GDS/CHQ/41/1/2009 Dated: 12.06.2009
To,
Shri Pranab Mukherjee,
Hon'ble Finance Minister,
Government of India,
New Delhi-110001.
Subject: - Brief Memorandum on the revision of Pay and allowances of Gramin Dak Sevaks of the Department of Posts.
Respected Sir,
The Postal Services have their own importance and the provision of Communication facilities to the Common man in the villages is still more important. The Communication facilities in the villages are maintained and provided by the Postal employees who are known as Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS). While the Pay and allowances and other benefits of other Central Government employees have already been revised, upwards, the same in respect of the G.D.S. employees is still to be done and there is a more to reverse the benefits already available.
We as the humble servants of the common man in the village implore your effective intervention as this connection. We enclose herewith a brief memorandum on this object for your kind action to ensure justice to the lowest rank of the Postal employees.
With high regards,
Yours faithfully,
(S.S. Mahadevaiah)
General Secretary
MEMORANDUM ON PAY & ALLOWANCES OF GRAMIN DAK SEVAKS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF POSTS IN THE LIGHT OF RECOMMENDATIONS OF 6TH CENTRAL PAY COMMISSION
The Postal services are provided by two sets of employees: (1) In urban areas by the full time Departmental Employees and (2)in rural areas by employees known as GRAMIN DAK SEVAKS (G.D.S.) who are put on duty for shorter period. Presently the duties of these GDS employees are between three hours to five hours. These Gramin Dak Sevaks were earlier called Extra Departmental Agents (EDAs). They function according to the same rules as govern the working procedure of the departmental employees and almost similar conduct and disciplines rules are also applicable. Only service conditions are different viz no pension; no constitutional gratuity; no leave similar to departmental employees and no allowances except the dearness allowance.
2. These GDS employees, over the period, have undertaken several schemes of the government like payment of NREGS wages, payment of old age pension apart from other small savings schemes and value-added services. These employees serve the "Common Man" in the village and are the commonest of the common people. The Hon'ble Supreme Court has held the EDAs as holders of Civil Post i.e Civil Servants.
3. To give a brief back ground, it is worth mentioning that when the 5th Central Pay Commission was appointed, a pay Committee for EDAs under the Chairmanship of Justice Charanjit Talwar, a retired Judge of Delhi High Court was appointed. Justice Talwar Committee broadly recommended pay-scale for the EDAs proportionate to their duty hours with the pay-scales of the departmental employees. Justice Talwar Committee also recommended payment of all allowances like house rent allowances, Children education allowances etc. Justice Talwar Committee also recommended pension and gratuity for the EDAs. It recommended pay fixation in the new scale which totally matched the pay fixation of the Departmental employees. However, the Government gave effect to the recommendations on pay and allowances only.
4. When the 6th CPC was appointed, the employees persistently requested that the issues pertaining to the GDS employees be referred to the 6th CPC or a pay committee under a retired High Court Judge be appointed, However, the department of Posts appointed a one man committee under the Chairmanship of a retired bureaucrat of the Department of Posts. The said committee in a most arbitrary way has tried to override the benefits already available to the GDS employees and has tried to over do the decision of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India by suggesting charge is the nomenclature of the Conduct Rules from "GDS Employees (Conduct & Appointment) Rules" to " GDS employees (Conduct & Engagement) Rules
5. In view of the policy already accepted by the Government the Pay scale or pay band (including Grade pay) of the GDS employees with relation to the 6the CPC recommendations of the corresponding category of the departmental employees have Justifiable to be as follows.
(i) Pay 3-4 hrs. 4-5 hrs.
GDS SPM 6000
GDS BPM 4800 6000
GDS Mail Deliverer 4000 6000
GDS Mail Peon etc 3500 4500
(ii) Increment: 3% percent.
(iii) Allowances:
The allowances such as HRA, Bad Climate allowance, Transport allowance, Children Education allowance etc are totally justified to be granted on principles of equal justice.
(iv) Pension & Gratuity. At par with other Departmental employees.
(v) The Committee has recommended curtailment of Postal services in rural areas to below three hours. This requires to be rejected in interest of Postal services to the rural population.
(vi) Bonus: This Committee has also given a damaging and arbitrary recommendation regarding fixing lower maximum pay limit for calculating bonus to GDS which is at present Rs. 3500/-. This is totally unjust provocative and vindictive. This requires to be scrapped and states-quo maintained.
(vii) Trade Union facilities: Proper Trade union facilities to run the affairs of the union are justified.
(viii) Fixation in new pay band: at par with departmental employees.
Dated: 05.06.2009
To,
Sri Gurudas Kamat,
Hon'ble Minister of State for Communications & I.T.
Government of India
New Delhi—110001
Sub: - Revision of Pay and allowances of the Gramin Dak Sevaks of the Department of Posts.
Respected Sir,
The Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS) of the Department of Posts who were earlier known as Extra Departmental Agents (EDAs) have been held by the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India as Civil Servants. Over the period these GDS employees have undertaken several schemes of the Government for implementation like NREGS payments and payment of old age pensions apart from several other schemes of small savings etc.
For the last 12 years, these GDS employees have been receiving pay and allowances proportionate to those of the departmental employees. The fitment in the new scales after the report of Justice Talwar Committee have been at the same scale or even better as that of the departmental employees on implementation of the 5th CPC recommendations.
Now, the 6th CPC recommendations have been implemented in respect of the Departmental employees. There is a genuine and judicious case that the Pay and allowances of the GDS employees are refixed on the principles of the 6th CPC. Somehow or other, there is an effort to reverse the accepted principle of pay and allowances similar to, though proportionate with, the departmental employees. This, you will kindly agree, Sir, is a case of calculated discrimination and reversal of the accepted Principles to the detriment of the staff.
With your good self taking over of the charge of this department, a new ray of hope has gone amongst the GDS employees that Justice will be done to these employees.
We, therefore, request your kind self to examine our case sympathetically and issue necessary orders for adoption of the same principle of pay and allowances as has been in vogue for the last 12 years along with fitment in the new pay bands on the same pattern as for departmental employees.
We shall be obliged if you kindly grant us as an interview to explain the case in person, at your earliest convenience.
With profound regards,
Yours faithfully
(S.S. Mahadevaiah)
General Secretary
No.1-20/2008-PCC
Government of India
Ministry of Communications & IT
Department of Posts
Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg,
New Delhi - 110001
Dated 29.05.2009
To
All the Chief Post Masters General
ADDENDUM
Subject: Remuneration to be paid to the Gramin Dak Sevaks engaged as substitutes in short-term vacancies of Postmen/Mail Guards and Group 'D'.
Sir/Madam,
I am directed to refer to this office O.M. of even No. dated 27.03.2009 on the above-mentioned subject.
2. The following may ba added in line 2 of Para 3:
"plus corresponding Grade Pay" between the words the revised pay band of the respective post and plus admissible DA.
3. All other entries hold good.
Sd/-
(L.Mohan Rao)
Asst. Director General (PCC)
