Reforming and Redrafting the Promotional Policy for Senior Accountants

Dated.30-05-2015. To, Sh.Narendra Modi, Hon`ble Prime Minister of India, South Block, New Delhi. Sh.Arun Jaitley, Hon`ble Union Minister, Ministry of Finance, North Block, New Delhi. Sh.Sanjay Kothari, Secretary (Personnel), Department of Personnel and Training, North Block,New Delhi. Telephone Nos. : 011-23094848 / 23092056 Fax No.: 011-23094500 Email : Secy_mop@nic.in Sh.M.J.Joseph, Controller General of Accounts, Ministry of Finance,Department of Expenditure, Lok Nayak Bhawan,Khan Market, New Delhi. Subject Request for Reforming and Redrafting the Promotional Policy for Senior Accountants (Pre-revised Pay scale –Rs.5500-9000) serving in the Pay and Accounts Offices (Departmentalized Accounting Organizations) in Centralized Union Ministries under the Administrative Control of the O/o The Controller General of Accounts, Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure, Lok Nayak Bhawan,Khan Market, New Delhi. Respected Sir, I wish to submit the following information for carrying out the Reforming of the Promotional Policy laid down for the posts of Senior Accountants serving in the Departmentalised Accounting Organisations of the Centralised Union Ministries under the Administrative Control of the O/o The Controller General of Accounts, Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure, Lok Nayak Bhawan, Khan Market, New Delhi. And also to implement the award of Board of Arbitration (JCM) in CAR No.3/2001 on the grant of Higher Pay Scale to the staff of IA&AD and Organised Accounts at par with the pay scale of Assistants of Central Secretariat. (Copy of the apex JAC letter Reference: JAC/PM/2009Dated 22nd July 2009 To Dr. Manmohan Singh,Hon'ble Prime Minister of India and Hon`ble Finance Minister is enclosed below). Over the years we have been striving very hard to have parity of Pay scales with the Assistants of CSS working in the Central Ministries. The award of Board of Arbitration (JCM) in CAR No.3/2001 on the grant of Higher Pay Scale to the staff of IA&AD and Organised Accounts at par with the pay scale of Assistants of Central Secretariat has also so far not worked in our favour. (The copy of the letters written by the Convener, Joint Action Committee of Audit & Accounts & Employees & officers Organisations, New Delhi to the Hon`ble Prime Minister and Hon`ble Finance Minister is enclosed below as Annexure II and III). The organizational set-up of Departmentalised Accounting Organisation under the O/o The CGA is such, that a person who has been recruited as Junior Accountant (now termed as Accountant) through the Staff Selection Commission nearly 28 yrs back is working as Senior Accountant (in the next higher grade in the hierarchy of Pay scales of staff set-up under the O/o The Controller General of Accounts).This is the greatest drawback, if an Accountant/Sr.Accountant does not appear and never passes the departmental examination of Junior Accounts Officer(Civil) being conducted by the O/o The CGA, he will never be promoted to the next higher grades of posts. The details of the staff set-up under the O/o The Controller General of Accounts is given as follows:- HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT(as per CGA site) Pay scales of the officers and staff of the organization are as under:- S.No. Grades Pay Scales (Pre-revised). 1. Controller General of Accounts Rs. 26,000 (fixed) 2. Addl. Controller General of Accounts Rs. 24,050-26000 3. Principal Chief Controller of Accounts Rs. 22,400-24,500 4. Chief Controller of Accounts / Jt. Controller General of Accounts Rs. 18,400-22,400 5. Controller of Accounts/Deputy Controller General of Accounts Rs. 12,000-16,500 Rs. 14,300-18,300 6. Dy. Controller of Accounts / Asstt. ControllerGeneralofAccounts Rs. 10,000-15,200 7. Asstt. Controller of Accounts Rs. 8,000-13,500 8. Senior Accounts Officer Rs. 8,000-13,500 9. Pay & Accounts Officer / Accounts Officer Rs. 7,500-12,000 10. Asstt. Accounts Officer Rs. 7,450-11,500 11. Junior Accounts Officer Rs. 6,500-10,500 12. Sr. Accountants/Personal Assistants Rs. 5,500- 9,000 13. Accountants/Stenographers Rs. 4,500- 7,000 14. Lower Division Clerks Rs. 3,050- 4,950 15. Daftry/Peons Rs. 2,550 - 3,200 However, in the case of Assistants, the officials working in the CSS set-up have a hope of promotional avenues in their hierarchy of posts. i.e.w.e.f. 2003 onwards they can be promoted from the post of Assistants to the post of Section officer on the basis of 50% of posts through the Limited Departmental Competitive Examination and the other 50% of posts on the basis of seniority.This is a regular feature in their hierarchy of posts. (Annexure I-The Copy of the order No.21/39/03-CS.I, dated. 