National Audit Federation: 2017

Monday, October 30, 2017

Letter No.48 - Submitted to CAG of India

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Circular No. 17

Shri. Amal Das, President, National Audit Federation submitting a memorandum demanding Comprehensive Cadre Restructuring in IA&AD to Smt. Rita Mitra, Dy. CAG today (3-10-2017). Shri,Khalid Bin Jamal, PD Staff, Shri. Venkatanathan V S , ACN, Shri. L.S. Sujith Kumar, Secretary General, Shri. Jai Shankar Kumar, Additional Secretary General were also present in the meeting.

Sunday, August 20, 2017

Extended National Executive Meeting - Demonstration of signed flex before CAG office on 3rd October 2017

Monday, July 24, 2017

PROTEST DAY ON 26-JULY-2017

CONFEDERATION OF AUDIT & ACCOUNTS EMPLOYEES AND OFFICERS’ ORGANISATIONS

k-42, B. K. DUTT COLONY, NEW DELHI: 110033

Reference No. Confd. /Other Allowances/1/2017 Date: 1^st July, 2017

All the members of national executive committee and others,

Dear friends,

As was apprehended, the Union Cabinet has once again deprived the Central Government employees and officers from their legitimate right of getting implementation of 7^th CPC report on other allowances w.e.f.01. 01. 2016 resulting in huge financial loss. The Cabinet has approved the recommendations of the 7CPC on HRA and other allowances from 1^st July 2017 only, whereby, arrears for 18 months (from 1.1.2016 to 30^th June 2017) have been denied. The 7^th CPC had recommended implementation of the report from 1. 1. 2016.

The Standing Committee of Staff Side, JCM (NC) has failed miserably to bring any improvement in the 7^th CPC Report by the government before implementation. This has never happened in case of earlier pay commission reports.

The government cannot also justify the delay in issuing implementation order without any significant improvement whereby arrears for eighteen months have been forfeited.

On the matter of modification of pay fitment formula, the much awaited decision of the Committee formed as a result of meeting with four Ministers is also waning. While in lower pay scales the fitment formula is 2.57, in case of higher pay scales it is 2.81 even. This is highly discriminatory and deserves removal of discrimination.

This Confederation is of the opinion that this deprivation should not go un-protested. Therefore it is decided that the members at grass root level be apprised of the evil design of the government in adopting the policy of ignoring the interest of the employees in financial matters whereby legitimate dues accrued out of implementation of the recommendations of the 7CPC have been denied.

OBSERVE PROTEST DAY

This confederation calls upon its affiliates to observe protest day on 26^th July 2017 demanding payment of arrears for HRA from 01. 01.2016. The Federations are requested to endorse the call and take appropriate measures to observe the program by educating and mobilizing the members in support of the call for massive participation of members in the General Body Meeting to be conducted on 26^th July 2017 to adopt resolution to be sent to the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India in the attached format.

With warm greetings,

Fraternally yours,

(A. B. Sen)

Secretary General

RESOLUTION

This general body meeting of the …………………………………….. Association held today the 26^th July 2017 discussed in threadbare about the policy adopted by the government of India in implementation of recommendations made by 7^th CPC. The government has adopted a policy of delay and deprives the employees from compensating the financial loss being caused due to rising of price index in leaps and bounds. It is marked with alarm that for the first time in the annals of history of implementation of any Central Pay Commission Report the government refused to modify and improve the deficiencies of the recommendations crept into the report whereby discrimination has been made in case of fixation formula at lower pay scales than in the HAG pay scales. Though the appointed empowered committee to discuss with the staff side and recommend modifications in fixation formula but after holding of several rounds of prolonging discussions, the Cabinet ignored the recommendation of the empowered Committee and implemented the recommendation of the CPC without any modification.

The CPC recommended implementation of the report w.e.f. 01. 01. 2016. Government entrusted the matter of “Other Allowances” for examination of the recommendations to the Empowered Committee. The Committee took its time to submit the report and ultimately the cabinet decision came on 28^th June 2017 i.e. eighteen months after the date of implementation of the CPC report, that too without any improvement.

This general body meeting considers the government decision as ‘anti employees’ and deplores the policy adopted whereby 18 months dues have been denied. This general body also marked with alarm that the desired improvement in pay fixation formula is being delayed.

This general body meeting resolves to demand (1) date of effect of other allowances be made from 01. 01. 2016 and (2) the pay fixation formula be improved and implemented in consultation with the staff side.

It is further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, through proper channel, urging upon him to take notice of the resentment generated amongst the personnel working in the Central Government establishments and mitigate the grievances early.

