SAD DEMISE

SAD NEWS Shri J. Sekhar, husband of Smt. Bamila Sekhar, Superintendent, CC Unit, Central Excise, Mumbai, passed away due to heart attack on 29th April, 2015 at Mulund. Funeral will be held today between 4.00 to 5.00 p.m. at Mulund (East) crematorium, Near Tata Colony. CESA express its heart-felt condolences on the untimely departure of the head of the family member of Smt. Bamila Sekhar. Let his soul rest in peace and may God give strength to his family members at this hour of crisis.                                                                            CESA, Mumbai

Lokpal: Deadline to file assets details extended for third time

     The deadline for the central government employees to file details of their assets and liabilities, along with that of their spouses and dependent children, as mandated under the Lokpal Act, has now been extended for the third time till October 15, 2015. The last date for filing such returns was April 30, 2015. It has now been extended till October 15, 2015, as per  OM No.407/12/2014-AVD-IV(B) dated 25-April-2015 issued by the Department of Personnel and Training ( DoPT).

     Under the rules notified under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, all public servants have been mandated to file declaration, information and annual returns pertaining to their assets and liabilities as on March 31 every year or on or before July 31 of that year.

     For 2014, the last date for filing returns was September 15, 2014 which was later extended to December-end, then till April 30, 2015. The declarations made under the Lokpal Act are in addition to similar declarations filed by the employees under various services rules. All Group A, B and C employees are supposed to file a declaration under the new rules.

SAD NEWS

Shri S.A.Kori, Superintendent, Division-V, Service Tax-VII passed away on 24.04.2015 at Hinduja hospital due to massive heart attack.

Shri S. A. Kori,  had been to Churchgate office along with Assistant Commissioner and his colleague for issuance of show cause notice in a refund related matter of M/s IRIS  business Solutions. All the three officers met the Commissioner and on their way back to Dharavi office, for further work.  On his return when it was delayed AC enquired Shri Gawai, Superintendent who was with Shri Kori.  Shri Gawai reported that on getting down from the local train at Matunga Road Station Mr. Kori’s condition was critical and needed immediate medical assistance. His Assistant Commissioner rushed from Dharavi Office and took him to Hinduja hospital by Govt. Vehicle and a group of Doctors gave medical assistance from 2.30 PM to around 5.30 PM but due to low blood pressure they could not succeed in reviving his heart.

Mr. Kori, undergone a major surgery of Angeoplasty in 2007, and also acute diabetic.  On that fateful day he climbed two floors in Dharavi office, stairs of the railway foot over bridge at Kalyan, Dadar, Matunga Road again in Churchgate office to 4^th floor, as both the lifts were out of order, plus the scorching heat of summer in afternoon all this exertion may have caused his untimely departure.

         

          Mr. Kori aged 57, residing at kalyan with his wife who is serving in Ordnance factory, Ambarnath, have no children.  He is a native of Pratapghad in Uttar Pradesh.  His body was taken to Lucknow by air by his relatives and the cremation took place on 26.04.2015 at his native place. 

          CESA express its heart-felt condolences of the untimely departure of Shri S. A Kori and pray to the Almighty to Let THE DEPARTED SOUL REST IN PEACE AND may God give strength to his family members at this hour of crisis.

A Condolence meeting to pay homage to the departed soul will be held at 1200 hours at Hqrs of Service Tax Commissionerate at Dharavi office as well as the Divisional office at Wagle Estate, Thane.

In Service Tax this is the 8^th case of heart attack in short span.  CESA requests and advice all its members to take care of their health.  We are working in an organisation which can survive with or without us but what about our family?  Our life is precious than our service.  Organisation may not perish but our health and life is uncertain so we should not be careless and casual. Life is in your hands – you have to make a choice of how to respond to a tricky situation.  Your life depends upon the path you choose and the decisions you make – Life is full of challenge. We are more responsible for our problems. There is also no point for blaming God for your circumstances.  He gave you all the facilities now what you do with them is squarely your problem.

         

CESA has no words to all, irrespective of Cadre who had extended all sorts of assistance during the crisis hour.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                              CESA, MUMBAI.

AGITATION CIRCULAR

CIRCULAR 01/2015

Dear friends,

 A G I T A T I O N:

          The Central Govt. Employees Confederation, is holding one day strike/protest on 28.04.2015, by holding a rally at New Delhi, as the outstanding 10 point charter of demands, affecting all the Central Govt. Employees were not fulfilled despite long persuasion.  Amongst these demands the demand of merger of DA and increase of allowances as recommended by the earlier Pay Commission etc. are there.  Basically these demands are affecting all Central Government Employees, including us.

