The government has formed a committee to review pay structure and social security benefits provided to 'gramin dak sevaks'.

The one-man committee will review and suggest changes in existing wage structures, facilities and other social security benefits provided to 'gramin dak sevaks' (GDS), according to a notification by the Communications and IT Ministry.Gramin dak sevaks are extra-departmental agents recruited by the postal department to serve in rural areas.

They have been demanding pay and facilities at par with regular postal department employees.

"The question of examining the conditions of service and emoluments and other facilities available to the Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS) has been under the consideration of the Government of India for some time.

The Government has now decided to set up a one-man committee for the purpose," the notification dated November 19 said.

The Committee headed by Retired Member of the Postal Services Board Kamlesh Chandra will go into the service conditions of Gramin Dak Sevaks and suggest changes as considered necessary, it said.

All India GDS Union last week had demanded that the panel should be formed under retired Supreme Court or High Court judge and not under chairmanship of a retired officer.

In the letter to Secretary, Department of Posts, the union said that it will go on one-day hunger strike on November 27 at divisional offices, at circle offices on December 4 and in New Delhi on December 10 if the demand is not met.

The committee will examine the system of branch post offices, employment conditions and the existing structure of wage and emoluments paid to GDS and recommend necessary changes.

It will also "examine and suggest any changes in the method of recruitment, minimum qualification for appointment as Gramin Dak Sevaks and their conduct and disciplinary rules, particularly keeping in view the proposed induction of technology in the Rural Post Offices", the notification said.The Committee will function for a period of one year.

AS ALL ARE AWARE THAT THE PAY COMMISSION HAS SUBMITTED ITS REPORT ON YESTERDAY TO THE GOVERNMENT.  ON GOING THROUGH THE REPORT PUBLISHED IN THE WEBSITE, THE HON'BLE COMMISSION HAS IGNORED ALL OUR DEMANDS EITHER SUBMITTED BY FNPO OR BY OUR UNION HAVE NOT BEEN TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.  ESPECIALLY THE COMMISSION HAS NOT TURNED UP TO THE ISSUES RELATING TO THE POSTAL CIVIL WING EVEN THOUGH LOT OF EFFORTS HAVE BEEN TAKEN BY OUR UNION TO SUBMIT MEMORANDUM AND ATTENDING THE HEARING ETC. ETC.  IT IS THEREFORE WE CONDEMN THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF VII TH PAY COMMISSION AND REQUEST THE GOVERNMENT ESPECIALLY THE DEPARTMENT OF POSTS TO CONSIDER OUR DEMANDS. WE SHOULD GIVE ALL SUPPORT TO THE FNPO ACTIVITIES IN THIS MATTER AS AND WHEN CALLS OF FEDERATION ARE ISSUED. WE INVITE THE COMMENTS OF ALL STAFF MEMBERS WORKING IN THE CIVIL WING.

No.NUPCWNGE/GS/2015                                                       Date : 17^th November,2015

To

Smt.Kaveri Banerjee

Secretary

Department of Posts

Dak Bhawan

NEW DELHI

Subject :  Posting of Junior Engineer(Civil) in Postal Civil Sub-Division, Calicut,Kerala

Sir,

              With due regards, we would like to place the following for your kind consideration and necessary intervention in the matter.

              Consequent upon the transfer of one Junior Engineer out of two posted at Postal Civil Sub-Division, Calicut, Kerala only one Junior Engineer is left behind in the Sub-Division as the substitute posted to this Sub-Division has not yet been joined even after six months.  The Calicut sub-division is having the jurisdiction of one third land area of Kerala State and covering five revenue districts 10 Postal Divisions.  In these area the administrative approval and expenditure sanction were issued by the competent authority for 1.14 crores (approx.) for 38 works under plan head and tenders have been awarded or being awarded. The single handed female Junior Engineer  cannot manage the work by travelling to all the 38 sites even if she travels day in and out.   No maintenance works are being taken up by the Civil Wing due to non-availability of the required junior engineers. 

              In the meantime the Chief Engineer has issued the transfer order of Assistant Engineer from this Sub-Division without posting a substitute.  Without Assistant Engineer no booking of the expenditure under plan head is possible as the work should be test checked by Assistant Engineer up to the extent of 50% as per the formalities and the Junior Engineer cannot prepare the bills of the work without Assistant Engineer.  Due to these reasons the contractors who have completed the works are not getting payment which may attract litigation and no contractor is turning up for new works.

              If the situation persists no expenditure will be booked by the Sub-Division before the third quarter of the financial year.

