This blog is meant for use by members of the Association for news and views. Send comments / suggestions / views to e-mail Id: aiaipasp.ors@gmail.com

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Circle Secretary writes & meets (Acting) Chief PMG

The Circle Secretary accompanied by the Circle President met Sri A K Dash, Chief PMG (acting) on 28.05.2008 on matters relating to ACP, transfers & postings and Adhoc promotion of IPs to ASP Cadre. A written communication was also handed over to him. A copy of the communication is reproduced below for information of members.
__________________________________________________________
No.AIAIPASP/Corr-2/5-08
Dated 28.05.2008

To
Sri A K Dash
Chief Postmaster General
Orissa Circle
Bhubaneswar 751001

Sub: Request for looking into the problems of IPs/ASPs relating to promotions and transfers

Respected Sir,
The Association congratulates you on your taking charge of Chief PMG, Orissa and wishes your continuance as such for a longer period so that a lot of developments in the Circle could take place under your able and dynamic leadership.
This Association sincerely hopes that your goodself will look into some of the burning problems of the IPs/ASPs as mentioned below to provide them some relief from the feeling of demotivation which the cadre is suffering from for quite some time now due to continued neglect of the cadre.
1) Promotion of eligible IPs under ACP which has not been done for last two and a half years.
2) Consideration of representations of ASPS in HQ Region for change of place of postings
3) Representations of a few IPs/ASPs of Berhampur and Sambalpur Regions for inter-region transfers. The concerned IPs/ASPs are ready to forgo TA/TP if their request is accommodated.
4) Ad hoc promotion of IP to ASP Cadre linked with the vacancies on account of promotion of IPs/ASPs to the cadre of PS Gr.B.
With regards,
Yours faithfully,
Sd-
(B B Mohanty)
Circle Secretary

Friday, May 23, 2008

Reply from GS on the question of posting of Chief PMG in Orissa

The reply from GS is reproduced below for information.
"Dear Mr.BB Mohanty,
The file relating to promotion and posting of Chief PMG is pending with PMO. I have spoken to Member (P). Hope it will be cleared very soon.
S.SamuelGS"

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Specimen Authorisation letter for downloading and use


Bulletin No.3 for urgent attention of our members

Bhubaneswar
20.05.2008

Dear Friends,
After a reasonably longer gap of time I am writing to you individually. I have been in the role of Circle Secretary of the Association for 6-7 months. Several events have taken place in the meantime. The changes in different spheres and occasions take place so fast and so frequently that if it is difficult to communicate everything through letter / bulletin on every such occasion. The Circle Secretary has no secretarial assistance to issue communications by post as frequently as the situation demands. On the other hand, the need for making every member of our Association informed of the developments in various fields is also felt unavoidable. In such a situation, information through electronic means is considered the most convenient way. I had requested in the past to communicate e-mail Id of every member to me so that I could pass on the news/information very easily and quickly. But only a very few members have communicated their e-mail Ids. I used to send messages to all such e-mail Ids. I am still waiting for the e-mail Ids of the rest of the members which may be communicated (to the e-mail Id of the Association i.e. aiaipasp.ors@gmail.com) by all concerned as early as possible.

Now, at every Sub-Divisional and Divisional Headquarters there is at least one computerized post office having internet facility. It is expected that the members of our cadre will acquire knowledge about working on computer and internet through their own effort and own interest as early possible. The sooner all members of our Association know working on computer, the better for themselves and for the Department.

To have an easy flow of information as and when any noteworthy event / news take place, I have created a blog (akin to a website but it is absolutely free of any charge) of the Circle Branch of our Association. The address of the blog is as follows:
aiaiasporissa.blogspot.com
Connecting to internet the blogspot can be visited /browsed as frequently as desired. You can verify from the blog that I am regularly posting important news about our Association and the Circle. If you have not visited the blog already, I would request you to take a tour to the blog right now. You can post your comments against every piece of news posted on the blog.

