Protest Rally on Water Scarcity

NGOs' ASSOCIATION

Organises

"PROTEST RALLY" on WATER SCARCITY

on 13th March 2012 at 5 p.m.

from Crusade House to Aberdeen Bazaar

JOIN US....

NGOs' Association observes International Women's Day

NON-GAZETTED GOVT. OFFICERS’ ASSOCIATION

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Observes

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

At 5 p.m. on 8^th March, 2012 (Thursday)

At Crusade House, Phoenix Bay, Port Blair

Women Employees are requested to attend the programme.

General Secretary

Letter sent to the Chief Secretary for filling up the posts of Assistant Secretary

                 3-3/CC/2012                     

                                                   05.03.2012

To

The Chief Secretary,

Andaman and Nicobar Administration,

Port Blair.

Sub: Filling up the posts of Assistant Secretary - regarding.

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

Sir,

              I draw your kind attention to the long delay occurred in the filling up of the vacant posts of Assistant Secretary/Asst. Director (Admn) under the Amalgamated Clerical Cadre of the Administration.  A few posts of Assistant Secretry/AD (Admn) have been lying vacant for the last several months but the promotion to the posts could not be made on one reason or other.                     

              While these posts are lying vacant, a number of eligible employees in the feeder post of Office Superintendent who have completed 35 – 37 years of service and waiting for a promotion, are knocking at the doors of the authorities concerned to expedite the process.  Some of them are going to retire within the next 2 – 3 months. 

              We have learnt that the DPC for considering the eligible candidates for the above posts have been conducted and necessary approval has been obtained for appointment from the competent authority a fortnight back, but the orders have not been issued so far.  A chain of promotions in the feeder posts are also affected adversely due to this delay. 

              Under the circumstances, I would request your goodself kindly to look into this matter and issue necessary instructions to the authorities concerned in this regard so that those retiring from service in the next 2 – 3 months will also get their due promotion.

Yours faithfully,

 sd/-

(D. Ayyappan)

General Secretary

Message from Secretary General on International Women's Day

It is 8th March –; the International Women’s Day that is being observed all over the world. The women who constitute half of the human population continue to be the victims of liberalization policies on the one hand and male chauvinism and feudalistic outlook in the society at large on the other. Even the so called economically liberated women are not fully liberated socially. The much talked about legislations on empowerment of women are yet to take off in our country ,despite campaigns unleashed by the enlightened women organisations in frequent intervals.

The women employees in different sectors, where their general problems are being tackled through the organised trade union movement, face several women specific problems on which the trade union leadership are not sensitised so far. The most serious problem that the women employees face and suffer silently is the sexual harassment by fellow workers in general and the officers in particular. Trade unions must take up this issue seriously and ensure that women committees as envisaged by the DOPT.

The women employees who constitute more than 20 to 40 percent depending upon the places of work, are yet to be unionised fully. Except for payment of union subscriptions and occasionally attending union conferences to elect the leaders of the associations and unions, seldom they are encouraged to take part in other day to day work of the trade unions.

There are States like West Bengal and Kerala where women organisations are constituted by the class conscious trade union movement. Such initiatives are needed elsewhere also. Even in All India Federations and Associations such Mahila Committees are only in the formative stages.

Taking into all these aspects, the Confederation called upon the Affiliates to organise women Committees. The Confederation convened its all India Women meet at Kolkata. The Kolkata convention elected an all India Women Committee. The said Committee has been mandated to bring about such committees all over the country..

The International Women’s Day is coming up in this particular backdrop. The All India Women Sub- Committee headed by Comrades Gita Ghoshal Chair Person and C.P.Shobana Convenor has already called upon the entirety of the Confederation Affiliates to organise special women conventions, seminars and other types of organisational activities with specific reference to mobilisation of women employees working in CG Departments.

Confederation Headquarters calls upon the State Committees and the Affiliates of Confederation to observe the International Women’s Day on March 8th in a befitting manner by implementing the call of the Women Committee of Confederation.