              In view of the above, it is requested to intervene in the matter and direct the Chief Engineer to post an Assistant Engineer and one or two Junior Engineers in Postal Civil Sub-Division, Calicut immediately to avoid lapse of funds as well as the hiring of the private buildings etc. for Post Offices and also to avoid stalling of developmental works under Plan head and maintenance works.

A line in reply is solicited.

Yours faithfully,

(K.SIVADASAN)

GENERAL SECRETARY

Copy for favour of information and necessary action to :

1.   The Member (Planning), Department of Posts, Dak Bhawan, New Delhi

2.   The Chief Postmaster General, Kerala Circle, Trivandrum

3.   The Chief Engineer, Postal, Civil, Department of Posts, Dak Bhawan, New Delhi

4.   The Postmaster General, Northern Region, Calicut

5.   The Superintending Engineer, Postal Civil Circle, Bangalore

Meetings of Departmental Council are essential in resolving differences between Government and the Staff Side

DoPT issued an office memorandum regarding the functioning of Departmental Councils and it mentioned that the meetings of Departmental Council are essential as they help in resolving differences between Government and the Staff Side.

G.I., Dept. of Per. Trg., O.M.No.F. No, 4 /3/2009-JCA, 2.11.2015

Subject- Functioning of Departmental Councils – regarding

The undersigned is directed to refer to this Departments D.O. letter of even number dated 23.07.2012 (copy enclosed) regarding holding of meetings of Departmental Councils regularly with a view to make effective use of Joint Consultative Machinery (JCM) Scheme. Secretary, DoPT, had also vide his DO letters of even number dated 03.12.2012, 26.07.2013 and 17.02.2015 requested to promote this interaction more proactively through regular meetings of Departmental/Office Councils under the Ministry/Department.

The JCM Scheme provides for Departmental Councils at the level of individual Ministries/ Departments, including their attached and subordinate offices. The Staff Side of JCM, however, has been remonstrating that regular dialogue with the Staff Side through the mechanism of Departmental Councils at Ministry/Department level is not happening. Meetings of Departmental Council are essential as they help in resolving differences between Government and the Staff Side.

It is requested that suitable instructions may please be issued to hold meetings of Departmental Councils on regular basis.

The Department of Posts has decided to invite entries from citizens to design a postal stamp on the theme ‘Vibrant India’ to be launched on Republic Day in New Delhi.

“As per the directions of the Prime Minister, it has been decided to organise a ‘Republic Day 2016 – Stamp Design Competition’ at the national level. The entries with regard to the above competition will be received and judged by the Department of Posts headquarters at Delhi,” a statement issued by the office of the Chief Postmaster General of Maharashtra and Goa circle said.

“The theme of the said contest is, ‘Vibrant India’ and the contest will be open to all citizens of India up to November 30. The rules to participate have been posted on India Posts’ website,” it said.

Cash prizes

There will be cash prize of ₹10,000, ₹6,000 and ₹4,000 for the top three winning entries that would be unveiled on Republic Day (January 26).

While stipulating the rules for taking part in the contest, the department has said that the entries should be in original design and it could be in ink, water colour, oil colour or any other medium.

But computer printed entries or printouts will not be entertained. However, participants would be free to use drawing paper, art paper or any other type of white paper of A4 size, it added.

It has also stipulated that the design of the entry should be on A4 size paper and visually appealing and it should be reached at ADG (Philately), Dak Bhawan, Parliament Street, New Delhi before November 30.

THE CIRCLE CONFERENCE OF CALCUTTA CIVIL CIRCLE CONFERENCE WAS HELD ON 04.11.2015 AT YOGAYOG BHAWAN, CALCUTTA UNDER THE PRESIDENT SHIP OF SHRI PARTHA PRATIM GHORAI, PRESIDENT OF OUR UNION AND THE GENERAL SECRETARY SHRI K.SIVADASAN HAS ALSO ATTENDED THE CONFERENCE.  THE CIRCLE CONFERENCE HAS CONDUCTED SUCCESSFULLY AND ELECTED THE NEW OFFICE BEARERS OF CIRCLE UNION.  SHRI SUMIT DUTTA WAS ELECTED AS PRESIDENT AND SHRI HIRANMOY SIRCAR WAS ELECTED AS SECRETARY.  THE ENTIRE LIST OF OFFICE BEARERS WILL BE PUBLISHED LETER AS SOON AS THE COPY OF THE LETTER IS RECEIVED BY THE GENERAL SECRETARY. ALL MEMBERS OF THE UNION EXTEND THE BEST WISHES TO THE NEWLY ELECTED OFFICE BEARERS