Minutes of the Co-ordination Meeting held on 06.09.2014 at New Delhi

A C0-Ordination meeting of all Office Bearers of the national body of All India Central Excise Inspectors’ Association was held in New Delhi on 06.09.2014.  In absence of the President and Working President, Sh. A. I. Abbasi, Vice President (North) chaired the meeting.  The main agenda of the meeting was to review the recent developments like CBEC unilateral announcement of Cadre-Restructuring and our future course of action; 7^th CPC, TARC, GST and other organizational matters.  Many of the Circles/Branches sent their agenda points/suggestions/views/comments for the meeting and we discussed each and every point in details, the same are, as under:-

Issues related to Cadre Restructuring:-

 

During the meeting, we reviewed the present stagnation position of every zone and effect of Cadre Restructuring. We also discussed several CAT cases filed/going to be filed across the country in order to get All India Seniority for Inspectors.  We found that the Cadre-Restructuring is not going to address the regional disparity in our Cadre as there is no proper justification of CBEC posts-allocation.  Some of the well-off zones got ample posts of the Superintendents so that all Inspectors of eight years will be promoted to the next grade whereas, many of the stagnated zones got as little posts as they will remain stagnated in years and years to come.  Hence, the CR is not able to solve the problems of Stagnation and Regional Disparities. 

 

There are two main reasons that our Cadre is suspicious about the CR:-1. Improper posts-allocation in different zones and there is no uniformity in posts-allocation.  This will result in mass dissatisfaction and poorer promotional avenues for the Inspectors posted in those zones.  2. All India Seniority of Inspectors- The CBEC has rolled out CR without implementing All India Seniority of Inspectors, this will result as Juniors posted in well-off zones will get promotion prior to their Seniors in same merit lists which is mass violation of guidelines on Seniority Policy under DOPT’s O.M. No. 35014/2/80-Estt.(D) dated 7.2.1986 & O.M. No 22011/7/1986-Esstt. Dated 03/07/1986 and Judgment dated 09.12.1996 of Hon’ble Apex Court pronounced in the case of Radhey Shyam Singh & Others Vs Union of India.

 

In view of the above, the following decisions have been taken in the Co-ordination meeting:-

1.    Intervention of the Revenue Secretary, the Finance Minister and even from Hon’ble Prime Minister in order to get proper posts-allocation for stagnated zones like Lucknow, Meerut, Kolkata, Cochin, Jaipur, Bhopal, Chennai, Patna etc. and implementation of All India Seniority for Inspectors  since 1996 batch (joined in 2003). 

2.    Arrangement of Media Coverage in order to raise our voice against the sufferings of the cadre.

3.    There should have an option for the Inspectors of stagnated zones to move other zones on promotion, if there is vacancy in the grade of Superintendent and the same remained vacant due to ineligible candidate.   

4.    Since, All India Seniority has already been demanded by the Resolutions passed in the Convention/CECs of the AICEIA, we are bound to fight for the All India Seniority.  During the meeting, it has been decided to morally, legally and financially support the individual/groups in CAT cases for All India Seniority.

5.    The proposed agitational plan of Kolkata Circle like wearing Black Badges, lunch-hour demonstration etc. from 08.09.2014 to 11.09.2014 were discussed and appreciated by all. It has been decided that, if above actions will not get desired results, we will opt the path of agitation on Pan-India-basis.

 

Organizational Issues:-

 

The work done by the newly elected body of AICEIA during its short tenure of two months was reviewed in the meeting and the following points discussed to make association more strong & participatory:-

1.    Ways and initiative to increase the membership of the Association- We discussed the performance of every branch/circle and found that many zones/circles need to work in a manner that fulfills the genuine rights of its members.  Many zones need to enhance the memberships.  For this, all Joint Secretaries/Vice-Presidents of national body will co-ordinate to the General Secretaries and Presidents of their jurisdiction and help them in order to reach to even the Inspectors posted at remote areas. 

2.    The Joint Secretary/Vice-Presidents of National Body will collect the data related to each and every zones, where election is inevitable either due to completion of tenure or due to the promotion in the CR.  After identifying those circles/branches, election shall be organized on priority basis.

3.    The Joint Consultative Mechanism is a effective mechanism to address the problems of staffs.  We have observed that several issues of Inspectors posted at different zones remain unattended for many months, which result in dissatisfaction among Inspectors.  So, all the Joint Secretaries/Vice Presidents need to liaison with Circles/Branches and help office bearers of circles/branches of AICEIA in convening Office Council of JCM in their zones. 

4.    All Circles/Branches need to start Website/Blogs/FB pages in order to reach every member of circles/branches. It is also necessary to keep our members updated about Associations activities and day to day administrative affairs.

5.    During the meeting, it was observed that despite lapse of two months, no visit of office bearers of national body took place in different circles/branches.  Hence, it has been decided to find out the circles/branches/zones, which need immediate attention and there will be visits of national office bearers in order to strengthen the association and increasing membership.  A committee has been formed consisting of Sh. Rajesh Kumar, Organizing Secretary; Sh. Devendra Kumar, Liaison Secretary and Sh. Rananjay Pratap Singh, Vice President (West) to find out the circles/branches/zones, which need to be visited by the national office bearers.

6.    No letters/representation should be forwarded to any authority like Board/DGHRD/Ministry etc. directly by any of the Office Bearers of Circles/Branches.

7.    CEC meeting of the AICEIA is due in December, 2014 and two Circles i.e. Lucknow and Kolkata are working on it.  The venue and dates of the CEC will be decided in due course.

8.    On January 25^th 2014, an Annual Lecture Series on “Participatory Governance” was started by the AICEIA like an institution and the same is due in January, 2015.  Hence, during the meeting, it was decided to organize the Annual Lecture Series on 25.01.2015 (Sunday).  The details of the programme will be announced soon.

9.    On Tax Administrative Reform Commission, it was decided to form consolidated views of all branch and circles before meeting to the commission so that there will be uniformity in our views. 

10. Recently, the CBEC has issued a letter vide F.No. A-32022/06/2014-Ad.IIIA dated 03.09.2014 to the Chief Commissioner of Customs (General), Mumbai on captioned subject “Inter-se Seniority of direct recruits and promotes-instructions thereof-regarding”.  In the meeting, it was decided that the SG should write to the CBEC to direct all Zones of Central Excise to implement this.

11. Since the Government of India is planning to roll out GST, it has been decided to have a close watch on government’s proposals and the interests of the Cadre.  It is necessary to protect the interest of the cadre during the implementation of the same.  Hence, the national body of the Association has assigned the task to study the pros & cons of proposals on GST to                Sh. Rajashish Dutta, Joint Secretary (East) and we urge every Circle/Branches to form a group of Inspectors to monitor the proposals/plans of GST and start the work of data collection so that we will be able to protect our interest.

12. During the meeting, Sh. Manish Kumar Verma, newly nominated Treasurer & Office Secretary assume the charge.  His mobile number is 09308892525 and email id is mkv.7786@rediffmail.com.