President

Place:

Date: 26th July 2017

Thursday, July 13, 2017

Delay in publishing SAS results - Letter No.35 Faxed to the CAG of India, today (13-07-2017)

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

NYAY-NIVEDAN PROGRAMME

CALLED BY NATIONAL AUDIT FEDERATION

Friends, for last many years we have been demanding from the administration for resolution of our major demands. In January, 2017 we participated in postcard campaign that was addressed to Minister of Finance for consideration of our grievances. It is understood that the government is going to implement revised rates of allowances with effect from 1^st July 2017. Incase, no order is issued before 1^st July, we will observe ‘Black Day’ on 3^rd July 2017, hold General Body in the lunch hour in front of field offices, pass resolution against the anti-employee attitude of the Government and demand for urgent implementation of the revised rate of allowances.

In Hyderabad working committee meeting, resolutions to implement our major demands were passed and sent to the CAG office. However, the administration is not moving an inch to solve it. The last three CPC equated the scale of Sr. Auditor to Assistants. Intentionally, the opinion of expert body is being disregarded. 5th and 7th CPC directly and 6th CPC indirectly equaled the scale of AAO to Section Officer of ministries. We do not stand anywhere before them. The Sr. AO was singled out of Group A category against DOPT’s general order. Instead of implementing the High Court judgment, we were forced to approach further to the highest court. Recruitment Rules of AAO were framed by so much maneuvering and misstatement of facts which lastly led to issue of new order of DOPT that singled out the AAO being the only Gazetted post in India filled through examination conducted by SSC. We shouted everywhere. But it fell on deaf ears. SAS passed accountants/auditors are waiting for long time to get promoted as AAO in some offices. And in some other offices, AAOs are stagnating for 17, 18 years and even more. SAS examination has become tougher and tougher by increasing number of papers day by day and due to the introduction of negative marks. Cadre strength of AAOs were reduced and temporarily promoted Supervisors were reverted back in the name of cadre rationalization. DEOs are not getting timely promotion due to want of amendment in the recruitment rules. Natural justice to outstation staff (Unilateral Transfer) are denied. All cadres upto Sr. AO are disenchanted, frustrated and demotivated. Only a minuscule percentage of Sr. AO can step ahead in the ladder of hierarchy.

No matter, how much you work hard with passion and dedication, how much time of your life you spend on your duty, how efficiently you perform the task, there is dead end in progression channel. All messed up, but no effort to resolve.

Hence, we demand:

Pay Parity to Sr. Auditors/Sr. Accountants at par with Assistants of CSS
Pay Parity to AAO at par with SOs of CSS
Pay Parity to Stenographers & Official language cadre
GP 5400 (PB 3) (Level 10 in 7cpc) after 4 years to AAOs
Group ‘A’ Status to Sr. AOs
Promotions to DEOs
Introduction of Non-IA&AS Group ‘A’ posts and Audit Manager cadre
Comprehensive Cadre restructuring

So it is now or never moment. You, the deprived folks of the department, are the bread-earners of this acclaimed organization. You are the soul of this historical institution and most deserving one to be heard of and taken care of. And such treatment will be coming to your door only when you make others to the realization of this truth. The qualification, examination, duties and responsibilities are constituent for deserving factors. But, the capability to stand for the truth and justice are biggest element to determine what one deserves. The time has come. Time is calling you. Now you have to decide, whether you want to take your journey to your destiny and leave the writing on the wall of time indelibly. Or leave yourself to the fate bound by some thread controlled by few office managers. Without any hesitation, we decide to march on our righteous path of truth and justice. We will not stop till we reach our destination. Let us join hands with NAF and march together to achieve our goal...

National Audit Federation Zindabad!!

Civil Audit Association, AG’s Office Employees Union

SAS Association (Audit), SAS Association (A&E)

Monday, June 12, 2017

Minutes of Raipur NEC (28-29 May 2017)

Friday, May 19, 2017

Secretary General Speaks

Friends,

Treat the Disease, Not the symptoms

Since my joining this department, certain words like “Pay Parity”, “Seniority Promotion”, “Time Bound Promotion”, “Group A Status” etc. are vibrating on my ears. Its amplitude varied after implementation of every Central Pay Commission (CPC). After the bifurcation of Audit and Accounts in the year 1984, the Government has agreed to give higher pay and status to the Audit department at par with Central Secretariat Service (CSS). Fourth CPC extended parity to the Accounts side also. Immediately after that, the Government revised the pay of CSS cadre. Demand went on to the fifth CPC but when it was negated the audit staff approached the court of law. Our plea was upheld till the High Court level but denied by the Apex Court on paltry grounds. As per the decision of the Apex Court, “if post A and post B have been carrying the same pay scales, merely because the pay scale of post A has been increased that by itself cannot result in increase in the pay scale of Post B to the same level. It is entirely on the Government and the authorities to fix the pay scales and to decide whether the pay scale of post B should be increased or not. The judiciary must exercise self restraint and not encroach into the executive or legislative domain”.

