Gramin Dak Sevak (GDS) Committee Report

Gramin Dak Sevak (GDS) Committee Report

 
Click on the following links to view the GDS Committee Report

GDS Committee Report 2016 Part 1

 GDS Committee Report 2016 Part 2

 GDS Committee Report 2016 Part 3

 GDS Committee Report 2016 Part 4

The Old system of payment of time related continuity Allowance (TRCA) is dispensed with and replaced with a new wage payment system. Under the new wage payment system, 11 TRCA slabs are subsumed into 3 wage scales with two levels each for BPMs and for other than BPMs. One wage scale would be common for both the categories of GDSs.

New Wage Scales

1. 10,000 – 24,470 (Other than BPM Level 1)

2. 12,000 – 29,380 (Other than BPM Level 2 & BPM Level 1)

3. 14,500 – 35,480 (BPM Level 2)

• The minimum working hours of GDS Post Offices and GDS is increased to 4 hours from 3 hours.
• The new working hours for GDS Post Offices will be 4 hours and 5 hours only.
• The Level 1 GDS Post Offices/GDSs will have 4 hours as working hours and Level – 2 will have 5 hours as working hours.
• The Point System for assessment of workload of BPMs has been abolished.
• The new wage payment system is linked to revenue generation of GDS Post Offices. Under the new system, there will be no increase in wagess of BPMs from Level-1 to Level-2 on the basis of workload but the same will be increased based on achievement of prescribed revenue norms which is fixed at 100% for normal areas and 50% for special areas which presently have 15% anticipated income norms.
• The GDS Post Offices not achieving the prescribed revenue norm within the given working hours will have to open GDS post offices for minimum of additional 30 minutes beyond the prescribed working hours.
• The GDSs BPMs will be paid Revenue Linked Allowance @10% beyond Level 2 wage scale if they will be successful in achieving revenue beyond prescribed norms
• The GDS Post Offices has been categorized into A,B,C and D categories based on the revenue generation norms. The GDS Post Office in A category will achieve 100% revenue. The Committee has recommended a set of actions for each category of GDS Post Offices.
• The six approved categories of GDS are subsumed into two categories only. One category will be Branch Post Master and all other 5 categories of GDSs are subsumed into one multi tasking category.
• The job profile of Multi Tasking GDS is expanded to include work such as Business Development and Marketing etc. Their jobs will no more be confined to their old designations. The Assistant BPM will assist BPMs for increasing revenue generation.
• The GDSs working in the GDS Post Offices will be known as Assistant Branch Post Master (ABPMs) and those working in the Department Post Offices will be known as Dak Sevak (DS).
• The minimum wage has been increased to Rs.10000/- per month and maximum to Rs.35,480/- per month.
• The rate of annual increase is recommended as 3%.
• A composite Allowance comprising of support for hiring accommodation for GDS Post Offices as well as mandatory residence, office maintenance, mobile and electricity usage charges etc. has been introduced for the first time.
• Children Education Allowance @ Rs.6,000/- per Child per annum has been introducted for GDS.
• Risk & Hardship Allowance @ Rs.500/- per month for GDSs working in the special areas has also been introduced.
• A Financial upgradation has been introduced at 12 Years, 24 years and 36 Years of services in form of two advance additional annual increases.
• The ceiling of ex-gratia gratuity has been increased from Rs.60,000 to Rs.5,00,000/-
• The GDS contribution for service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS) should be enhanced maximum up to 10% and minimum up to 3% of the basic wage per month, whereas the Department should contribute a fixed contribution of 3% of the basic wage of the GDSs.
• The coverage of GDS Group Insurance Scheme has been enhanced from Rs.50,000/0 to Rs.5,00,000/-.
• The contribution of Department in Circle Welfare Fund (CWF) has been increased from Rs.100/- per annum to Rs.300/- per annum.
• The Scope of CWF is extended to cover immediate family members such as spouse; daughters, sons and dependent daughters in law in the scheme.
• The Committee also recommended 10% hike in the prescribed limits of financial grants and assistance in the Circle Welfare Fund.
• The Committee has recommended addition of Rs.10,000/- for purchase of Tablet/Mobile from the Circle Welfare Fund in the head ” Financial Assistance from Fund by way of loans with lower rate of interest (5%)”.
• Provision of 26 weeks of Maternity Leave for women GDSs has been recommended.
• The wages for the entire period of Maternity Leave is recommended to be paid from salary head from where wages of GDSs are paid.
• The Committee has also recommended one week of Paternity Leave.
• The Committee has recommended 5 days of emergency leave per annum
• Leave accumulation and encashment facility up to 180 days has been introduced.
• Online system of engagement has been recommended.
• The maximum age limit of 50 years for Direct Recruitment of GDSs has been abolished.
• Minimum one year of GDS service will now be required for GDSs for Direct Recruitment into Departmental cadres such as MTS/Postman/Mail Guard.
• Alternate livelihood condition for engagement of GDSs has been relaxed.
• Voluntary Discharge Scheme has been recommended.
• The Discharge age has been retained at 65 years.
• The Limited Transfer Facility has been relaxed from 1 time to 3 Time for male GDSs. There will be no restriction on number of chances for transfer of women GDSs. The power for transfer has been delegated to the concerned Divisional head.
• The ex-gratia payment during put off period should be revised to 35% from 25% of the wage and DA drawn immediately before put off.
• The committee has recommended preferring transfer before put off duty.
• The compassionate Engagement of GDSs has been relaxed to give benefits to eligible dependents in all cases of death of GDS while in service.
   _____________________________________________________________________________ 
  