As already mentioned, there are a number of events/ news that have taken place since the last bulletin was issued to you. The notables among them are as follows:
All India Conference of the Association was held in Kolkata on 23-25 January 2008. Sri S B Mahapatra who is the pride of this Circle has been re-elected as the CHQ President.
The Sixth Pay Commission has submitted its report on 24.03.2008. The report is being reviewed by a Group of Secretaries to Govt of India, headed by the Cabinet Secretary. Our General Secretary has already submitted representation meant for Anomaly Committee justifying a demand of pre-revised scale of Rs.6500-10500 for IPs and Rs.7500-12000 for ASPs.
Transfers and postings in IP and ASP Cadres in all the Regions of the Circle have been made. Promotion and postings of PS Gr.B & Gr.A (JTS) have also made.
Orissa Circle has become headless without a regular CPMG w.e.f 04.08.2007. The CPMG West Bengal Circle is holding additional charge of Orissa, The Chief PMG Haryana Circle was shown posted to Orissa but he managed to get his posting in Punjab canceling his posting orders to Orissa. Now Sri A K Dash, PMG Sambalpur is holding current charge of CPMG as Sri S Sarkar CPMG WB Circle (who was holding additional charge of Orissa) has proceeded on leave for one month w.e.19.05.2008.
In the meantime, the next issue of Postal Inspector from CHQ is expected to be received soon. Softcopy of the PI has been received and circulated through e-mail to those who had communicated their e-mail address. As the PI contains news on important issues in detail, I am not going to repeat the same here again.

I have been observing for quite long time now that the administration is very insensitive to the problems of the IP & ASP Cadre. When it comes to extracting work from the cadre, the administration leaves no stone unturned but when genuine problems of the cadre are brought to notice for solution, the administration turns a blind eye. Personally I feel frustrated and agitated by the attitude of the administration towards our cadre. I have written a letter to Sri S Sarkar, CPMG with copy to Regional PMsG on 12.05.2008 bringing to their notice the grievances of our cadre for redressal. Judging by the attitude of the administration I am quite skeptical about getting the solution to the problem. I am of the view that time has come to reconsider our commitment to the various nature of duties entrusted to us and to prepare ourselves to rise against the indifferent attitude of the administration through suitable agitational measures to register our protest through peaceful means and Gandhian methods. This is necessary as we have enough of prayers and petitions in the past without any worthwhile result. We have to shed our practice of acting as deaf and dumb and to get ourselves prepared to unitedly face any eventuality that may happen as a consequence. This is because; the promotion to the cadre of PS Gr.B is no more as attractive as it was used to be in the past. The proverbial Damocles’ sword always hangs over the head of present day Superintendent who now finds his job increasingly difficult with recurring shortage of manpower. For having a discussion on all the issues that affect our cadre by neglect of the administration, I am going to convene a CWC meeting shortly. It is time we stood united and faced the situation as it comes with courage and determination otherwise our cadre will suffer like anything.
Friends, as per the directions issued by the Directorate, a membership verification drive is undertaken to be completed positively before 10.06.2008 by production of authorisation letter to DDOs in the prescribed pro-forma(specimen attached). We have to complete the drive any how by the given time frame or else the credentials of our Association will be at stake which is not at all desirable. There might be some personal reasons for some members of our Association for feeling aggrieved but distancing oneself from the activities of the Association will not help. The Association provides a platform for every member of the IP/ASP Cadre to ventilate the grievances of the cadre as a whole. To ensure this, there is need for every member of the cadre to participate actively in the activities of the Association and stand solidly behind the Circle leadership to follow and implement the decision taken collectively. I will always need your active co-operation and participation in the affairs of the Association to make the Association stronger and stronger.

Two copies of the authorization letter are attached. You are requested to return the same duly filled in and signed as early as possible to enable me to send the same to your DDO by the deadline fixed by the Department.

Previously, I had appealed to send donations of Rs100/- each for the All India conference of our Association against the coupons sent to you. The amount is yet to be received from a number of our members. To recoup the amount already paid to the host Circle, there is need to get the collection from the members who have not sent the amount so far. I would appeal to them to send the amount as early as possible. The names of the members who have paid the amount will be displayed in the blog shortly. You can check up your name there if you have paid it.

Seeking your active co-operation and support always,
Sincerely yours,

B B Mohanty
Circle Secretary

Monday, May 19, 2008

Arrangement in the place of Chief PMG, Orissa

As Sri S Sarkar, Chief PMG, WB Circle (who was holding additional charge of Orissa) has proceeded on leave for one month w.e.f 19.05.2008, Sri A K Dash, PMG Sambalpur Region has held the current charge of Chief PMG Orissa with effect from 19.05.2008 until further orders.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Orissa Postal Circle is headless again

Sri P R Kumar who was posted as Chief PMG Orissa some days ago is now posted as Chief PMG Punjab Circle. The Chief PMG WB Circle has been ordered to hold additional charge of Orissa Circle as usual.

