Convention to protest against PFRDA Bill

NON-GAZETTED GOVT. OFFICERS' ASSOCIATION

ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS

Holds

Convention at 4 p.m. on 05.11.2011 (Saturday)

at Hotel ACC, Mohanpura, Port Blair

To protest against Pension Fund Regulatory & Development

Authority (PFRDA) Bill

All are requested to attend.

Discussion on Summer Vacation

The representatives of NGOs' Association have been invited by the Directorate of Education for the discussion on the forthcoming Summer Vacation - 2012. The discussion will be held on 29.10.2011 at 10 a.m. in the Shiksha Sadan, Port Blair.

HAPPY DEEPAWALI

Minutes of the meeting with Commisioner-cum-Secretary(Education), Shri B.S.Bhalla

A delegation of the Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers’ Association led by its General Secretary D. Ayyappan met the Commissioner-cum-Secretary (Edn) on 13th October, 2011. The following issues were discussed:

1. Regularisation of adhoc services from initial appointments: It was pointed out by the Association that about 300 to 400 cases are pending for regularization of adhoc services from initial appointments. General Secretary explained in detail the reasons for resorting to adhoc appointments by the Education Department. The Association informed the Commr-cum-Secy that services of those teachers who went to the court were regularized from their initial dates of appointments. Others who by reposing their faith on the department did not go for litigation and, thus, remained deprived of the benefit. It was further stated that even some of the cases in which the Court had given direction to the Department to examine it are also pending with the Education Department. Most of these affected teachers have furnished their detailed information along with copies of orders, on the basis of which the department has prepared a list. However, the slow progress of work caused resentment among the teachers. After hearing both the Director of Education and the Association delegation, the Commr-cum-Secy directed the Director of Education to submit the proposal to the Administration within one month – 45 days.

2. Extending Part B Grade pay to Headmasters, PSRTs, PETs, Librarians, CIs, etc: The General Secretary presented the issue in detail. The above categories of teachers and miscellaneous teachers were given the Part B upgraded Grade Pay in all other UTs, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, Navodaya Vidyalaya Schools, Railway School, etc. etc. while the same was denied to the teachers in A & N Islands due to the unfavourable interpretation of rules by those in the Administration and Finance Department and the failure of the Education Department to convince the Admn and Finance. The matter is now pending with the Govt. of India. General Secretary informed the meeting about the efforts made by him during his last two visits to Delhi to get it processed early in the Ministries of Govt. of India. The Commr-cum-Secretary assured the delegation that an Assistant Director of Education will be deputed to Delhi to pursue this matter.

3. Island Special Duty Allowance to teachers during summer vacation: Commr-cum-Secy was informed that ISDA is not being paid to teachers during summer vacation due to the anti-employee stand taken by the Finance Department. It was pointed out in the meeting by the Association that summer vacation is deemed as duty under FR 82 (b) as per the clarification given by the Ministry of Finance during 1970. So, the teachers are eligible for ISDA during summer vacation. Since the matter is pending with the Govt. of India, the Commr (Edn) desired that we should wait for a decision from the Govt. of India.

4. Treating Transfer as “On Request”: The Association informed the Commr-cum-Secy (Edn) that in a number of transfer cases, the transfers of teachers who have completed their tenure in a particular zone, are treated as “On Request” thereby depriving them of the transfer benefits including Joining Time. Director of Education stated that it was done due to non-availability of funds. This was strongly opposed by the Association. The Commr-cum-Secretary (Edn) directed that transfer of all those teachers who have completed their tenure in the respective area and which were made “On Request” should be revised.
(All the affected teachers should submit their representation to the Director of Education to modify the transfer orders. In case of any difficulty in preparing the application, they can approach the office bearers of the Association at Crusade House, Phoenix Bay between 6 p.m. and 8.30 p.m - General Secretary)

5. Early declaration of summer vacation -2012: The Association delegation requested the Commr-cum-Secy (Edn) to declare the summer vacation schedule so that teachers who wish to proceed to mainland for visiting home town, for medical treatment and other purposes can book their tickets early. He assured the delegation that a decision in this matter will be taken as soon as possible.

The other members of the Association delegation were TS Sreekumar, Asst. General Secretary and office bearers of the South Andaman Teachers Branch of the Association HL Prasad, AK Sharma, GP Mondal and SL Vinjit. Dr R. Devdas, Director of Education was also present in the meeting.

Delegation of NGOs' Association meets the Commissioner-cum-Secretary (Education)

Soon the minutes of the meeting will be uploaded...

Extend NFSG to HGCs & Stenographers

PRESS STATEMENT

Shri D.Ayyappan, General Secretary, Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers' Association recently met the Chief Secretary, A & N Administration and requested him to take up the demand of the Association to extend the Non-functional Selection Grade (NFSG) in the Grade Pay of Rs. 4200/- to all those Higher Grade Clerks and Stenographers (OG) who have completed 5 years of service in their respective post as has been done in the case of Central Secretariat Staff of the Govt. of India, with the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Finance. The General Secretary informed the Chief Secretary that there is widespread stagnation among the Clerical Cadre Staff under the A & N Administration. He had also stated that the demand of the Confederation of Central Govt. Employees & Workers, New Delhi and the Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers' Association to upgrade the pay of Lower Grade Clerk and Higher Grade Clerk has not been considered favorably either by the Sixth Central Pay Commission or the Govt. of India. The Chief Secretary agreed to take up the demand of grant of NFSG to HGCs and Stenographer (OG) with the Govt. of India.

