The All India Conference of the ITGOA held at Chennai has elected Shri Ajay Kumar Goel as President and Shri Bhaskar Bhattacharya as Secretary General alongwith other office bearers. 

Meeting with CBDT today

The Chairperson & Member (P) met the leaders of Income Tax Employees Federation, today and discussed the issue of Cadre Restructuring proposal. The meetings will continue till a final agreement is reached. If the issues are not resolved the ITEF will be forced to revive the suspended agitation as decided earlier.

Ravindran B Nair
General Secretary.

Circular on ITEF stand on cadre restructuring & related matters

INCOME TAX EMPLOYEES FEDERATION, MUMBAI CIRCLE

Dear Comrades,

At the outset we thank all our members for implementing the non-cooperation agitation in totality and also for making the 2-day strike action a tremendous success. We also thank our officer friends for their support in our struggle against the CBDT. As informed to you in the meeting our leaders had with the Chairperson and Member (P), CBDT it was informed that the discussion on the allocation of posts within the CBDT will be concluded next week and afterwards the issue will be discussed with the ITEF to bring about an amicable settlement. On the NR Parmar issue the instructions of the DG(HRD) will be put on hold till the uniform instructions are issued after getting clearance from the Law ministry. It was also assured to pursue other issues to its logical conclusion. In the light of the above it was decided to suspend the ongoing agitational programme. However, if need be the agitational programme will be re-commenced if no satisfactory agreement is reached. On the issue of 7^th CPC and related issues, the matter was scheduled to be raised in Parliament on 13.2.2014 but as you all know because of the unseemly incidents in Parliament on that day the proceedings was adjourned. We hope some of the issues raised by us will be resolved or we will be forced to go on an indefinite strike action shortly.

Cadre restructuring and ITEF stand:

1.                   The ITGOA in its circular had gone the whole hog to justify the sub-committee and core committee reports. Then it goes on to ask “where is the reason for any grievance?.” We have a reason to be agitated because it is only the ITEF which has submitted an alternative proposal while the ITGOA preferred to have none and therefore perforce had to support both the sub-committee report and the core-committee report which are diametrically different from each other. As we discussed earlier the Cabinet approval as well as the terms of reference of CBDT to the sub-committee was for allocation of 20,751 posts. Therefore by following the Consolidated Approach (allocation of additional as well as existing posts) both the Committees have exceeded its brief which no organization worth its salt can accept.  It is pertinent to mention here that in our meeting with Member (P) CBDT on 16^th and 17^th January in which both ITGOA leaders from Mumbai was also present, the Member (P) agreed that the consolidated approach is wrong.

2.                   The ITGOA goes on to tom-tom that the “views expressed by it were tactfully put in such a way that the views expressed by it became the view of the sub-committee.” If that is the case then why ITGOA found  favour with the Core Committee report also which has a different formulation.   The ITGOA General Secretary in Mumbai owes an explanation to all the officers and Staff members in Mumbai who are awaiting their promotions as to why he became a party to a proposal which was discriminatory towards Mumbai Charge. From their own circular it is crystal clear that the ITGOA had no proposal whatsoever in so far as the allocation of posts were concerned. So all the proposals that are now there and whatever comes in future can be theirs! 

3.                   The glaring instance of how the Mirani Committee has allocated the posts can be seen from the fact that when the cabinet has approved a total of 16 posts of Pr.AO (copy enclosed), the Mirani Committee in his wisdom has allocated 116 posts of Pr.A.O. charge-wise and 16 posts of  Pr.A.O. to Mumbai charge! The ITGOA vide its ITGOA-Mum/Cir./2013-14 dated 11/02/2014 is supporting this fraud of the Mirani Committee.  It would have been better if the ITGOA leadership verified the figures, especially of the ITEF proposal, before printing in the circular so that people are not misled.  

