Dear Comrades,
Placed hereunder is the circular letter issued by the Central JCA as also the communication sent to the Chairman, CBDT intimating him of the postponement of the strike action.
JOINT COUNCIL OF ACTION
Income Tax Employees Federation and
Income Tax Gazetted Officers Association,
Manishinath Bhawan, A/2/95 Rajouri Garden, New Delhi - 110 027.
Cell: 9869477401 Telefax: 25131593 Email: itef@sify.com/secgenrm@yahoo.co.in
M/12/2009 Dated : 09th September, 2009
Dear Comrade,
The Central JCA decided to postpone the one day token strike scheduled for 09.09.2009 i.e. today, by one month.
The Central JCA will meet within 15 days to review the status of the pending issues, decide upon the next date of strike and the future course of action.
The representatives of the Central JCA met the Member (P) and Chairman, CBDT on 08/09/2009 to have another round of negotiations on the Common Charter of Demands. We give here under a brief resume of the discussions and the outcome thereof :
1. Exam-related issues :
a) Negative marking being a necessary ingredient of any objective test examination will
remain. However, it will now be only a nominal reduction of one mark for every 8 wrong answers.
b) SC/ST candidates will have opportunity to rewrite the exam to improve their marks.
c) The Office Procedure paper will be removed from the examination for ITOs.
d) Clarificatory order will be issued on grant of advance increments on passing the departmental examinations (for those who have passed prior to 01.01.2006) immediately and for those who have cleared after 01.01.2006 within a few days. The distinction between prior and after 01.01.2006 has to be made in view of the merger of pay scales of senior TAs, OS, Steno Gr.II and Steno Gr.I.
e) The definition of partially qualified candidates to cover all those who are qualified even in one single paper out of the four core papers have already been issued.
2. Issues relating to 1% incremental incentive :
a) Orders to ensure that the mobile phones in a range are to be allotted to non-gazetted employees have been issued. The question of extending it to all the employees who are deployed in operational sections will be decided and orders will be issued after the proposed meeting of Addl. Commissioners of I.T.(HQrs.) scheduled to be held on 17/18th September, 2009. The Order also states that Mobile phones that will be remaining will be allotted to ITOs and above, in that order.
b) Board will consider the demand for providing laptop computers to PSs/DPAs and Administrative Officers in the light of the recommendations of the DG (Systems).
3. BPR outsourcing will be in consonance with the agreement already entered into between the JCA and the Board. The Chairman and the concerned member will visit Bangalore and will look into any violation thereof and cause discussion with the JCA representatives to resolve the issue.
4. Grade Pay for Inspectors :
It was reported that the Expenditure department has conveyed to the Secretary (Revenue) the outcome of discussions the representative of Federations in CBDT and CBEC had with them earlier. The Chairman and the Member(P) will meet Secretary (Exp.) within the next 10 days after interacting with the Sec.(Revenue). If no settlement is brought about the issue will be taken up by the Board with the Finance Minister.
5. Grade Pay for AO & PS :
These grades are not exclusive to Income Tax or Dept. of Revenue. As other Ministries and Depts also have AOs & PS, they form the common category and the matter is under the consideration of Dept of Expenditure. Board will pursue the matter with the Govt. for an early resolution.
6. Grade Pay of 5400 to ITOs after 4 years :
The Principal Controller of Accounts (CBDT) has been appraised of the background in which the DG(HRD) has issued clarification grade pay of Rs. 5400/- to ITOs who have completed 4 years of service reckoned with reference to the date of their promotion. The CIT (Co-ordn.) will discuss the said issue with the Chief Controller of Accounts further to ensure that appropriate instructions are issued to ZAOs to stay the recovery.
7. Promotion to the grade of ACIT/DCIT/Jt. CIT :
All formalities required to hold the DPC for Asst. Commissioner (R.Y.-2009-10) will be completed within a month. Similarly, Promotion to the grade of DCIT (as on 01.01.2009) will be issued within a fortnight. Letter for relaxation to fill up vacancy in the grade of Jt.CIT will be sent within 1 week.
8. Issues relating to vindictive action :
The suspension of officers in Madhya Pradesh for the alleged charge of assessment getting barred by limitation of time would be reviewed with a view to revoke the suspension on getting the report of the DI(Vig.), in the matter.
9. The DG (Systems) have agreed to provide Desktop computers to all Gr.C employees once the proposal for offline processing of returns is implemented.
10. Supreme Court's interim order on inter-se seniority of Inspectors will be given effect to in the case of the petitioners.
11. The JCA representatives will meet the Chairman/Member(P) once in a week to expedite the issue.
The decision to postpone the strike action could be conveyed to the Chairman, CBDT at 6.00 pm., as the discussions with various authorities went on upto 4.30 p.m. We have taken efforts to convey the decision to all the field formations through SMS as also by placing a brief message on our website of ITEF. We are fully aware of the fact it would be difficult for our circle leadership to inform the members and consequently those who could not be accessed with the message may not attend the office on 09.09.2009. It has been assured by the Chairman & Member (P) that the absence of such members will not be treated as absence.
We take this opportunity to congratulate all our comrades for the excellent preparations made for the successful conduct of the strike action. It may kindly be noted that the postponed strike action would take place in the 3rd week of October 2009, if the agreement reached is not translated into tangible orders. This would become all the more necessary if the issue concerning the grant of higher grade pay to Inspectors/AO/ PS, is not settled even though we are convinced that the Board and the Secretary (Revenue) do make strenuous efforts in our favour.
With Greeting especially on the eve of Pooja and Diwali festivals and assuring of our united efforts in pursuing the demands through joint struggles.
Yours comradely,
SD/-
(Ashok Salunkhe) (Rajesh Menon)
Joint Conveners
Copy of Central JCA's letter addressed to the Chairman, CBDT dated 8th September, 2009
Sub: Deferring of the Strike scheduled to be held on 09/09/2009 – reg.
Sir,
We solicit your kind reference to the discussions held yesterday i.e. 08/09/2009 in your chamber at 12.15 PM & 06.00 PM. Your honour was kind enough to assure positive efforts to resolve the issues in a judicious manner and towards this, weekly meeting with your good self and with Member (P) during your absence, was also agreed to.
In response to your positive gestures, the JCA has decided to defer the proposed strike action by one month. In the meanwhile, we implore upon your goodself to issue necessary directions to the concerned authorities/officials to translate the assurances in to tangible orders, for ensuring a congenial atmosphere in the offices across the country.
The JCA will be having a meeting in the last week of September 2009 to review the progress on all the pending issues decide on further course of action, if needed.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
SD/-
(Ashok Salunkhe) (Rajesh Menon)
Joint Conveners
Ashok B. Salunkhe,