My dear friends,
Good Morning,
Friends, we are at a very crucial moment and our aspirations for career progression and our genuine demands for better pay & Perks and better working conditions have so far been belied.
The cadre of Inspectors and Superintendents of Central Excise are at cross roads and on way to intensive agitation in the near future. A meeting of Superintendents Association, attended by Secretary General of our Association, was held at Delhi on 16.03.2013 to chalk out future course of action. Details will be published very soon.
To keep the door for legal remedial measures open, we ( AICEIA Chandigarh Circle ) have addressed a representation to the Revenue Secretary, Chairperson of CBEC, Secretary DOPT, and others, giving vivid details of our plight and how our genuine rights have been snatched away from us, and requested these authorities to take up the necessary remedial measures sooner than later. The full representation will be placed on this site on Wednesday.
I am reproducing hereunder the minutes of Circle Executive Committee meet at Ludhiana on 06.03.2013, which have been issued and forwarded to the administrative authorities.
MINUTES OF THE CIRCLE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEET OF AICEIA, CHANDIGARH CIRCLE AT CENTRAL EXCISE HOUSE, LUDHIANA HELD 06TH MARCH, 2013.
Good Morning,
Friends, we are at a very crucial moment and our aspirations for career progression and our genuine demands for better pay & Perks and better working conditions have so far been belied.
The cadre of Inspectors and Superintendents of Central Excise are at cross roads and on way to intensive agitation in the near future. A meeting of Superintendents Association, attended by Secretary General of our Association, was held at Delhi on 16.03.2013 to chalk out future course of action. Details will be published very soon.
To keep the door for legal remedial measures open, we ( AICEIA Chandigarh Circle ) have addressed a representation to the Revenue Secretary, Chairperson of CBEC, Secretary DOPT, and others, giving vivid details of our plight and how our genuine rights have been snatched away from us, and requested these authorities to take up the necessary remedial measures sooner than later. The full representation will be placed on this site on Wednesday.
I am reproducing hereunder the minutes of Circle Executive Committee meet at Ludhiana on 06.03.2013, which have been issued and forwarded to the administrative authorities.
MINUTES OF THE CIRCLE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEET OF AICEIA, CHANDIGARH CIRCLE AT CENTRAL EXCISE HOUSE, LUDHIANA HELD 06TH MARCH, 2013.
The 4TH meet
of the Circle Executive Meet of All India Central Excise Inspectors’
Association, Chandigarh Circle
was held at Ludhiana,
on 06.03.2013. The following office
bearers and members attended the meet : -
S/Shri
1.
Ramesh Chander Sharma, President,
2.
Bhagwan Singh,
General Secretary,
3.
Tilak Raj, Working President,
4.
Vinod Kumar, Liason Secretary,
5.
Manoj Nayyar, Advisor to the Circle Executive
Commkittee,
6.
Munish Arya, Office Secretary,
7.
Munish Kumar Bhardwaj, Executive Member,
8.
Subhash Bhashin, Vice Presidnet, Jammu &
Kashmir Branch,
9.
Shri Kuleep Singh, Vice President, Ludhiana Branch,
10.
Prashant Joshi, Joint Secretary, Ludhiana branch
11.
S. S. Rawat, Vice President, Chandigarh-II
Branch,
12.
K.C. Thakur, Joint Secretary, Chjandigarh II,
Branch,
13.
Vinod Kumar, Executive Member;
14.
P.P. Singh, Executive Member;
15.
Sanjeev Sharma, Executive Member;
16.
Harpreet Singh, Mermber AICEIA, Ludhiana branch,
17.
Udit Vashishat, Mermber AICEIA, Ludhiana branch
18.
Sunil Aggarwal, Mermber AICEIA, Ludhiana branch
19.
Palwinder Kumar, Mermber AICEIA, Ludhiana branch
20.
Gurwinder Singh, Mermber AICEIA, Ludhiana branch
The meeting started with the
formal welcome address by Shri R.C.
Sharma, President. He then handed over the
proceedings of the house to the General
Secretary.
The General Secretary briefly
informed the house about the matters taken up with the administration in the
Chandigarh Zone and about the communications sent to the administration and the
results achieved in respect of those communications. The General Secretary also informed the house
that all the were put on the blog maintained by the Association (WWW.
