Request to Shri Anil Kumar Hon'ble CPMG Punjab Circle for termination of irregular arrangements made by different field units to the posts of Postmaster Grade-II & III and filling up of such posts from their feeder cadre only.

 To

                                                Shri Anil Kumar

                                                Hon’ble Chief Postmaster General,

By Regd                                  Punjab Circle, Chandigarh-160017.

No : AIAPC/Punjab/29/2019  Dated at Shahpur Kandi T/s the 21.01.2019

Sub: - Request for termination of irregular arrangements made by different field  

units to the posts of  Postmaster Grade-II & III and filling up of such posts from their feeder cadre only.

Ref: -   1. Directorate’s No. 4-17/2008-SPB-II            dated 22.11.2010

            2.  Secretary (Posts) D.O. No 1-28/2010-Trg  dated 11.08.2011

            3.  Directorate’s No. 8/4/2013-SR                    dated 22.04.2013

            4.  Directorate’s No. 137-109/2013-SPB-II      dated 31.12.2013

            5.  Directorate’s No. 137-109/2013-SPB-II      dated 04.03.2014

Respected Sir,

            This association would like to draw the C.O’s kind attention on the above mentioned subject. It is notable that the Postmaster Cadre was created to improve/upgrade the functioning of the Post Offices, to meet the present day requirement of specialization in Post Office management in the wake of introduction of technology, challenges from market, to increase productivity and to bring back the past glory of Post Offices as reiterated in the Directorate’s letter dated 22.11.2010 and D.O. dated 11.08.2011 (copies are enclosed and highlighted for kind ready reference). As per Hon’ble Directorate’s letter dated 22.11.2010 it has absolutely become essential to ensure that key Post Offices are headed by professional managers.

It is a matter of deep concern that the noble vision of the Hon’ble Directorate may go in vein because of irregular actions being taken by different field units as detailed below:

1.      As per Action Taken Reportagainst para 7 (ii) of the Memorandum submitted to Secretary, Dept. of Posts by PJCA on 01.04.2013 vide Hon’ble Directorate’s Communication No. 8/4/2013-SR     Dated 22.04.2013, “The Postmaster Cadre and HSG-I are two different and separate cadres.  The Recruitment Rules of HSG-I do not permit officials of Postmaster Cadre to officiate in HSG-I posts” (Relevant pages of the communication dtd 22.04.2013 are enclosed for kind ready reference).

2.      As per para 4 of the RTI Reply dated 31.12.2013 followed by Appellate Order dated 04.03.2014, “Postmaster Cadre is different & distinct cadre and officials of Postmaster Cadre are not eligible to officiate in the post of LSG/HSG-II/HSG-I and vice versa” (Copies are enclosed for kind ready reference).

3.      As per para 3 (F) of the Preliminary Objection and Submission incorporated in reply of the DOP against OA No 1545/2017 (filed before the Hon’ble CAT Chandigarh Bench), “Postmaster Cadre officials work in the supervisory capacity and the number of posts of Postmaster Cadre are fixed under the Recruitment Rules (supra) and already identified and can’t be occupied by the General Line Officials as it is a separate cadre”.

In reality, it is observed that the field units have taken irregular action to man the vacant posts of Postmaster Grade-II & III by General Line HSG-II, HSG-I Supervisors, MACP-II & III Postal Assistants which are already designated / entertained by regular incumbents of Postmaster Cadre. 

As a consequence, most of those offices are not able to show excellence in the performance as compared to the offices headed by Postmaster Cadre officers which will defeat the purpose of creation of the Postmaster Cadre by our esteemed Department.

Therefore, this association requests the Circle Office to issue immediate necessary order to terminate such irregular arrangements to the posts of Postmaster Grade-II & III and to fill up these posts on regular / ad-hoc basis from the incumbents of their feeder cadres i.e. Postmaster Grade-I & II only, as is being followed in filling up of posts  of other cadres in our Department.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Thanking you in anticipation Sir,

Yours faithfully,

Sd/-

Enclo: As above                                                                                           {NARINDER PAL}

                                                                                                                CIRCLE SECRETARY

Copy to: -   Shri Balveer Singh GS AIAPC Camp at Postmaster Grade-II, Jaipur City PO (Raj)-302003 with request to take up the matter with Dte. please.