4.                   As we have mentioned in our earlier circular the Core committee inspite of the fact that it fully endorsed the criterion adopted by the sub-committee on allocation of posts went on to change the allocation of posts charge-wise in a major way. Howsoever the ITGOA leadership may distort the facts, the truth remains that the Core Committee had to perforce allocate 3 more Pr.CITs increasing the number of ITOs in Mumbai region after the successful Dharna and other agitational programmes carried out by ITEF, Mumbai Circle. The ITGOA leadership in Mumbai was a mute spectator when we went on agitation. So what the core committee gave was nobody’s charity but under compulsions created by ITEF Mumbai Circle. However, we have taken a principled stand that the proposal of the ITEF should be implemented (if required with minor amendments so that justice is done to all charges) for the ITEF proposal was the produce of collective wisdom of its Central Working Committee and had the unanimous approval of all concerned. 

5.                   So far as the proposal sent from Mumbai was concerned the number of Pr.CITs was allocated at 44 but the Mirani Committee changed the structure of allocation of Pr.CITs by taking only Pr.CIT(Corporate) and Pr.CIT(Non-Corporate) to 32. According to the proposal submitted by the Mumbai Sub-Committee the number of additional ITO posts for Mumbai worked out was 284. So the Mirani Commtitee has accepted one part of the proposal without considering the proposals to ITOs and down below cadres proposed by Mumbai. It needs no mention here that we are concerned with the allocation of posts of ITOs and cadres down below in which the interest of our members are involved.

6.                   Immediately after cooling period is over a person should get his promotion.  So if a person takes more than 3 years, for promotion to the post of ITO there is an element of stagnation.  This stagnation may vary from charge to charge because of various reasons like number of persons passing the exam, the vacant posts, the seniority of the personnel who come on intercharge transfer etc.  It needs to be remembered that upto the level of ITO the promotions are localized and local factors play an important role.  Hence, relative stagnation has been given weightage by ITEF taking 15% as stagnation factor on the number of qualified persons in each charge so that no charge should suffer.   It is a proven fact that relative waiting period for promotion in each charge does not remain stagnant but changes each year depending upon the number of persons promoted from that charge to higher level positions.   On the other hand stagnation was taken as a criterion by the Mirani Committee in respect of two/ three charges selectively as mentioned in the ITGOA Circular. This is nothing but naked discrimination. It is also pertinent to mention that the Mirani Committee initially expressed the view that no consideration must be given for the stagnation factor and rejected the proposal of ITEF in this regard, whereas throughout the Cadre Restructuring report, the comparatively longer waiting period of IRS officers vis-à-vis officers of other organized Group A services and all India services had been adduced as the primary reason for the up-gradation and creation of posts at top levels. 

7.                   We have taken a principled stand that the allocation in respect of ITOs and cadres down below should be on the basis of ITEF proposal as it concerns the promotion prospects of our Group C cadres.   Secondly both the sub-committee & the core committee reports suffer from various infirmities and inconsistencies alongwith the basis adopted as mentioned above and hence cannot be accepted. The IRS has their own interests in getting the posts at higher levels according to their preference of posting etc.  It needs no mention here that no IRS officer wants to go to North East but prefer a posting in the North. Hence, the paranoia about Kolkata and it is a well known fact that the ITGOA leadership supports the cause for their own electoral politics. Otherwise how can one say that one charge should be kept out of the benefit of cadre restructuring while all others enjoy the fruits? Incidentally we may mention that it is nothing but a canard that the West Bengal Charge got the lion’s share in the allocation of posts in 2001.  It was in fact Mumbai charge which got the largest number of ITOs allotted in 2001.  The cadre restructuring proposal of 1998 was based on zero financial liability for the Government.  Therefore, at the cost of abolition of the posts of LDCs, number of posts in higher cadres was created.  West Bengal suffered the abolition of the largest number of LDCs posts.  It was not however allotted higher posts proportionate to the abolition.  

In conclusion, we don’t believe in the dictum of “yes Boss” where you can accept anything and everything without batting an eyelid. We are an organization which has the history of fighting for our due rights. In the last cadre restructuring in 2000, the JCA with ITGOA & ITEF came together to give a proposal for allocation of posts which was accepted in toto. Today, both the organizations are taking a divergent views on allocation of posts before CBDT thereby putting a question mark on the very purpose of JCA. It is only for deriving platonic pleasure the ITGOA leadership use the name of JCA.  The irony is that both at the time of the preparation of the report and at the juncture of allocation of posts, no attempt was made to converge the views of the two Federations.    The fact is that JCA remain only in form and not in content. 