28 th October`2003 to Change the mode of recruitment in the Section Officer’s (SO) Grade of Central Secretariat Service (CSS) is indicated below for your reference and record.). The Promotion of Accountants to the post of Senior Accountants (Pre-revised Pay scale- Rs. 5,500- 9,000(Pre-revised) is done for those government personnel’s with 3 years of regular service and who have qualified the Departmental Confirmatory Examination as per the terms and conditions specified and conducted by the Controller General of Accounts (as per the common seniority list drawn by the O/o The CGA in respect of all the Ministries on the basis of seniority-cum-fitness (as per procedure laid down under sub-rule (2) of rule 5). The Promotion of Senior Accountants to the post of Junior Account Officers Pre-revised Pay scale-6500-10500(pre-revised) post is done on the basis of passing of the Junior Accounts Examination conducted by the O/o The Controller General of Accounts for the Selection of 90% of vacant posts and the other 10 % of the vacant posts of Junior Accounts Officers are to be filled-up through the regular promotions on basis of Selection-cum-seniority of Senior Accountants who are eligible for the promotional avenues. For these promotions to the post of Junior Accounts Officers, the Consultation of the Union Public Service Commission is not necessary or required as the Posts of Junior Accounts Officers belong to the Central Civil Accounts Service, Group 'B' (Non-Gazetted) Ministerial post. The No. of posts to be filled-up every year are Subject to the variation in the number of posts depending on workload of the Accounting Organisations. For the 10% of the posts in the grade of Junior Accounts Officer 's are to be filled up by promotion from common seniority list to be drawn up and maintained by Controller General of Accounts of Senior Accountants (Pre-revised pay scale of Rs. 5500-9000) who have rendered not less than 10 years service in the grade on the basis of Selection-cum-seniority and who have crossed the age of 53 years as on 1st January of the year. However, this is not true. Those Senior Accountants who have not passed the Junior Accounts Officers Examination conducted by the Controller General of Accounts are never promoted till their last days of retirement. Even after working as Senior Accountants for nearly 35 to 38 yrs of Central Government service, they are never promoted. As these posts of Junior Accounts Officers belong to the General Central Services, Group 'B' (Non-Gazetted) Ministerial posts, no parity has been drawn by the Central Government with the promotional policy of the Group B &C of Central Secretariat Services (CSS) of the Central Union Ministries vis-à-vis the Central Civil Accounts Service, Group 'B' (Non-Gazetted) Ministerial post for the posts of Senior Accountants to be promoted as Junior Accounts Officers on regular basis in the line of their Seniority positions. _________________________________________________________ A Test case. Promotional avenues of The Indian Civil Accounts Services (ICAS) Officers. (All in a span of 28 yrs to 30 yrs of Central Government service.) 1.Eligibility for Appoinment is a minimum Bachelor's degree from a recognized University. 2.The Examination for recruitment is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) every year. 3.The details of promotion avenues are:- (a)The Junior Scale : First Appointment is of Assistant Controller of Accounts in the office of the CGA (Controller General of Accounts), Department of Expenditure (Ministry of Finance) Delhi / or in the offices of the Chief Controller of Accounts in one of the Central Government Ministry in the Govt.of India. (b).In the Senior Scale he is promoted as the Deputy Controller of Accounts. In the Senior Administrative Grade he is promoted as the Chief Controller of Accounts. He can also hope to become the Additional Controller General of Accounts in the Additional Secretaries Grade. The highest career post for an ICAS officer is Controller General of Accounts and has a salary fixed higher than that of the Additional Secretaries' Scale. Details of Promotions of an ICAS Officer are over aperiod of 30 years :- Sl.No. Name of the Post Scale of Pay (Pre-revised scale) 1 Asstt. Controller of Accounts Rs. 8,000-13,500 2 Dy. Controller of Accounts / Asstt. Controller General of Accounts Rs. 10,000-15,200 3 Controller of Accounts/ Deputy Controller General of Accounts Rs.12,000-16,500 Rs. 14,300-18,300 4 Chief Controller of Accounts / Jt. Controller General of Accounts Rs. 18,400-22,400 5 Principal Chief Controller of Accounts Rs. 22,400-24,500 6 Addl. Controller General of Accounts Rs. 24,050-26000 7 Controller General of Accounts Rs. 26,000 (fixed) Hence, the Group A officers of ICAS are granted 8 grades of Time Bound promotions mentioned above. i.e. on an average after every 3 1/2 yrs over a span of 30 years of Central Government service. However, the Accountant is only given one promotion to the post of Senior Accountant