No. NAF/2016-18/04 Dated : 8-08-201
To
The Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General,
Office
of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India,
9,
Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg,
New
Delhi – 110 124.
Sir,
Sub
: Agenda Meeting – Reg.
I am
directed to submit herewith the charter of demands as finalized in the 10th
Biennial Conference of National Audit Federation held at New Delhi from 16th
July to 18th July 2016. I request to grant an Agenda Meeting of the
office bearers of the Federation with you on an early date to discuss and
settle these demands.
With
regards,
Yours faithfully,
Sd/-
(L.S. Sujith Kumar)
Encl: Charter of
demands with explanatory notes Secretary General
Charter
of Demands with explanatory notes
1.
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Cadre restructuring – Comprehensive Cadre restructuring shall be done in
IA&AD –
1. Allow time bound
promotion for AAOs on completion of 6 years service
2. Increase promotional
avenues for Group B officers
The most recent
Cadre Restructuring in Group ‘B’, ‘C’ & ’D’ cadres conducted in IA&AD
was during 1984-87. Since then the workload has increased manifold, but
instead of increasing the men in position in the department it decreased by
one third. While stagnation in the Group ‘B’ cadre has increased many times,
Group ‘C’ cadre suffer shortage of staff. Most of the offices are suffering
from shortage of staff from MTS to AAO cadre. This has affected the quality
of the work as well as the functioning of the field offices.
National Audit
federation has repeatedly demanding for the cadre restructuring in IA&AD
since 2006. We had also demanded for the recruitment in vacant posts.
Responding to our genuine demands the
Restoration of
recruitment in lower cadres, creation of non IA&AS Group ‘A’ service
cadre/Audit Manager, recruitment in Senior Auditor/Senior Accountant cadre
etc. were some of the proposals came out of the comprehensive study conducted
by CAG. But, till now the cadre review in IA&AD has not progressed.
During the last
seven years, major departments under the Government of India viz. Central Secretariat
Services, Central Board of Direct Taxes, Central Board of Excise &
Customs, Indian Railways etc. have restructured their cadres more than once.
Those cadre restructurings have resulted in upgradation of their cadres,
creation of thousands of posts and quickening of promotional avenues to the
officers and staff in the respective departments.
In the
recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission, it was observed that “SAOs are
the feeder cadre for induction into IA&AS. It is also noticed that both SAOs
and the entry level pay of IA&AS is GP 5400(PB-3). There is no scope
therefore for enhancing the pay scales of AAO/AO and SAO, which are feeder
cadres for AO/SAO and IA&AS, respectively. In this backdrop, the
commission recommends replacement pay levels for AAOs, AOs and SAOs”.
The
Sixth CPC has also observed that “the post of SAO constitutes a feeder cadre
for induction into IA&AS. The entry grade for IA&AS is presently
Rs.8000-13500 which is identical to the scale of SAOs. Upgrading their pay
scale any further will place them in a higher level than the entry grade of
IA&AS which is a promotion post. This will be anomalous. The existing pay
scale of SAO will, therefore, need to be maintained”.
Recently,
CAG has proposed to increase the quota for promotion to the cadre of
IA&AS to 50 per cent instead of 33 1/3. This is
certainly a welcome move from the CAG but will not to neutralize the
stagnation in AAO/AO/SAO cadre. Hence we request for a comprehensive cadre
restructuring of the department. We also request to create separate promotion
channel (Non-IA&AS) for AO/SAO in order to neutralize the stagnation in
the department. We strongly believe that a comprehensive cadre restructuring
only can solve most of the cadre wise issues in the department.
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2.
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Review of Sector wise
Reorganisation of Audit offices
Sector wise re-organisation of
Audit offices under IA&AD was implemented w.e.f. 1-04-2012. It is noticed
that the List of Major and Minor Heads (LMMH), which classifies various
departments under each Sector, was not strictly followed during
implementation. The sector wise re-organisation in field offices witnessed
tug-of-war between the Accountant’s General transmitting the momentum to the
employees upto the lower level. If in some offices sharing of resources,
premises and personnel were major issues, some other offices faced issues
relating to sharing of departments (auditee institutions). There is no
uniformity in the implementation of sector wise re-organisation in various
states.