With International Women’s Day Greetings

K.K.N.Kutty
Secretary General

NGOs' Association demands exemption of ISDA from Income Tax

News Item

The Non-Gazetted Government Officers’ Association, Andaman and Nicobar Islands has demanded exemption of Islands Special Duty Allowance (ISDA) from the income tax calculation of government employees working in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In a letter sent to the Chairman, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), Ministry of Finance, Government of India, New Delhi, Shri D. Ayyappan, General Secretary of the Association said that government employees working in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are being paid Island Special Duty Allowance ranging from 12 ½% to 25% depending upon the area of posting. This Allowance was introduced to compensate for the unfavourable working condition under which the government employees are working here. Due to unfavourable climatic condition, backwardness, high cost of living prevailing here, etc were some of the grounds for accepting the demand for this Allowance by the Govt. of India.

He has pointed out that this Allowance has been included in the taxable income while calculating income tax. Though this Allowance can be classified as compensatory in nature taking into account the high cost of living and other unsuitable conditions prevailing in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the same has not yet been excluded from the taxable income. He further pointed out that defence personnel posted in these islands are exempted from paying income tax on this Allowance.

Hence, he demanded to examine this matter and exempt the Island Special Duty Allowance from Income Tax treating this Allowance as compensatory in nature, which will be of great relief to thousands of government employees working in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

More Pics on MASS DHARNA

Mass Dharna - Overwhelming response from the employees & workers

PRESS STATEMENT

In support of the nation-wide Strike by central trade unions today (28.02.2012), CITU, BMS

and AICCTU and Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers’ Association jointly organized mass demonstration, mass dharna and procession at different parts of Andaman and Nicobar Islands to protest against various anti-working class policies being pursued by the central government. At Port Blair, a Mass Dharna was held at Tiranga Park from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in which workers of trade unions and Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers’ Association participated. Later in the evening, a procession was

taken out from Tiranga Park to Secretariat at 4 p.m. in which BSNL Employees Uni

on also participated. At the Secretariat gate, the gathering was addressed by leaders of unions and Association. B. Chandrachoodan (CITU), Shri M. Sadasivan and NKP Nair (AICCTU), Shri M. Veeranna (BMS) and Shri D. Ayyappan and Sadanand Rai (NGOs’ Association) led the Mass Dharna, procession, etc.

At Diglipur, a day-long Mass Dharna was organized in front of the Civil Station which was led by Shri Ashokan, Shri Rajesh Dung Dung and Shri Madan Das. At Mayabunder, a mass demonstration was held in front of the Dy Commissioner’s office which was led by Shri Jagat Ram and Shri Ajay Kumar of NGOs’ Association. At Billiground, a procession was taken out in the evening at Billiground Bazar which culiminated in the public meeting. Addressing the gathering, Shri Tapan Bepari, CPI (M) leader demanded immediate halt to the anti-working class policies being pursued by the central government. He further demanded immediate regularization of all the daily-rated and temporary status workers working in various departments under the Administration. The programme was led by Shri S. Bawali, Shri Mritunjay Biswas and Shri SR Mirdha.

At Rangat, a mass demonstration was held in front of the Tehsildar Office which was led by Shri Deepak Karmakar and Shri Solairaj of NGOs’ Association. At Kadamtala, a massive demonstration was held in front of the Govt. Sr. Secondary School, Kadamtala in which a large number of government employees and workers participated which was led by Shri PL Paik, Shri KL Howlader and Shri Probir Bhattacharya of NGOs’ Association.

At Little Andaman, a huge procession of government employees and workers of Forest & Plantation Development Corporation Ltd. was taken out at Hut Bay Bazar. Shri R. Reji and Shri M Nookaraj led the programme.

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

Mass Dharna by NGOs' Association

At the Call of Confederation of Central Govt. Employees & Workers, New Delhi for the historical strike to be organised 0n 28th February, 2012 by various Central trade unions including INTUC & BMS against the present economic policies of the Government of India, which had been adversely impacting the standard of living of the working people of the country,
the NGOs' Association, Andaman and Nicobar Islands is also organising 01 day "MASS DHARNA" in support on 28th February 2012 at Tiranga Park (09.00 a.m. to 04.00 p.m.). This will e followed by a Mass Procession from Tiranga Park to Secretariat.


All the govt employees working are requested to join the Mass Dharna & Procession.

