9th of February 2009 we met Alok Saxena, Director (IC), at North Block, New Delhi.We have submitted our representation on the pay scale of Rs. 7450/- and on 1.1.1996 issue, the Director is totally negative on these two issues:
His arguments for these two issues are as follows:
· The director is of the opinion that Inspectors’ won’t have any feeder cadre, Sr. Tax assistant after exercising options only they go to Inspectors, if they seat idly in their chair then also they will get promotion to the level of A.O.
· Sr. Tax Assistants are allowed to get promotion to the grade of Inspector for career prospect.
· In Section C part-II the name of Inspector is there as 4200/- grade Pay so the clause of the Section -‘C’ Part-I is not applicable to Inspectors of Central Excise.
Our Argument was:
· If seating idly in their chairs Sr. T. A. supposed to become A.O. then why the grade Pay of A.O. and Sr. T.A. are same?
· If Inspectors’ won’t have any feeder cadre then for what reason the senior-Tax Assistants are allowed to seat in examination for promotion to the grade of Inspectors.
· Career prospect is defined by an employee’s financial improvement, if the employee does not enjoy financial improvement due to promotion, then the concept of career prospect bears no meaning.
· In Section-‘C’ Part-II there is no mention of the Inspectors of Central Excise and Customs this Part only have the names of those Grades whose pay have been upgraded to Rs. 7450/- or Rs. 7500/- from Rs. 6500/- and the Section ‘C’ part-I is very much applicable to the Inspectors of Central Excise and Customs and the concept Ministry of Expenditure is propagating is not right.
On revision of the date of effect of the revised Pay Scale from 01.01.1996 we have submitted our representation and no argument was took place.
On 10.02.2009 we have discussed with the J.S. (Admn.) on the following issues:
1. Restoration of the pay scale of Inspectors as provided by revised pay-rules in the grade Pay of 4600/-
2. To give notional effect without arrears the revised pay scale from 01.01.1996
3. To stop uniform allowance in Central Excise and Service-Tax and for Customs proper uniform allowances should be given.
4. To give local travel expenses to the Inspectors of Central Excise
5. To give Rummaging allowances to the Inspectors of central Excise
We have demanded that our Board Chairman should explore the possibility of meeting Secretary (Expenditure) for the first two issues, for the fourth issue we have submitted the relevant documents of CBDT.
On 11th of February attended the XXVIIth conference of Income –Tax and it was discussed there that if the Government is not inclined to change the pay-scale of Inspectors of Central Excise, Customs and Income-Tax then a strike has to be organised very soon.
On 12th and on 13th of February, 2009 interacted with the members and leadership of Mumbai, Spoken to General Secretary of Mumbai and explored the possibility of increasing membership in Mumbai and conducting convention for preparation of new committee.
Recently on 24th of February owing to an emergency call from Delhi we reached Delhi along with some renowned national leaders from West Bengal to meet Hon’ble Minister Sri Pranab Mukherjee , we have submitted our representation to Hon’ble Minister Sri Pranab Mukherjee on the following points which are well known to you :
1. The anomaly in the pay scale consequent to the merger of 3 pay scales by the CCS (RP) Rules, 2008 thereby placing the feeder cadre of Senior Tax Assistant and the promotional cadre of Inspector in the same grade pay.
2. The denial of notional fixation with effect from 01.01.1996 in the pre-revised scale of Rs. 6500-10500/-. The scale was granted on 21.04.04 in order to restore historical parity of pay scales with Inspectors of CBI & IB.
3. To review the clarification issued by DOE to CBEC denying the non-functional grade pay of Rs. 5400/- after 4 years service in the grade pay of Rs. 4800/- to ACP recipient Inspectors.
On 27th February we have come to know that Hon’ble Minister has already made one reference to the Expenditure Ministry and the Ministry of expenditure is likely to hold a meeting with the Association within a short while.
The A.I.C.E.I.A Chandigarh circle is discharging their duty diligently and honestly, trying to give this cadre some ray of hope at this critical juncture.
Kousik Roy