Sd/-

(D.Ayyappan)

NGOs’ Association Delegation Meets DAB

A delegation of the Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers’ Association met the Director of Accounts & Budget, A & N Islands on 8^th October, 2011 and discussed with him the following issues:

1. Delay in settling pension cases: The Association delegation drew the attention of DAB to the undue delay in settling the pension cases of government employees. DAB informed that the delay occurs in the offices of the DDOs concerned. DDOs fail to submit the pension cases in time. Only a minimum period of 10 – 15 days are required to process the pension cases in the PAO. However, he agreed to issue one more Circular to all the DDOs/Heads of Offices in this regard.

2. Delay in transferring GPF Account from one station to other on transfer of employees: DAB informed that insufficient information in the application for transfer of GPF accounts leads to delay in transrerring the account. He stated that information like name of DDO from where the last salary was drawn should be invariably written in the application for transfer of accounts.

3. Extending the Part B Grade Pay to HM, PET, Librarian, etc.: DAB stated that if an order is issued by the Administration, they will honour it and the benefit can be extended to the above categories of teachers.

4. ISDA to teachers during summer vacation: General Secretary of the Association took strong exception to the manner in which the Finance Department of the Administration objected to the grant of ISDA during summer vacation to teachers. He made it clear that despite unambiguous orders of the Govt. of India, the Finance Deptt is putting hurdles on this issue and requested the DAB to have a re-look on the issue.

5. Payment of Salary through Banks: The Director, Accounts & Budget made it clear that no instructions has been issued either by the PAO or by the administration in this regard. Employees, except DRMs, are free to receive their salary either through cash or bank.

The delegation of the Association consisted of D.Ayyappan, General Secretary, Sadanand Rai, Vice President, T.S. Sreekumar, Asst. Gen. Secretary and G.Sujathan, Org. Secretary of the Central Committee. H.L.Prasad, Vice President & Venkat Rama Rao, Secretary of the South Andaman Teachers' Branch.

Illegal and arbitrary press statement by State Bank, Regional Manager

3-3/CC/2011 03.10.2011

To

The Chief Secretary,

Andaman and Nicobar Administration,

Port Blair.

Sub: Illegal and arbitrary press statement issued by Regional Manager, SBI, Port Blair – regarding.

----------

Sir,

I am to invite your kind attention to a news item titled “All Govt. Employees to get salaries through banks from Oct. 1” appeared in The Daily Telegrams on 30th September, 2011, a copy of which is enclosed herewith for your kind reference. While talking to The Daily Telegrams, Shri Gautam Roy, Regional Manager, State Bank of India has stated that “From October 1st, 2011 onwards, salaries to all government employees as also other payments to beneficiaries of government schemes and the scholarship amount admissible to students, will be paid through banks via their respective accounts in all the three districts of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.” He goes on to say that “As per the directives of government of India, Ministry of Finance, all the payment of salaries to the employees of the Andaman & Nicobar Administration will be made through bank accounts with effect from this Saturday.”

The above statement made by the Regional Manager, SBI has created utter confusion among the government employees and workers and among the government departments under the Administration. We have been informed by the sources in the Administration and the Director of Accounts & Budget that no instruction has been issued either by the Govt. of India or the A & N Administration to stop cash payment of salary to the government employees working under the Andaman and Nicobar Administration from 1st October, 2011.

We failed to understand as to how the Regional Manager of the SBI can decide upon the mode of payment of salary to the government employees working under the A & N Administration. Such irresponsible and uncalled for statement by the Regional Manager, SBI should not be allowed to go un-condemned.

In this connection, I draw your kind attention to the difficulties being faced by the government employees and workers who opted for bank payment of salary during the last few days due to failure of communication links, non-functioning of ATMs and long queues in the banks. Most of the rural areas in the islands are yet to be provided with bank/ATM facilities and government employees working in those areas will face difficulties for getting their salary/wages through banks.

I would, therefore, request you kindly to advise the Regional Manager, SBI, Port Blair not to make such irresponsible statements which will create unrest among the government employees and workers working under the Administration.

(D. Ayyappan)

General Secretary

Cell: 9434260430

World Action Day

03rd October 2011 is observed as International Action Day. On this ocassion the Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers' Association is organising a meeting at 4.30 p.m. at the conference hall of Hotel ACC. All are requested to attend the meeting.

WE DEMAND

1. Public Social Security for all.

2. Collective bargaining - Collective agreements.

3. Trade Unions & Democratic Freedoms.

4. 35 hours of work - 07 hours per day for 5 days of working week. - better wages

5. Solidarity with the Palestenian people.