Reimbursement of cost of Newspapers purchased by the officers at their residences

Controller General of Defence Accounts Ulan Batar Road, Palam, Delhi Cantt - 110010

No.AN/XIV/14162/News Paper/I

Dated 15-02-2011

All PCsDA/CsDA

      Subject:- Reimbursement of cost of Newspapers purchased by the officers at their residences.

      Recently, it has come to the notice of this HQrs. office that some Controller's officers are allowing the reimbursement of expenditure on account of news papers purchased by the offices at their residence upto the level of AO/AAO, based on Ministry of Defence OM No.30002/5/95/D/Estt 2 Gen-I dated 24.8.95 & Ministry of Finace Letter No. F.1(16)-EII(A)/94 dated 13.9.1996.

2.      References are being received from other Controller's offices in this regard. In this connection attention in invited to MoF, Deptt. of Expenditure vide their OM No.1(24).EII/(A)/96 dated 04.03.97 which further clarified that the instructions issued in OM dated 13.9.1996 are applicable to officers serving the Ministires/Department only and not to attached and subordinate offices. As regards reimbursement in respect of similarly placed officers in attached and subordinate offices, it was advised that the cases could, however, be decided by those offices after consulting their FA concerned.

3.       I view of the above, it is confirmed that the directions issued by this HQrs. office vide No. AN/VI/6523/VI/Lab dated 28.6.1996 still holds good. Therefore, it is once again reiterated that the Controller's offices may buy minimum number of newspapers for use in their Main Office. The scheme fo reimbursement of expenditure on account of news papers purchased by the officeers at their residences may be discontinued.

4.       The circular is also being posted on the official website of CGDA. It is advised that the enclosures referred to above may kindly be downloaded for information and official reference if required.

      This issues with the approval of CGDA.

Sd/-
(Z.V.S.Prasad)
Jt. CGDA(AN)

Source Document : CGDA

National Anomaly Committee meeting - Decisions & Discussions

The Secretary General of Confederation Mr.K.K.N.Kutty has published the outcome of third National Anomaly Committee meeting discussion on each issue...

The third meeting of the National Anomaly Committee was held on 15/02/2011. The following items were taken up for discussion. No final decision on any item could be arrived at. It was more or less an exercise to understand the points of view of both sides on these items. We shall in our next communication indicate the outcome of discussion on each item.

Item Nos. 11, 12&13, 14, 20, 28,29&30, 31,37, 38,39, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 46, 49, 50 and 51.

During the discussion the Staff brought to the notice of the official side that the issues pertaining to the employees of Andaman and Nicobar islands, which were taken out of the agenda on the plea that the same would be discussed separately by a Committee to be set up by the Andaman Administration have not been settled. The NGO Association of A & N Islands have brought to the notice of the staff side that the A & N Administration has not taken any steps to resolve the problems even though similar issues pertaining to the employees of Pondicherry and Delhi were settled. The Official side has promised to take up the issue with the concerned in the Home Ministry to ensure that the issues are addressed expeditiously.

The official side has in the Action Taken State has indicated their inability to concede the demand raised by the Staff Side on the following two issues.

(a) Grant of increment in the case of employees whose increment falls between Feb and June. 2006.

(b) Fixing the pay of the promotees on par with the Direct recruits.

Though these issues were not discussed, the Staff Side has said that a resolution to them are urgently needed.

The official side has requested the Staff Side to indicate the items on which further discussions are needed; further details are required; and alternative suggestions could be made within 10 days so that the next and final meeting of the Committee could be convened before 31st March, 2011. It was also decided that the sub-committee of the MACP related issued will meet once again and their report submitted to the NAC .

Courtesy : confederationhq.blogspot.com/

Govt asks schools to refund fees if admission cancelled

Govt asks schools to refund fees if admission cancelled

New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) Parents seeking their wards' nursery admission can heave a sigh of relief as the Government today issued a circular directing all schools in the capital to refund fees paid to them in case if parents wish to withdraw or cancel the admission.