Hence, we
request for a review of the implementation of Sector wise re-organisation of
Audit offices and to initiate rectification of lapses. The departments shall
be distributed in an unvarying manner strictly on the basis of LMMH. The
scheme shall be implemented uniformly in all the offices as it was envisaged.
The Director
General (Central) offices have created lot of misconceptions among staff
working under various AG offices. Hence, it is also requested to abolish the
Director General (Central) offices.
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3.
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Grant
Grade Pay 5400 (6cpc) to all those at GP4800 as per para 11.12.140 of 7cpc
recommendations
It is noticed
that the demand for grant of GP 5400 to all those at GP 4800 after four years
is silent in the recommendations made by 7cpc against the cadres in IA&AD
in chapter 11.62. However, The 7th
Central Pay Commission has observed (para No.11.12.140) that there is no
justification for excluding officers in the organized accounting departments
who are at GP4800 from the dispensation given to similarly placed officers of
the central secretariat. Hence, it was recommended that all officers in
organized accounts cadres (in the Indian Audit and Accounts Department,
Defence Accounts Department, Indian Civil Accounts Organisation, Railways,
Post and Telecommunications) who are in GP 4800 should be upgraded, on
completion of four years’ service to GP 5400 (PB2), viz. Pay level 9, in the
pay matrix.
We request the
CAG to grant 5400 to all those at GP 4800 (6cpc) to 5400 in PB2 after four
years service.
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4.
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Grant parity to Sr. Auditors with Assistants of
Central Secretariat
Parity of Senior Auditors with Assistants of Central Secretariat
is a long pending issue. We have won the case filed for parity in many courts
around the country but finally the Supreme Court of India viewed that the
issue has to be address by an expert body like the Central Pay Commission.
However, we have convinced the 6th CPC but after implementation of the CPC
recommendations, the government have revised the pay of Assistants in the
CSS. This issue was discussed in length in the recommendations of the 7CPC in
para 7.1.4. It was observed by 7CPC that “the recommendations of successive
Pay Commissions with regard to pay of Assistants, even if initially
implemented, has invariably been modified at a later point and they have been
placed at one higher level”. The Commission, then strongly recommends parity
in pay between the field staff and headquarters staff up to the rank of
Assistants.
We
request the CAG of India to issue directions to restore the lost parity with
Central Secretariat Services.
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5.
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Direct
recruitment in Sr. Auditor cadre – Merge Auditor with Sr. Auditor cadre and
grant Grade pay 4600 - Increase promotional avenues
Recently, proposal was forwarded to the Finance Ministry by the
CAG for the recruitment in the Senior Auditor cadre through SSC. It was
stated that the scheme of direct recruitment in the Senior Auditor cadre is
being introduced to bring the cadre at par with the Assistants of the central
secretariat. We welcome this positive initiative.
As per present system under CAG, those who clear SAS examinations
will only get their career advancement to the cadre of AAO. This will create
a situation where many of the Senior Auditors may not get their first
promotion, if not cleared the SAS examinations. This situation is clearly
denial of natural justice.
Whereas in Central Secretariat
Service, in 2009, the Government of India have amended the recruitment rules
for various posts. As per the revised rules, the post of Section Officers
grade shall be filled fifty percent through Limited Departmental Competitive
Examination and fifty percent by appointment of persons included in the
select list for the section officers’ grade. In Assistants Grade, seventy
five per cent of the regular vacancies shall be filled by direct recruitment
of graduates through SSC, fifteen per cent through seniority and ten per cent
Limited Departmental Competitive Examinations.
It is therefore demanded that, CAG should also derive a
similar system for appointment/ promotion to various cadres in the
department. It is also demanded to merge Auditor/Senior Auditor cadre and
grant GP 4600 (6CPC).
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6.
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Supervisor cadre - Regularize
temporary promotions (additional 6%) given in the cadre, Reversion should not
be made to those who already promoted. Create supernumerary posts.
The strength in Supervisor cadre in the field offices were
increased by 6 per cent of the sanctioned strength of AAO cadre as a
temporary measure, in addition to the existing 4 per cent, taking total strength
in Supervisor cadre to 10 per cent of the regular sanctioned strength of AAO.