Filling up of post IP Bhadrak West Sub-Division by transfer

Sri B M Das Mohapatra, IP(PG) Bhadrak Division has been posted as IP Bhadrak West Sub -Division in the place vacated by Sri Parameswar Naik in the chain of tenure transfer.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Transfer & Postings in PS Gr.B in Sambalpur Region

It is learnt that Sri Kandarpa Naik, SRM K Divn Jharsuguda has been posted as SPOs, Dhenkanal in place of Sri L K Sethi promoted to JTS Grade and posted as SSPOs, Sundargarh. Sri B G Satapathy earlier posted as SPOs, Sambalpur Division is now posted as SRM K Divn Jaharsuguda in place of Sri Kandarpa Naik transferred.

Local problems of IPs & ASPs in Orissa Circle - Circle Secretary writes to Chief PMG

The letter written by the Circle Secretary to Sri S Sarkar, Chief PMG on 12.05.2008 (sent to Kolkata by Fax on 12.05.2008) is reproduced below:

Respected Sir,

The Association begs to bring to your kind notice the following major problems of IPs and ASPs in Orissa Circle for your kind information and remedial action.

1. A number of IPs are due to get promotion under ACP but no orders have been issued since January 2006. The cadre of IPs is suffering for about last two and a half years without getting the due financial benefit under ACP which is a time-bound promotion scheme. IP is the only cadre which has been left out of this timely benefit. Correspondences made and items taken as agenda in the periodical meetings from the side of the Association have little effect. It is mentioned that as the CPMG who is the chairperson of the promotion committee is not physically present in Orissa, the case continues to remain pending though the internal process is complete. It is still not known how long it will take to get the benefit.

2. As per Directorate letter No.28-6/88-Bldg dated 29.04.2005 circulated under CO, Bhubaneswar on 05.05.05, Sub-Divisional offices are required to function in suitable departmental accommodation and if suitable accommodation cannot be provided in departmental buildings, the private accommodation can be taken on rent in the same manner as for Sub Offices. Directorate has fixed 180 sft as the standard of accommodation for Sub-Divisional offices. But in Orissa Circle a good number of sub-divisional offices have been compulsorily shifted to sub-standard, congested and unsuitable departmental accommodation, particularly in Berhampur and Sambalpur Regions. Instruction issued from Circle Office again vide letter No. Bldg/5-4/2002 Pt-I dated 13.12.2007 to Divisional heads to provide suitable accommodation as per standard fixed have not been complied with. The matter was brought to the notice of the Regional PMsG of Berhampur and Sambalpur through agenda in the periodical meeting. But the problem continues to remain unsolved.

3. With shifting of Sub-Divisional offices to departmental accommodation from the residences of Sub-Divional IPs & ASPs, the telephone hitherto available in the residences of Sub-divisional offices have been shifted to departmental accommodation. As the Sub-Divisional IPs & ASPs remain away from their offices on tour in connection with their outdoor duty the telephone provided to them in their offices are of little use. To cope with the nature of assigned duty, the IPs & ASPs depend on use of mobile phones incurring a substantial amount. For this reason, the Association has been repeatedly requesting for enhancing the limit of re-imbursement of telephone charges to Rs.750/- per month to cover the expenses of both landline and mobile telephones as has been done in the Circles like WB, AP and Tamilnadu. We are awaiting favourable orders for quite a long time now. But there is no end to the wait. When the matter is discussed in periodical meetings with the administration, the functional and operational justification for provision of residential phone and for enhancement of the limit is questioned. It is not understood how the AAOs in Orissa are having the operational / functional justification to get re-imbursement of expenses of residential telephone upto Rs.848/- per month but the IPs and ASPs, particularly in Sub-Divisions where they are undertaking administrative and supervisory functions over about one hundred post offices to implement the plan and policies of the Department besides attending to the work related to PLI/RPLI/Mutual Funds etc. have either no justification or have limited justification to claim the reimbursement only in selective cases upto Rs.286/- per month (which has been temporarily enhanced to Rs.500/- per month in HQ region but not followed by Divisional heads in majority of the cases on different pretext). Further, it is not understood how the IPs/ASPs in West Bengal Circle (whose CPMG is holding additional charge of Orissa) besides Tamilnadu, Jharkhand Circles - to name a few, are having functional and operational justification to get re-imbursement of residential telephone upto the limit of Rs.750/- per month and their counterpart Orissa are not entitled for it. In Orissa, the instruction have even been interpreted to deny the already permitted facility of re-imbursement of mobile telephone charges within the overall limit of Rs.500/- in majority of the cases. It is mentioned that that the matter like re-imbursement mobile phone charges and enhancement of the ceiling thereof has been left for the decision in the CMC meeting but no CMC meeting has been held for long time now.