AICEIACHD.BLOGSPOT.COM). The house approved the action taken by the Association
through the General Secretary and desired that further follow up action should
be taken expeditiously.
The following agenda were put
to discussion and the house resolved as under: -
1. STAGNATION IN THE CADRE OF INSPECTORS :
-
The members of the House were
deeply anguished over the insensitive and indifferent attitude of the CBEC and
Govt. towards the lack of career progression to the cadres of Inspectors and
Superintendents of Central Excise. They deplored the attitude of the CBEC in
not implementing the recommendations of the High Power Committee, Bhardwaj
Committee and Board meetings relating to the merger of cadres, creation of
separate Group B organized service and in-situ promotions. The
House noted that the attitude of the CBEC and Govt. has been that of total
denial and for this strong follow up in the nature of petitions and agitations
should be adopted. The house also
adopted a resolution that the matter may be taken up with the authorities in
the Zone as the Inspectors with more than 20 years service are still awaiting
their first promotion.
The house thanked the members
for their unequival support to the agitation by the Superintendent Assocation
in the Zone and requested the members to gear up their loins for further
agitational programme, which are likely to be intensified in future in view of
the lax attitude of the authorities towards redressal of their genuine demands. The
house noted that the ADR ( Alternate Dispute Resolution ) mechanism has failed
as it has failed abjectly to redress their genuine demands. On even petty
issues relating to pay and seniority etc., they have to move the CAT/Courts to
get redressal and there is no accountability of the authorities to their acts
of omission and commission for failure to act in a passionate fair and
transparent manner.
The General Secretary
apprised the house that the issue of lack of career progression due to acute
stagnation has already been taken up on
the day itself in the JCM meeting with the Commissioner of Central Excise,
Ludhiana, who has been requested to convey the resentment and anguish of the
cadre to the higher authorities, in the before noon. He further assured the
house that 2nd
representation regarding the injustice being perpetuated on the members of the
cadre will be sent to the Revenue Secretary, Chairperson CBEC and Secretary
DOPT soon through the Chief Commissioner.
The members also discussed the possibility of exploring alternate
remedy of judicial verdict by filing Writ Petition, to seek redressal of the
legitimate demands of the cadre. Shri P.P. Singh, Executive
Member, Jammu and Kashmir Branch, has been
entrusted with the job of preparing a self-contained report and discuss the
matter with senior lawyers at Jammu
and Kashmir High Court Bar
Association and send the same to the General Secretary by 31st
March, 2013.
Simultaneously, the matter will be discussed with legal
advisors/lawyers at Chandigarh
also by the General Secretary and
President alongwith Shri Sanjeev Sharma, Shri Munish Bhardwaj and Shri Manon
Nayyar. The President and General Secretary will contact the Superintendents,
who are willing to join with them in the proposed Writ Petition and also see if
the Superintendents Association can join them.
The
General Secretary and President further assured the house that the All India
body will be requested to intensify the agitation to press for its genuine
demands and try to chalk-out common programme under the banner of JAC and also
with the All India Central Excise Gazetted Officers Assocation so that an
effective mechanism may be devised to get our genuine grievances redressed.
2. NON FILLING OF THE VACANCIES OF
ST QUOTA ON ACCOUNT OF NON-AVAILABILITY
OF SUITABLE CANDIDATES, AND ALSO NON-FILLING OF THE SC VACANCIES.
The
house was agitated over the non-filling of the vacancies, which have been kept
unfilled in view of the non-availability of the ST category candidates till
2017, in contravention to the existing legal provisions and cannons of law. The
house was of the view that these posts should be immediately filled up
especially in view of the fact that the Liason Officer of STs have given his
nod for de-reservation of these posts for the time being as these posts can be
carried forward to the next year and so on without any loss to the prospective
ST category candidates. But the attitude of the authorities in this regard has
been of denial and delay and this fact has been caused deep consternation in
the cadre as the Inspectors having completed 20 years continuous service are
yet aspiring to get their first promotion. The attitude of the administration
in this regard appears to be just paying a lip service by showering sympathetic
& verbose blessings upon the association. The house also noted that the
administration has been keeping the posts of SC category vacant by neither
promoting the general nor SC category candidates against these posts.
The
house resolved that the matter may be strongly taken up with the administration
and appointment may be sought from the Cadre Controlling Commissioner and Chief
Commisioner to press for this demand. The President and General Secretary
assured prompt action in this regard.
