NJCA postponed indefinite strike from 11th Apr to 11th July 2016
National Joint Council of Action
4, State Entry Road, New Delhi – 110055
No.NJC/2016/7th CPC
March 7, 2016
To
All Constituents of NJCA
Dear Comrade,
The NJCA met today and reviewed the discussion in the meeting of Empowered Committee of Secretaries presided by the Cabinet Secretary on 1st March 2016 where-in the Cabinet Secretary had requested for more time to arrive at conclusions on the charter of demands raised by the Staff Side.
The meeting also considered the situation in the aftermath of the coming into effect of the Code of Conduct with the declaration of election schedule in 5 State Assemblies and the fact that there will be polling on 11th April 2016 in West Bengal and Assam.
The meeting, therefore, came to the conclusion that it will not be feasible for us to stick to the date of strike as 11th April 2016. Considering the fact that as per section 22 of the Industrial Dispute Act, 1947 with regard to the validity of the strike notice which is not more than six weeks from the date of serving the strike notice, it was also felt that we may have to revisit the issue of serving the notice fortrike afresh.
Considering all the above aspects, the meeting took the following decisions”
I. The indefinite strike shall commence from 6 am on 11th July 2016
2. The strike Notice would be served on 9th June 2016.
3. Massive demonstrations shall be held in all work place on 11th March 2016 in support of the charter of demands and strike decision.
4. The decision of the NJCA would be communicated to the Cabinet Secretary.
Detailed mobilization programmes would be given later on.
Central Trade Unions Extends support to Indefinite Strike from 11th April
Dated 03.03.2016
Central Trade Unions decide to hold National Convention of Workers in New Delhi on 30th March, 2016 to decide about next phase of action programme against anti labour policies of the Govt.
The Central Trade Unions in their meeting held on 27th January 2016. besides deciding to stage All India Protest Day on 10 March, 2016, also decided to hold National Convention of Workers towards the end of March in New Delhi to discuss and decide on next phase of action programme against the anti-people and anti-labour policies of the Cowl The Convention will now be held on 30th March 2016 at Mavalankar Hall, New Delhi. The convention will commence at 10.40 am on 30th March.
The Govt has mounted a fresh attack on social security of workers by levying income lax on 60% of the EPF vnthdrawals through the latest Union Budget besides imposing huge burden on people at large. This is in a way to finance the new enterprises by paying employers share of contribution to pension fund for three years. The Central Trade Unions strongly protest such atrocious onslaught on social security rights of the workers and employees. Taxing of EPF should also be the issue along with pending 12 points charter.
The CTUs also extend support to the Central Govt.. Railways. Defence and Postal etc. for their call for indefinite strike from 11th April 2016. CTUOs also extend the support to Coal Workers joint agitation including the one day strike on 29’th March. 2016.
All the state constituents and friendly workers employees federations are to prepare for All India Protest Day on 10.3.2016 and for participation in National Convention of Workers on this 30th March, 2016.
Rs 70,000 Crore Allocated For Seventh Pay Commission In Budget: Report
As much as Rs. 70,000 crore has been provisioned in the Union Budget 2016-17 for implementation of Seventh Pay Commission for government employees, a top finance ministry official said.
While the Budget did not provide an explicit overall provision number, the government had said the 7th Pay Commission hike has been built in as interim allocation for different ministries and Budget numbers were credible.
Implementation of the pay commission report is to cost the government Rs. 1.02 lakh crore.
“We have provisioned for around 60-70 per cent of the total burden that was talked about,” the official said adding about Rs. 70,000 crore has been provided in the Budget.
“We will wait to see the report of the Committee of Secretaries on the 7th Pay Commission and decide if we need further allocation,” he said.
The Budget document states that “the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission due from January 1, 2016 is to be implemented during 2016-17 fiscal as also the revised One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme for Defence services.”
The finance ministry has provisioned for this in the demands for grants for individual departments and ministries. It is built into and subsumed into those allocations.
“No one actually knows what will be the actual burden on the exchequer for the implementation of Pay commission recommendation. We have calculated internally and allocated to various ministries and departments accordingly,” the official said.
The government in January set up a high-powered panel headed by Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha to process the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission which will have bearing on the remuneration of 47 lakh central government employees and 52 lakh pensioners.
The Empowered Committee of Secretaries will function as a Screening Committee to process the recommendations with regard to all relevant factors of the Commission in an expeditious detailed and holistic fashion.
The official further said the finance ministry has fully provided for OROP scheme for defence personnel.
Faced with the burden of Pay Commission recommendations, there were concerns on whether the government would be able to stick to the fiscal deficit target of 3.9 per cent for 2016-17.
