Decisions taken in National Council JCM Meeting

   The secretary General of Confederation of  Central Government Employees, Sri KKN.KUTTY discloses the outcome of the  National Council JCM meeting in his blog.The detail given hereunder is  published in his blog.

   The Leader, Staff Side thanked the  Cabinet Secretary and the  Government for taking expeditious decision on the  6th CPC suggestions and expressed his gratitude for his intervention to make
improvements in the recommendations of the Commission. However, he touched  upon the following issues seeking a resolution;

 (a)    Child Care leave.  The clarificatory  orders issued by the government have in effect nullified the benefit
extended to the Women employees by the Commission and the Cabinet.  He  wanted the clarificatory orders in this regard to be rescinded.  He added  that if the Government has any practical difficulties in implementing the  orders issued in this regard, the same may be discussed with the Staff Side.  He assured the Cabinet secretary that the Staff Side will take a very  constructive attitude in the matter. 

(b)    Children Education allowances. He said that the allowance has been restricted to two eldest surviving  children. He wanted the Govt. to reconsider this matter.

(c)    The MACP scheme is  supposed to be an improvement over the ACP which was in vogue.  However in  view of the promotion to the next grade pay stipulated in the new scheme, it  has turned out to be less advantageous to many employees.  He hoped that the  Sub Committee would look into the matter and resolve the issue to the  satisfaction of the employees.

(d)   The new concept of Pay band  and Grade Pay has created a situation in which the Senior Persons
would be drawing lesser pay than their juniors.  This matter has been the  subject matter of discussion at the Anomaly Committee meeting.  Though the  Railways by issuing an order have partially set right this anomaly, the  issue has not been fully addressed.  Since this has created resentment  amongst the employees, he wanted the Govt. to look into this matter and  resolve the issue.

(e)    Normally after every Pay Commission  Govt. used to raise the income taxable limit. This was not done this time,  with the result even the low paid employees have come within the ambit of  taxation.

(f)     The inordinate delay in convening  the National Council and Departmental Councils was pointed out and requested  that steps are needed to ensure that the meeting do take place within the  stipulated periodicity.

 The Staff Side Secretary while speaking raised the following issues for consideration and resolution.

 (a)    He said that the harmonious  relationship could only be maintained with a continuous dialogue.  The JCM  was conceived with that idea.  Initially the employees were against the idea  of JCM but at the insistence of the then Home Minister, they had agreed and  the track record has shown that it has helped in maintaining industrial  peace in the Governmental sector. He therefore pleaded that the Council  meetings should be convened within the stipulated period of time.  He added  that most of the Departmental Councils have become defunct and anomaly  committee were not being set up at that level with the result all items of
anomaly which are normally to be addressed at the Departmental levels were  being referred to the National Council.  He pleaded that the Govt. should  take a serious view of this matter and ensures that the Departmental  Councils of all Ministries are periodically convened and the National  Council apprised of the functioning of the Departmental Councils as it used  to be done in the past. 

(b)   Arbitration Awards.  Arbitration was  inbuilt in the JCM scheme.  Issues on which agreements could not be reached  are to be referred to the Board of Arbitration.  Both the Parties are  supposed to abide the decision of the Arbitrator.  The Govt. is vested with  the power of referring the Parliamentary approval for rejection of the  awards on certain specific circumstances like the expenditure on  implementation of such awards would have a serious deleterious effect on the  economy of the country.  Of late the government had been referring every  award to the Parliament for rejection.  Even though it was agreed that such  reference would be intimated to the Staff Side well in advance, the same had  not been adhered to. He added that recently he was informed of such a  rejection of an award being considered by the Parliament on 4th May, 2010.  The Staff side was informed of this only on 3rd May, 2010.  It was agreed at  the National Council that all such awards which had been referred to the  Parliament would be recalled and subjected to negotiation with the Staff  Side.  Two or three rounds of discussions were held with the Staff Side.   But no conclusions were arrived at despite the Staff Side agreeing for the  modification of these awards.  He, therefore, wanted these awards to be  re-subjected to further negotiations and decisions taken by mutual consent.

(c)    DOPT has issued recently  questionnaire on the functioning of the JCM.  The members of the Staff Side  had given reply to the said questionnaire. In the light of that he suggested  to set up a joint committee to review the scheme with a view to improve its  functioning.

(d)   The Grade Pay and Pay band system  introduced by the 6th CPC for improving the productivity of Government  Services was a revolutionary concept and the same had not been fully grasped by the employees. Therefore, all the grievances that arise from the  implementation of the 6th CPC had not been catalogued and presented at one go.  He requested that the Govt. should continue to consider the problems of  the employees as and when it is presented.