even over a span of 30 yrs of Central Government service. This is gross Injustice and requires be looked into intensely and urgently and rectified at the highest levels of the Administration in the Central Government. As such, the promotion policy for Senior Accountants followed by the O/o The CGA is totally unrealistic and a setback to the employees. The employee over a period of time get demoralized and ultimately the work efficiency also tend to decline. As these officials have to work very hard to fulfill the ever increasing demands of the Accounting Organization, a positive view may kindly be shown towards them for streamlining their promotional avenues urgently. Any further delay would definitely harm the service interests of these hardworking officials at the ground level. Here, I would also like to mention the details of the workload the Accountants and Senior Accountants have to perform at the ground level while working in the Departmentalised Accounting set-up of a Central Government ministry (Pay and Accounts Offices). Over a period of time, these officials become experts in their allocated work. Are they not entitled for regular promotional avenues? Over a period of time. Waiting for promotions endlessly in one grade for nearly 30 to 35 is a curse and has brought immense heartburn and a sense of de-motivation among the existing Senior Accountants. It is quiet natural that every human being on earth will expect a valueable progression to his / her career. To boost the staff from loosing interest in work and develop a sense of better service motivation to the nation & above all to preserve the dignity of Senior Accountants working in Central Govt. service, it is very essential that a favorable regular promotional policy may be framed and drafted urgently. Even the Assured Career Progression scheme implemented by the Government of India for Senior Accountants is not realistic and is offered when the employee reaches his maximum of the pay scale with a meager addition of nearly Rs.50 to 100 in his pay packet per month .Is this career progression. Virtually there is no Career Progression for these employees. As such, the concept of promotions of Senior Accountants to the next high post of Junior Accounts Officers (now designated as Asstt.Accounts Officer) should be introduced at the rate of 50 % of posts to be filled up on the basis of Seniority cu fitness of these Central Government employees and the next 50 % of posts to be filled up on the basis of Limited departmental Examinations. This will ensure justice to the demoralized Senior Accountants who have remained stagnant in their same posts over a period of nearly 30 to 35 years of Central Government Service rendered by these central government employees and with no promotional avenues in sight. In this regard the orders of the THE CENTRAL SECRETRIAT SERVICE RULES may also be referred to regarding the promotional avenues of Assistants to the post of Section officers w.e.f 2003 onwards mentioned below for reference.(Annexure-I). All along for the last 30 to 35 yrs we have been striving hard for parity with the post of Assistants of CCS organization of Central Union Ministries. In this connection, I also wish to bring to your kind attention that no decision has so far been taken to implement the award of Board of Arbitration (JCM) in CAR No.3/2001 on the grant of Higher Pay Scale to the staff of IA&AD and Organised Accounts cadre at par with the pay scale of Assistants of Central Secretariat. (Copy of the details of the letters written by the Civil Accounting organization to the previous Hon`ble Prime Minister – Sh.Man Mohan Singh and Hon'ble Finance Minister, - Shri Pranab Mukherjee,under UPA Government set-up is given below for reference). (Annexure-II and III). I hope your office will take up the matter and actively discuss the promotional policy of Sr.Accountants as per the provisions fixed for the post of Assistants of the CSS cadre working in the Central Union Ministries with the concerned departments of the Central Government i.e. Ministry of Finance and Ministry of DOPT/PPG&P and the O/o The Controller general of Accounts, Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure, Lok Nayak Bhawan, Khan Market, New Delhi. In view of the details of information mentioned above, the Central Government should actively consider the immediate Reformation and Redrafting the Promotional Policy for the promotion of Senior Accountants serving in the Central Civil Accounts Service in the Departmentalised Accounting Organisations (Pay and Accounts Offices) of the Centralised Union Ministries under the administrative control of O/o The Controller general of Accounts, Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure, Lok Nayak Bhawan, Khan Market, New Delhi on regular basis to the next higher post of Junior Accounts Officers (now classified as Asstt. Accounts Officers), with the revised mode of recruitment rules by way of allowing 50% of the posts being filled-up through the holding of Limited Departmental Competitive Examination and the other 50% posts being filled-up on the basis of regular combined Seniority of these Senior Accountants. I would be grateful urgent action is taken in the matter. Kindly acknowledge receipt. Thanking you. Yours faithfully, (RAJIV PATHAK) 598, SECTOR-9, R.K.PURAM,NEW DELHI. Email:- rajivpathak278@gmail.com Enclosures:- Annexure I The Copy of the order No.21/39/03-CS.I, dated. 