With greetings,

Yours fraternally,

Ravindran B Nair

General Secretary.

Recovery of wrongful/excess payments made to Government servants.

Recovery of wrongful/excess payments made to Government servants. See link below for order:

http://ccis.nic.in/WriteReadData/CircularPortal/D2/D02est/18_26_2011-Estt.Pay-I-06022014.pdf

Agitation Suspended

Dear Comrade,

In the light of the discussion and agreement reached with the Chairperson and Member(P&V), CBDT, the ongoing agitation stands suspended.   The circular issued by the ITEF(CHQ) is re-produced below

General Secretary

ITEF

INCOME TAX  EMPLOYEES  FEDERATION

     Manishinath Bhawan A/2/95 Rajouri Garden,

New Delhi. 110 027.

Cir. No. 40/12-15                                                                                                   Dated: 14^th Feb. 2014

Dear Comrade,

               We thank you very much for the great efforts undertaken by all of you in carrying out the month long agitation of non-co-operation action against the nugatory attitude of CBDT in settlement our long pending demands. We were informed by our circle secretaries of the tremendous participation of our members in the black flag demonstrations and walk out organised at the time of visit of the Board authorities to the State capitals and elsewhere. These actions had its salutary impact even though some of our circle could not carry out the programme as effectively as others.

            The undersigned along with Com. President had met chairperson and Member(P&V) today. In the matter of allocation of posts, the Chairperson informed us that the internal discussions in the Board are yet to reach finality.  She has indicated that the said discussions might be concluded during the next week, where after, the issue will be subjected to discussion with ITEF  to reach an amicably agreed proposition.

In view of the directions of DOPT to refer the clarifications on implementation of Supreme Court Order in Union of India & Ors vs. N.R.Parmar & Ors. to Law Ministry for their approval, the Board has decided to keep the earlier instruction in abeyance.   Also since the CAT principal Bench has stayed the Board’s order stopping payment to daily rated workers, the Board will issue appropriate orders in the matter.

In the light of above discussions and conclusions we may advise you to suspend the ongoing non-co-operation movement for the time being but be prepared to recommence the same at short notice.

            With greetings,

Yours fraternally,

(KP Rajagopal)

Secretary General

2-day strike a tremendous success

2-day strike total in Income tax department -Congratulations!

The two day strike action of the Central govt. employees was a tremendous success. In the Income tax department it was total. In many other departments like postal, BARC, Civil accounts, DGFT etc also it was a total success. We congratulate our members for making the strike a total success. The National Secretariat of the Confederation will be meeting on 18th February, 2014 to decide future course of action. We call upon our members to be prepared for further struggles on our demands if the issues are not resolved by the authorities.

With greetings,

Ravindran B Nair

General Secretary.

Strike a total success

12th & 13th February, strike

12th Strike total

The strike on the first day of the two-day strike action by the Central Govt. employees was a tremendous success. In the Income tax Department the strike was total today (12.2.2014). The strike will continue on 13th February, also as decided. The strike was also successful in many other departmental including postal.

With greetings,

Ravindran B Nair
General Secretary

2-day strike on 12th & 13th February

Central Govt. Employees 2-day Strike on 12th & 13th February, 2014.

As per the call given by the Confederation of Central govt. Employees & Workers, Income-tax Employees will be on 2-day strike on 12th & 13th February, 2014. This is in pursuance of the 15-point charter of demands which include Merger of DA, Payment of Interim Relief, Scraping of the New Pension Scheme, Removal of Ceiling on compassionate appointment, Regularization of Daily Wage workers etc.We give below a Press Statement issued by the Confederation of Central govt. Employees & Workers.

