Monday, December 7, 2015

INDISPENSABLE....WHAT ABOUT THE REST ?




Ref: CESA/67/2015
                                                                                                            Date: 07-Dec-2015.


Shri. S. C. Varshney,
Principal Chief Commissioner
Central Excise Zone-I &
Cadre Controlling Authority,
Mumbai Zone.

  

Sub:- Request for incorporating guidelines in Transfer & Posting Policy for Grp-B in the matter of deputation/loan Posting and repatriation on completion of tenure – reg.


Respected Sir,

             Your kind attention is invited to the “Transfer & Posting Policy” of Grp-B of Mumbai Zone.

             This association had earlier represented to various Chief Commissioners to prescribe a policy for sending Group-B officers on Deputation/loan basis to various organizations and Directorates. However, on one pretext or the other, no such policy has been formulated so far.

In the present Transfer & Posting Policy for Group-B officers issued in the year 2014-15, Para 10.1 states that :-

“Cadre clearances for deputation to offices under the CBEC/outside organization shall be through Cadre Controlling authority. Request for extension in tenure (1 year) on deputation will be decided by the Chief Commissioner of the Zone.”


This policy statement is silent on the process of selection & posting of officers and their extension in that organization.

It is seen that officers are continuing for years together, even after promotion to the next cadre, beyond their prescribed tenure of deputation/loan.

The very objective of the Transfer and Posting Policy is defeated as well as in violation of CVC guidelines/norms. Because of this wrong practice there is lot of resentment in the Grp-B cadre, as many of the officers do not get an opportunity to work in other organizations in their lifetime.

It will not be out of place to mention here that these postings are considered sensitive and hence such prolonged tenure in such Directorate etc. is not in conformity of CVC norms without any cooling-off period, yet no attention is paid by the authorities.   

It was expected that the said practice will not be continued after the Cadre Restructuring-2014, as the number of officers to be sent on deputation to other formations was allocated against the strength of every Cadre Control. However, the conventional manner of adhoc posting is still going on. It is on record that in formations like DRI, DGCEI, Settlement Commission, DG(Inspection), DG(Audit), DG(ST), etc., many officers have put in more years than the prescribed maximum of 7 years (i.e. Deputation period of 5 years + 2 years extension). Same set of officers are rotated continuously either as on deputation or on loan basis, which is highly objectionable and not in the interest of the organization, but rather leans towards the needs of the Senior Officers.

In this regard, your kind attention is drawn to Para 10.3 of the OM dated 02-July-2015, issued by the DoPT, New Delhi and circulated by the Board vide Circular No. 20/2015 dated 31-July-2015, wherein it is clearly stated that :-

“ …there should be periodic rotation of officers and no officer should be allowed to be posted …. for more than the prescribed tenure…”.

These instructions should be implemented rather than remaining as mere instructions for record purposes.

Further, as per the Grp-A Transfer & Posting policy, rotation of the senior officers takes place without any deviation but the same is not the case of junior officers, who are allowed to continue as if they are indispensible.  It appears that the confidence of the Senior Officers have declined, unlike earlier times, that they cannot perform in the organisation without these junior officers. Sometimes officers are posted on recommendations just for sake of obligation or to remain in good books of some senior officers, at the cost of compromising the efficiency as well as integrity of the organization, ignoring all the norms of Establishment like cooling period, going from one deputation to another, or from one loan-basis to another just to avoid non-sensitive postings.


CESA, Mumbai, once again suggests the following :-

1)  that the staff & officer requirements of the Executive & Audit commissionerates of Central Excise and Service Tax, be first met before considering the requirements of other organizations/Directorates.

2)  The officers already posted in the DRI, DGCEI, Settlement Commission, DGST, DG(Audti) DG(Valuation), NACEN, etc., who have completed their stipulated tenure should be immediately repatriated without any delay or excuses.

3)  Those officers who have completed more than 1 year on loan-basis should also be repatriated back to their parent Commissionerate.

4)  There should be maximum deputation tenure in entire career of every cadre as in the case of Group ‘A’ it is 10 years only. We suggest that the same be applied and not more than 5 years at a stretch.

5)  To curb the manipulations, the tenure (incl. Deputation and on loan-basis) should not exceed 12 years in total in their entire career.

6)  Also, the cooling-off period has to be strictly adhered as per the CVC guidelines. Without completing cooling-off period of 2 years, no officer should be allowed to go on further deputation / loan-basis.

7)  Keeping officers in these organizations, who have already reached the ceiling of the maximum reward, thus depriving other officers a chance to work in these organizations (Reference to Para 10.3 of the New Reward Policy guidelines issued vide Circular No. 20/2015 date 31-July-2015)

8)  As it has happened in the recent M&P Establishment Order dtd. 04-Dec-2015, advance copy of applications are entertained which is in violation of norms specified by the Cadre Controlling authority itself !!

The representations received through proper channel only should be considered for the sake of transparency.


Further, while considering officers for deputation/loan-basis, back-door entry should be curbed and should only be on the basis of a roster of willing officers and posting to these organization should be done only once in a year. Care may be taken to ensure utmost transparency so that the officers of Grp-B cadre will not feel deceived.

         Being a cadre controlling authority the data of each officer is already available on records. Kindly look into the same and suitable action may be initiated in this regard for smooth administration.

 CESA, Mumbai, assures to extend all assistance and co-operation in this regard, if required, even at short notice.
              Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,


A.  K. SASMAL
                                                                      General Secretary

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