The circular issued by the Directorate of Education (DoE), Delhi, said there have been several complaints by parents regarding non-refund of fees and other charges by unaided recognised schools in the event of cancellation of admission.

"If any fee is collected from the parents or guardians of a child, whose admission is cancelled ..., the entire free except registration fee charges shall be refunded," said the DoE order.

Source: PTI

New Agenda item for discussion in the Meeting of the National Anomaly Committee

No.18/7/2010-JCA
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
Department of Personnel & Training
(JCA Section)

North Block, New Delhi
Dated the 17^th January, 2011

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject:    New Agenda item for discussion in the Meeting of the National Anomaly Committee.

      The Hon'ble High Court of Madras in its order dated 10.9.2009 in Writ Petition No.21367/2004 (grievances of Drivers and Artisans in the Postal Department with regard to anomaly in fixing pay since 4th Central Pay Commission followed by directorate dated15.12.2010 in Contempt Petition No.1371/2010 has directed that the matter may be referred to the National Anomaly Committee for its consideration and passing appropriate orders. Accordingly, Department of Posts has forwarded detailed Agenda Note on examination of the Claim of the cadre of Drivers deployed in Department of Posts for grant of pay scale equal to that of Postal Assistants working in the same Department in pursuance to direction of Hon'ble High Court of Madras.

      'In view of the position mentioned above, Secretary (P) in her capacity as the Chairperson of the Anomaly Committee has approved inclusion of the matter in the Agenda of the National Anomaly Committee. It is likely that this issue will be discussed in the next meeting of the National Anomaly Committee to be held in near future. A copy of the Agenda Note forwarded by the Department of Posts is enclosed for information and perusal please.

(Dinesh Kapita)
Director (JCA)

AGENDA NOTE

ISSUE :

EXAMINATIN OF THE CLAIM OF THE CADRE OF DRIVERS DEPLOYED IN DEPARTMENT OF POSTS FOR PAY SCALE EQUAL TO THAT OF POSTAL ASSISTANTS WORKING IN THE SAME DEPARTMENT IN PURSUANCE TO DIRECTIONS OF HON'BLE HIGH COURT OF MADRAS IN JUDGEMENT DATED 10.09.2009 IN WP NO.21367/2004 FOLLOWED BY DIRECTIONS DATED 15.12.2010 IN CONTEMPT PETITION NO.1371/2010

GROUNDS :

1.      Consequent upon implementation of 5th CPC recommendations, the cadre of Drivers deployed in Department of Posts in Mail Motor Services and other subordinate offices was placed in the scale of Rs.3050-4590. Their earlier scale as per 4th CPC recommendation was Rs.950-1500. 2.      The Association representing the Drivers and Artisans submitted representation dated 20.08.2001 and 12.12.2001 to the Department of Posts that their cadre placed at the minimum of the pay scale equivalent to Postal Assistants in 1^st CPC, 2^nd CPC and 3^rd CPC. Their argument was that in the 4th CPC they were given the minimum of Rs.950-1500 whereas the Postal Assistants cadre was given Rs.975-1660. While implementing the 5th Pay Commission recommendations, they were placed in the scale of Rs.3050-4590 whereas Postal Assistants were given the scale of Rs.4000-6000 and further stated that there is a genuine anomaly while fixing the scale of Drivers. They also represented that the Postman cadre, which was always kept below their pay scale; was given a jump and equated with their scale of pay the 5th Pay Commission recommendations. The other argument was that they have to possess Heavy Vehicle License and to do exchange of bags containing valuables, cash, etc. and represented to the Hon'ble Minister for Communications for bringing the parity with Postal Assistants. All these submissions were examined and the Association was informed that the Central Pay Commission submitted the recommendations on pay scale after taking into account the specific requirements for each category of posts in terms of educational qualification, skill required, arduous nature of work undertaken and based on the composite view of the matter & also that the Drivers are part of common cadres in Central Government the question of any isolated examination of their pay scale confining to Department of Posts alone did not arise. This communication was sent to the Association on 07.02.2002. 3.      The Association filed an OA No.148/2003 before the Hon'ble Central Administrative Tribunal at Madras, which was dismissed observing that no sufficient material has been placed before them to record a specific finding as to whether there had been arbitrary, discriminatory and hostile discrimination made to the applicants in granting the pay scale. In no circumstances, the case of the Postal Assistants could be treated at par with Drivers.