(e)    He said that the recommendation of  the 6th CPC was to double all the allowances. He complained that the  Government has not done this in some cases for one reason or the other. What  is needed is to double this allowance and then work on alternatives.  As and  when the alternatives are worked, this allowance could be withdrawn. He then  enquired about the delay in revising the Medical Allowance for outpatient  treatment for pensioners.  The Official side intervened and said that  the  said allowance would be revised to Rs. 300 p.m. and the orders would be  issued soon.  The entire Staff Side resented this decision in the light of  the fact that even the Health Ministry’s suggestion was to raise it to Rs.  500/-.on the basis of the per capita OPD expenses.

(f)     He then referred to the orders  issued by the Government to the effect that future promotion to the cadre of  LDC would only be from among those who are qualified in the XII Std.  Examination.  He said that while this could be a stipulation for future recruitees, it cannot be applied for the existing employees as it would be  impossible for them to acquire the said qualification.

(g)    Even though the fast Track committee  has done a commendable job in the case of Master Craftsmen, the same has not  been implemented in Defence so far.

(h)    He wanted the Govt. to waive the  bonafide transport allowance granted to the employees of Lucknow and Jaipur  which has been ordered to be recovered on the basis of the audit objection,  especially in the background that in the case of those who had gone to the  Court, the relief has been granted. 

(i)      He specifically drew the attention  of the official side to the letter the Staff Side had written in the case of  those Group D employees died or retired before getting the benefit of  training and assignment of Grade pay of Rs. 1800.   He wanted them to be  treated as deemed to have been trained and benefit of Grade pay of Rs. 1800 extended to them with effect from 1.1.2006

      

    The Chairman, responding to the points made out by the Secretary and leader stated that the same has been noted and necessary action would be taken by the Govt. and communicated.  In the case of convening the Departmental Council meetings,  he said that he would write to All Secretaries of the Govt. of India to
immediately convene the Departmental Council meetings/Anomaly Committee  meeting.   

         

    The agenda items were taken up then  for discussion.  We give hereunder the decisions taken on each of the items  that came up for discussion.

Item No.1. Reimbursement of Ayaa charges – delegation thereon: Agreed.  Orders issued.

Item No.2. Reimbursement of expenditure towards implantation of special types of stents like cipher stent etc. in case of CS(MA) beneficiaries –  delegation thereon:. Orders issued delegating powers to the HODs

Item No.3. Pathological and diagnostic procedures: Diagnostic centers identified and recognized for the City of Jaipur.

Item No. 4. Grant of FMA in lieu of out door treatment facilities. The facility of extending FMA benefit to CGHS Card holders who are beyond the age of 70 would be considered.  It was also stated that the Govt. would be issuing orders shortly raising the FMA from  Rs. 100 to 300 for all pensioners covered under CSMA rules.

Item No.5.Relocation of one CGHS dispensary in Wadi area under the jurisdiction of Municipal Corporation Nagpur.  Decision in the matter would be taken soon.

Item No. 6. Specialized consultation in PU hospital like Ispat Hospital, HEC Hospital and CCL Hospital, Ranchi.  The matter is under consideration to permit the CGHS beneficiaries to avail the treatment in the above mentioned hospitals subject to an overall ceiling.

Item No. 7. Supply of free diet to employees and their dependant under treatment for TB Leprosy, Mental,  Illness, Cancel and HIV/AIDS, Renal Dialysis therapy, Thalsaema.  Orders  issued.

Item No. 8. Sanction of incentive allowance to Central Government employees working in extremists infested areas. Not agreed.

Item No.9 Declaration of Gandhinagar as Link City of Ahmedabad. Final decision by the next meeting.

Item No. 10. Up-gradation of Jamnagar as B.2. Town with effect from 14.2.2006. The Department of Expenditure will reconsider the matter.

Item No.11. Up-gradation of Bangalore City with effect from 16.1. 2007. The Department of Expenditure will reconsider the matter.

Item No.12. Anomaly in fixation of revised pension.  Not agreed.

Item No.13. Eligibility of Family pension to Widow/Divorcee Daughter/unmarried Daughter who are now eligible for payment of family pension for inclusion of names in PPOs issued much earlier.  Govt. will issue a general clarification order soon.

Item No.14. Grant of family pension in case of Missing Pensioners after two months.  Instead of two months, Govt. has agreed to reduce the period to6 months.

Item No.15. Grant of half day casual leave facility for industrial employees.  It was agreed that the condition imposed in the order would be removed.

Item No. 16. Relaxation of Upper age  limit for departmental candidates for appointment to Group C Posts. In the  light of extension of superannuation age to 60 years, the upper age ceiling  for this purpose would be raised by two years.

Item No. 17. Rate of Stitching charge of liveries requires to be increased. Agreed to be considered and raised in 2011.

Item No.18. Casual labourers (Grant of Temporary Status and Regularization)  scheme- on implementation of. The matter is under consideration.

Item No. 19. Restricted holidays for Industrial workers. Not agreed to.

Item  No. 20. Applicability of  CCS(RSA)Rules 1993 to the workers employed in Defence Establishments. The  Defence Ministry will seek legal opinion and would take appropriate  decision.