For the benefit of our Ministerial cadre!

4th Floor, GST Bhawan, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad - 380006

Running Text

Congratulations and welcome to the new AIB team! Let us usher in an era of revolution against the injustice meted out against the Ministerial cadre!

Tuesday, December 20, 2011



Pune, the 20th December, 2011
Dear Members,

Looking at the trend of the previous Cadre Re-structuring as well as the intention of the Executive in the proposed Cadre Restructuring, most of us have by now come to know the fate of the existing Ministerial hierarchy and the worsened promotional avenues a Ministerial Officer has in store for him/her in the Central Board of Excise and Customs.   Post 2005 we all are also aware about the advantages and disadvantages of the RTI Act, 2005.  One would have either used this tool to obtain some information, which would have not been available otherwise or would have been forced to reply to one or more applications and part with the information, which would not have happened without RTI.  So either way, most of us would have by now realized the power of RTI.  The information in respect of the file relating to framing of Recruitment Rules for the posts of Administrative Officers and Chief Accounts Officer has been obtained recently.  

The Knowledge of the so-called officers dealing with the service conditions of officers belonging to the Ministerial cadre, their intentions and the lack of application of mind on the particular issue is amply evident from the relevant file noting. In order to help the common members of the Ministerial cadre understand the significance, as to what is happening at the Ministry level, it is felt that the information so received shall be placed in the public domain. Accordingly a relevant part of the notesheet [click here to download the entire document Part-1 & Part-2 ] is being placed herein below:-







Ironically, it is to add that RTI can only provide us the information and will not help us redress the problem.  Now that we all know what and where the problem lies, the next step is to find an immediate and effective solution. In this regard, I wish to emphasize the use of another equally effective tool/mechanism, which is the Centralized Public Grievance Redress And Monitoring System or CPGRAMS, to redress the grievances. Any person aggrieved over a decision/inaction of the Government can lodge his/her complaint/grievance online through the said mechanism.  The Association has all along been asking the Board officials for timely holding of DPCs in the grade of Chief Accounts Officer as well as for creation of a four tier Ministerial hierarchy during the ensuing Cadre Restructuring.  However, the various requests/demand of this Association has been royally ignored time and again by the Ministry/Board and its officers. With a view to assist the Association in achieving the desired results, the affected individuals or any enthusiastic member of the cadre may prefer redressal of grievances through CPGRAMS .  The related website can be accessed by following the link provided here - http://pgportal.gov.in/Grievance.aspx .  You will be directed to the following page:-



        The concerned person can then lodge the grievance by selecting the name of the department to which the issue pertains to by providing his/her name and address. One may create a password and give their email-id as well so as to view the status of the complaint. Phone number and email-id are optional only and not mandatory. The complaint cannot exceed 4000 characters. Copies of documents/references can be enclosed as pdf documents by attaching them to the complaint. So the procedure to lodge a complaint is very simple. What happens to the complaint so made?

        As per the information available, the grievance is registered by the competent authority in the Ministry of Personnel & Public Grievances and forwarded to the concerned department for remedial action. Until a suitable reply is given, the status of the complaint will remain pending and the HODs will be held responsible for non-disposal of the same. Action report has to be filed with the competent authority in the Ministry of Personnel and Public Grievances. The picture below depicts the procedure for monitoring the disposal of grievances.



Therefore, by way of this tool, one can force the concerned authority to act in a time bound manner. It is learnt that the system has been working well and many of the complainants have received the necessary replies.

        I am of the firm belief that members of the Ministerial cadre are not in a position to buy post cards, affix stamps on it and thereafter send the same to the concerned officials of various Departments voicing their concerns related to the cadre.  Therefore, the medium of CPGRAMS is being suggested and it is hoped that each one of you will make effective use of this existing facility and lodge a complaint/grievance on two important basic issues. One is related to the undue delay in holding of DPC for promotion to the grade of Chief Accounts Officers and the second one is relating to non-creation of a hierarchical structure for Ministerial cadre on par with CBDT and prescribed by the 6th CPC.  The various correspondences and letters submitted by the Association is already placed on the blog with links available for the same, which would help the Members draft their complaints. It is expected that the members would come forward in large numbers to lodge such complaints.

        Needless to mention, I do find many members having ample time at their disposal to be actively involved on facebook and other social forums whereas they do not find it necessary to come to the aid of the cadre they represent.  Incase no timely action is taken the day is not far when this blog will not be required for the cadre itself.  Please do not wait for someone else to do your work.  It would only result in wastage of time.   So let us at least do our duty and be a revolutionary, to get involved in the revolutionary act of making officers accept their responsibility for their negligent acts and may they be made accountable for the untold damage caused to the career prospects of many officers as well as for trying to bring an end to the Ministerial hierarchy.

        Awaiting feedbacks and responses, I remain,

Yours sincerely,
Sd/-
Thomas Mony,
Secretary General