General Secretary

Charter of Demands

Charter of demands.

PART-A.

1) Concrete measures to contain price rise

2) Concrete measures for linkage of employment protection with the concession/incentive package offered to the entrepreneurs,

3) Strict enforcement of all basic labour laws without any exception or exemption and stringent punitive measures for violation of labour laws.

4) Universal social security cover for the unorganized sector workers without any restriction

5) Creation of a National Social Security Fund with adequate resources in line with the recommendation, of NCEUS and Parliamentary Standing Committees on Labour, Stoppage of disinvestment in Central and State PSUs, the Central Trade Unions also demand immediate action by the Govt. of India to en sure:-

6) No Contractorisatlon of work of permanent/perennial nature and payment of wages and benefits to the contract workers at the same rate as available to the regular workers of the Industry/establishment

7) Amendment of Minimum Wages Act to ensure universal coverage irrespective of the schedules and fixation of statutory minimum wage at not less than Rs 10,000/-,

8) Remove the ceilings on payment and eligibility of Bonus, Provident Fund; Increase the quantum of gratuity.

9) Scrap PFRDA Bill/New Pension Scheme; Ensure pension for all.

10) Compulsory registration of trade unions within a period of 45 days and immediate ratification of ILO conventions 67 and 96.

PART-B

1.Stop downsizing, outsourcing, contractorisation, coporatorisation and privatization of Governmental functions

2. Fill up all vacant posts and create posts on functional requirements

3. Revise wages of CGEs with effect from 1.1.2011 and every five years thereafter.

4. Regularize the GDS, daily rated workers, contingent and casual workers by brining about a definite scheme of regularization.

5. Remove restriction imposed on compassionate appointment ( end the discrimination on compassionate appointment between the Railway workers and other CGEs)

6. Stop the move to introduce the productivity linked wage system; Performance related pay; introduce PLB to in all Departments; remove the ceiling of emoluments for bonus computation.
7. Settle all items of anomalies (including the MACP related anomalies) raised in the National and Departmental Anomaly committees within a fixed time frame of two months; set up the anomaly committees in those Departments where it has not been set up till date with the Standing Committee members of the National Council; convene the meeting of the Departmental Council in all Ministries/Department once in three month as envisaged in the JCM Scheme
8. Make the right to strike a legal right and stop curtailment of T.U. rights
9. Implement all arbitration awards
10. Raise the interest rate for GPF. Revise the OTA and Night duty allowance and stitching and clothing rates of uniforms
11. Merge DA with Pay for all purposes including pension as and when the DA rates croses the 50% mark.
12. Vacate all Trade Union victimizations.

Memorandum submitted to Hon'ble Home Minister, Shri P.Chidambaram

Shri D. Ayyappan, General Secretary of the Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers’ Association presented a Memorandum to Shri P. Chidambaram, Hon’ble Home Minister, Govt. of India, at Raj Nivas, Port Blair on 21.12.2012. In the Memorandum, the Association demanded that a grievances redressal mechanism may be set up for discussion and settlement of the problems of government employees working under the A & N Administration.

The Association demanded that a Regional Council of the Joint Consultative Machinery (JCM) under the Home Ministry may be set up for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands till a permanent redressal mechanism is established in these islands.

The Association further demanded that air subsidy may be granted for the air travel between Port Blair and mainland, as existed in the north eastern region, considering the fact that these islands are lying far away from the mainland.

The Association further demanded that the Pay of Lower Grade Clerks and Higher Grade Clerks working under the A & N Administration may be enhanced considering the higher responsibilities and duties of these categories of employees as compared to their counterparts in the Central Secretariat Services.

The Association has also demanded that Island Special Duty Allowance (ISDA) may be granted to the teachers during summer vacation as denial of the same to the teachers in the islands is unjust and illegal. The Association has further demanded that upgraded Grade Pay under Part B of the CCS (Revised Pay) Rules, 2008 may be extended to Headmasters, Librarians, Physical Education Teachers, Craft Instructors, etc. working under the Education Department of the A & N Administration. It was pointed out by the Association that the above categories of teachers in Puducherry, Delhi, etc. have been extended the Part B upgraded Grade Pay.