Comrades,
The following is the submission of the Association against the recomendations made by the 6th C.P.C. these are a few points which specifically relates to our cadre.
This Association wishes to place on record our serious objections to recommendations made by the 6th Central Pay Commission that would have a bearing on the cadre of Inspectors of Central Excise. This is in addition to the objections on the recommendations that would affect the entire community of Central Government employees. This Association would be pursuing the common points through the Confederation of Central Government Employees.
Different ministries have already highlighted the general discontentment of their personnel with regard to the recommendations of the commission with the Ministry of Finance requesting corrective action. We would like to mention specifically the efforts made by the Chief of Armed Forces and the Minister for Defence in respect of the Armed Forces Personnel and that of Railway Ministry in respect of their employees. It is our sincere hope that the CBEC and the Department of Revenue would also rise to the occasion and take immediate action to alleviate the grievances of its employees.
It may please be appreciated that to provide the best security to the nation better revenue augmentation is a necessity, which can be solely achieved through its personnel.
1. OBJECTIONS ON THE RECOMMENDED PAY SCALE OF INSPECTOR
The CPC in para 7.15.13 vide dealing with the matter of the pay of officers of Central Excise has made the following observations “The posts of Inspector and equivalent exist in CBDT as well as CBEC. The Fifth CPC had recommended the scale of Rs.5500-9000 for these posts. The pay scale of these posts was, however,upgraded to Rs.6500-10500. Demands have been received from other posts existing in the scale of Rs.5500-9000 in these two Boards seeking similar dispensation. The Commission has recommended merger of the pay scales of RS. 5000-8000/-, Rs.5500-9000/- and Rs.6500-10500/- which will automatically meet this demand. Hence, no specific recommendation on demands seeking such upgradation is being made."
This recommendation would in effect place the Inspector of Central Excise on par with a Senior Tax Assistant in the Department. It may be appreciated that Senior Tax Assistant constitutes one of the feeder cadre for promotion to the Post of Inspector of Central Excise. 2/3rd posts in the cadre of Inspector is filled up by direct recruitment and rest by promotion. In this regard, it may also be noted that the cadre of Inspector is not a regular promotional post for the cadre of Senior Tax Assistants. Only those Senior Tax Assistants who possess the required physical standards, who qualify the prescribed physical endurance test, written examination and interview are selected and promoted as Inspector. Neither these posts are comparable not their functions the same. While Senior Tax Assistants is a ministerial post, that of an Inspector is a field post and is the chief constituent of the executive arm of the Department. For these reasons, the recommendations of VIth CPC at para 2.2.19 to the effect-" since the length of a pay scale is not very relevant in the revised scheme of running Pay Bands, no rationale existed for retaining the scale of Rs.6500-6900/-as a distinct scale" does not hold good for the Department of Central Excise. The above recommendation is higly demoralizing to the cadre of Inspector of Central Excise.
In this regard attention is invited to the recommendation of the commission in para 2.2.21 (V)as to the action to be taken in situations when one of the merged cadre constitute the feeder cadre for promotion to the other cadre.
“On account of the proposed merger of pre-revised pay scales of 5000-8000, Rs.5500-9000 and Rs.6500 – 10500, some posts which presently constitute feeder and promotion grades shall come to lie in an identical grade. The commission has given specific recommendations about some categories of these posts in the report. As regards other posts, it should first be seen if the posts in these three scales can be merged without any functional disturbance. If possible, this should be done. In case it is not feasible to merge the posts in these pay scales on functional considerations, the post in the scale of Rs.5000-8000 and Rs.5500-9000 should be merged with the post in the scale of Rs.6500-10500 being upgraded to the next high grade in Pay band PB-2 with grade pay of Rs.4600 corresponding to the pre-revised scale of Rs.7450-11500. “
Enclosed herewith is a list of cadres in other Govt. Dept.s who are in the pay scale of Rs. 6500-10500 as on date, on par with that of the Inspectors of Central Excise, but who have been recommended for the higher pre-revised pay scale of Rs. 7450 – 11500 by the Sixth Central Pay Commission.
Hence in order to maintain the vertical and horizontal relativities and to put promotional posts based on their functional identity in a hierarchial structure, it is of utmost necessity that Inspector of CE are placed on par with the pre-revised scale of Rs.7450-11500 at the time of implementation of the recommendations of the VIth CPC.
It is also submitted that above request is without prejudice to the right of this association to demand a higher replacement scale of 7500-12000 for the reasons stated in the memorandum submitted by this Association to the 6th CPC.
