National
Audit Federation
( Recognised
by C&AG of India vide No.172/NGE(JCM)/14-2003 dated 15.06.2004 )
K-42,
B.K. Dutt Colony, Jorbagh, Lodi Colony, New Delhi – 3
Charter of Demands with explanatory notes
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1.
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Cadre restructuring –
implementation of short term / long term plan
National Audit Federation
has been repeatedly demanding comprehensive cadre restructuring in IA&AD,
since 2006. We have also submitted a detailed memorandum on 3rd
October 2018 to the Dy. CAG in support of our demand. We had demanded creation
of separate promotion channel (Non-IA&AS) for AO/SAO in order to
neutralize the stagnation in the department and to provide career advancement
to the cadre. We were happy when the CAG of India constituted a committee in
January 2018 for cadre restructuring in Group B & C cadres. Though the
committee was directed to submit its report within a period of two months, it
is understood that the report has not been submitted so far (30-9-2018).
Further, a short
term plan and a long term plan have been devised by the CAG office for
implementation before and after 2020 respectively. While the long term plan
provides for increase in sanctioned strength as well as person in position
across all cadres, short term plan reduced the cadre strength. However, the
meagre increase of strength in AO/Sr. AO cadre in few offices provided
promotion to some AAOs. It is also felt that both the plans should be complementary
to each other than contradictory. Reduction in strength for achieving the intended
ratio of 1:2:2.5 among AO, AAO and Auditor and making it as sacrosanct is not
a welcome step, especially when the number in the long run is to be
augmented. Due to short term plan, more than 3000 posts were reduced in field
offices and are experiencing acute shortage of staff and stagnation in Group
B cadres. Work load in these cadres has increased manifold due to reduction
in staff strength. Hence, we demand urgent implementation of long
term plan to increase the staff strength in those offices where there is
shortage of staff. As far maintenance of idealistic ratio of 1:2:2.5
is concerned, it may be achieved in long run by gradual process without
downsizing the strength at this moment. We also seek to expedite the process of comprehensive
cadre restructuring.
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2.
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Supervisor cadre –
Regularize all temporary promotions, or create supernumerary posts to avoid
reversions – Treat at par with AAOs.
Due to dearth of
staff in AAO cadres, the strength in Supervisor cadre in the field Audit
offices was 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. During an agenda
meeting, DAI ensured that the temporarily promoted Supervisors would not be
reverted and if necessary, creation of supernumerary posts would be
considered. Later on due to rationalisation, sanctioned strength of AAOs in
many field offices was reduced and temporarily promoted Supervisors were
reverted. Reversion from any cadre will adversely affect the morale of the reverted
employees and will only weaken them both mentally and financially. Hence, we
demand regularization of all temporary posts (additional 6 per cent) in
Supervisor cadre with retrospective effect. If this is not feasible,
supernumerary posts may be created in order to avoid reversions.
Since the nature of
work and scale of pay of both AAO and Supervisor are one and the same, we
demand change in nomenclature of Supervisor cadre and to treat at par with
AAOs.
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3.
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DEO cadre – Allow
promotion to mainstream cadre (Auditor/Accountant).
DEOs (Grade A)
recruited directly were given assurances that they would be promoted to the
next grade (DEO-Grade B) on completion of five years service. But in many
offices, these assurances were not fulfilled due to want of vacancies. Hence,
we had requested DAI to allow DEOs (Grade A) to appear in the Departmental Examination
for Auditor/Accountant. In response to this, DAI informed us (23-11-2016) that in the
revised Recruitment Rule, provision has already been made to allow DEOs
(Grade A) to appear in the Departmental Examination for Auditor/Accountant
and on notification of the same, DEOs will also become eligible to attend the
Departmental Examination for Auditor/Accountant. But till date, the recruitment
rules have not been notified and the benefit has not been given to the DEOs.
It
may also be noted that, as many of the MTS who joined service much later than
the DEOs have already been promoted as Auditor/Accountant in field offices
through departmental examinations. Hence, it
is once again requested to expedite the process.