After that, we have approached the sixth CPC which eventually equalled the pay structure of both IA&AD and CSS along with other organised accounting departments, but subsequently the Government revised the pay of CSS with retrospective effect from 1-1-2006. Again, these facts were presented before the 7CPC which severely criticised the action of the Government in revising the pay scales of the employees of CSS after implementation of the recommendations of each CPC and suggested downgrading of the pay scales of CSS staff to the level of the organised accounting departments in order to maintain parity. But ultimately, the Government rejected the proposal for downgrading of the pay of the CSS and sanctioned normal replacement of scales with respect to the pre-revised upgraded scales. Thus, once again the employees of Organised Accounting Departments attained parity with CSS through CPC but ultimately lost before the Government.

Similarly, the demands for Seniority promotion, Time bound promotion, Group A status to Sr.AOs etc. are still pending in the department. Apart from these demands, various other demands viz. Revamping of EDP cadre, streamlining of Official language Cadre, Parity in Stenographer cadre etc. of the employees in this department are pending with CAG. There is no uniformity in giving Promotions to employees in various cadres across the field offices. In some offices promotions were given as and when they are due as per the minimum requisite service conditions prescribed in the Recruitment Rule, where as in some offices it takes several years for want of vacancies. While there is severe stagnation in the lower-middle cadres in some field offices, there is acute shortage of staff in various cadres in many field offices. Though the situation narrated above is affecting the normal functioning of the field offices, the department is still expanding day by day by opening new offices and creating new posts in the Senior Administrative levels to enhance the promotion scope of IA&AS officers. Often funds were also re-allocated from field offices to cater the needs of these offices in the absence of actual budgetary allocation. The adverse remarks made by the seventh CPC in para 11.62.12 confirms that the IA&AS cadre is already having a higher promotional avenue than the other CSS Group ‘A’ cadres. Hence, the ultimate sufferers are always the group B and C staff of the department.

National Audit Federation has submitted a work paper on 21^st March 2006 to the then CAG and demanded for Cadre Restructuring in IA&AD. It is only due to our persistent perseverance the CAG has ordered a comprehensive cadre review of Group ‘B’ and ‘C’ cadres. Accordingly, a cadre review committee has been constituted in March 2009 and also entrusted a work study to M/s Deloite Touche Tohmatsu India Pvt. Ltd. M/s Deloite has submitted their report in the year 2011 but still the recommendations of the work study has neither revealed completely by the CAG nor implemented fully. We have conducted certain agitation programmes viz. sending representations & Resolutions to CAG, observed black day, staged dharna before field offices/CAG office etc. in demand of cadre restructuring. M/s Deloite has recommended for doubling the cadre strength in IA&AD in order to make the offices more officer centric and to make more efficient.

It was circulated by headquarter office that the department is only having 48000 (apprx.) persons in position out of 68000 (approx.) sanctioned strength. It was also stated that CAG desires to double the strength by 2020 and to rationalise the cadres, new ratio (1:2:2.5) has also been formulated. That is for one AO/SAO, 2 AAO and 2.5 Auditor/Accountant/Sr.Auditor/ Sr.Accountant. In order to achieve the above strength and to maintain desired ratio in the cadres, the department has started recruitment in the MTS/DEO/Auditor Cadres from 2012 and by 2016 started rationalising of cadres by truncating the lower caders. It was also proposed for the creation of certain posts (Data Manager, Non-IA&AS Group ‘A’ Posts etc.) in the higher level to increase the promotional chances of Group ‘B’ officers. These proposals were turned down by the Finance Ministry and hence shelved in the headquarters office. We have already communicated that these piece-meal proposals will not help to alleviate the maladies in the department. Instead, our demand for comprehensive cadre restructuring is the only remedy to revive the cadres in IA&AD.

While the employees were demanding for cadre restructuring, the department has initiated the process for cadre rationalising. The real intention behind rationalisation is only to reduce the existing sanctioned strength in department according to the revised ratio. Reduction of posts in the cadre of AAO/Auditor in many field offices resulted in huge stagnation in promotional avenues in the lower cadre and returned to a state where Audit department was in the period 1990-2000. Long waiting lists of SOGE passed candidates seeking promotion were seen in many of the field offices during that period resulted in stopping of SOG examination for the subsequent years. Stopping of SOGE and ban on recruitment resulted in acute shortage of AAOs in Audit department during 2000-2010. From our experience, it is noticed that whatever remedy suggested and implemented by the headquarters to alleviate the stagnation in cadre progression is worse than the disease.National Audit Federation, time and again has strongly demanded for a comprehensive cadre restructuring right from the cadre of MTS to the Senior Audit/Accounts Officer cadre including supporting cadres such as Stenographer cadre, Official Language cadre and the EDP cadre. Unfortunately other federations in the department are keeping silence in the issue. Now, the time has come to join hands to strive for a better tomorrow. Let us demand together to treat the disease rather than the symptoms. Let us demand for a more scientific, comprehensive cadre restructuring in IA&AD to offer a better service condition to the staff to achieve much glory to the department.

Fraternally yours,

Sd/-

L.S. Sujith Kumar,

Secretary General