2. OBJECTIONS FOR DENYING GRANT OF PAY SCALE 6500-10500 WITH EFFECT FROM 01.01.1996.
The VI CPC has vide its recommendation in para No:7.15.16 under the chapter of Ministry of Finance, given its observation regarding granting of Scale of 6500-10500 for Inspectors/ Equivalent retrospectively from 1-1-1996. The pay commission has stated that unless a clear-cut and manifest anomaly that cannot be corrected other than through such retrospective revision is made out, it cannot be considered. In this regard a comparative chart is enclosed giving an insight into the pay scale that would be drawn by the Inspector of CBI and the Inspector of Central Excise as on 1-1-2008 (as per the recommendations of the VI CPC). The worksheet doesn’t incorporate the recommendations of the VI CPC for a higher scale of Rs. 7450-11500 for the Inspectors of CBI. Nor does the worksheet take into account the scales of Inspectors of CBI were revised from 1986 itself. Thus even on a very moderate calculation, there would be a difference of about Rs. 2,200/- between the Basic pay of an Inspector of CBI and an Inspector of Central Excise, if both the persons had joined the respective cadres on 1-1-1996 on the same basic pay of 6500-10500. This work sheet holds good in respect of a comparison of basic pay between Inspectors of Central Excise and its comparable cadre in the IA & AD also.
From the above it is evident that the above anomaly is clear-cut and manifest and cannot be corrected other than through a retrospective revision of the scale of Inspectors of Central Excise w.e.f. 1-1-1996. Hence it is requested that the Govt. may be urgently urged upon to grant this retrospective effect w.e.f. 1-1-1996 and set right the anomaly.
Hence it is requested that the Govt. Of India may urgently be addressed to place the Inspectors of Central Excise also in the scale of Rs.7450-11500 (Pre-revised) and ensure that justice is done to this cadre in CBEC.
3. OBJECTIONS ON THE NON RECCOMENDATION OF UNIFORM ALLOWANCE
Further in the matter of Uniform the VIth CPC at para 4.2.70 has identified certain categories of posts in Customs and Central Excise Dept. as being paid with uniform allowance. However while recommending the rates of allowance for different Govt. Depts. They have totally totally neglected the Revenue Department. it is therefore requested in accordance with the recommendations the Departmental officers should also be given - I) Initial Equipment allowance @ Rs.14000. ii) Renewal grant @ Rs.3000/-.
Since the Sixth Central Pay Commission has not prescribed the higher scale for the Inspectors of Central Excise, the horizontal and vertical relativities stand disturbed, more so when the pay scales of Rs. 5000-8000 onwards upto Rs. 6500-10500 stand merged as per the recommendations of the Sixth CPC itself.
Comradely Yours
(Kousik Roy)
Secretary General
The following is the submission of the Association against the recomendations made by the 6th C.P.C. these are a few points which specifically relates to our cadre.
This Association wishes to place on record our serious objections to recommendations made by the 6th Central Pay Commission that would have a bearing on the cadre of Inspectors of Central Excise. This is in addition to the objections on the recommendations that would affect the entire community of Central Government employees. This Association would be pursuing the common points through the Confederation of Central Government Employees.
Different ministries have already highlighted the general discontentment of their personnel with regard to the recommendations of the commission with the Ministry of Finance requesting corrective action. We would like to mention specifically the efforts made by the Chief of Armed Forces and the Minister for Defence in respect of the Armed Forces Personnel and that of Railway Ministry in respect of their employees. It is our sincere hope that the CBEC and the Department of Revenue would also rise to the occasion and take immediate action to alleviate the grievances of its employees.
It may please be appreciated that to provide the best security to the nation better revenue augmentation is a necessity, which can be solely achieved through its personnel.
1. OBJECTIONS ON THE RECOMMENDED PAY SCALE OF INSPECTOR
The CPC in para 7.15.13 vide dealing with the matter of the pay of officers of Central Excise has made the following observations “The posts of Inspector and equivalent exist in CBDT as well as CBEC. The Fifth CPC had recommended the scale of Rs.5500-9000 for these posts. The pay scale of these posts was, however,upgraded to Rs.6500-10500. Demands have been received from other posts existing in the scale of Rs.5500-9000 in these two Boards seeking similar dispensation. The Commission has recommended merger of the pay scales of RS. 5000-8000/-, Rs.5500-9000/- and Rs.6500-10500/- which will automatically meet this demand. Hence, no specific recommendation on demands seeking such upgradation is being made."
This recommendation would in effect place the Inspector of Central Excise on par with a Senior Tax Assistant in the Department. It may be appreciated that Senior Tax Assistant constitutes one of the feeder cadre for promotion to the Post of Inspector of Central Excise. 2/3rd posts in the cadre of Inspector is filled up by direct recruitment and rest by promotion. In this regard, it may also be noted that the cadre of Inspector is not a regular promotional post for the cadre of Senior Tax Assistants. Only those Senior Tax Assistants who possess the required physical standards, who qualify the prescribed physical endurance test, written examination and interview are selected and promoted as Inspector. Neither these posts are comparable not their functions the same. While Senior Tax Assistants is a ministerial post, that of an Inspector is a field post and is the chief constituent of the executive arm of the Department. For these reasons, the recommendations of VIth CPC at para 2.2.19 to the effect-" since the length of a pay scale is not very relevant in the revised scheme of running Pay Bands, no rationale existed for retaining the scale of Rs.6500-6900/-as a distinct scale" does not hold good for the Department of Central Excise. The above recommendation is higly demoralizing to the cadre of Inspector of Central Excise.