4.      Aggreved by the CAT order, the Association further filed Writ Petition No.21367/2004 in the Hon'ble High Court at Madrs. The Court after examining the affidavit filed by the Department observed in Para No.8 of their judgement that "it is an admitted case that upto the Third Pay Commission, the pay of Drivers was equal to that of Postal Assistants. In the Fifth Pay Commission, the difference in the pay scale of Postal Assistants and Drivers was Rs.950/-. The case of the petitioners is that, their duties are more arduous; they have to carry insured bags registered post, parcel, speed posts and letters bags from various post offices situated in remote villages and drive through ruddy roads to catch the trains. The only reason given for fixing a higher pay to Postal Assistants is that they possess 10th standard qualification and having knowledge in computer. Though learned counsel appearing for the respondents submitted that common categories are common to all Central Government Departments and their recruitment rules and pay scales are also similar, yet the pay scale of postal Assistants and Drivers are different. The Drivers working in the Delhi Judicial service are getting a higher scale of pay. When the Central Government has prescribed 10th Standard as the qualification for Postal Assistants, the same qualification should have been fixed for the Drivers also, especially when the Drivers were getting an equal pay till the Fourth Pay Commission. This shows that definitely there is discrimination in pay scales among Postal Assistants and Drivers, ............In this case admittedly the scale of pay of Postal Assistants and Drivers was the same till the Fourth Pay Commission and thereafter parity in pay had arisen. This shows that the decision of the Government in fixing the pay scales of Postal Assistants and Drivers are patently irrational, unjust and prejudicial to a section of employees. Therefore we consider it appropriate to set aside the order under challenge and dispose of the writ petition with a direction to the respondents to refer the matter to the Anomaly Committee for its consideration and passing appropriate orders within a period of three months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order and if necessary, to afford an opportunity of hearing to the petitioners. ........."

5.      On receipt of this judgement, the Department sought extension of time for its examination till 30.06.2010. The Hon'ble High Court at Madras did not specifically direct for placing the matter before National Anomaly Committee. By the time of receipt of the Judgement, the Department had already constituted its Anomaly Committee for sorting out the anomalies that arose due to implementation of 6th Pay Commission recommendations pertaining to the Department. Since the parity had been sought with a cadre of Postal Assistants, which is exclusively specific to the Department, the Departmental Anomaly Committee (DAC) chose to examine this in its meetings held on 05.02.2010 and also on 16.04.2010 after giving an opportunity to the Association for presenting their case. The DAC observed that the parity sought is not falling under the ambit of definition of the term 'anomaly' defined by DOPT but recommended for taking u the case with Nodal Ministry for placing the Drivers on par with Postman Grade by giving Grade Pay of Rs.2000 outside the purview of Anomaly Committee.

6.      The proposal sent by Department of Posts to Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance through Department of Personnel & Training for placing the Drivers on par with Postman Grade by giving Grade pay of Rs.2000 did not find favour with by Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure. This was also conveyed to the Association. The Association filed a Contempt Petition in the Hon'ble High Court of Chennai alleging that there was a wanton disobedience in implementation of the order of the Hon'ble High Court. The Department filed a detailed affidavit rebutting their contentions raised in the Contempt directing the Additional Solicitor General in High Court for writing to the concerned Ministry for convening the meeting National Anomaly Committee for examination of the issue raised by the Association for bringing parity with the cadre of Postal Assistants in the Department of Posts.

7.      Therefore, the agenda before the National Anomaly Committee is for examination of the issue of providing Grade Pay of Rs.2400 to the Drivers deployed in Department of Posts at the initial entry on par with Postal Assistants.