28 th October`2003 to Change the mode of recruitment in the Section Officer’s (SO) Grade of Central Secretariat Service (CSS) is indicated below for your reference and record. No.21/39/03-CS.I Government of India Ministry of Personnel, P.G. and Pensions ( Department of Personnel & Training ) ****** 3rd Floor, Lok Nayak Bhavan, Khan Market, New Delhi – 110003. Dated : 28th October, 2003. ORDER Sub : Change in mode of recruitment in the Section Officer’s (SO) Grade of Central Secretariat Service (CSS). The Government had set up a Committee on Cadre Restructuring of Central Secretariat Service (CSS) in February, 2001. The Committee submitted its report in February, 2002. The Report of the Committee has been considered by the Government and inter alia following decisions, have been taken: (i)To discontinue direct recruitment to the grade of Section Officer through Civil Services Examination of UPSC. (ii) To change the mode of recruitment to the grade of Section Officer by way of 50% through Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE) and 50% by seniority. 2.The above decisions will be effective from 03.10.2003. 3. The Select List of S.O. grade for the years 2001 and 2002 against 40% quota of vacancies each for LDCE and seniority is under finalization by this department. The vacancies against 20% quota, earmarked for Direct Recruitment for the years 2001 and 2002 could not be filled up through Civil Services Examination because the process of their certification through the screening committee could not be completed by the respective cadres. Even for the examination 2003, no vacancies have been intimated to UPSC because several cadre authorities have not yet furnished the information on this count. In view of this, it has been decided that the Select List for the year 2003 onwards shall be prepared in accordance with the revised mode of recruitment by way of 50% through LDCE and 50% by seniority. 4. Necessary notification relating to amendments to the CSS Rules will be issued separately. Sd/- ( Devki Nandan Gupta ) Deputy Secretary to the Government of India Telephone:24624893 To All Cadre Authorities of CSS. Annexure II Copy of the apex JAC letter Reference: JAC/PM/2009Dated 22nd July 2009 To Dr. Manmohan Singh, Hon'ble Prime Minister of India. Respected Sir, I may bring to your kind attention that no decision has so far been taken to implement the award of Board of Arbitration (JCM) in CAR No.3/2001 on the grant of Higher Pay Scale to the staff of IA&AD and Organised Accounts at par with the pay scale of Assistants of Central Secretariat. It would be apt to mention the various developments which have happened relating to this matter. As the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha you have written a letter to Shri Yashwant Sinha, the then Finance Minister dated 28.03.2001 that the higher pay scales to the Senior Auditors/Senior Accountants may be granted on the basis of a High Court decision. The matter was, however, not agreed and disagreement was recorded in the National Council (JCM) held on 12.11.2001. This matter was referred to Board of Arbitration (JCM) in CAR No.3/2001 and after hearing both the sides the Board of Arbitration gave the following award on 24.8.2004. Normally the Government should decide the issue within a period of 6 months, if they decide to implement the award. If they do not accept the award they have to move resolution in the Parliament for its rejection within six months. No such action, however, was taken. The Department of Personnel and Training vide their OM No.7/1/2006-JCA dated 19.05.2006 circulated the list of 16 pending awards which were to be referred to Parliament for rejection at item No 3, the above CA reference No.3/2001 was listed. In the meeting of the Standing Committee of JCM held on 15th February 2006 the Government agreed to discuss with the Staff Side these awards before taking a final view. This issue was discussed with Additional Secretary, Department of Expenditure twice, 4th October 2006 and 22nd May 2007 and with Secretary Department of Personnel & Training on 10.07.2007 and again in October 2007. During these meetings the Staff Side has proposed that the actual payment of arrears on accounts of implementation of award may be paid w.e.f. 19th February 2003 instead