3. INFRASTRUCTURAL FACILITIES :
The members pointed out that the infrastructure
facilities in the offices are not still up to the mark and needs considerable
improvement. The vehicles are not provided to the staff for field duties.
The sitting space is not healthy and is inadequate. The condition of the
Service Tax formations in respect of infrastructure and office space is
deplorable. The members were of the view that the attitude of the administration
in this regard has been that of laxity and they are not giving proper attention
towards such issues.
The
General Secretary had apprised the house that the administration of Ludhiana
Commissionerate is still searching some suitable building for shifting of the
Central Excise Divisions and Ranges. The officers of all cadres are not in
favour of continuance of the Savitri Complex Building,
Dholewal Chowk, Ludhiana
due to various health/safety related matters and the administration has been
informed about the wishes of the staff in this regard. This issue has again
been reiterated in the JCM held on the day with the Commissioner, Central
Excise, Ludhiana.
The
General Secretary apprised the house that the administration is trying to find
out suitable building at Amritsar
also.
The
Vice Presidents of Branches were again requested to take up the matter with the
respective Commissioners for taking necessary action for provision of proper
office space and infrastructure in the offices. The members are requested to
kindly put the necessary requisitions in writing and issue further reminders
where-ever required in this regard and send the copies thereof to the Vice
Presidents/Joint Secretaries for discussing the matter with the authorities.
The house resolved that after discussions with the local
authorities/Commissionerate level, the Vice President will send a consolidated
report in respect of their respective branches to the General Secretary by end
of March, 2013. The General
Secretary pointed out that the response of the Branch on this front has for far
been not upto the mark and issue needs greater and prompt attention. He assured
that the matter will be taken up with
the the Hon’ble Chief Commissioner and the respective Commissioners for necessary follow – up.
The
house also resolved that in view of the temperatures and humidity shooting up
to higher levels breaking the past records, all the offices should be
air-conditioned. The Air conditioners already installed may be got serviced
immediately.
The
AMCs for water purifiers/coolers may be renewed immediately, where-ever required
so that there is no problem in supply of adequate drinking water to the staff.
The
house resolved that the 1% incremental revenue grants received by the
Commissionerates/Zone may be spent for the welfare of the staff, which have not
so far been given adequate attention. The house resolved that Shri
Ramesh Chander Sharma, president, Shri Manon Nayyar, Shri Munish Arya, Shri
Munish Kumar Bhardwaj, Shri Subhash Bhashin and Shri Kuldeep Singh, will
collect the necessary details about the quantum and expenditure of said grants.
If need be, the help of RTI provisions may be taken for the purpose.
4. PAYMENT OF RUMMAGING ALLOWANCE TO
THE CUSTOMS OFFICERS.
The issue regarding the
payment of Running Allowance to the customs officers was taken up the Jammu meet in August, 2012 and Ludhiana meet of Executive in December, 2012.
Neither any action has so far been taken by the administration of Customs
Commissionerate nor any communication in this regard has so far been received
from them so far. The General Secretary assured that the matter will be
taken up with right earnestness with the administration of Customs
Commissionerate and Chief Commissioner, and this point will be taken up in the
JCM of Customs Commissionerate, for which separate communication will be sent
to the Commissionerate shortly.
5. SANCTION OF
ADDITIONAL POSTS OF SUPERINTENDENTS AND INSPECTORS IN VIEW OF THE INCREASED
WORKLOAD.
The issue regarding additional posts
at ICP Attari and CFSs, Ludhiana
has been discussed with the Hon’ble
Chief Commissioner by the office bearers of Circle body many times. The members
from the Jammu & Kashmir Branch again raised the issue that the additional
posts of Superintendents and Inspectors may be demanded in view of the
increased workload at TFK, Chaka-da—Bagh and Slamabad on the pattern of the
demand raised for increased strength at ICP, Attari. The house resolved that in
view of the fact that the cargo is to be cleared at these stations on the same
day unlike the practice at ICP Attari, where it can be cleared within
reasonable time ( even during next working day(s)), the bare minimum strength
required at these check-points should be many times the present working
strength there. These stations require increased strength of officers in view
of the fact that the national security may be jeopardized in the absence of
proper intelligence and examination of the cargo at these stations. The house
resolved that Branch body of Jammu & Kashmir Commissionerate will prepare a
comprehensive report/letter with the help of Shri P.P. Singh, Executive Member
and other members at Jammu
and send the same within next two weeks to the General Secretary, who will in
turn take up the matter with the administration.