CONFEDERATION OF CENTRAL GOVT. EMPLOYEES & WORKERS. North Avenue Post Office, First Floor, New Delhi 110 001. Website:www.confederationhq.blogspot.com.  Email:Confederation06@Yahoo.co.in                            '  098 110 48303

PRESS STATEMENT

About one million Central Government Employees working in various departments of the Govt of India except those in the Railway and Defence Organisations will embark upon a 48 hour Strike from Midnight of 11^th February 2014.  The major demands on which the two day strike is organized by the Confederation of CGEs and Workers are ;

a)                 Withdrawal of the new Contributory Pension Scheme and re-introduction of the Statutory defined Benefit Pension Scheme for all Got. Employees.

b)                 Dispensing with the Contract/Casual System of employment in Govt. Service.

c)                  Merger of DA with pay, Grant of Interim Relief and hold negotiations and settle the terms of reference for the 7^th CPC.

Over the 8 year period, since the last wage revision, the prices of all essential commodities have soared by almost three times.  Compared to the rate of inflation, the dearness compensation had been meagre.  The erosion of the value of wages was phenomenal during this period.  Govt. refused to revise wages even though it permitted such wage revision for PSU Workers every five years.  The 5^th CPC was set up when the DA  crossed over 50%.  Presently, the rate of DA has almost reached 100%.  The announcement of setting up of the 7^th CPC made in Sept. 2013 was not followed up by merger of DA and Interim Relief which would have gone to ameliorate the suffering of the employees especially at the lower level, for the existing wages are abysmally insufficient to make the both ends meet.  The employees are also agitated over the decision of the Govt. not to include a labour representative when the 7^th CPC was set up recently.  The Govt.  must come forward to include a labour representative in the committee; to declare merger of DA for all purposes and grant Interim Relief(I.R.) as has been done on earlier occasions.

This apart, the employees are also agitated over the introduction of the New Contributory Pension Scheme in replacement of the statutory defined Pension Benefit Structure. They are angry over the provision in the PFRDA Bill which authorizes Govt. to withdraw the Pension Benefit even to the existing employees and pensioners  who were recruited prior to 1.1.2004 and the refusal to prescribe a minimum return on the contribution made by employees contrary to the suggestion to that effect made by the Standing Committee of the Parliament.  The decision of the Govt. announced in the last session of the Parliament to allow 49% FDI in  Pension Sector will facilitate the outflow of Indian workers’ savings for investment in foreign countries. 

Presently almost one third of the Central Govt Workforce is casual and contract workers.  No model Govt. ought to have indulged in such anti-labour and anti-poor policies.  The Casual and Contract Workers are paid pittance of wages.  They are allowed to be exploited by the unscrupulous contractors.  Even after serving the organization for years together on jobs which are permanent and perennial in nature, no scheme is evolved for their regularization.  The Govt. has shown scant regard to the existing labour laws in contravention of which the workers are employed.   It is in this background, the demand for scrapping the Contract Labour System has been raised by the employees.

Besides, there had been a concerted  attempt on the part of the Govt to demolish the negotiating machinery set up in 1966 to address the issues and demands of the employees on a regular basis and thus avert a confrontation.  The council meetings were not held even once in the last 3 to 4 years and the grievances of the employees had been mounting.

The Confederation and its  affiliated Federations are certain that the response to the strike will be overwhelming and the Govt. work will come to a virtual halt on 12^th and 13^th February 2014.

If no settlement is brought about on these vital demands immediately, the Confederation will be constrained to intensify the agitation by calling upon the employees to organize an indefinite strike action at the end of February 2014.

                                                                                           Sd/-

                                                                                      K.K.N. KUTTY

                                                                                        President

                                                                          Confederation of CGE & Workers

62nd Anniversary of Income-tax Employees Federation

Federation Day on 10^th February, 2014

The foundation day of the Federation will be celebrated in a befitting manner on 10^th February, 2014. The programme will commence at 11.00 a.m. with the Hoisting of the Federation Flag in front of Aayakar Bhavan at the hands of Com. Ashok Salunkhe, President of  ITEF. This will be followed by floral tributes to martyrs at the martyrs’ column. The ITEF comrades will sing the Federation songs and the Presidents Message will be read. The Guest of Honour and speaker on the occasion will be Com. KKN Kutty, our beloved leader and President of Confederation of Central govt. employees & Workers. We invite all our members to attend the function and be proud to be part of the celebration.