Earlier in a meeting with the DAI it was ensured that the reversion will not
be given to those promoted to Supervisor cadre on temporary basis. But, it
has now reported from some offices that these temporarily promoted
Supervisors are being reverted to the post of Senior Auditors in order to
accommodate SAS passed candidates. Reversion from Supervisor cadre to Senior
Auditor cadre will affect the morale of these well experienced employees and
make them mentally and financially weak at the verge of their retirement.
In the circumstances, we demand for regularization of temporary
promotions given by increasing the sanctioned strength in the Supervisor
cadre. It is also demanded that till then all the promoted Supervisors, who
are under the threat of reversion, shall be allowed to continue on
supernumerary basis.
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7.
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Grant
Grade Pay 5400/- to Hindi Officers
In accordance with the recommendation of
the 6th CPC, similarly designated posts existing outside the Central
Secretariat Official Language Services (CSOLS) cadre in various subordinate
offices of the Central Government have been granted the same scale as those
granted to CSOLS. Various Ministries, Controller General of Defense accounts
etc. already revised the pay scales of official language posts in line with
the above orders and the cadre of Hindi Officer was granted Grade Pay `5400 in PB3 but the same was not implemented in
IA&AD.
During a discussion with the Dy. CAG of
India on 25-07-2012, it was replied that this issue would be examined if any
such order will be submitted by the Federation in this regard. However even
after producing the requisite orders/documents, the same has not been
implemented till date. Hence it is demanded to grant Grade Pay `5400 to Hindi Officers without delay.
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8.
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Departmental Examinations:
1.
SAS examinations
Provide
model question papers, remove negative marking scheme, reduce pass marks to
40 and allow unlimited chances.
2.
Allow SAS passed candidates from audit offices to exercise option
for posting in offices of their choice as per Recruitment Rule.
As per column 10 of the RR for
Assistant Audit Officers, the mode of recruitment is by Promotion failing
which by deputation or absorption failing both by direct recruitment.
Deputation
or absorption clause under column 11 says, Officers under the Cadre Controlling
Authority in the Indian Audit and Accounts Department or in any Organised
Accounts Cadre under the Government of India: (i) holding analogous posts of
Assistant Audit Officer or Assistant Accounts Officer in Pay Band -2, Pay
Scale of Rs. 9300-34800 with Grade Pay of Rs. 4800; or (ii) who, has passed
the Subordinate Audit Service or Subordinate Accounts Service Examination
under other Cadre Controlling Authority in the Indian Audit and Accounts
Department or an equivalent examination in any Organised Accounts Cadre under
the Government of India.
Presently,
SAS passed candidates from Accounts & Entitlement offices are allowed for
deputation and eventual absorption in any of the Audit offices of their
choice. This benefit has not been extended to the AAOs/SAS passed employees
from Audit side though column 11 of recruitment rule permits Assistant Audit
Officers or Subordinate Audit Service Examination passed staff from any other
Audit office of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department as first choice.
CAG has also recruiting AAOs directly through SSC/UPSC which is only the last
option when both the above options are failed. By not allowing the AAOs/SAS
passed employees from audit offices for absorption in offices of their choice,
is flouting of the conditions of the approved Recruitment Rule and also
injustice to such employees who are already denied the option for Unilateral
Transfer.
We
therefore strongly demand for the promotion of SAS passed candidates from
Audit stream to any Audit office of their choice based on
Deputation/Absorption clause under column 11 in Recruitment Rules for the
post of Assistant Audit Officers.
3.
CPD/RAE/Incentive Examinations
The above examinations are primarily meant for updating the
knowledge of the officers and equipping with the latest audit techniques.
Hence, restricting to limited number of chances is not justifiable. Officers
in their busy schedule of work and after attending their family obligations,
gets very limited time for preparation and study. Even then they are
attending the examinations with utmost dedication and enthusiasm. In such
circumstances, some of them could not clear the examinations in the limited
number of chances. Restricting the officers with limited number of chances will
defeat the intention of the conduct of such examinations. Hence we
strongly demand to allow un-limited chances to clear CPD/RAE/ Incentive
examinations.
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9.
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UN Audit – Dies-non
shall not be treated as ineligibility for applying to overseas deputations including
UN Audit.
