LETTER TO THE DEPARTMENT ON BPM WORK NORMS MODIFICATION & REDUCTION OF ALLOWANCES

ALL INDIA POSTAL EMPLOYEES UNION

      GDS (NFPE)

CHQ: Dada Ghosh Bhawan, 2151/1, New Patel Road, New Delhi - 110008

              President:           Bijoy Gopal Sur                                  E-mail :         aipeugdsnfpe@gmail.com

             General Secretary: P. Pandurangarao      Website: http://www.aipeugdsnfpe.blogspot.com

No.AIPEU-GDS(NFPE)/DG/ALLOWANCES/2012                                             Dt.24-07-2012

To

The Secretary

Dept. of Posts

Dak Bhawan

NEW DELHI-110 001

Sub:- Reduction of allowances to GDS BPMs  arbitrarily at lower levels – request guidelines - regarding .

Madam,

I would like to draw your kind attention that the monthly allowances of GDS BPMs are being drastically reduced by taking up the cases for Revision of allowances to BPMs in many divisions of all Circles.

It is reported that the item of Rs.20,000 for one point is being taken into account while calculating the work load of the BPMs. The cash remittances from AO to BO vice versa has not been included despite the facts that the BPMs have to handle lakhs of rupees for disbursement of NREGS. Even the incentive to NREGS work has not been given for the first 20 transactions.

The reduction is now to the tune of rs.1200 to Rs.1800 per month even after protection of allowances is applied. The situation is very discouraging and pathetic to the family of GDSs.

It is well aware that the said item was earlier discussed with the Staffside and agreed to revise the norms as well as taking the cash remittance for TRCA purpose and it is still under consideration of the Dept. and further instructions are awaited.

DA detailed note is furnished along with this letter on the issue for your kind consideration.

Hence, it is requested to issue suitable instructions to the authorities concerned to keep the orders in abeyance on revision of allowances of BPMs till finalization of the same by the Directorate.

A line in reply about the action taken is highly solicited.

With regards,

DA : ( 1)

Yours faithfully,

(P.PANDURANGARAO)

GENERAL SECRETARY

Madam,

        I have the honour to draw your kind attention to this letter regarding the revision on evaluation of  work norms for GDS BPMs, such work assigned to a Committee needs to consider some valid points on the items from GDS side.

Item :(a) the revised cash handling norm of granting one point for Rs.20,000/-

        This is a big task for BPMs at present as the department expected the flow of money into BOs by making such arrangements and tie-ups with other financial or insurance companies/ financial organizations in future. Where at present, the cash handing in BOs merely depending upon the small savings schemes viz., POSB, PORD, POTD, RPLI which could never suffice the norm for Rs.20,000 / one point and where the cash regarding NREGS and other business development schemes are not being taken into account.

        Eg. Previously, a BPM had made transactions on the above said items of work  @ Rs.1000- / one  point and with some difficult he got 50 points of work load by achieving Rs.50,000- per month to get the TRCA in higher slab including with other items of work viz., No. of transactions, sale of stamps etc.,

        The same 50 points now has to reach by making cash transactions to the tune of Rs.10 lakhs per month (@Rs.20,000- / one point) i.e, an average of Rs.40,000- to 50,000-cash should be made under the said transactions in a BO, which is highly impracticable except  manipulation of transactions  for statistical figures.

        And we can say to go for increase of transactions (@10 transactions / 1 point), the BPM has to do at least 900 - 1000 per month with an average of 35 per day is also not practicable as one transaction takes 5 mts for Deposit and 7 mts for With drawl and place high burden on SPMs for preparing of LoT and other statements caused disruption between our staff.

        Further  to make high value transactions to certain BPMs / BOs, the line limit of conveyance of cash has not been revised besides the with drawl power to a  BPM increased to Rs.5000-

        Now, there is no scope for sale of stamps in BO as the one-man committee expected Rs.900- / 1 point.

Item : (b) exclusion of the cash received and sent from / to Account office by Branch Post Office from “cash handled”.

        Still there are transactions with lower denominations, relating cash handled at BOs  takes much time to count and process of remittance to Account Office. Similarly cash received from the AO has to be made to lower denominations for transactions. The time taken for such cash handling needs to given weightage in the norms of workload.

Item : (c) giving protection of allowances to GDS BPM based on five TRCA slabs in place of two TRCA slabs.

        The concept of protection of allowances based on natural justice as the work load falls down, related allowance reduced to the corresponding workload thrown the GDS in to discourage besides the family into starvation. The fluctuation in workload depending upon so many factors such could not be derived in any manner except the ill efforts made by GDS. We all well aware that depending upon the viability of economic and financial conditions prevailing in and around the BO  caused the increase / decrease in workload.

However, the workload falls down, the protection should be given to the corresponding TRCA (in five TRCA slabs) instead of basing on points. Otherwise the BPM will be discouraged and seeking further source of income for his livelihood, leaving the concentration on BO work and may try to increase the work in succeeding 3^rd year where further revision of periodicity is going to takes place.

Apart from the above, there are further related items needs to be taking into consideration: -

(i)               Cash line limit has to be revised depending upon the mode of transactions in the BO.

(ii)            Memo of Authorised Balance of the BO needs to be revised depending upon the quantum of transactions.

(iii)          Revision of allowances to be taken up with a periodicity of 3 years with half-yearly / quarterly mode instead of the month where the past revision taken place.

(iv)          At least two years average (24 months) work load of the BO should be calculated instead of four quarterly months of the preceeding year of periodical revision.

(v)             All items of work needs to be taken into consideration for workload of the BO  as there is diversity of schemes being introduced in the BO varied from division to division or region to region and circle to circle.

        I hope that the kind authority may consider my view points in a positive way and result oriented revision of norms will be offered to the GDS.

New Delhi

Date:24-07-2012