Posted by R Prabhakar General Secretary on February 9th, 2011

Dear Comrades,

        Attended the meeting of national CEC of AICEIA held in New Delhi on 5-2-2011 along with Sri J.Radhakrishna, Joint Secretary. Our national President and Secretary General and all the  CEC members from all over the country attended the meeting. Com K.K.N.Kutty, Secretary General of “Confederation of Central Government Employees” addressed the meeting.

The following is the gist of the deliberations on some important issues in the CEC meeting.

1. Cadre Restructuring:

     (a) Secretary General stated that the Board is likely to send the CR proposals to the IFU of the Expenditure Department in the second week of thie month.

(b) From there after clearing all the hierarchical layers it will reach the Finance Minister. After approval from the Finance Minister it will be sent to the “Ministry of Personnel”, which will have to give it’s final nod.

© Normally CR proposals will not be sent to the “Ministry of Personnel”. But only in the case of “Ministry of Finance”, the file have to be cleared by the “Ministry of Personnel”.

(d)No timeframe has been given by the Secretary General for the implementation of CR. But he has assured that the Board is likely to send the CR proposals containing the original proposals.

   

 II. IN SITU PROMOTIONS :

The President and the Secretary General have reported that:

The concept of in situ promotions is beset with many pitfalls and shortcomings.

In view of different promotional channels for the Customs and Central Excise Officers in CBEC, Board may have to weigh all pros and cons before considering the in situ promotions.

If no legal hurdles are perceived, in situ promotions may well be given before CR.

The in situ issue is still at the Board level only and if no financial implications are observed, the expenditure department may give its approval.

III. GP-5400 issue:

The President and the Secretary General have reported that:

After obtaining opinion from the Law Ministry, Board may either file review petition in the Chennai High Court or SLP in the Supreme Court.

Since we have already filed Caveat in the Supreme Court, we will be heard before the Supreme Court hears and disposes the matter.

Best of the legal brains will be used for fighting this issue in the Supreme Court.

Contributions from all over the country have been very encouraging.

IV. Notional Fixation of pay of Inspectors of Central Excise in the pre-revised scale of Rs. 6500-10500 w.e.f.   1.1.96 onwards:

  The President and the Secretary General have reported that:

This time the issue will be taken with the Board unitedly by our association with Income Tax Employees Federation in CBDT and Superintendent Association in CBEC. 

The Ministry can be persuaded to grant the pay revision from 1.1.96 onwards if we do not insist for arrears w.e.f.

1.1.96 but adjust ourselves with notional benefits only. Even if notional benefits are given w.e.f. 1-1-96 onwards, we will see a substantial jump in our pay.

ACP/MACP TO PROMOTEE INSPECTORS:

  The President and the Secretary General have reported that the matter is under active correspondence with the Board on the following points:

Prior to the 2001-02 cadre restructuring, appointment to the post of Inspectors were done according to the Central Excise & Customs Group C posts Recruitment Rules, 1979 and in it Tax Assistant do not form part of the feeder cadre for promotion.

From the ministerial stream only UDCs were provided as a feeder cadre.

Board vide F. No. 32011/32/2003 – Ad III A dated 06.08.2004 (addressed to Commissioner, Bhubaneswar) in consultation with DOP&T has clarified that the Tax Assistant retain their basic seniority in the grade of UDC and the grade of Tax Assistant cannot be treated as promotional grade in the normal hierarchy of UDC.

Hence it is evident that the pre-restructured TA was always been treated as a UDC only, whether for the purpose of promotion or up-gradation under ACPS and the same analogy has to be taken for the purpose of financial up-gradation under MACPS also.

Board has been requested to issue instructions to the field formations to ignore the placement of UDC as pre-restructured Tax Assistant for the purpose of counting 1st. 2nd and 3rd promotion for the purpose of MACPS.

LIFTING OF BAN ON ICT:

The President and the Secretary General have assured that the issue of lifting of ban on ICT is under the active consideration of the Board.

Board will take necessary action on this issue only after completion of the Cadre Restructuring process.

Board is aware that there is strong resentment against the ICT ban.

General Secretary, Vizag Branch has brought the following points/ demands to the notice of the all India body:

1. Demand for bringing back the Gangavaram Port into the Central Excise jurisdiction on the grounds that it is a Minor Port and also it is outside the City Municipal limits.

2. Demand for scrapping Control Room duties to Central Excise Inspectors on the lines of Custom House Vizag.

3. Demand for implementation of Board’s direction for formulation of Transfer Policy for each Commissionerate basing on the local factors.

4. Demand for conducting JCM meetings by amending relevant rules, as JCMs are not being conducted in Vizag I & II Commissionerates on the plea that JCM scheme is meant for Gr. C & Gr. D only.

5. Demand for grant of ACP/MACP to promotee Inspectors. 6. Demand for Lifting of ban on ICT.

               Other details will be published once the SG comes out with his report.