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Ref : CESA/15/2014
To,
Date : 29.01.2014
Shri Sumit Bose,
Hon’ble Revenue Secretary
Ministry of Finance, North
Block,
New Delhi.
Respected Sir,
Sub: - Creation of Temporary 2118 Nos of Posts in
Group A – Request
for
allocation only to the most-stagnated Cadre of Group B-
Representation
reg -
With due respect, CESA Mumbai is
constrained to encroach upon your precious time on the subject matter. In Mumbai, around 1000 Superintendents are
posted in the Central Excise Department and around 11000 Superintendents are posted
in other parts of the country. It is a known fact that the said Superintendents
from Mumbai are the most stagnated lot. Most of them have been retiring with
only one promotion (from Inspector to Superintendent) in their entire service
career of about 35 yrs. plus.
In
the present Cadre Restructuring of CBEC every care has been taken to ensure
'time-bound' promotions within the Gr-A, by creating avenues in the form of '8'
Grades. However, the same care is missing when it comes to Group ‘B’ officers,
inspite of the fact that they are the most stagnated lot in CBEC.
For instance, the following posts have
been proposed for the Group ‘A’ officers in the present Cadre Restructuring;
Principal Chief Commissioner / Chief Commissioner /
Principal Commissioner / Commissioner / Additional Commissioner / Joint
Commissioner / Deputy Commissioner / Assistant Commissioner.
Superintendent C.Excise (Gazetted) and
Inspector C. Excise (non-Gazetted) have been retained in Group B.
Keeping in view the acute stagnation in the cadre of
Superintendent, the Cadre Restructuring has made a special provision of "2118" temporary posts of Gr-A,
to be filled in only by promoting officers from the feeder cadre, viz.,
Appraiser/Superintendent of Customs and Central Excise. However, the said
temporary posts have been created with riders like no further promotions, no
counting of service as 'qualifying' service, etc.
There are 3 feeder cadres from Gr-B
that are promoted to Gr-A, viz., Appraisers of Customs, Superintendent of
Customs (Preventive) and Superintendent of Central Excise. The strength of
these officers in CBEC within the '3' Group B feeder cadres is 82% [Central
Excise] : 15%[Customs(P)] : 3%[Customs Appraiser].
Sir, it is pointed out here that the percentage wise
strength is not at all considered in proper sense and judicious manner while
promoting the Group ‘B’ officers to Group ‘A’. As a result, the scenario in
promotions to Gr-A within 3 feeder categories has reached to a worst situation. To illustrate -
"The Civil list of 2013-14 for
AC/DC shows that out of the total '637'
Gr-A officers promoted from Group ‘B’, "329"
are promoted from Customs-Appraiser cadre, "46"
are promoted from Supdt-Customs Preventive cadre & only "262" are promoted from
Supdt-Central Excise cadre.
In other terms, the strength of AC/DC promoted
from Appraiser cadre (having feeder-strength of 3%) is 52%, that of
Superintendent Customs (P) (having feeder-strength of 15%) is 7% and the
strength of Supdt C.Excise (having feeder-strength of 82%) is 41%.
Due to the insensitive and
discriminatory approach of the Board in fixing the percentage of feeder cadre
for promotion to Group ‘A’, presently, the Customs Appraiser of 2002 Batch, Superintendent of Customs
(P) of 1997 Batch and Superintendent
of Central Excise of 1993 Batch is
due for promotion. This has led to lots of resentment and discontentment
amongst the Superintendents of Customs (P) and Superintendents of Central
Excise. This only reflects the neglect of CBEC in Human Resource Management. The neglect is more apparent from the fact
that in the ensuing Cadre Restructuring two new Posts have been created in
Group ‘A’, thus making the Group ‘A’ into 8 levels but no such avenues have
been created in Group ‘B’. 2118 posts
of AC created for promoting the Group ‘B’ officers to Group ‘A’ are also temporary
with no consequential benefits like future promotions or counting of qualifying
service for next promotion, etc.