However, in Budget Finance Minister Arun Jaitley dispelled doubts and promised to adhere to the fiscal consolidation roadmap and stick to 3.9 per cent deficit target.
NFIR to Railway – Revision of wage calculation limit
NFIR
National Federation of Indian Railwaymen
3, CHELMSFORD ROAD, NEW DELHI – 110 055
Affiliated to :
Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC)
International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF)
No. 1/10/Part IV
Dated: 07/03/2016
Shri Suresh Prabhu,
Hon’ble Minister for Railways, Rail Mantralaya,
New Delhi
Respected Sir,
Sub: Amendment to payment of Bonus Act, 1965-Revision of wage calculation limit from Rs. 3500/- p.m. to Rs. 7000/- p.m. with effect from 01/04/2014- payment of P.L. Bonus to Railway employees at revised rate of Rs. 7000/- p.m.-reg.
Ref: Railway Board’s reply vide No. E(P&A)II-2014/PLB-8 dated 16/02/2016 to GS/NFIR.
***********
While thanking the Railway Ministry for its prompt reply to NFIR under reference No. E(P&A)II-2014/PLB-8 dated 16/02/2016, the Federation re-iterates the following facts for taking appropriate steps by the Government.
(i) The chronological developments since decades need to be taken into account for processing the case for payment of PL Bonus to the Railway employees at the revised wage calculation ceiling limit i.e. Rs. 7000/- p.m. w.e.f. 01/04/2014.
(ii) When the Bonus Act was amended, raising the wage calculation ceiling from Rs. 750 to 1600, the Railway employees were paid PL Bonus at the revised wage calculation ceiling limit. Subsequently, when the Bonus Act was amended, revising the wage calculation limit from Rs. 1600/- to Rs. 2500/-, the said rate was adopted by the Railway Ministry and PL Bonus paid to the Railway employees at the revised rates.
(iii) When the wage calculation ceiling was again revised to Rs. 3500/- w.e.f. 1st April 2006, the Federation took up the issue and explained the merits of the case for adopting the rate of Rs. 3500/- w.e.f. 01/04/2006 for ensuring payment of PL Bonus. The Railway Ministry had processed the case and obtained Union Cabinet’s approval and issued orders vide letter No. E(P&A)II-2008/PLB-10 dated 03/10/2008, duly revising the wage calculation ceiling to Rs. 3500/- with retrospective effect i.e, from 01/04/2006, consequently, PLB arrears for the year 2006-07 were paid to the Railway employees in October 2008.
From the above facts, it could be seen that the payment of P.L. Bonus has been ensured commensurating with the revision of wage calculation ceiling limit made through amendments to Bonus Act, 1965 without any deviation. Similarly when the wage calculation ceiling limit has been raised to Rs. 7000/- p.m., the Railway Employees are entitled for payment of P.L. Bonus at revised rates for the year 2014-15.
NFIR, therefore, requests the Hon’ble Railway Minister to kindly arrange to process the case on top priority for obtaining the approval of the Union Cabinet for making payment of PL Bonus arrears pertaining to the year 2014-15 to the Railway employees at the earliest.
7th Pay Commission: Modi government to implement salary hike in FY 2016-17
The Budget documents state that the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission due from January 1, 2016 is to be implemented during the financial year 2016-17.
“The government has made provisions for the additional liabilities on these count,” it said, without giving the amount allocated for implementation.
With absence of an explicit overall provision for the 7th Pay Commissionin budget raising questions, government on Wednesday said the once-in-a-decade pay hike has been built in as interim allocation for different ministries and budget numbers were credible.
Economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das said the number cannot be quantified and it has been built up in budget of various ministries. “We cannot really quantify how much we require in 2016-17. Because the Committee of Secretaries have to first give its recommendations, then govt will take a decision and then only we will know what is the requirement in FY17,” he said in New Delhi.
Implementation of the pay commission report is to cost the government Rs.1.02 trillion. “We have the Pay Commission recommendations with us, we have analysed the likely requirement and it has been built into the Budget of various ministries. Some suitable interim provisions have been made,” he said without elaborating.
“Hence the expenditure and revenue numbers are credible.” Das said finance minister Arun Jaitley in his budget speech stated that interim provisions have been made. “And these provisions are there in the Demands for Grants for individual departments and ministries. It is built into and subsumed into those allocations.”
“The Budget reaffirmed the commitment of the government to continue with the process of fiscal consolidation as projected in the Medium Term Fiscal Policy Statement of 2015-16 despite a tough external environment,” the budget documents said. Accordingly, fiscal deficit has been projected at 3.5% of the GDP in 2016-17.