The Members from Customs Commissionerate has
apprised that the ICD at Baddi has been notified by the Govt. There are no
additional posts of Superintendents and Inspectors sanctioned/released for the
same and the working strength of these cadres is already below the sanctioned
strength. As per the report of Customs Commissionerate, there are no proper
arrangements for office space and other infrastructural facilities. The
members were of the view that until and unless the requisite posts of officers,
and space as per entitlement of the officers as well other required infrastructure
is provided keeping in view the proposed/estimated work-load at the said ICD,
the same may not be notified by the Commissioner of Customs.
The General Secretary
apprised the house that it has been learnt that the Board is not sanctioning
additional posts as the Cadre Review exercise is underway.
The
House was of the view that these posts may be sanctioned immediately as there
is no certainty of the Cadre Review exercise being cleared and implemented in
the near future. The CR exercise is under-way for the last more than 5 years
since 2007 and the Govt. and CBEC does not appear to be serious about the same.
The House was of the view that since Group A Officers are getting six/seven
promotions in their career, they appears to be least borthered about the
clearance and implementation of the cadre review. Hence, the house resolved
that the matter may be persued with greater vigour and we may explore the
possibility of some “direction action” if these posts are not
sanctioned/released by the Board/Govt.
6. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND PROCEDURES IN RESPECT
OF CIGARETTE FACTORY.
The house in
its Jammu meet had resolved that the
matter will be raised with the administration and also in the All India
convention of the Association held at Patna ( Bihar).
The General Secretary
informed the house that the matter has been taken up in the Ludhiana JCM held
on the day, wherein it has been pointed out that as per existing provisions of
Central Excise Rules, the presence of Central Excise Officer is required only
at the time of clearance of the goods. The administration has been requested
to either dispense with the duties at all in view of the liberalized tax
regime, and if that is not possible, then the Inspectors should be deputed only
at the time of clearance of goods by the assessee, which should be given in
advance like export-clearances under supervision of Central Excise Officers. The
administration has been requested to send favourable report to the CBEC through
CCU as there is already acute shortage of Inspectors in the Zone in view of
great disparity between the sanctioned and working strength.
7. HOLDING OF ALL INDIA EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE MEET OF AICEIA, AT SHIMLA.
The
President and General Secretary informed the members of House that the delegates
of All India Convention desired that the Chandigarh Circle of Association should
host the next All India Meet of the All India Executive of AICEIA, at Shimla,
and they have promised the All India body accordingly. The House approved
the decision taken by the President and General Secretary and decided that the
meet will be conducted at Shimla in the month of July, 2013.
The
house resolved to form a Managing-cum-Receiption Committee for the purpose,
which will consist Shri Sanjeev Sharma, Shri Munish Arya, Shri Vinod Kumar. The
house also decided to take help of our Ex- Office bearer/Superintendents in
holding this meet.
8. TIMELY ISSUANCE OF ICT AND AGT ORDERS.
The house resolved that the administration may be asked
to issue the ICT Orders in the month of March, 2013 itself as per mandate of
the existing Transfer/posting policy and that the AGT orders may be issued by
15.04.2013.
The house resolved that President and General Secretary
may take up the matter with the administration immediately.
9. POSTINGS IN THE SERVICE TAX FORMATIONS.
The house resolved that in view of the increasing number
of service tax assessees and consequential increase of work-load, the service
tax working may be improved by putting in additional man-power and better
infrastructure. The house noted that the service tax formations are neglected
so far. The house further noted that there is no criteria for posting of
officers in the Service Tax formations. The Working President, who recently
chaired a meeting of the members of Chandigarh-I
and Chandigarh II Commissionerates at Chandigarh,
apprised that they have passed a resolution for one year tenure in Service Tax Ranges.
After
discustions, the house resolved that the Service Tax
Ranges may be merged with
the Central Excise where they have not been merged so far, before the issue of
AGT orders. If that is not possible, roster should be maintained for service
tax postings.
The
House desired that the matter may be taken up with the administration
immediately.
10. PROVISION
OF GUEST HOUSES & RECREATION
FACILITIES,
The
members reiterated their demands for provision of adequate Guest House and
Recreation facilities. The President and
General Secretary assured to take further follow up with the administration in
the coming days.