The acute stagnation in the feeder cadre of
'Superintendent Central Excise' has demoralized this cadre and proposals in the
ensuing Cadre Restructuring is not encouraging either. The prevailing scenario
is forcing many officers to opt for VRS as they do not see any scope of career
progression. It seems that the HRD of
our Department has never bothered to examine the reasons of so many VRS in the
Superintendents cadre and why such VRS is not existing in Group A. Maximum
vacancies in the Group A level are in "Central Excise and Service
Tax". The Superintendent of Central
Excise, who performs duties in all the three streams of CBEC, viz., Excise,
Customs and Service Tax, is feeling alienated and dejected as no one is there
to look after their cause and address their agony. What if an direct recruit AC
stagnates at Joint Commissioner level, will the HRD have the same approach?
The agony of
the Superintendent of Central Excise is compounded by the discriminatory and
faulty method of calculation (ratio fixing) adopted by the Board in the
promotions of Group ‘B’ officers to Group ‘A’. Nor any new proper methods have
been devised by the Board to clear the stagnation. The Appraisers who are in
less numbers are more benefitted than the Superintendent of Central Excise,
who’s strength is much more in numbers. The irony is that the Inspector of
Central Excise, Preventive Officer (Customs) and Examiners in Customs are
species of a common exam conducted by Staff Selection Commission, wherein merit
wise the Examiners are the last lot. However, due to the faulty calculation
method (ratio fixing) adopted by the Board, such Examiners get faster
promotions to Group ‘A’ and the Inspectors of Central Excise and the Preventive
Officers are compelled to work under them as subordinates. How long this
type of discrimination will continue? The
faulty approach of the Board is not only depriving the officers of Central
Excise the well deserving promotion to Group ‘A’ but also results into a great
financial loss, not only while serving in the Department but also after the
retirement.
It
is therefore suggested that in the ensuing Cadre Restructuring the two badly
stagnated feeder cadres i.e. Superintendent Customs and Superintendent Central
Excise be given the 'Temporary' advantage coming through these '2118' temporary
Gr-A posts and all these 2118 posts in Gr-A' are allotted to these most
stagnated feeder-cadres. This measure should continue till all the '3'
feeder cadres are brought on par. The 2002 batch of the Appraiser is
already promoted as AC. No promotions should be given to them till the
Superintendents of Central Excise and Supdt of Customs (P) of the same batch
i.e. 2002 are also promoted to Gr-A. If this
is done the same will ensure the terms
of reference in Cadre restructuring i.e. “PARITY” in same Cadres.
If
corrective measures, as suggested above, are not taken now then after Cadre
Restructuring the gap will widen and reach beyond approachable comparison and
the resentment and discontentment in the 82% staff of CBEC will only turn bad
to worst. In addition the promotional prospects of the lower cadre of
Inspectors and Ministerial staff, which depends on the promotions of
Superintendents will further aggravate. With such a level of resentment and
discontentment the officers cannot be motivated to perform their best.
In view of the above position, this
Association, with great humility and hope, requests your Honour to consider the
above suggestion and do justice with the most stagnated cadre of CBEC. For this
purpose, CBEC be asked to carry out amendment in the Recruitment Rules (RR) and
introduce a new sub-rule (4a) in the Gr-A RR, as under:
" If
the difference in year of joining in respect of 'first officer to be promoted'
among the 3 feeder cadres, is not same/ equal; then the officers from leading
feeder cadre/s shall not be allocated the vacancy/s, till each feeder cadre
officer reach to same year of joining in Gr-B."
Sir,
the above suggestion for the long term benefit of the organization be
considered positively. You will not disappoint us because we are confident as
we are competent, and as we are experts in our fields as compared to members of
the other feeder cadres as well as capacity to take up any challenge for the
betterment of the organization. We are the only Group B officers competent and
knowledgeable to administer the Service Tax law which is fast growing revenue
sector.
Thanking you, Sir,
Yours Sincerely,
sd/-
A.K. SASMAL
General Secretary
Copy to:
1.
Hon’ble Chairperson, CBEC,
Ministry Of Finance, North Block, New
Delhi for kind information and consideration and
necessary action, please.
2.
The Member(P&V), CBEC,New Delhi; for kind
information, consideration and necessary action, please.
3.
DGHRD, CBEC, New Delhi, for information, consideration and
necessary action, please.
4.
DG Customs, New Delhi (Chairman of RR Committee for
implementation of CR). For information, consideration and necessary action,
please.
5.
Secretary General AIACEGEO, for
information and pursuing the proposal.
Thanx Sir. Your letter rightly express the feelings of our brother officers. Hope that it will definitely affect the concerned higher ups.
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