  Categories of GDS:
  
  

  Present Nomenclature	Category
  BRANCH POST MASTER	All Branch Post Masters
  ASSISTANT BRANCH POST MASTER	GDS  MD, GDS MC
  DAK SEVAK	GDSSV,GDS PKR , GDSMM

  ..
    Viability of GDS Post Offices:
  
  
  New norms for calculation of GDS Pos are recommended.
  Further Categorization of GDS POs based on proportion of Revenue / Expenditure

  Category of GDS PO	Revenue Norm
  Urban & Rural (Normal)	100% of its expenditure
  Rural (special)	50% of its expenditure

  ..

  Category	Colour	Proportion of Revenue to expenditure
  A	Green	100% or more of prescribed form
  B	Orange	75% to 99% of prescribed form
  C	Pink	50% to 74.99% of prescribed form
  D	Red	Less than 50% of prescribed form

  
  
  Workload assessment:
  
  
  In place of point system, the Committee recommends the new wage payment system. The new system linked to revenue generation and not to work load.
  
  
  Rural Business Development and Marketing:
  
  
  The Committee Recommended many items for successful realization of rural business potentials.
  
  
  Committee recommends to improve the accessibility, visibility and infrastructure of GDS POs.
  
  
  PO are with 10’ X 10’ dimensions in ground floor.
  Building owned by Gram Panchayat
  Building owned by Central Govt or State Govt. ie.,schools or offices BPM’s own house
  Proper rented accommodation in a busy place of the village
  Building owned by NGOs.
  
  
  With all furniture and power supply.
  
  
  Legal status of GDS:
  
  
  The Committee observed that the matter is sub judice.
  
  
  The Department should take suitable steps to increase security of job, prevent exploitation and increase income of GDSs so that they feel secure and live happily with in the GDS system and with the existing legal status.
  
  
  Terms and conditions of engagement.
  
  
  The Committee recommends changes in Rule-3A.
  Introduce voluntary discharge scheme on willing to leave the post before 65 years
  Discharge from the service on the last day of the month.
  Relaxation on limited transfer facility.
  
  
  Recommendations on wage structure and fixation of wages.
  