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4.
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Rajbhasha cadre – Career
progression in line with Rajbhasha cadre – Stagnation in the cadres –
Transfer policy.
Consequent upon
implementation of the recommendations of Sixth Central Pay Commission, the
Government of India notified revised pay structure for the Official Language
Cadre belonging to Central Secretariat Official Language Service (CSOLS) vide
OM dated 24/11/2008 and subsequent corrigendum dated 27/11/2008. Model
Recruitment Rules for the various posts in Official Language Cadre for
Subordinate Offices was also issued by the Government of India, Ministry of
Personnel, PG & Pensions, DoPT vide OM dated 19/09/2013 and all
Ministries/Departments were directed to review the existing rule and notify
the revised rules conforming to the Model Recruitment Rules. These Rules
provide smooth career prospects of staff in Rajbhasha cadre as shown below:
It is understood
that though the CAG has adopted the said Model Recruitment Rules, revision
took place only in the RRs for Junior / Senior Translator cadres. It may also
be noted that the issue of Rajbhasha cadre has not been included in the terms
of references for the recently constituted Committee for Cadre Restructuring
of Group ‘B’ and ‘C’ staff in IA&AD.
It is therefore, demanded
that the Rajbhasha Cadre in IA&AD may also be reviewed on the basis of
the Government of India directions and to expedite its implementation process
without further delay.
Recently, option
forms were obtained from these officials for considering their place of
posting and are categorised under local/all India cadres. It is observed that
the option forms were obtained from only those who were appointed prior to
2010. We therefore request that the option forms may be obtained from all
officials for consideration in posting in various regions as a one time
measure.
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5.
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Departmental
Examinations –
1.
Provide
unlimited chances – Scheme of negative marking may be dispensed with – provide
previous year’s questions – Publish results/marks scored in each examinations
immediately after completion of the examination.
Subordinate Audit/Accounts Service (SAS)
Examination is the life line of Group ‘B’ & ‘C’ staff belonging to
non-Gazetted cadres in IA&AD. It provides career advancement and sets the
future for each employee. Passing of SAS examination has become more and more
difficult now a days due to the introduction of negative marking scheme and
limited number of chances. Hence, in-order to facilitate and motivate the
aspirants for SAS Examinations, we demand that the negative marking scheme
may be dispensed with, previous year’s questions may be made available to the
candidates for reference and unlimited chances may be allowed, at least for
those with only 2 or 3 papers left for clearing the exam.
Computer Based Examinations are introduced in
IA&AD for better transparency. But still the candidates are very much
anxious on the transparency, due to the inordinate delay in publication of
results. Hence, we demand for the publication of results/marks scored, immediately
after the completion of examination.
As the other departmental examinations, viz., Incentive / RA /CPD examinations
are conducted only to acquire/update knowledge of the staff, it is requested
that the above mentioned demands in the case of SAS examinations shall be
made applicable to these departmental examinations also.
2.
SAS
Preliminary / other departmental Examinations shall be MCQ method.
As the SAS examinations are now conducted with MCQ model
on Computer Based environment, there is a genuine demand from the staff to
conduct its preliminary test and all other departmental examinations also in
similar Computer Based MCQ model. Hence, we demand for introduction of MCQ on
Computer Based environment for all departmental examinations.
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6.
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Recruitment of staff –
Introduce regional recruitment system in all entry cadres.
It is a positive
sign that the department is regularly recruiting staff against vacancies in
all the entry cadres. On the other hand, the centralised recruitment process
through Staff Selection Commission is creating many issues in the field
offices. Since many State Governments are following the respective regional
languages as their official language, correspondences with state
administrations and its understanding while performing Audit functions, is a
major concern. Hence, we demand introduction of regional level
recruitment in all the entry cadres. Otherwise, ‘Knowledge of regional
language’ may be made compulsory for posting in a particular state.
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7.