          AIACEGO held its AEC on 11.04.2015 at New Delhi.  In the said meeting Chennai unit suggested to participate in the ensuing All India Strike of Central Government Employees on 28^th April, 2015 after deliberations it was agreed upon to extend the support and solidarity with them.  It was authorized to include some of our pending points in the Charter of Demand of AIACEGO and to inform the authorities through the NOTICE FOR AGITATION.  Accordingly AIACEGO vide its letter dated 15.04.2015 has issued the notice to the Chairman and forwarded copy to others for lunch hour demonstration on 28.04.2015. 

CESA Mumbai, a unit of AICEGEO, will hold lunch hour gate meeting in front of Chief Commissioners’ Office i.e at Churchgate and Piramal Chambers, to express solidarity and moral support to the Central Govt. Employees confederation who is leading the agitation for pursuing the cause of Central Govt. Employees as well as our cause, as listed in the Charter of Demand issued by the AIACEGEO.  CESA, Mumbai has informed vide its letter dated 21.04.2015, about the agitation programme on 28.04.2015 in front of the Chief Commissioner’s Offices.  The copy of call given by the AIACEGEO and CESA’s notice to Chief Commissioners is available in the CESA Mumbai blog post. 

 CESA requests one and all to participate in the above lunch hour agitation on 28.04.2015 as called by our AIACEGEO and Central Government Employees Federation and make the programme a grand success. 

 THANKING YOU,

   Yours sincerely,

Churchgate,                                                                                A.K. SASMAL

20.04.2015                                                                                    General Secretary

REFIXING OF SENIORITY

DEAR MEMBER,

          As you are aware, CESA Mumbai was striving very hard to rectify the AISL, 1993 to AISL 1998 and AISL 1998 to AISL 2006. 

          In the first AISL, CESA succeeded to issue OM for rectification of seniority list, the irregularity in the first upgradation had taken place and Mumbai officers are placed in the bottom.  All the Mumbai officers’ seniority are refixed before the promotion order from Superintendent to Assistant Commissioner. 

          The other seniority list i.e from 1998 to 2006, the officers of 1984 batch have been rectified vide OM dated 26^th March 2015, issued by the DGHRD. 

          Another irregularity as represented several times by CESA Mumbai, was finally rectified by the Mumbai Administration by holding review DPC on 25.03.2015, in accordance with the Board’s instructions issued to Jaipur Zone, vide F No.: A 29014/4/2011-Ad.IIB dated 26.10.2011 that ‘promotion to the grade of Superintendent of Central Excise, against promotions of Superintendents to the grade of Assistant Commissioner against long term vacancy’.  Accordingly Mumbai Administration rectified 12 Establishment orders and issued fresh Establishment Orders bearing Nos from 60 to 71 of 2015.  In Estt. Order no 60 and 61/2015 dated 08.04.2015, around 57 officers’ seniority were restored from the date of promotion.  This will have an impact on the AISL as these officers name will be inserted at the proper place and a great injustice caused to these officers will be set right.  

          Establishment orders no. 62 to 71 will also change the senerio of seniority of the officers from the date of promotion during 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 thereby a total of 780 officers of Mumbai will be benefitted by restoration of their status in the All India seniority list.  The discrimination in the seniority list towards the Mumbai officers being seniors will definitely cheer, as they will now be placed at the proper place in the AISL. 

          The Zonal seniority list is due and CESA expects that all the rectifications are restored under the above Establishment orders will be correctly reflected and incorporated, as well as individual applications represented on the anomaly of seniority with the Cadre Controlling Authority, Mumbai. 

          CESA, Mumbai is thankful to the Mumbai Administration and the staff of the Confidential and Establishment section who had carried out this exercise deligently and ensured that the Board rectify the same and correct the AISL. 

          Dear Member, please browse CESA Mumbai blog post for the updated news. 

Thanking you and looking forward for your trust and support so that CESA can excel further for the cause of the cadre. 

       Yours sincerely,

     

Churchgate,                                                                                 A.K. SASMAL

20.04.2015                                                                                     General Secretary

DEMONSTRATION POSTER OF CESA MUMBAI

LUNCH HOUR DEMONSTRATION ON 28.04.2015

           Ref :CESA/24/2015

Dtd : 20.04.2015.

Hon’ble Chief Commissioner,

Central Excise, Zone – I. & II,

Customs Zone – III, Service Tax Zone,

Mumbai

Sub : Lunch hour demonstration on 28.04.2015---intimation reg.

Respected Sir / Madam,

            In continuation to the Notice of Agitation addressed to the Chairman, CBEC, New Delhi by The All India Association of Central Excise Gazetted Executive Officers (AIACEGEO) vide its letter dated 15.04.2015 and copy endorsed to Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Hon’ble Finance Minister, Hon’ble MOS, Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, Hon’ble Secretary, Department of Revenue and Hon’ble Cabinet Secretary, Government of India, etc.