“In accordance with the amended FRBM targets, the fiscal deficit of 3 per cent is projected to be achieved in 2017-18 onwards.” “Keeping in view the challenge of reduction of fiscal deficit by 0.4 per cent of GDP in a difficult year in 2016-17 with substantial additional liabilities on pay revision etc, the government is quite optimistic of fully achieving the fiscal deficit target of 3 per cent or below by March 2018,” the documents said.
NFIR
1.Shri Guman Singh, President
2,Shri M. Raghavaiah, General Secretary
3.Shri R.P.Bhatnagar
4.Shri B.C. Sharma
5.Shri R.P.Singh
19/2014: Denial of revised V CPC pay scale-Injustice meted out to Midwives on Western Railway.
After detailed deliberation, it transpired that on Western Railway Midwives and ANMs are being treated as two separate cadres and that Midwives have only one scale of pay viz. G.P 1900. It was agreed to check up the position of few other Zones and to examine the matter accordingly.
General Secretary however stated that recruitement qualification pay scale at the time of recruitement on Western Railway besides designation of staff should be got verified in order to know the reason for denial of pay scale/promotion in 4500-7000.
2/2015: Coverage of Track Maintainers GP Rs.1900 & 2400/- and Station Master category under LARSGESS.
So far as the demand for including Track Maintainer GP Rs.1900/- under the purview of LARSGESS, clarification have since been issued vide Board’s Letter No. E(P&A)I-2015/FE-4/3 dated 10.09.2015.
General Secretary stated that the Track Maintainers GP 2400 is a working post like that of Track Maintainer GP 1900 and 1800. Therefore, covering the GP 2400 is justified. General Secretary also contended that the Station Master being important Safety category, should be brought under LARSGESS.
Regarding coverage of Station Master category under LARSGESS, it was explained by the Official Side that in view of the Consitutional validity of the LARSGESS Scheme being challenged by various CATs across India and the matter being sub-judice, no further liberalisation in the Scheme is feasible at this stage.
10/2015: Payment of Diet Allowance to Staff Attending Break-down duties.
As discussed in the last meeting, the existing instructions have been reiterated vide Board’s Letter No.E(P&A)II-2015/FE-2/2 dated 27.10.2015.
(Closed)
11/2015: Denial of payment of HRA, Transport Allowance etc. to trainees appointed on compassionate ground in Grade Pay 1900/- in artisan category etc. – reg.
Discussed
(Closed)
15/2015: Grant of financial upgradation under MACPS to SSE – Drawing (formerly diploma holder tracers) appointed against D.R. Quota vacancies as Assistant Draftsman(presently JE- Drawing with GP 4200 in PB-2) reg.
General Secretary said that the Diploma Holder Tracers were appointed against D/R quota in accordance with Board’s orders and all such staff should be granted financial up-gradation.
It was agreed to obtain information regarding the procedure under which the concerned employees were promoted and from which date their seniority is being determined and to re-examine the matter in light thereof.
18/2015: Arbitrary discontinuance of Nursing Allowance to ANOs working in Railway Hospitals – reg.
Necessary instructions have since been issued vide Board’s Letter No.E(P&A)I-2012/AL/1 dated 08.12.2015.
(Closed)
32/2015: Grant of pay fixation under rule S 13 to the erstwhile Group ‘D’ staff promoted to same grade pay of 1800/- (PB-I).
Matter is under consideration in the light of O.M. No. F-2-1/2015-E.III(A) dated 16th October, 2015 issued by Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure (Item No.1/2014 which has already been discussed in the PNM/NFIR meeting held on 8th & 9th October, 2015 is similar).
35/2015: Safety Related Retirement Scheme (SRRS – 2004) – renamed as Liberalized Active Retirement Scheme for Guaranteed Employment for Safety Staff (LARSGESS) – Deletion of 33 years service condition for Loco Pilot Category – urged.
Federation brought out that the average age of joining of a Loco Pilot is around 25 years and comes to a working post after Medical and Training at the age of around 26 years. So, the 33 years service condition to become eligible under LARSGESS needs to be reduced. Federation insisted that the demand relates to relaxation of “33 years service” condition and therefore the proposal of NFIR should be accepted. It was explained by the Official Side that in view of the Constitutional validity of the LARSGESS Scheme being challenged by various CATs across India and the matter being sub-judice, no further liberalisation in the Scheme is feasible at this stage.
39/2015:Mis-interpretation of Railway Board’s orders resulting denial of LARSGESS to ESM/TCM/WTM, GP 1900 – reg. & 42/2015: Clarification regarding consideration of service rendered as Fireman, Loco Pilot (Shunting), ALP etc., for coverage under LARSGESS-reg.
It was explained by the Official Side that in view of the Consitutional validity of the LARSGESS Scheme being challenged by various CATs across India and the matter being sub-judice, no further liberalisation in the Scheme is feasible at this stage.
Federation contended that the demand relates to issuance of clarification on the basis of factual postion, logic and merits.