11. WORKS RELATED TO PUBLC WELFARE :
The
members wanted that along-side the cadre welfare, the work of public welfare
may be continued. The house thanked the members of all cadres of Department,
Income Tax Department and others from private sector/trade, who supported the
cause of public welfare in the Blood Donation Camps held at Ludhiana
and Chandigarh.
Shri
Ramesh Chander Sharma, President will
look after the matter of holding a Blood Donation Camp at Amritsar, preferably
in the month of Apri, 2013.
12. NOMINATION OF THE HOSPITALS FOR CASHLESS FACILITY :
The house resolved that the administration
may be requested to nominate private hospitals at all major stations for
cashless treatment of officers and their dependents in view of the high and
unbearable cost of the health-care facilities and lack of such facilities in
the govt. hospitals.
13. MEMBERSHIP AND SUBSCRIPTION
:
The President and General Secretary
pointed out that the Membership subscription for the year 2012-13 has not been
deducted by the AOs/DDOs. The position of Chandigarh
I and Chandigarh II Commissionerates is not encouraging and immediate steps may
be taken to get the subscription deducted in the month of March, 2013 so that
maximum members of the association are subscribed members. The Vice Presidents
and Joint Secretaries of the respective Commissionerates were required to check
up the position and take immediate steps so that the subscripltion is deducted and transmitted to the
Association. The Working President Shri Tilak Raj and Advisor to Circle
Executive Shri Rajinder Malhotra will kindly help the other office bearers to
get the necessary subscription from the members and take necessary steps in that
direction.
14. PLACEMENT
OF DATA ENTRY OPERATORS IN THE OFFICES
The house while discussing the issue
of acute shortage of Inspectos viz a viz the sanctioned strength of the Zone
noted that there is overload of work upon the Inspectors. For smooth and proper
functioning of the offices, especially Ranges, where the reports being called
are increasing by leaps and bounds, there should be Data Entry Operators, who
will be able to keep the relevant data as usually the reports called pertain to
the last five years period. It was proposed that for the time being, DEO may be
hired in contract basis as is being done by the CBDT organizations.
The General Secretary and President apprised
the House that this issue has already been raised by the Superintendents
Association and our Association has supported their case. The House wanted the
President and General Secretary to take up the matter with the Commissionerates
and CCU.
15. REVIEW OF THE WORKING OF THE
ASSOCIATION AND ITS OFFICE BEARERS.
The House reviewed the working of
the Association and the efforts put in by its office bearers to the aims and
objectives pursued by the Association. It has been found that the contribution
of some of the office bearers has not been upto the mark. The President and
General Secretary further pointed out that few office bearers have not
contributed anything meaningful to the Association, nor have they ever taken
pains to attend the Circle Executive Meetings. The house, therefore, resolved
that the General Secretary in consultation with the President and such other
office bearers, as they may thing appropriate, will address a communication to
certain office bearers ( names with-held here ) to either resign or explain why
their services to the Association should not be dispensed with. The House
further resolved that suitable replacements may be provided in view of the
vacancy that may be caused on account of either resignation or removal of the
existing office bearers, because the offices held by the Office bearers are
neither ornamental nor superficial and entail certain duties and
responsibilities towards the cadre.
The General Secretary thanked all the members present and the cadre in
general for extending a helping hand in taking up the matters relating to the
welfare of the cadre. The meeting ended with a vote of thanks to the Chair.
These minutes have been issued as per the proceedings of the house and
after due approval of the President.
FOR AICEIA CHANDIGARH CIRCLE
(BHAGWAN SINGH)
GENERAL SECRETARY
Copy to : -
1. The
President/Secretary General, AICEIA, KOLKATTA,
2. The
Chief Commissioner, Central Excise, Chandigarh Zone, Chandigarh, for kind information and
favourable action please.
3. The
Commissioner, Central Excise Commissionerate,
Chandigarh-I/Chandigarh-II/Ludhiana/J&K and Customs Preventive
Commissionerate, Amritsar, for information please& favourable action pl.
4. The
Notice Boards at all Commissionerates and Divisional Headquarters, for
information of all concerned.
With high hopes and regards from and for you.
Very sincerely yours,
BHAGWAN SINGH
GENERAL SECRETARY.
