Submission of certain points to be taken up for further action in the Executive Committee Meeting, Delhi

An Executive Committee meeting along with the Zonal leaders is scheduled to be held at 17:00 hrs on 19th January 2017 at Conference Hall/Library of CR Building in New Delhi to discuss about our pending issues with CBEC and the future course of action. The Mumbai/Pune /Nasik/Aurangabad, Central Excise, Customs & Service Tax Ministerial Officers Association is submitting the following points for pursuing with the Board.

1. Relaxation in RR for TAs: This association has, time and again, highlighted the gross injustice meted out to the Tax Assistants of the Combined Graduate Level 2012 & 2013 batches in the form of the revised RR for EAs. It is pertinent to note that many of them had left lucrative jobs to join this department and this mid-career revision of RR has left them high and dry. It is only fair that RR in force during their recruitment should be applicable to them. On these line, the Board may be urged to grant relaxation to the direct recruit Tax Assistants of CGL 2012 & 2013 batches.

Further, as per the RR for EA/Inspector issued by the Board's letter F.No.A-12018/30/2003-AdIII(B) dt.26.12.2016, the qualifying period for promotion from TA to Inspector is 15 years. Further, only 10% of the total vacancies in the grade of Inspectors have been identified, for promotion from the grade of EA. Considering the job aspirations/ profile/ Educational qualifications of the candidates who appear for and get selected as Tax Assistants through SSC these days, (some of whom even have post graduate degrees in Engineering & Management), it is worth mentioning that the attrition rates for Tax Assistants is bound to go up in an alarming manner. This will result in undue disruption of various administrative processes, since Tax Assistants in future may stick on to their current jobs only until they get a job more in line with their career aspirations, since TA in CBEC is no longer an attractive career option. This will result in a severe paucity of trained and experienced TAs / EAs.

In this regard, kind attention is further invited to the fact that several Tax Assistants who got recruited through SSC CGLE 2014 in Pune Zone, did not even join, which can only be attributed to the bleak career prospect that being a Tax Assistant in CBEC now offers. In view of the above, it is requested that the Recruitment Rules in various cadres may be appropriately relaxed, to offer better opportunities for career enhancement, which will motivate the employees to offer their best in the service of the Department.

2. Fixing of Seniority between Direct Recruit 'Tax Assistant/Inspector and promotee Tax Assistant/Inspector based on N.R. Parmar case of the Hon'ble Supreme Court - Retrospective applicability has not been fixed, whereas, Delhi Zone and Kolkata Zone being bigger Zone with more working strength than Pune Zone has already implemented with effect from 01.01.1986. Many CCAs are delaying the initiation of the exercising citing lack of relevant data since the seniority has to be revised from 1986 in certain cases. The Board should be urged to issue guidelines similar to what CBDT has issued and instruct the CCAs to complete the exercise in a time bound manner.

3. Promotion to the grade of A.O. from E.A. - The Comments for new/amended RR for A.O. were sought and submitted several months ago but it has not been finalized till date due to which promotions are held up and shortage of AO is hampering the administrative work. The finalization of RR is the need of the hour as the feeder grade post is renamed after Cadre Restructuring in 2014. It is requested to issue executive instructions that DOS & STAs having 5 years of combined service may be considered for promotion to the grade of Administrative Officer till the finalization of RRs, as in this zone 85 vacancies are available and 65 DOS presently working have completed more than 5 years.

4. Promotion to the grade of CAO from AO- Considerable vacancies exist in the grade of CAO. Board may be requested to direct various CCAs to hold the DPCs for CAOs regularly and in a time bound manner.

Yours faithfully,

           

                                                Sd/-                                                     Sd/-

                                   (H.B.MAHAJANI)                                 (SHIVAJI VALU)                   

                                        PRESIDENT                               GENERAL SECRETARY,