of 12.11.2001 as per the award. The Department of Expenditure indicated their inability to implement the award notionally from 1.1.86 and actually from 19.2.2002 on the ground that the arrears to be paid would be of the order of 675 crores and would entail annual expenditure of recurring nature to the time of 152 crores. In the last meeting the Secretary, Department of Personnel & Training, therefore, asked the Department of Expenditure to suggest the date from which they are prepared to implement the award and pay the arrears. The Department of Expenditure, however, did not indicate any such date. The JAC in their letter dated 2nd December 2008 have formally proposed to forego all the arrears and stated that award may be implemented notionally from 01.01.86/ 01.01.96 and actually from 01.01.2006, the date from which the higher pay scales have been granted on the basis of 6th CPC recommendations. There has been no response from or action by the Department of Expenditure to implement the award when the very ground on which they were not inclined to accept the award viz the huge arrears of 675 crores has been wiped out. It appears that the Department of Expenditure wants this matter to attain its natural death by keeping it pending for an indefinite period and Government have not to even take the matter to Parliament with a proposal for its formal rejection. This is so because in the light of the fact that the Staff Side has forgone all the arrears the very ground on which they could go to the Parliament for rejection of the award is no longer there. I, therefore, request you to consider these developments and issue necessary instruction to Department of Expenditure to implement the award notionally from 01.01.86/ 01.01.96 and actually from 01.01.2006. Without your kind intervention the Department of Expenditure will not do any thing in this matter. We are also enclosing herewith copies of the following letters. (i) Your D/o. No.RS/LOP/354/2001 dated 28th March 2001 to Shri Yashwant Sinha, the then Minister for Finance. (ii) Latest Do Letter No.BA/ARD/2008 dated 19.03.2008 by Basudeb Acharya, M.P. Thanking you, Yours faithfully, Sd/- (V.Bhattacharjee) Convener, Joint Action Committee of Audit & Accounts & Employees & officers Organisations Annexure III Copy of the apex JAC letter Reference: JAC/FM/2009Dated: 22nd July 2009 to Shri Pranab Mukherjee, Hon'ble Finance Minister,Government of India, Respected Sir, I enclose herewith a copy of our letter to Dr. Manmohan Singh, Hon'ble Prime Minister dated 22nd July 2009. This letter has been written by us in connection with grant of higher pay scale to the Senior Auditors/Senior Accountants of organised Account at par with the pay scale of Assistants of Central Secretariat. There is an award of the Board of Arbitration (JCM) in CA reference No.3/2001 according to which the higher pay scale to Senior Auditors/Senior Accountants at par with the pay scale of Central Secretariat has to be granted notionally w.e.f. 01.01.86 and actually from 12.11.2001, the date on which this reference was taken up by the Board of Arbitration. We have in discussion with the representatives of Department of Expenditure and Department of Personnel & Training have suggested that as huge arrears will have to be paid if the award is actually implemented from 12.11.2001 or even from 19.02.2003, it may be implemented actually only from 01.01.06, the date on which the higher pay scales have been granted by the government on the basis of recommendation of 6th CPC. That way the entire arrears will no longer be payable. The ground on the basis Department of Expenditure was not inclined to implement this award was the huge arrears. Since no arrears are required to be paid the Department of Expenditure has no ground not to implement this award. I, therefore, request you to intervene in the matter and direct the Department of Expenditure to implement the award by granting higher pay scales notionally from 01.01.86 to the Senior Accountants/Senior Auditors for the period from 01.01.86 to 31.12.2005. So far as higher pay scales are concerned the government has already granted it with effect from 01.01.2006. We would like to meet you to explain the matter. You may kindly also recall that it was way back in 1983 that you were kind enough to grant us the pay scale at par with the Assistants and therefore we are confident that you would readily agree to restore this parity in the pay scales with Assistant to Audit & Accounts employees during the intervening period from 01.01.86 to 31.12.2005. To further explain this matter we would like to meet you on any date convenient to you. We may kindly be advised the date, time and place when and where we can meet you. Thanking you, Yours faithfully, Sd/- (V.Bhattacharjee) Convener, Joint Action Committee of Audit & Accounts & Employees & officers Organisations