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Transfer and Deputation
Policies –
Every year, many
candidates are being recruited through SSC in DEO/Auditor/ Accountant/AAO
cadres. But, due to the centralised recruitment policy of the Government of
India, many candidates are being posted in states other than their home
states. This is adversely affecting their family obligations. Many are forced
to stay away from their families. Hence, looking after aged and ailing
parents in today’s nuclear family set up has become a big issue. It is the
moral and social responsibility of the employer to help its staff in
minimizing these issues and to concentrate on their official obligations.
Hence, we demand setting apart of 25 per cent of the total vacancies arising
every year, for accommodating outstation staff by way of unilateral transfer.
This will not create
any gap in the manpower availability and affect the working strength in any
office. Allocation to various offices can easily be done through an automated
web based application system to be installed in the server located in the
headquarters office. Field offices may be allowed to input data from those
applications as and when received at their end.
We also seek to issue directions to all field offices for strict compliance with GoI
guidelines relating to transfer posting of officials on spouse ground in
those offices where there are more than one office under the same Cadre Controlling
Authority.
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8.
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UN audit – Dies-non
without break in service shall not be treated as disqualification for UN
audit assignments.
Officials on whom
‘Dies-Non’ was awarded in the past are not eligible for being considered for
empanelment for the audit of UN and its agencies as per Hqrs. Office
directions. Imposing lifelong ban for UN assignments on such employees having
dies-non without break in service is denial of natural justice. Though it is
a penal action taken by the administration for un-authorised absence from
duty, it is not a major penalty. Hence, we seek to allow those employees having
dies-non without break in service for applying assignments like UN Audit.
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9.
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Grant Pay protection to
those joining in lower cadres after availing technical resignation from posts
carrying equal or higher pay levels.
As per Government
of India orders dated 17-06-1965, the resignation is treated as a technical
formality where a Government servant has applied through proper channel for a
post in the same or some other department, and is on selection, required to
resign the previous post for administrative reasons. The resignation will be
treated as technical resignation if these conditions are met, even if the
government servant has not mentioned the word “Technical” while submitting
his resignation. Government of India also allowed pay protection, eligibility
of past services for reckoning of the minimum period for grant of Annual Increment
in case of Technical Resignation vide OM dated 17-08-2016 (para 2.4).
Further,
Honourable High Court of MP has upheld the above directions of the GoI while
dismissing a writ petition (17-07-2017) filed by the GoI against the orders
of the CAT, Jabalpur dated 20-03-2017 (OA.NO. 202/01012/2015 dated
20-03-2017) in favour of Shri. Manoj Kumar Singh. In compliance of the above
order, Pay in respect of Shri.Manoj Kumar Singh, Auditor was refixed after
reckoning the past service in Railways and protecting the pay drawn by him
vide orders of the AG(G&SSA), MP, Gwalior dated 15-03-2018.
Applications of
similarly placed officials from various field offices under the CAG of India
have been turned down by the headquarters office stating that “this case may
not be treated as a precedent”. Considering the above, we request that the CAG should consider
applications of similarly placed officials and direct the respective field
offices to reckon their past services and to protect their pay in their
previous employment.
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10.
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Compassionate
Appointments – Re-visit evaluation procedure for short listing of
applications for appointment.
Headquarters
office vide circular No.34 dated 28-09-2016, circulated a seven point
evaluation form and instructed all field offices to follow the revised
evaluation system based on a number of parameters prescribed in the scheme
with suitable weights assigned to each for consideration of the applicants
eligibility. In the circulated seven point marking system, apart from grading
for monetary benefits received, dependency and assessment of immovable
property, item No. (vi) relates to assessment of any other jobs in the family
and No. (vii) to ascertain the left over service of the deceased official as
shown below:
Whereas, para 11 in the Consolidated
Instructions on compassionate appointment issued by the Government of India, Department
of Personnel & Training, vide OM No. F.No.14014/ 02/2012 --Estt. (D) dated 16th January, 2013 states that:
“11.