  
  Committee recommends raising of minimum duty from 3 hours to 4 hours of all GDSs
  Comparison : BPM = Postman
                          Asst. BPM & Dak Sevak = MTS
  Minimum wage fixed at :
  Rs.10,000- for 4 hours & Rs.12,000- for five hours. (Level-I)
  Rs.12,000- for 5 hours & Rs.14,500- for five hours (Level-2)
  Annual increase @ 3% on 1^st January or 1^st July
  Wage matrix & Wage Level Table & Arrears calculation Table are given in detail.
  
  
  Allowances:
  
  
  Dearness Allowance – no change
  % of DA with regular employees – no change
  Increased rate of DA – no change
  
  
  Recommended allowances :
  
  
  Composite Allowance
  Cash Conveyance Allowance
  Combined Duty Allowance
  Children Education Allowance
  Revenue linked Allowance for eligible BPMs
  Risk & hardship allowance
  
  
  Allowances to be withdrawn:
  
  
  Office Maintenance Allowance
  Fixed Stationery Allowance
  Boat Allowance
  Cycle Maintenance Allowance
  Uttarakhand Allowance
  Split Duty Allowance.
  
  
  Composite Allowance Includes:
  
  
  Rent for housing GDS PO, Rent for Accommodation, washing-repairs-maintenance of premises, furniture, stationery charges, electricity usage charges for office, Mobile / Telephone usage charges, Boat Allowance/ CMA/ TA, Hospitality charges for drinking water, other incidental charges.
  
  
  Performance Related Incentive
  
  
  Revenue linked allowance along with the present system of incentives with automatic payment at the end of each month.
  
  
    Ex-gratia Bonus:
  
  
  Dept should re-examine the formula for payment of bonus and ex gratia bonus with reference to the share of revenue generated by the departmental as well as GDS POs.
  
  
  Methods of engagement
  
  
  Method of selection : on line method engagement should be introduced.
  Recruiting Authority : appended to the GDS (Conduct & Engagement) Rules, 2011
  Qualification :SSC/SSLC from State Board/CBSE/ICSE with certificate course or diploma course in IT
  Knowledge of local language.
  Maintenance of Reservation roster at divisional level.
  Stop the security in the form of FG bonds, introduce 5 year TD or NSC as security.
  
  
  Career Progression
  
  
  There is need to increase the Direct Recuitment quota of GDS in Postman & Mail Guard because of large working strength of GDS and to provide them with better opportunities for getting into departmental posts.
  
  
   Introduce a guaranteed special increase in wages after 12, 24 & 36 years of service with two annual increases.
  
  
  Designation of GDSs should be changed after each financial upgradation.
  
  
  Leave & substitute arrangement:
  
  
  Paid leave should be renamed as ordinary leave and enhanced from 20 to 30 days in a year.
  
  
  Introduce Encashment of Ordinary leave.
  Introduce ‘emergency leave’ for 5 days in a calendar year, but no carry forward.
  
  
  No full time substitute will be engaged.
  
  
  Women GDS – 26 weeks of maternity leave and paid from salary head.
  Paternity leave for 7 days.
  
  
  Disciplinary Rules:
  
  
  Department  should add a new punishment of ‘compulsory discharge from the service’ in the list  “major penalties’ and the content of Rule-9 of GDS (Conduct & Engagement)Rules 2011.
  
  
  Social Security Schemes:
  
  
  Severance Amount : @ Rs.4,000 from 01-01-2016 for every completed year of service subject to maximum of Rs.1,50,000-.
  
  
  Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS):
  
  
  GDS contribution should be revised as minimum of 3% and maximum of 10%  of the basic wage per month.
  
  
  Department contribution should be fixed as 3% of the basic wage.
  
  
  Bring the GDS under the purview of Gratuity Act with an upper limit of Rs.5,00,000-
  
  
  Group Insurance Scheme : 
  Enhance the rate of monthly subscription by Rs.500 per month with insurance coverage of Rs.5,00,000-.
  
  
    Welfare Schemes:
  
  
  GDS CWF subscription should be enhanced from Rs.20- to Rs.100- pm.
  Department grant should be enhanced from Rs.100- to Rs.300- PA.
  
