Monday, April 19, 2010

To

Smt Sushma Nath,

Secretary (Expenditure),

Ministry of Finance

Government of India, North Block,

New Delhi – 110 001.

Sub: Upgradation of scale of pay/Grade Pay for the post of

Agriculture Assistant and Soil Conservation Assistant

in the Department of Agriculture, A & N Islands

regarding

------------

Madam,

I am to bring to your kind notice a specific case of grave injustice meted out to a section of employees working under the Agriculture Department of the Andaman & Nicobar Administration. The educational qualification for appointment to the posts of Agriculture Assistant and Soil Conservation Assistant in the Department of Agriculture under the A & N Administration is B.Sc (Agri), a 4-year professional degree. The Agriculture Assistants and Soil Conservation Assistants were given a lower scale of pay of Rs. 4500-7000 by the Fifth Central Pay Commission.

While the IV Central Pay Commission placed Agriculture Inspectors/Soil Conservation Assistants, Junior Engineers, Head Clerks, Forest Rangers, Police Sub Inspectors, Graduate Trained Teachers, etc. in the scale of pay of Rs. 1400 – 2600, after the introduction of the V Central Pay Commission, the Agriculture Inspectors (now Agricultural Assistants)/Soil Conservation Assistants were placed at the scale of pay of Rs. 4500 - 7000 and the rest of the above mentioned categories were placed at higher scales of pay. The Forest Rangers and Sub Inspectors of Police, Graduate Trained Teachers were placed at the scale of pay of Rs. 5500-9000 and Head Clerk, Junior Engineers, etc. were given the scale of pay of Rs. 5000 – 8000. Similarly, in the Animal Husbandry & Vety. Services Department, the post of Asst. Veterinary Surgeon whose qualification is only B.V.Sc., a 4-year course, was placed in the entry grade scale of pay of Rs. 8000 - 12000 (Group A) by the Vth CPC.

Despite forceful requests made by the Administration and Service Associations the Sixth CPC also did not enhance the scale of pay/Grade Pay of the above two posts.

It is regretted to say that except the posts of Agriculture Assistant and Soil Conservation Assistant, almost all other posts with the entry level educational qualification of 4-year professional degree, have been placed in the Pay Band-2 and given the Grade Pay of Rs. 4200 and above. The Ministry of Finance (Deptt of Expdr) vide OM dated 18th November, 2009 has issued an order enhancing the Grade Pay of Pharmacists.

Some of the identical posts like Plant Protection Assistant, Horticulture Assistant, etc. in the Govt. of NCT of Delhi have been placed in the Pay Band-2 while the same benefit has been denied to the Agricultural Assistants working in these islands. Thus, it is a clear case of anomaly in the Grade Pay of identical posts in Delhi and A & N Islands. It is learnt that in some of the central institutes under the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, the employees with professional qualifications like B.Sc (Agri) have been granted higher scale of pay.

I would, therefore, request you kindly to examine the above proposal and extend the enhanced pre-revised scale of pay of Rs. 5000 – 150 – 8000 (Pay Band 2 with Grade Pay of Rs. 4200) to the posts of Agricultural Assistants and Soil Conservation Assistants in the Agriculture Department of Andaman and Nicobar Administration in order to end the anomaly prevailing among the identical posts and, thus, render justice to the employees holding the above posts.

Action taken in the matter may please be intimated to this Association.

Yours faithfully,

(D. Ayyappan)

General Secretary

Cell: 9434260430

Copy to:

1. The Secretary (Agriculture & Cooperation), Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi – 1 with the request to take up the matter with the Ministry of Finance.

2. Comrade KKN Kutty, Secretary General, Confederation of Central Govt. Employees & Workers, A/2-95, Manishinath Bhavan, Rajouri Garden, New Delhi – 110 027 with the request to take up the matter with the authorities.

3. The Chief Secretary, A & N Administration, Port Blair.

General Secretary

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