Official Side stated that the matter will be examined.
46/2015: Grant of financial upgradation under MACPS to the Technical Supervisors of DC Traction and presently working as JE/SSE.
It was agreed to check whether the pay scale of Assistant Operator has been merged with pay scale of Operators of D.C.Traction and re-examine the matter in light thereof.
Federation said that its letter dated 4.01.2016 may be referred to wherein facts of the case were conveyed.
47/2015: Grant of MACP to the former Traffic Signallers/A2 Signallers absorbed as ASMs/SMs on North Eastern Railway-reg.
Federation requested for a copy of the reply received from NE Railway in this matter which was agreed to.
54/2015: Scheme for filling up of the posts of Loco Running Supervisors – Western Railway.
Federation however insisted that the panel published duly abiding Board’s instructions should be respected and benefit extended to empanelled staff.
Comments on the issue has been called for from Western Railway. After receipt of the comments, the issue would be examined.
The Central Government has decided to dispense with the interview for all Group C (including Group D) and non-gazetted Group B category in Central Government by 31.12.2015.
Accordingly, instructions have been issued to the Staff Selection Commission mandated with the recruitment of mainly Group B (Non-Gazetted) and Group C (Non-technical) posts in the Central Ministries/Departments to discontinue the interview in all mandated recruitments commencing from 1.1.2016.
SSC has already issued a notification for Combined Graduate Level Examination (CGLE) 2016 for recruitment of various Group B and Group C Posts in the Central Ministries/Departments/ Attached and Subordinate Offices, and notification of Sub-inspectors in Delhi Police, Central Armed Para-military Forces (CAPFs) and Assistant Sub-inspectors in Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Examination 2016, in which interview has been dispensed with.
If a Department/Ministry considers interview absolutely necessary for any specific posts, then clearance of Department of Personnel & Training is necessary.
This was stated by the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and Minister of State in Prime Minister’s office Dr. Jitendra Singh in written reply to a question by Shri Prabhat Jha in the Rajya Sabha today.
Age relaxation for widows for employment in Government and Central PSUs
The Ministry of Women and Child Development is considering taking up a proposal for age relaxation for widows for employment in Government and Central PSUs. The Ministry is also considering moving a proposal for tax rebates for single women who are having children. These are at a preliminary stage and formal proposals have not yet been prepared.
This information was given by the Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi in reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.
Guidelines for Nomination of Representatives in SCOVA
The Standing Committee of Voluntary Agencies (SCOVA) is a forum for holding consultation with the stakeholders, i.e., the pensioners through their Associations and various Ministries/Departments of the Government of India, to get feedback on implementation of pension related policies, to discuss and critically examine the policy initiatives and to mobilise voluntary efforts to supplement Government action.
A mechanism has been put in place for nomination of a Standing Group comprising of 5 Associations and a Rotating Group comprising of 10 Associations through a Resolution issued from time to time. As per the existing mechanism the Standing Group serves for 3 terms of 2 years each or till the pleasure of the Chairman of SCOVA whichever is earlier and Rotating Group serves for 1 term of 2 years and is eligible for re-nomination for one more term. These Associations represent various categories of Central Government pensioners from various Regions/States.
The last reconstitution of SCOVA was done vide Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare’s Resolution No. 42/08/2013-P&PW(G) dtd.25.08.2015.
This was stated by the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and Minister of State in Prime Minister’s office Dr. Jitendra Singh in written reply to a question by Shri Mahendra Singh Mahra in the Rajya Sabha today.
Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) were established to cater to the educational needs of the children of transferable Central Government employees including Defence and Para-military personnel by providing a common programme of education. As per the admission guidelines duly approved by the Board of Governors of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), following priorities are followed in granting admission to the KVs in Defence / Civil Sector:-
1.Children of transferable and non-transferable Central government employees and children of ex-servicemen. This will also include children of Foreign National officials, who come on deputation or transfer to India on invitation by Government of India.
2.Children of transferable and non-transferable employees of Autonomous Bodies / Public Sector Undertaking / Institute of Higher Learning of the Government of India.
3.Children of transferable and non-transferable State Government employees.
4.Children of transferable and non-transferable employees of Autonomous Bodies / Public Sector Undertakings / Institute of Higher Learning of the State Governments.
5.Children from any other category including the children of Foreign Nationals who are located in India due to their work or for any personal reasons. The children of Foreign Nationals would be considered only in case there are no children of Indian Nationals waitlisted for admission.
The Children of Defence personnel are considered as first priority category for admission in KVs. The Children admitted in a KV can automatically claim admission in another KV, if their parent is transferred from one station to another.
This information was given by the Union Human Resource Development Minister, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani today in a written reply to a Rajya Sabha question.
