Justice Mathur!! Justice not done to 50 lakhs of employees and 50 lakhs of pensioners!

SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF 7^TH CPC RECOMMENDATIONS

Justice Mathur on his recommendations before the Media

This 7^th CPC has not given any breathtaking recommendations.

Hopes were raised but totally belied.

Need Based Minimum Wage for a Group ‘C’ MTS is only 18,000/-MACP is further made stringy with harsh conditions.

HRA slashed in the name of rationalization.

Many Allowances including Treasury, Cash handling etc are abolished.

Except for recommending inclusion of Postal Pensioners into CGHS without discrimination and granting Pre-2006 Pensioners the benefit of their service based annual increments notionally added for fixing pension - no other great advantage to Pensioners also.

Some Common – Postal – Pensioners related recommendations are briefly narrated as under:

COMMON

Date of Effect: 1.1.2016.

Need Based Minimum Wage: The Staff Side had demanded 26,000/- as the minimum wages to a MTS which is considered as a Group ‘C’ cadre. But the 7^th CPC while maintained that the 15^th ILC norms of Dr.Aykroid formula on Need Based Minimum Wage is being followed, has recommended only Rs.18,000/- as the minimum wage for a Group ‘C’ employee.

The Pay Band and Grade Pay system has been removed. Individual Pay Scale to every cadre has been recommended. But by just applying the multiplication factor of 2.57 all existing Pay in the Pay Band + existing Grade Pay has only been taken into account for refixing the pay scale of every cadre. This does not totally take away the injustice perpetrated by 6^th CPC.

A uniform multiplication factor of 2.57 is applied to employees and pensioners, wherein their present Basic pay + Grade Pay in the case of employees or Basic Pension in the case of Pensioners will be multiplied by 2.57 factor to refix the basic pay or basic pension.

Rate of annual increment has been kept at the old rate of 3%.

HRA percentage has been slashed in the name of rationalization. The existing 30%, 20% and 10% are reduced as 24%, 16%, 8% respectively; on DA points crossing 50% the rate will be 27%, 18%, 9% respectively; On DA points crossing 100% mark then the rates will be restored as 30%, 20% and 10% respectively. Though the quantum of HRA will be increased the slashing of HRA % is retrograde.

Treasury Allowance, Cash Handling Allowance abolished. Many Allowances are abolished.

MACP will continue to be three with 10,20,30 years and the reason stated is that since the pay band and grade pay is removed, the grievance arose will vanish. But the benchmark is tightened with ‘Very Good’ instead of ‘Good’ recommended by 6^th CPC. Increments will be withheld for employees not able to meet the above benchmark to earn MACP or regular promotions within 20 years of their service. . Some examination or mandatory training for grant of MACP is also recommended. The anomaly arose in Postal Department and the subsequent Jodhpur Judgment etc in favor of Promotee employees are ignored by the Commission.

POSTAL

No operative cadre, right from MTS to HSG-I Postmasters have been considered for any up-gradation of pay scale but only granted with the replacement equivalent scales of pay. Only in the case of IPOs, ASPOs and consequently the SPOs the up-gradation of pay scale is allowed in the Department of Posts.

Member (Finance) post should be created without increasing the number of Postal Service Board Members. The post of Member (F) shall be held by a cadre from Indian P&T Accounts.

Senior Postmasters Grade with the present Grade Pay of 4800/- will be in future on the basis of 25% on seniority cum fitness from among the Postmasters Grade III cadre with 4600/- GP; and for the remaining 75% of posts the Postmasters Grade II and Grade III will also be permitted to compete along with the IPO Officials.

IPOs entry level pay will be on par with 4600/- Grade Pay; ASPOs will be elevated to 4800/- Grade Pay level; SPOs will be placed at 5400/- GP level.

The demand for up-gradation of Postal Assistant, LSG, HSG-II and HSG-1 scales has been rejected.

The demand for further up-gradation of Postmen scale by raising the entry educational qualification has been rejected.

The Commission is in agreement with the views of the VI CPC and recommends immediate merger of the remaining 33 postal dispensaries in 10 postal circles with CGHS so that the postal dispensary employees get the benefit of CGHS posts. Merging of the postal dispensaries with CGHS will also help in better use of infrastructure.

Artisans upgradation of pay scale is rejected.

Technical Supervisors upgradation is also rejected.

GDS are only holders of civil posts but not civilian employees. Therefore the Commission says that it has no recommendations for them.

CPC Rejected creation of separate cadre for System Administrators and Marketing Executives.

PENSIONERS

Most of the demands raised by Pensioners have been rejected.

Pre-2006 Pensioners are given option between: (1) to opt for 50% of Notional Pay in the Pay Band + Grade Pay + the number of increments @ 3% rate for the number of years service put in the cadre by them is added; or (2) 2.57 times of 6^th CPC formula basic pension fixed from 1.1.2006. However, even this is not Parity in Pension between the past and future pensioners, as that would necessarily grant any up-graded pay scale advantage. The denial of up-graded scale advantage to Pre-2006 by 6th CPC is not set right fully by 7th CPC but only replacement scale benefit is guarenteed with notional increments. 

Basic Pension enhancement from the present 50% of LPD stands rejected.

Additional Pension formula is not changed.

Demand for minimum pension at par with the minimum wage is rejected.

Commutation factor and commutation period are kept same without any change.

Gratuity ceiling is enhanced from 10 lakhs to 20 lakhs; Rate of Death Gratuity is modified to cover between 5 to 11 years and 11 to 20 years slab.

The order of the Health Ministry preventing P&T Pensioners to join CGHS if they were not members of CGHS while in service is discriminatory. All P&T Pensioners shall be allowed to join CGHS without discrimination. This is very favorable recommendation to P&T Pensioners.

Health Insurance Scheme is strongly recommended; In the meanwhile for pensioners outside the CGHS areas, some hospitals empanelled under CSMA /ECHS  should be allowed on cashless basis.

All the remaining 33 Postal dispensaries shall be merged.

A strong network of medical facility by combining CGHS, ECHS, RELHS should be explored.

FMA is not enhanced but will continue the same 500/- per month. 

Dear Comrades, The AIPRPA awaits analysis from all other Pensioners Organisations as well as the Federations and Unions of CG Employees on the entire report of 7th CPC. We shall join hands with all for any coordinated action. We also request all our members to study the report that is available in the website of 7th CPC (www.7cpc.india.gov.in) and send their valuable suggestions and comments for the CHQ to consolidate and coordinate with all other organisations. 

K.Ragavendran

General Secretary

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