LETTER TO SECRETARY, DAE

National Federation of Atomic Energy Employees
NFAEE
Regn.No.17/9615
Recognised by DAE vide DAE OM No. 8/1/2007 – IR&W/95 dated 13th June 2007
JCM Office, Brindavan, Anusaktinagar, Mumbai 400 094
Website: www.nfaeehq.blogspot.com
Email address: nfaee@yahoo.com

Ref No: nfaee/sg/08/127 08.09.2008

To

The Secretary to the Govt. of India,
Department of Atomic Energy,
Anushakthi Bhavan,
CSM Marg, Mumbai 400 001

Sub: Implementation of the CCS (Revised Pay) Rules 2008 – Reg.

Sir,

This is in continuation with our earlier letter No. nfaee/sg/08/123 and 125 regarding above mentioned subject. As we indicated in our earlier correspondence, the Resolution issued by the Central Government on 29th August 2008 and the notification promulgated subsequently contains number of discrepancies, anomalies, inequitable principle. As the discontentment among the employees are increasing day by day, in various area where these discrepancies exists such as in deriving minimum pay, multiple factor to derive the pay structure for various grades, matters pertaining to promotion, deviation of the existing ACP of the financial upgradation to grade hierarchy to pay hierarchy etc. We hope the department also agrees with the grievances already raised by the employees and will take up to the Government to resolve the same.

Through this letter we would like to bring to your attention that by implementing the Government notification to revise the pay based on the CCS (Revised Pay) Rules 2008, in DAE there certain issues are going to be create which will certainly to be addressed before issuing the DAE notification, other wise there shall be discontentment among the employees in almost all sections of employees. The major issues to be addressed at the earliest are briefly explained below:

I. Group D Employees:

a. If the Government upgraded the existing entry lowest scale of pay of Rs 2550 – 3540 to Rs 2750 – 4400, it would be a welcome step as it is upgradation. But now through the notification Government merged all existing scales of pay for Group D employees into Rs 2750 – 4400. The result of this decision shall be bringing Mali A, Helper A, Security Guard, Wash Boy, Ayah, Sweeper, Mali B/C, Helper B/C, Bearer, Tea/Coffee Maker, Mali D, Helper D, Head Security Guard etc into same existing pay scale of Rs 2750 – 4400. By doing so the senior most employees who is in service for more 15 years and got two or three promotions also bring back into the entry level.

b. Under this circumstance the Department has to take a decision to ensure to extend the equal number of the financial upgradation what they got from the feeder cadre prior to 01.01.2006.

II. Fixation in Merged scales: [CCS (Revised Pay) Rules, 2008 – Part C, section I (ii)]

a. In the notification it is given that the scales of pay Rs 5000 – 8000, Rs 5500 – 9000 and Rs 6500 – 10500 has been merged into one. In fact the Government has not merged these three scales, but created an elongated scale of Rs 5000 – 10500. This can be clear from the selection of initial pay for Pay Band from the existing pay of Rs 5000 – 8000 (5000 X 1.86) and selection of Grade Pay by calculating 40% of the ending pay of the scale of Rs 6500 – 10500 (10500 X 0.4). By doing so, the Government brought back those employees who got promotion from the scale of pay of Rs. 5000 – 8000 into the scales of Pay of Rs 5500 – 9000 and Rs 6500 – 10500 to the pay scale starts with Rs 5000. This is nothing but degradation and not upgrdataion or even merger.

b. These scales of pay is existing in all section of employees in auxiliary, administration & accounts, technical, purchase & stores and hence the discontentment shall be in all those categories of employees.

c. Hence the Department has to take steps to ensure the promotional benefits to the employees by ensuring the existence of grades as earlier by revising the existing scale of pay of Rs 5000 – 8000 with the Grade Pay of Rs 4200 and moving next grade in the scale of pay of Rs 5500 - 9000 into next grade pay and correspondingly upgrading other grades.

d. If the Department initiates to abolish any post in between, then the existing employees in that particular grade should be moved into the next higher grade and cascading effects should be given by moving the employees in those grades into next higher grade to ensure the seniority as well as the promotional benefits.

e. Under this circumstance, we request the Department not to take any hasty decision to replace the pay scales of various grades existing in the Department for various section/categories. We request that the Department should consider all aspects to protect the promotional benefits acquired by the employees on their merit. Therefore we request the Department to immediately issue instruction to calculate the arrears to be paid to employees in the corresponding pay scale as mentioned in the notification No F.No 1/1/2008 – IC, dated 30th August 2008 and accordingly give the arrears to the employees. Thereafter in consultation with the similar Department such as Department of Space, DRDO as well as with the representatives of the recognized Federation/ Unions and associations of this Department, the proper pay structure may evolve for all sections of employees and accordingly implement the same.

