Sub: Disparity in the
pay scale of Inspectors Post (Group B)
I wish to bring to your kind notice the
discrimination meted out to the cadre of Inspector Post (Group B) in the
Department of Post under Ministry of Communication in the matter of Grade pay
in comparison to the grade pay granted to the analogous cadres in other
departments such as CBEC/CBDT and Assistants in Central Secretariat.
1. The pay scale
of Inspector Post (IPs) was having a historical parity with the pay
scales of Inspectors in CBDT/CBEC/IB. However this parity was disturbed in 1986
and Inspector Post cadre is forced to perpetuate miserable fate by 1986 pay
commission. The 5th Central Pay Commission however recognized this parity in
pay scales between these cadres and placed Inspector Post in the scale of
5500-9000 on par with the Inspectors in CBEC & CBDT. The Inspectors
of CBI and IB were however placed in the scale of Rs. 6500-10500.
2. However like
Inspector Post (Group B), the Inspectors in CBEC & CBDT taken up the
disparity and anomaly in their pay scales in Comparison to the Inspectors of
CBI/IB with respective Ministry/department. After negotiation, litigation and
struggle the inspector in CBEC & CBDT get justice from the Government who
were finally placed in the pay scale Rs. 6500-10500 vide the Department of
Expenditure (Implementation Cell) Office Memorandum F.No.6/37/98-IC dated
21.4.2004 bringing at per with Inspectors of CBI and IB. Unfortunately the
above grant of replacement in scale was not done in the cadre of Inspector Post
and Govt. left the issue to be decided by 6th pay
commission.
3. The Sixth
Central Pay Commission has recommended merger of pre-revised pay scales of
Rs.5500-9000 and Rs. 6500-10500 with a view to bring Inspector Post at par with
Inspectors in CBEC & CBDT as well as Assistants in CSS and this has also
been accepted and implemented by the Govt. Accordingly Inspector Posts have
been placed in PB-2 with grade pay of Rs.4200/- at par with Assistant in
CSS/Inspectors and Analogous post in CBEC & CBDT.
4. Now again, the
Grade Pay of inspectors in CBEC & CBDT has been revised from Rs.4200 to
4600 vide Ministry of Finance Memo. No.1/1/2008-IC dated 13th Nov.2009(Annex-I) leaving
Inspector Post in stagger. The Grade Pay of Assistants in the Central
Secretariat has also been upgraded from Rs.4200 to 4600 vide Ministry of
Finance Memo No. 1/1/2008-IC dated 16th November 2009(Annex-II) but
the file of Inspector Posts has been returned back by Ministry of Finance with
the remarks that the post of Inspector Posts is not comparable to that
inspector in CBEC & CBDT.
5. SIR, Your good
self can well imagine the plight of Inspector Posts and as such we are harried
a lot. Sir, it is wrong to say that our cadre is inferior to any analogous post
rather we are superior to them that is why we have been considered in Group B
and given the responsibility as recruiting officers, appointing
authorities, as sub divisional officer has to manage total postal affairs. We
are investigating authority, inquiring authority; attend court cases like law
officer, handle technology deals like IT professional and process legal cases
such as police cases, forum cases, labour court cases still how we are inferior
to Inspectors of CBDT what a strange on the part of official dealing the case
in Ministry of Finance. Sir, we are recruited through the same examination
(Graduate Level Examination) as is in the case of other inspectors than how the
cadre of Inspector Posts can not be compared with other inspectors. Sir any
other cadre in analogous post is not given the responsibility as Inspector Post
has been given.
6. Department of
Posts (Pay Commission Cell) continuously pursued the case at highest level with
Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure with recommendations of the
Secretary, Posts for pay parity of Inspector Post but the Ministry of Finance,
Department of Expenditure is not ready to take the view of the Department of
Posts positively resulting frustration and demoralization amongst the
Inspector, Posts cadre.
7. Out of this
frustration some of our members approached Hon’ble CAT for natural justice.
Hon’ble CAT Ernakulam Bench has specifically stated in para 33 of its judgment
dated 19th October’2011 (Annex-III) that “.....the case has been
considered and the Tribunal is of the considered view that there is no
justification in denying the Inspector (Posts) the higher Grade Pay of Rs 4600
when the same is admissible to Inspectors of other Departments with whom parity
has been established by the very Sixth Pay Commission vide its report at para
7.6.14 extracted above......."(Annex-IV)
8. Hon’ble CAT has
allowed the OA to the extent that keeping in tune with the observations of
the Sixth Pay Commission, coupled with the strong recommendations of the
Department of Post and also in the light of our discussion as above, first
respondent, i.e. the Ministry of Finance shall have a re-look in the matter at
the level of Secretary and consider the case of the Inspector (Posts) for
upgradation of their grade pay at par with that of the Inspector of income tax,
of CBDT and CBEC.
9. Since it
appears that the proposal sent by the DOP to implement the orders of Hon’ble
CAT has not yet been considered by the Secretary (Finance), we request your
good self to please intervene in the matter and take up the issue with the
appropriate authorities for an early settlement and grant of pay grade of
Rs.4600 to Inspector Posts w.e.f 1.1.2006 as has been done in the analogous
post in other departments.
For this act of kindness, we shall remain
ever obliged
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