ and IP examination if they desire so. This is not only to fulfill
the career aspirations of young PM Grade officials, but at large
beneficial to the department also. Recently CAT Chennai has ordered to
publish the results of Postmaster cadre officials appeared in PS Group
‘B’ 2011 examinations.
4. The
financial, administrative and disciplinary powers of PM Grade are to be
enhanced to the required level to conduct their offices in optimum. The
delegation of powers to administer their offices is the need of the
hour in the changed technological scenario and now the time has ripen.
5. It
is desirable on our part that the entire posts of Senior postmasters to
be given to the Postmaster Grade officials. Even though Senior
Postmaster is in the hierarchy of Postmaster Cadre, it is pitiable to
note that no Postmaster Grade officials are eligible to sit in the LDCE.
The Post of Senior Postmaster shall be increased and 50% may be
apportioned for LDCE in which the PM cadre officials are made eligible
to compete and the remaining 50% is to be for the promotions to PM Grade
III officials.
6. In
the present trend and juncture, the role of Postmaster to lead a post
office with multifarious tasks deserved them for enhanced pay scale
counting their responsibilities and importance to pass the miles to
come, their pay scales need a revision and it is expected to recommend
such revision by the department to 7th CPC.
The
problems and issue of the Postmaster cadre officials are not exhaustive
but illustrative. The above main issues are long expected and it is
requested to convene a meeting with the unions/JCM to once again present
our case and arguments to the new Secretary (P) and grant justice to
the Postmaster Cadre officials.
A line in reply is much awaited
With found regards,
Yours faithfully,
(M. Krishnan)
Secretary General
