Union Cabinet approves Cadre Restructuring in CBEC

On the 5th of December 2013  the Union Cabinet approved the proposal for Cadre Restructuring and Re organisation of Field Formations under the Central Board of Excise and Customs. 

The AICEIA welcomes this development.

It is hoped that  implementation of Restructuring would be effected expeditiously in such manner that the shameful regional disparities across different Cadre Control Zones that exist in promotions of Central Excise Inspectors to Superintendents will  be wiped away, as has been repeatedly assured to this Association by the CBEC at the highest level. This exercise also affords an opportunity to very significantly reduce the acute stagnation at least in the cadre of Inspectors.

The Notification in this respect is expected to be issued by the Joint Secretary (Admn.), CBEC in the next few days, after formal approvals of the draft from the Board and the  Ministry. 

The CBEC has already drawn an elaborate plan for smooth and quick rolling-out of the CR, and  a Core Committee having the DGHRD at its helm and including 10 other members has been constituted for this purpose, with an extensive ambit as evident from the wide terms of reference notified. Other Committees too have been constituted for conducting DPCs; for Operational Issues including Re -organisation of Formations and Allocation of Staff Strength; for Recruitment Rules for various cadres; for Technical matters; and for Infrastructure.  The Committee for Operational Issues is headed by a Chief Commissioner level officer, and all other Committees by  Commissioner level officers.  Very optimistic and tight deadlines ranging from one month to six months  have been set for each Committee to complete the tasks assigned. 

The AICEIA has repeatedly and insistently demanded  time bound promotions for this cadre. Career advancement opportunities at par with our counterparts on the Customs side in CBEC itself, and with other comparable cadres like the Inspectors of Income Tax, Central Secretariat Services etc. is a demand we have never diluted. Equity also demands that officers of any particular Zone with better promotional avenues should not enjoy any unfair advantage over their brothers of any other stagnated Zone, who are no less than them in any respect. Justice within the Central Excise stream would be that the combined length of service put together as Inspector and Superintendent should determine who gets promoted first as Assistant Commissioner. Those opposing efforts to  bring in such a dispensation citing lack of precedent and certain  court verdicts  need to be exposed for the self- serving interests they  are representing  instead of trying to find workable ways to overcome the unjust state of affairs that obtains presently.  

While this CR may not be adequate in scope to bring in any such revolutionary alterations in the scenario overnight, we definitely find ourselves  at a very significant  juncture now, and our actions today will have far-reaching implications.

Beginning April this year, officials of the  Board  and the DGHRD have  engaged in a  continuous exercise of consultation with the AICEIA, and we have made detailed written and oral submissions elucidating the aspirations of this cadre, and suggesting pragmatic means to achieve those. All these shall be reiterated in the coming weeks by this Association. Appropriate representations, totally in line with the Resolutions adopted at  Conventions and meetings of the Central Executive Committee of the AICEIA too shall be made again to the Board shortly.

To deliberate on the situation in light of the current developments a meeting of National office bearers of the AICEIA is hereby convened at New Delhi on Sunday 15.12.2013 at 10.00 A.M. in  Pahar Ganj area in the vicinity of the New Delhi Railway Station. The exact venue shall be communicated once it is finalised.

Meanwhile the Committees formed at the Shimla meeting of the  CEC in July'13 are called upon to submit proposals / reports to the President / Secretary General  on the subjects assigned to them at the earliest, so that after due consideration the same can be acted upon effectively. Any interested parties can send their views or suggestions to the respective Committees. For details of those blogpost dated August 14th 2013 may please be referred to.

All units are requested to submit DDO Certificates immediately and clear all outstanding dues upto 2013-14 to the All India body at the earliest so that functioning of the Association is not impaired.

I once again exhort Inspectors of Central Excise all across the country to strengthen this Association and contribute their mite in the endeavour it has undertaken to ensure a service for each officer of this cadre where one doesn't have to compromise on one's dignity and self-respect.

I also call upon the present office-bearers of the Association  at all levels to bring forth a public-spirited new line of leadership in right earnest so that the Association is not left directionless in the  coming months when   promotions will be effected en masse. Those in the initial years of service as Inspectors should come forward to shoulder organisational responsibilities to ensure that their tomorrows are better and brighter than those of their predecessors. A vibrant, robust organisation which exists today is the result of the untiring toil of  dozens of office bearers and thousands of members who have strived hard over several years  to put it in the position it enjoys today, and I call upon my younger brothers and sisters in the cadre to participate in all activities of the AICEIA  with  vigour and commitment, and nurture this great organisation, since it is the sole mechanism by which our collective can better its lot.

With Fraternal Greetings

Ajit Kumar K G

Secretary General