In the directions
issued by the Hqrs. Office for the recommendation of the names of SAO, AO and
AAOs for considering for empanelment for the audit of UN and its agencies. It
was clarified that the officials falling under certain categories are not
eligible to apply. Accordingly under clause (d) it is mentioned that the
officials for whom penalty imposed / administrative action taken such as
suspension, dies-non and criminal charges in the past, even though they are
clear from vigilance/disciplinary angle are not eligible.
Clarification for
dies-non has not been provided by the headquarters and because of this many
of the officers could not attend the selection test. Dies-non is a minor
penalty imposed to officers on account of minor lapses. Hence, we request “Dies-non”
shall not be treated as ineligibility for applying to overseas deputations
including UN Audit.
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10.
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Restore unilateral
Transfer
New recruits are leaving
IA&AD and joining low profile jobs at their home states only because of
the ban on Unilateral Transfer. The effort and resources put in
by the officials in IA&AD (both at Hqrs office and field level offices)
has thus become a national waste. Man hours spent for the scrutiny of
dossiers/records, postage expenses, time and expenditure towards training of
new recruits etc. are become unproductive when they quit the job even without
completing their probation period. Those who are left out in the department
are dejected and disheartened as there is no hope for them to reach their
home state. Lifting of ban will
certainly boost the morale and build confidence among the new recruits. Hence
we
request the
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11.
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Allow promotion for DEOs
to Auditor Cadre
This issue was
discussed in an agenda meeting with DAI on 13-11-2014. It was told that “As per the proposed Recruitment Rules for
the posts of Auditor/Accountant, the DEOs would be eligible for promotion to
the posts of Auditors/ Accountants under examination quota”. But even after
a lapse of two years, the same has not materialized. In field offices MTS
with three years service were allowed to appear for the Limited Departmental
Competitive Examination for Auditors. Many of them have already cleared the
examination and promoted as Auditors while DEOs with more than five years
service could not get a chance to appear for the examination and thereby
denied their promotion. Hence, we
request to fulfill the promises made by DAI on 13-11-2014 without further
delay.
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12.
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Sports quota recruitment
- include the game of Volley ball also in the recruitment list
Permission for
the local recruitment of eligible outstanding sports/games personnel was
granted by CAG. Many of such employees were recruited in five listed
disciplines viz. Cricket, Football, Shuttle, Hockey and Table Tennis during
the last five years. When, a demand for recruitment in Volly-Ball was raised
in the last meeting with DAI on 13-11-2014 was made, it was replied that “the choice of the discipline in which
field office intends to make recruitment rests with the field office and it
is the field offices which propose to the Headquarters which field is
considered and approved. However, it was agreed that the demand for each
field office to be allowed to choose one extra discipline in which to make recruitment
board as local talent can be considered”. But it is noticed that
even after a lapse of two years, no directions were issued by the Hqrs.
Office to allow field office to choose one extra discipline. We again request to communicate the
decision taken by DAI to the field offices without delay.
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13.
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Merge Local
Fund Audit with Civil Audit in Jharkhand and West Bengal offices
For the purpose of the Audit of Local Fund Accounts,
separate Local Audit Wings are in operation in three states viz. West Bengal,
Bihar and Jharkhand under the Indian Audit and Accounts Department.
In the Office of the Accountant General (Audit)
Jharkhand, Ranchi, Local Fund Audit (LFA) is still a separate entity headed
by the Examiner (through Cadre controlling authority is PAG/AG). But in
Bihar, LFA has been merged with civil audit wings. The promotional avenue in
LFA is much better than the civil wing hence most of the junior AAOs in that
wing were promoted to the post of AO much before their counterparts in civil
wing. SS-I & SS-II wings were created as per the restructuring guidelines
issued by the CAG in 2012 by merging civil audit with LFA, but the cadres in
both the wings were not merged. Hence, junior officers with less audit
experience from LFA are now leading the audit parties in these wings. This is
creating lot of problems to the much experienced senior AAOs. It is also true
that both the wings (LFA and Civil) are doing audit with combined efforts.
Hence, it is demanded to merge LFA wing with civil wing and to maintain a single
gradation/seniority list.
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Sd/-
Secretary
General
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