  
  Point system should not be applied to the compassionate appointment of dependents of GDS.
  
  
  Photo identity cards to all GDS with free of cost.

S

7th Pay Commission Resolution Notified by Central Government

7th Pay Commission Resolution Notified by Central Government

MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS

(Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare)

RESOLUTION

New Delhi, the 4th August, 2016

No.38/37/2016-P&PW (A) – The Terms of Reference of the Seventh Central Pay Commission as contained in Ministry of Finance (Department of Expenditure) Resolution No.1/1/2013-E.III (A) dated 28.2.2014 included the following:

“To examine the principles which should govern the structure of pension and other retirement benefits, including revision of pension in the case of employees who have retired prior to the date of effect of these recommendations, keeping in view that retirement benefits of all Central Government employees appointed on and after 01.01.2004 are covered by the New Pension Scheme (NPS).”

2. The Commission, on 19th November, 2015, submitted its report to the Government on Terms of Reference as contained in aforementioned Resolution dated 28.02.2014. Government, after consideration, has decided to accept the recommendations of the Commission on pensioner benefits to the Central Government civil employees, including employees of the Union Territories and Members of All India Services subject to certain modifications, as specified hereinafter ..

3. Detailed recommendations of the Commission relating to pensionary benefits and the decisions taken thereon by the Government are listed in the statement annexed to this Resolution.

4. The revised provisions regarding pensionary benefits, which have been accepted as indicated in the Annexure, will be effective from 01.01.2016.

(Vandana Sharma)

Joint Secretary to the Govt. of India

ANNEXURE

Statement showing the recommendations of the Seventh Central Pay Commission relating to principles which should govern the structure of pension and other terminal benefits and the decisions of the Government thereon.