            The Central Excise Superintendents’ Association, Mumbai being the Federating Unit of A.I.A.C.E.G.E.O, will abide by the call of the Federation and accordingly, all it’s members i.e. the Superintendents from Central Excise Zone – I and Zone – II, Customs (Prev), Service Tax zone and L.T.U. Mumbai, will participate in the agitation programme, i.e Lunch hour demonstration before the Chief Commissioner’s Office i.e at Churchgate and Piramal Chambers on 28.04.2015.  

            This is for your kind information.

            Thanking you,

                                                                                         Yours sincerely

                sd/.......               

         A.K. Sasmal

        General Secretary

Encl.: As above. 

Copy to:          All India Association of Central Excise Gazetted Executive Officers, New Delhi.

CIRCULAR IN DETAIL AND POSTER FOLLOWS. 

TRACK RECORD

REACTION FROM NORTH ZONE EXPECTED

The article appearing in ‘The Sen Times’ dated 15-Apr-2015 (http://www.tkbsen.in/2015/04/money-decides-transfers-and-postings-in-customs-central-excise-depts/) titled as “Money Decides Transfers and Postings in Customs, Central Excise Deptts” is unfounded & derogatory.

This reminds us of the story of blind men describing the elephant by touching different parts of the elephant.  Similarly, CBEC is having more than 16 Cadre Controlling Zones in Excise in addition to Customs Zones. The Reporter with a motivated interest published the article describing stray incidents of North Zone. 

CESA, Mumbai, expects a reaction & response from the North Zone office bearers to condemn the said article.

CESA’s letter to the Editor of 'The Sen Times' in this regard follows.

AEC MEETING AT NEW DELHI

The first meeting of AEC of AIACEGEO, was held at I.P. Estate, New Delhi on 11.04.2015, after the new body took over the charge at Daman in last November 2014.. 

The said meeting was attended by President Shri Chandramouli, Secretary General Shri Ravi Malik, Office Secretary  Shri C.S. Sharma, Treasurer Shri N.R.Manda Joint Secretary  Shri M.K. Mishra (West), Shri Anand Kishore (Central), Shri R.K. Solanki, Shri Ashish Bajpayee (North) Shri M. Nagaraju (South) Shri S. Bhattacharya (East), amongst Vice Presidents  Shri J.D. Patil (West), Shri  L.L. Sanghvi (Central) Shri Anurag Chaudhary  and Shri Ravi Joshi from (North), and out of 20 joint Secretaries and Vice Presidents only 4 and 6 participated in the said meeting.  In the beginning of the meeting itself displeasure was shown about the poor attendance and the participation by the office bearers. Shri Chandramouli welcomed the delegates and thereafter, meeting was proceeded as per agenda.

Agenda 1.  Holding of immediate DPC against the existing vacancies.

   Vacancies for the year 2013 is not yet filled and similarly 2014 and 2015 is pending in one or other pretext.  It was informed that Board has assured to hold DPC in April, 2015 but the Secretary General were not so confident and expressed that it may be held latest by June, 2015 only.  The office bearer of CESA, Mumbai insisted that let the Board be represented and asked to hold DPC on or before AGT of Group A officers as after transfer the scenario of the Cadre Controlling Authority/Commissioner (of all the Zones) may be affected and may cause further delay. It was also emphasized to have panel year-wise so that filling up the vacancies will be easier and practice as per DOPT Guidelines be adopted instead of going and begging every time for DPC.

2.      Scheme to improve career prospects:

  It was briefed that the B.B. Agrawal Committee report is submitted to Member P & V as well as Shri Parthasaradhi Som Committee also submitted the report to DOPT.  Cases filed at Cuttack CAT as well as Jabalpur High Court is pending and cases filed at Delhi Principal CAT rejoinder has been filed and expected final hearing . Further, kindly recall the case of parity with the CBI won by CBDT, Mumbai and appeal is pending at Bombay High Court due to non-attendance of Attorney General.

3.      Pay matters including MACP:

  It was informed that on the MACP, the DOPT may likely to issue a positive reply so that the eligible officers will get the MACP as intended by the Scheme. It was informed that the stand taken by the Board and DOPT be contested if only the benefit will be extended to the applicant only and with a plea the anomaly may be redressed by the 7^th Pay Commission.  CESA Mumbai expressed that the stand of referring to 7^th Pay Commission is nothing but shirking the responsibility to decide the confusion created by them, because the superintendent cadre do not have any platform being gazetted for pay anomaly.  Further, the term and reference of any Pay Commission are not for redresal of the folly of earlier Pay commission or especially those which are created by the Department/DOPT etc. only to create a new pay structure as per the functional need and changes with passage of time. MACP scheme made by DOPT not by Pay commission (Pay Commission only suggested how to compensate such stagnated cadre financially and suggested 3 upgradation after 10,20 & 30 years) all its Rules framed by them then why it cannot be sorted out by DOPT.. Further, it is informed we all should be vigilant as reply is expected on or before 15^th April, 2015 as regards to Chennai CAT case and thereafter to take suitable step in this regard.