III. Other issues:

1. Assured Career Progression:

While recommending 3 Assured Career Progression (ACP) to those employees who spent ten years continuously in the same grade, the Government watered in the present ACP. As per the present ACP, The employee who completed 12 years in the same grade is eligible for financial upgradation equivalent to the pay in his next promotional post. But in the proposed ACP, the financial upgradation where the promotional post is not in next grade pay, while considering for ACP, the employee shall be given the financial upgradation in the next pay structure in pay hierarchy and when the employee will get the financial upgradation corresponding to his promotional post at the time regular promotion. By doing so, in certain case, the employee who gets two financial in the span of 24 years in the present system shall be better than the new financial upgradation in the span of thirty years. Hence the Department should be taken up this matter with the Government to ensure financial upgradation equivalent to the next promotional post.

2. Over Time Allowance:

In the Government notification it was mentioned that the recommendations related to Overtime Allowance will be examined separately. In this regard without prejudice to our demand after 5th Central Pay Commission, we would like to mention here that it is responsibility of the Department to ensure revision of Overtime Allowance of the employees who perform Overtime as per the requirement of the Operational, maintenance and to over come the other emergency situation in the R&D establishments of the Department as in the Industrial units. In this regard, the activities of the Department should be taken as Industrial activity as in the case of Railways. The Department should take care of notify the order pertaining to OTA for R&D and other establishments also along with Industrial units.

3. Patient Care Allowance & Risk Allowance:

In the Notification it is mentioned that the Hospital Patient Care Allowance/Patient Care Allowance and Risk allowance will replace with Risk Insurance Scheme with effect from 01.04.2009 after consultation with the Staff side. Here too the Department too takes up the matter with the Government to ensure to continue the Patient Care Allowance as well as Risk Allowance as their is no logic to extend Risk insurance to the employees who suffered fatal due to the risk involves in the infectious deceases and other risk in case of the hospital staff and risk involves where the risk allowances are recommended. Hence the Department should take efforts to ensure to retain the Patient Care Allowance as well as Risk Allowance as exists and the Risk Insurance may be introduced as an additional benefit.

4. Transport Allowance:

Since the Government removed the condition “one Kilometer and with in Campus” in the earlier order by which Transport Allowance was extended to the employees, majority of the employees may eligible for Transport allowance.

In DAE, retaining buses are mandatory as per the international laws and therefore drivers also. Using that facility, we request the Department to consider continuing the Transport Facility by working out a methodology with mutual consultation. It is pertinent to note here that, before the introduction of the Transport Allowance also, Department was plying buses to various part of the city in all DAE units, by charging minimal amount towards the fuel expenditure along with subsidy from the Department. In the present condition it may be possible, by working out the exact expenditure towards the fuel which can be deducted as certain % of the Transport Allowance from those employees using the Transport facility extended by the Department.

There are few more anomalies/discrepancies while implementing the Government Notification. The same shall bring to the notice of the Department after detailed discussion among the affiliated unions and associations and other organizations. In this regard we would like to present our case in person. As the Department arranged immediately after the Report of SCPC released, a meeting of the office bearers of the Federation along with the President & General Secretaries of the affiliated unions and association may called to present our views.

It shall be highly appreciated an early appointment for a short duration and expecting a positive reply.

Thanking you.

Yours faithfully,


(Jayaraj.K.V)
Secretary General

Address for Correspondence: Jayaraj.KV, Secretary General, NFAEE
PESS/UED; BARC, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085
Tel. No: (O): 022 – 25594549; (Res): 022 – 2746 4704; (Mobile): 9869501189
Email Address: nfaee@yahoo.com, jrajkv@yahoo.com