Item No.	Recommendation	Decision of Government
1.	Fixed Medical Allowance The commission notes that this allowance was enhanced from Rs.300/- p.m. to Rs.500/-p.m. from 19.11.2014. As such, further enhancement of this allowance is not recommended. (Para 8.17.52 of the Report)	To be examined by a committee comprising Finance Secretary and Secretary (Expenditure) as Chairman and Secretaries of Home Affairs, Defence, Posts, Health & Family Welfare, Personnel & Training and Chairman, Railway Board, as Members. Till a final decision is taken based on the recommendations of the Committee, Fixed Medical Allowance shall be paid at existing rates.
2.	Constant Attendance Allowance The allowance may be increased by a factor of 1.5 i.e to Rs.6750/- per month. The Allowance needs further increase by 25% each time DA rises by 50% (Para 8.17.29 of the Report)	To be examined by a Committee comprising Finance Secretary and Secretary (Expenditure) as Chairman and Secretaries of Home affairs, Defence, Posts, Health & family welfare, personnel & Training and chairman, Railway Board as Members. Till a final decision is taken based on the recommendations of the committee. Constant attendant Allowance shall be paid at existing rates.
3.	General Provident Fund Status quo may be maintained in this respect. (Para 9.4.4 of the Report)	Accepted
4.	Rates of Pension & Family Pension The Commission does not recommend any further increase in the rate of pension and Family Pension from the existing levels. (Para 10.1.25 of the Report)	Accepted
5.	Quantum of Minimum Pension The recommendations of the commission in relation to pay of a personnel will lead to a significant increase in the minimum from the existing Rs. 7,000 per month to Rs.18,000 per month. This, based on computation of pension, will raise minimum pension from the existing Rs.3500 to Rs. 9,000. The minimum pension based on the recommendations of the commission will increase by 2.57 times over the existing level. (Para 10.1.27 of the Report)	Accepted
6	Rate of additional Pension and Family Pension to the older pensioners The commission is of the view that the existing rates of additional pension and additional family pension are appropriate. (Para 10.1.30 of the Report)	Accepted
7.	Time Period for enhanced family pension. The commission notes that the recommendation with regard to period of eligibility of the enhanced family pension of 10 years in case of death of a serving employee was made based on the recommendations of VI th CPc Report. No further change is being recommended by the commission.	Accepted
8.	Gratuity Ceiling and its indexation. The Commission recommends enhancement in the ceiling of gratuity from the existing Rs.10 lakhs to Rs.20 Lakh from 01.01.2016. The Commission further recommends the ceiling on gratuity may increase by 25% whenever DA rises by 50%. (Para 10.1.37 of the Report)	Accepted
9.	Rationalization of death gratuity The Commission, after examination of the matter, recommends the following rates for payment of death gratuity: Length of Service Rate of Death Gratuity Less than One Year 2 times of monthly One year or more but less than 5 years 6 times of monthly emoluments 5 years or more but less than 11 years 12 times of monthly emoluments 11 years or more but less than 20 years 20 times of monthly emoluments 20 years or more Half month of emoluments for every completed six monthly period of qualifying service subject to a maximum of 33 times of emoluments. Para 10.1.41 of the Report	Accepted
10.	Commutation of Pension and restoration of commuted pension The Commission does not recommend any change either in the maximum percentage of commutation or in the period of restoration. (Para 10.1.43 of the Report)	Accepted
11.	Revision of Pension of Pre 7th CPC Retirees The Commission Recommends the following pension formulation for civil employees including CAPF personnel who have retired before 01.01.2016 (i)All the civilian personnel including CAPF who implementation of the Seventh CPC recommendations) shall first be fixed in the pay Matrix being recommended by this commission, on the basis of the Pay Band and Grade Pay at which they retired, at the minimum of the corresponding level in the Matrix. This amount shall be raised, to arrive at the notional pay of the retiree, by adding the number of increments he/she had earned in that number of increments he/she had earned in that level while in service, at the rate of three percent. Fifty percent of the total amount so arrived at shall be the revised pension. (ii) The second calculation to be carried out is as follows. The pension, as had been fixed at the time of implementation of the VI CPC recommendations, shall be multiplied by 2.57 to arrive at an alternate value for the revised pension. (iii) Pensioners may be given the option of choosing whichever formulation is beneficial to them. It is recognized that the fixation of pension as per formulation in (i) above may take a little time since the records of each pensioner will have to be checked to ascertain the number of increments earned in the retiring level. It is therefore recommended that in the first instance the revised pension may be calculated as at (ii) above and the same may, be paid as an interim measure. In the event calculation as per (i) above yields a higher amount the difference may be paid subsequently. (Para 10.1.67 and Para 10.1.68 of the Report)	Both the options recommended by the 7th Central Pay Commission as regards pension revision be accepted subject to feasibility of the implementation. Revision of pension using the second option based on fitment factor of 2.57 be implemented immediately. The first option may be made applicable if its implementation is found feasible after examination by the Committee comprising Secretary (Pension) as Chairman and Member (Staff). Railway Board, Member (Staff), Department of Posts, Additional Secretary & Financial Adviser, Ministry of Home Affairs and Controller General of Accounts as Members
12.	Ex-gratia Lumpsum Compensation The Commission recommends a Common regime for payment of ex-gratia lump-sum compensation for civil and defence forces personnel, payable to the next of Kin at the following rates: Circumstances Existing Proposed Death occurring due to accidents in course of performance of duties 10 Lakh 25 Lakh Death in the course of performance of duties attributed to acts of violence by terrorists, anti social elements etc. 10 Lakh 25 Lakh Death occurring in border skirmishes and action against militants, terrorists, extremists, sea pirates 15 Lakh 35 Lakh Death occurring while on duty in the specified high altitude, unaccessible border posts, on account of natural disasters, extreme weather conditions 15 Lakh 35 Lakh Death occurring during enemy action in war or such war like engagements, which are specifically notified by Ministry of Defence and Death occurring during evacuation of Indian Nationals from a war-torn zone in foreign country 20 Lakh 45 Lakh (Para 10.2.77)	Accepted

Authority: http://www.pensionersportal.gov.in/