4.      GST Vs our Career Prospects:

  As the GST is still an unborn child and about the structure of systems is not yet clear but definitely it will change the tested, trusted and rallied system of age-old Central Excise Structure.  The write-up give by the Kolkata Unit was already placed on record and Bombay Unit has volunteered to give a detailed scenario to AIACEGEO within ten days.  Nothing was further discussed in this regard. As it is premature and without analysis of the data and blue print as to what is likely be the picture and our role in that, cannot be proceeded further.

5.      INFRASTRUCTURE AND WORKING CONDITIONS:

 As per the Re-organisation of the Commissionerates the infrastructure and working conditions have not been improved and lacking everywhere.  It was emphasized in the infrastructure Committee that the staff associations be included and more funds for infrastructure be given to improve working conditions.  It was also emphasized that the local units should take initiative for finding new offices and submitting the requisite papers as per the checklists to avoid query from the Board Office. CESA, Mumbai appealed to demand specific amount like in 1997 i.e., Rs. One lakh per range office and more funds under IT head to have computer for each officer of service tax as without computer they are handicapped they cannot work at all after introduction of aces mere posting of staff will not be enough these basic needs to be catered and this needs office space also.  As assigned CESA Mumbai and Patna will present a detailed report to AIACEGO for further representation. 

6.      FUNDS & DDO CERTIFICATE:

   It was appealed to clear the amounts due to all India Body and Legal funds and DDO Certificate. Some of the Unit brought the cheques to clear the dues made it CESA has also cleared dues to some extent and balance will be cleared shortly.

7.      AGITATIONAL MEASURES:

  It was mentioned if the DPC is not held or MACP related or Career progressions, then agitation before the residence of the senior officers on holiday be launched.  It is to be examined while launching any sort of protest or agitation before the residence of seniors should not attract any law and order  problems. 

   It was sponsored by Chennai to participate in the ensuing All India Strike of Central Government Employees on 28^th April, 2015 after deliberations it was agreed upon to extend the support but the modality will be finalized and communicated by the AIACEGO.

8.      OTHER POINTS:

   Kolkata unit has raised the resolution of their unit about proposal for re-organization of the department to cope-up with introduction of GST in April, 2016.

  Stepping of Pay of Seniors (non-ACP recipient) officers at par with their junior officers.

Arbitrary Withdrawal of MACP by Board vide their letter dated 20.10.2014.

Indore unit suggested intervening in the matter to shift the newly created Gwalior commissionerate from Gwalior to Ujjain as it will convenient to staff as well as trade also.

Shri Singhvi also raised the issue of deputation to SEZ and said that Superintendents with grade pay of 5400 are not being deputed to SEZ in their Commissionerate citing the DOPT guidelines that for lower Grade Pay officers drawing higher grade pay cannot be deputed as Supdts grade pay is 4800/-. And due to stagnation majority of the Superintedents already drawing Grade pay of 5400/- and SEZ post is considered as deputation post there so it is to be represented.

Shri J.D. Patil of Pune raised a point that the confusion in CENGO India about RR etc., be avoided.

Upto lunch this is the development and after lunch with some chit-chatting , it was sponsored by Chennai unit, about the delay in disposal of Vigilance cases.  The Bombay unit also supported the above point and further stated that the delay in giving First and Second stage advice, discrimination of segregating Group A from Group B and clearing the Group A officers alleged in the case should be avoided and all the officers, irrespective of the Group should be treated at par and all the cases should be disposed off as prescribed by the authorities.

As all the points in the agenda had been discussed and over, hence Bombay, Kolkatta and Indore units left the venue. 

In the meeting, it was said, as the issue of parity within Excise was not settled and regional imbalances are constantly neglected, hence a joint petition was filed on disparity in Mumbai bench of CAT.  The implementation of NR Parmar case, was repeatedly represented by the CESA Mumbai, before the All India body.  Because of their cold approach, CESA Mumbai was constrained to file two petitions one is in respect of officers recruited before 1986 and another in respect of officers recruited after 1986. 

Meeting was cordial and would have been fruitful and meaningful had all the office bearers attended the meeting.  The Association can be vibrant and active if the participation is 100%.  The office bearers should realise that the times are too grave and the challenges are many, within and outside and have to overcome many obstacles.  Unless we are fully geared up for meeting the upcoming challenges, we will be doomed from all corners.