In this regard attention is invited to the recommendation of the commission in para 2.2.21 (V)as to the action to be taken in situations when one of the merged cadre constitute the feeder cadre for promotion to the other cadre.
“On account of the proposed merger of pre-revised pay scales of 5000-8000, Rs.5500-9000 and Rs.6500 – 10500, some posts which presently constitute feeder and promotion grades shall come to lie in an identical grade. The commission has given specific recommendations about some categories of these posts in the report. As regards other posts, it should first be seen if the posts in these three scales can be merged without any functional disturbance. If possible, this should be done. In case it is not feasible to merge the posts in these pay scales on functional considerations, the post in the scale of Rs.5000-8000 and Rs.5500-9000 should be merged with the post in the scale of Rs.6500-10500 being upgraded to the next high grade in Pay band PB-2 with grade pay of Rs.4600 corresponding to the pre-revised scale of Rs.7450-11500. “
Enclosed herewith is a list of cadres in other Govt. Dept.s who are in the pay scale of Rs. 6500-10500 as on date, on par with that of the Inspectors of Central Excise, but who have been recommended for the higher pre-revised pay scale of Rs. 7450 – 11500 by the Sixth Central Pay Commission.
Hence in order to maintain the vertical and horizontal relativities and to put promotional posts based on their functional identity in a hierarchial structure, it is of utmost necessity that Inspector of CE are placed on par with the pre-revised scale of Rs.7450-11500 at the time of implementation of the recommendations of the VIth CPC.
It is also submitted that above request is without prejudice to the right of this association to demand a higher replacement scale of 7500-12000 for the reasons stated in the memorandum submitted by this Association to the 6th CPC.
2. OBJECTIONS FOR DENYING GRANT OF PAY SCALE 6500-10500 WITH EFFECT FROM 01.01.1996.
The VI CPC has vide its recommendation in para No:7.15.16 under the chapter of Ministry of Finance, given its observation regarding granting of Scale of 6500-10500 for Inspectors/ Equivalent retrospectively from 1-1-1996. The pay commission has stated that unless a clear-cut and manifest anomaly that cannot be corrected other than through such retrospective revision is made out, it cannot be considered. In this regard a comparative chart is enclosed giving an insight into the pay scale that would be drawn by the Inspector of CBI and the Inspector of Central Excise as on 1-1-2008 (as per the recommendations of the VI CPC). The worksheet doesn’t incorporate the recommendations of the VI CPC for a higher scale of Rs. 7450-11500 for the Inspectors of CBI. Nor does the worksheet take into account the scales of Inspectors of CBI were revised from 1986 itself. Thus even on a very moderate calculation, there would be a difference of about Rs. 2,200/- between the Basic pay of an Inspector of CBI and an Inspector of Central Excise, if both the persons had joined the respective cadres on 1-1-1996 on the same basic pay of 6500-10500. This work sheet holds good in respect of a comparison of basic pay between Inspectors of Central Excise and its comparable cadre in the IA & AD also.
From the above it is evident that the above anomaly is clear-cut and manifest and cannot be corrected other than through a retrospective revision of the scale of Inspectors of Central Excise w.e.f. 1-1-1996. Hence it is requested that the Govt. may be urgently urged upon to grant this retrospective effect w.e.f. 1-1-1996 and set right the anomaly.
Hence it is requested that the Govt. Of India may urgently be addressed to place the Inspectors of Central Excise also in the scale of Rs.7450-11500 (Pre-revised) and ensure that justice is done to this cadre in CBEC.
3. OBJECTIONS ON THE NON RECCOMENDATION OF UNIFORM ALLOWANCE
Further in the matter of Uniform the VIth CPC at para 4.2.70 has identified certain categories of posts in Customs and Central Excise Dept. as being paid with uniform allowance. However while recommending the rates of allowance for different Govt. Depts. They have totally totally neglected the Revenue Department. it is therefore requested in accordance with the recommendations the Departmental officers should also be given - I) Initial Equipment allowance @ Rs.14000. ii) Renewal grant @ Rs.3000/-.
Since the Sixth Central Pay Commission has not prescribed the higher scale for the Inspectors of Central Excise, the horizontal and vertical relativities stand disturbed, more so when the pay scales of Rs. 5000-8000 onwards upto Rs. 6500-10500 stand merged as per the recommendations of the Sixth CPC itself.
Comradely Yours
(Kousik Roy)
Secretary General