WHERE THERE IS AN EARNING MEMBER
(a) In deserving
cases even where there is already an earning member in the family, a
dependent family member may be considered for compassionate appointment with
prior approval of the Secretary of the Department/Ministry concerned who,
before approving such appointment, will satisfy himself that grant of
compassionate appointment is justified having regard to number of dependents,
assets and liabilities left by the Government servant, income of the earning
member as also his liabilities including the fact that the earning member is
residing with the family of the Government servant and whether he should not
be a source of support to other members of the family.
(b) In cases
where any member of the family of the deceased or medically retired
Government servant is already in employment and is not supporting the other
members of the family of the Government servant, extreme caution has to be
observed in ascertaining the economic distress of the members of the family
of the Government servant so that the facility of appointment on
compassionate ground is not circumvented and misused by putting forward the
ground that the member of the family already employed is not supporting the
family.”
Hence, awarding ‘0’ marks for ‘job
in family’ of the deceased for consideration for compassionate appointment is
totally wrong and against the interest of the scheme as envisaged in the above
Government orders and to be excluded from the evaluation form.
Further, in the OM it is nowhere
mentioned to compute the left over service of a deceased government employ
for consideration of compassionate appointment to his/her dependant family
member. Unilateral inclusion of the ‘service left’ clause by CAG is not in
the better interest of the objectives of the scheme and intents to restrict
employment of a family member of the deceased Government servant.
Hence,
we demand exclusion of clauses at Sl. No. (vi) and (vii) from the revised
evaluation system for short listing applications for appointment on
compassionate ground.
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11.
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Granting of NFU for all
employees who has completed four years of continuous service in level 8
7CPC has
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
(PB-2), viz., Pay Level 9, in the pay matrix.”, (Para 11.12.140 of the
report). Whereas, Government while implementing the above after much delay
omitted the cadres of Supervisor, Hindi Officer, Welfare Assistant, etc., who
are also placed in Pay Level 8. Denying the assured benefit is unjustifiable
and injustice to those cadres. Hence, we demand that all employees who are
drawing pay in level 8 in the new Pay Matrix shall be upgraded to Pay level 9
after completion of 4 years’ service as envisaged by 7CPC.
Though, NFU has
been granted to AAOs, Assistant Accounts officers placed under Adhoc/Regular
Temporary in A&E offices has not been upgraded even after putting more
than 10 years service in the cadre.
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12.
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Transit time: Sufficient
transit time may be granted for travel – exclude Saturday/Sunday/Holidays.
Many field
offices are compelling the Audit staff to travel on Sunday/ Holidays. In some
offices, field audit parties are not allowed to claim TA/DA during
weekends/holidays. In some offices, field audit parties are asked to report
to respective headquarters forcefully during holidays. Transit time allowed
for field audit parties also varies from office to office. Reports have been received
from various offices that the staff are over burdened with work and due to
compulsion are not able to bestow proper attention to their family. This is
causing distraction in work as well as imbalances on their family life.
As
per CAG’s directions, Transit may not be provided on Sundays and other
important holidays. Also One day transit shall be provided where journey is
beyond 200 Km. The above provisions are also not followed in many field
offices. Hence, we demand that directions may be issued to all field offices for
maintaining a uniform policy in allowing transit time. It is also requested
to direct the Accountants’ General to permit field audit parties to either
stay in camp with TA/DA or allow them to return to their residence during
weekends/holidays.
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13.
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Permission to conduct General
Body Meetings during lunch hour
Accountants’
General in some field offices are not permitting the recognised associations
to conduct normal General Body meetings during lunch hour even inside the
allotted association rooms. A general body of an association is a formal
meeting of its members with a minimum quorum, as per the approved
constitution, to discuss the general issues of its members. It is the primary
duty of every association to convene its general body meeting as and when
necessary or at least twice a year. Hence, we demand that directions may
be issued to all field offices to permit recognised associations for conducting
their General Body meetings as and when necessary, during lunch hour in their
allotted working space.
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(L.S. Sujith Kumar)
Secretry General
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