SWALLOWING OF RELIEF GRANTED BY 7TH CPC...

As per the recommendations of the 7^th CPC, the DoPT has issued the OM dated 07.09.2016. The recommendation of the 7th Central Pay Commission regarding bunching of stages in the revised pay structure. It has been decided that in cases where in revision of pay, the pay of Government servants drawing pay at two or more stages in pre-revised Pay Band and Grade Pay or scale, as the case may be, get fixed at same Cell in the applicable Level in the new Pay Matrix, one additional increment shall be given for every two stages bunched and the pay of Government servant drawing higher pay in pre-revised structure shall be fixed at the next vertical Cell in the applicable Level.

Pay drawn by two Government servants in a given Pay Band and Grade pay or scale where the higher pay is at least 3% more than the lower pay shall constitute two stages. Officers drawing pay where the difference is less than 3% shall not be entitled for this benefit ( the said OM is annexed). In accordance with the said OM, Bunching Orders were issued by Ministry of Food & Public Distribution, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Power, CBDT Noida, CBDT Vadodara, Department of Revenue (ASO), etc.. As usual our CBEC is on the back foot in extending the benefit.

Before the benefit could be extended to all branches/Departments/Sections of the Central government, the DoPT came forward with an another OM dated 27.02.2017 with an instruction “It has already been decided to consult Department of Expenditure through Establishment (Pay) in the matter and same is under examination. Therefore, to ensure uniform implementation of Department of Expenditure’s instruction, all the Ministries/ Departments are advised to wait for further instructions with regard to grant of bunching benefits to ASOs of CSS and also if orders have already been issued by any Ministry/Department, the same may not be given effect till further instructions”.

Although, the said restriction is to Assistant Section Officer of CSS (ASO) but the other Departments including our CBEC will play as usual, the wait and watch practice in this regard.

The said OM derails the benefit as recommended by the Committee. The benefit of the 7^th CPC is not at all worth mentioning as compared to other CPCs and its shoddy implementation surpasses the previous records of concern by the Administration towards its own employees. Hope our AIACEGEO will take up the issue with the JAC(Pay matters).

No.1-6/2016-IC

Government of India

Department of Expenditure

Implementation Cell

Room No.214, The Ashok, New Delhi

Dated the 7th September, 2016

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Recommendations of the 7th Central pay Commission — bunching of stages in the revised pay structure under Central Civil Services (Revised pay) Rules, 2016.

The undersigned is directed to say that in view of the recommendation of the 7th Central pay Commission regarding bunching of stages in the revised pay structure. It has been decided that in cases where in revision of pay, the pay of Government servants drawing pay at two or more stages in pre-revised Pay Band and Grade Pay or scale, as the case may be, get fixed at same Cell in the applicable Level in the new Pay Matrix, one additional increment shall be given for every two stages bunched and the pay of Government servant drawing higher pay in pre-revised structure shall be fixed at the next vertical Cell in the applicable Level.

2. For this purpose, pay drawn by two Government servants in a given Pay Band and Grade pay or scale where the higher pay is at least 3% more than the lower pay shall constitute two stages. Officers drawing pay where the difference is less than 3% shall not be entitled for this benefit.

3. As per illustration given in para 5.1.37 of the Report of the 7th Central Pay Commission, if two persons drawing pay of 53,000 and 54,590 in the GP 10,000 are to be fitted in the new Pay Matrix. the person drawing pay of 53,000 on multiplication by a factor of 2.57 will expect a pay corresponding to Rs.1,36,210 and the person drawing pay of Rs.54,590 on multiplication by a factor of 2.57 will expect a pay corresponding to Rs.1.40,296. Revised pay of both should ideally be fixed in the first cell of Level 14 in the pay of Rs.1,44,200 but to avoid bunching the person drawing pay of Rs. 54,590 will get fixed in second cell of Level 14 in the pay of 1,48,500.

                                                                             (R.K.Chaturvedi)

                                                                                              Joint Secretary to the Govt of India

DoPT on Bunching of stages in the grade of Assistant Section Officers

F.No.7/1/2017-CS-1(A)(Pt.)
Government of India
Department of Personnel & Training

2nd Floor, Lok Nayak Bhawan
Khan Market, New Delhi-3
Dated 27.02.17

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject:  Bunching of stages in the Revised pay structure in the grade of Assistant Section Officers – Reg.

DoP&T has been receiving many references from various Ministries/ Departments seeking clarification on the issue of grant of bunching to Assistant Section Officers of Central Secretariat Service in terms of Department of Expenditure’s O.M. dated 07.09.16.

It has also been noticed that there have been divergent views on the matter that while some Ministries/ Departments have given the benefit on their own, some other Ministries/ Departments have sought clarifications on various issues they are facing while giving the benefit of bunching in terms of DoE’s O.M. dated 07.09.16.

3. The matter has been taken up for further clarifications with Establishment Division/ Department of Expenditure briefly on the following issues:

i. While the Seventh Pay Commission had not prescribed different modes of pay fixation for Direct Recruit (DR) and Promotee ASOs, there have been two different modes of pay fixation for DR and Promotees prior to implementation of Seventh pay Commission. Due to differential methods of pay fixation, required differential of 3% is not calculable based on seniority alone as the other relevant facts of being DR/ Promotee comes into play here.

ii) The manner of different pay fixation for DR ASO and promotee Assistants has been challenged in various court cases (viz. OA No.2147/2015, OA No. 150/2016, OA No. 1015/2013 and OA No.476/2015 etc.)

4. It has already been decided to consult Department of Expenditure through Establishment (Pay) in the matter and same is under examination. Therefore, to ensure uniform implementation of Department of Expenditure’s instruction, all the Ministries/ Departments are advised to wait for further instructions with regard to grant of bunching benefits to ASOs of CSS and also if orders have already been issued by any Ministry/Department, the same may not be given effect till further instructions.

5. This issues with the approval of competent authority.

sd/-
(K.Srinivasan)
Under Secretary to the Government of India