4. Because of the sincere effort made by the IPs/ASPs, the Circle has done a record RPLI business of more than 142% ( Rs.426 Crore) of the target in 2007-08 and a record Mutual Fund business of more than Rs.22 Crore against the internal target of Rs.20 crore for the year 2007-08. But when the performance of the IPs /ASPs is discussed, minor irregularities are selectively highlighted without giving due importance to positive aspects and without appreciating the difficult conditions in which the IPs/ASPs are made to work in Sub-Divisions with heavy workload. Where the IPs/ASPs are taking leading role in running the administration in Divisional / Sub-Divisional Units, malicious complaints are made to malign them. Instances have come to the notice that transfers and postings of some ASPs are prejudiced by such malicious complaints and reports, and representations made for re-consideration of such cases have simply been ignored.

5. The Sub-Divisional IPs and ASPs have not been provided with any computer in their offices. Even those who want to get a computer taking advance / loan from the Department, the allotment of funds is kept at very low by which the aspirants are denied the facility. Further, only a few numbers of IPs and ASPs have been given training on computer on departmental software but training on Windows, MS Office, Internet etc. has been left untouched. Without computers available to Sub-Divisional IPs/ASPs for day-to-day use in their official work, the training is of little help to them. Further, a majority of IPs & ASPs have been kept out of computer training programme. The implementation of Inspector software in Orissa is yet to take off as no computer has been provided to Sub-Divisional Heads.

6. Only a handful of IPs and ASPs have been given training on BD products and the majority of the IPs and ASPs are kept out of the BD related activities. But when performance of BD Product is reviewed the whole cadre is criticized.

7. The representations for inter-region transfer of IPs/ASPs have been ignored outright without considering their genuine difficulties of continuing in the respective region.

8. Appeals/petitions preferred by the IPs/ASPs in disciplinary cases have not been disposed of for a quite long time now.

9. A good number of posts of IPs have been kept vacant and the existing IPs/ASPs are made to bear the burden of the additional posts for long period.

Because of the aforesaid problems / difficulties, the morale of the officials of IP & ASP cadre is at all time low as they increasingly feel isolated, neglected, demotivated, discouraged and even frustrated. Before the problems leave an impact on the ‘functional and operational’ performance of IPs and ASPs in coming days, there is urgent need to address them with a degree of sincerity and pragmatism.

The Association, therefore, thought it prudent and expedient to bring the aforesaid local problems of the officials of of IP and ASP cadres in this Circle to your kind notice with hope that the administration will do something worthwhile to provide solution for them in the department’s interest.

Unlike the previous cases, the Association expects acknowledgement of the receipt of this communication this time.

With regards,

Yours faithfully,

(B B Mohanty)
Circle Secretary

Copy issued for kind information and necessary action to:
1. Sri A K Dash, Postmaster General, Sambalpur Region, Sambalpur 768 001
2. Sri S K Kamila, Postmaster General, Berhampur Region, Berhampur (Gm) 760 001
3. Sri S Samuel, General Secretary, All India Association of IPs and ASPs, CHQ, New Delhi-1

Monday, May 5, 2008

Post Office as Window to the World for Aam Aadmi

As per the plan envisioned by the Hon'ble MOS, Communications & IT, the following ten post offices in Orissa Circle will be fully computerised and modernised with a fresh new look within next three months to enable them to work as IT hubs in rural area.
Athamallick Sub Post Office
Pipli Sub Post Office
Junagarh Sub Post Office
Rajgangapur Sub Post Office
Konark Sub Post Office
Anandpur Sub Post Office
Barpali Sub Post Office
Gopalpur Sub Post Office
G. Udayagiri Sub Post Office
Rajkanika Sub Post Office
Some more post office has been added to the list later.
There is also proposal to change the logo according to group-wise products. The proposal is being worked out with full speed to implement in a time-bound manner.

Delay in joining of new CPMG

The new CPMG has reportedly proceeded on leave for 15 days form the date of his relief (on the date of issue of his transfer orders from Haryana Circle). Hence, there is delay in his joining as CPMG Orissa. No information has been received yet as to when he would join.It is being discussed that the PMG, Sambalpur may hold current charge of CPMG till the regular CPMG joins.