Ravindran B Nair

General Secretary

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
ON THE EVE OF THE 62ND FOUNDATION DAY OF ITEF.

As in February 2013, this year too, our Federation day is to be followed by a 48 hour strike action at the call of the Confederation of Central Government employees and workers. The 12th December, 2012 one day strike action in which cent per cent of the ITEF members took part generated the sanctions which compelled the Government to announce in September, 2013 the setting up of the 7th CPC. The UPA Government must have expected the CGEs to be euphoric over the announcement and thus make political gains in the following legislative assembly elections of various States . The employees rightly recognising the post dated cheque ensured that the party in power realises the reward for chicanery. On 12th December, 2012 the dominant organisations of both Railways and Defence stayed away from action. When the issue and the strike action gained momentum the leadership of those organisations decided to seek the mandate of the common workers through an opinion poll. The response of the common Railway workers was magnificent. They voted overwhelmingly for strike action for they know that without which the wage revision of Central Government employees with a periodicity of five years as is the case with the public and private sector workers would not come about. A joint movement of the entirety of Central Government employees was the expectation but did not emerge. The reluctance to tread the path of struggle was writ at large. Confederation having realised that the joint movement having turned into a mirage decided to call upon its members to organise 48 hour strike on 12th and 13th February, 2014 when both the Railway and Defence workers will again be (unfortunately) spectators.

The last five years, the UPA II was in power was the period the neo- liberal economic policies were operated at its peak. The common people of our country was at the receiving end of the pernicious policy . Incessant rise in the prices of all commodities, unbridled inflation, rising unemployment, deprivation, penury and poverty, the withdrawal of welfare measures introduced earlier to provide succour to the working people one by one were its hallmark. The people responded to every call for struggle directed against the economic policies, be it from the Trade Unions or of the political parties.. The united platform of Trade Unions which spearheaded the resistance movement against the neo-liberal policies grew in size and stature. In the State elections held in November/December, the people voted decisively to defeat the Indian National Congress which leads the political outfit called UPA.

Back home at our departmental level, I am afraid that the fabric of unity we assiduously built over the years with toils and sacrifices is on the verge of terrific tension. Most of us are saddened over the developments over the issue of allocation of the additional posts created on account of the cadre restructuring and review. We were the first to have the cadre review exercise completed and get the nod of the Government (after the 6th CPC) for creation of over 20,000 posts. It was the result and reflection of our unity and strength manifested magnificently on several occasions, especially during the general strike actions of the workers in the country. We sat hours together, deliberated in detail, consciously compromised to arrive at a consensus. We must ensure that the consensus so reached unanimously prevails. We cannot afford to lose our unity except at our peril. We must come out of the piquant situation that has been engineered to demolish and destroy us.

Viewed from that perspective, the 12th and 13th February strike provides us with a fine opportunity to rekindle the spirit of unity and prove that the capacity to struggle alone make an organisation strong. We are called upon to establish that, despite difficulties created by canard, half- truths and blatant lies, we will stand united and ITEF shall remain the most militant trade union organisation.

I appeal to every one of you on this solemn occasion of the 62nd foundation day of our Federation to uphold the spirit of unity and struggle and march into a better and brighter tomorrow.

ASHOK SALUNKHE
President.

Agitation continues.....

Do not believe rumours....Agitation continues till CBDT considers ITEF proposal on allocation of posts...

The Member (P), CBDT, has assured the ITEF leadership in the meeting held on 16th & 17th January, 2014 at New Delhi and also in her meeting with us in Mumbai on 29th January, that the issue of allocation of posts will be discussed with us before taking a final decision. She also informed us that the Board meeting in this regard is inconclusive and once the CBDT comes to a decision the matter will be discussed with the ITEF. We are hopeful that the CBDT will keep its word and hold discussion with us before finalising the allocation of posts. The ongoing agitational programme will be called off only after an agreement is reached with the CBDT. Do not believe rumours....Continue the agitation in totality..... 

Ravindran B Nair

General Secretary.