Thursday, January 26, 2017

MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE GDS COMMITTEE UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF SHRI KAMALESH CHANDRA.

The Committee’s major recommendations are summarized below.

1.      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)

2.      The minimum working hours of GDS Post offices and GDSs is
         increased to 4 hours from 3 hours.
3.      The new working hours for GDS Post Offices will be 4 hours
         and 5 hours only.
4.      The Level 1 GDS Post Offices/GDSs will have 4 hours as
         working hours and Level- 2 will have 5 hours as working
         hours.
5.      The Point System for assessment of workload of BPMs has
         been abolished.
6.      The new wage payment system is linked to revenue
          generation of GDS Post Offices. Under the new system, there
           will be no increase in wages 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.
7.      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.
8.      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.
9.      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.
10.  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.
11.  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.
12.  The GDSs working in the GDS Post Offices will be known as
       Assistant Branch Post Master (ABPMs) and those working in the
       Departmental Post Offices will be known as Dak Sevak (DS).
13.  The minimum wage has been increased to Rs.10000/- per
       month and maximum to Rs.35,480/- per month.
14.  The rate of annual increase is recommended as 3%.
15.  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.
16.  Children Education Allowance @ Rs.6000/- per child per annum
      has been introduced for GDSs.
17.  Risk & Hardship Allowance@ Rs.500/- per month for GDSs
      working in the special areas has also been introduced.
18.  A Financial upgradation has been introduced at 12 years, 24
       years and 36 years of services in form of two advance
       additional annual increases.
19.  The Celling of ex-gratia gratuity has been increased from
       Rs.60,000 to Rs.5,00,000/-.
20.  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.
21.  The coverage of GDS Group Insurance Scheme has been
      enhanced from Rs.50,000/- to Rs.5,00,000/-.
22.  The contribution of Department in Circle Welfare Fund (CWF)
       has been increased from Rs.100/- per annum to Rs.300/- per
       annum.
23.  The scope of CWF is extended to cover immediate family
       members such as spouse; daughters, sons and dependent
       daughters in law in the scheme.
24.  The Committee also recommended 10% hike in the prescribed
       limits of financial grants and assistance in the Circle Welfare
       Fund.
25.  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%)”.
26.  Provision of 26 weeks of Maternity Leave for women GDSs has
      been recommended.
27.  The wages for the entire period of Maternity Leave is
       recommended to be paid from salary head from where wages
       of GDSs are paid.
28.  The Committee has also recommended one week of Paternity
       Leave.
29.  The Committee has recommended 5 days of emergency leave
       per annum.
30.  Leave accumulation and encashment facility up to 180 days has
      been introduced.
31.  Online system of engagement has been recommended.
32.  The maximum age limit of 50 years for Direct Recruitment of
       GDSs has been abolished.
33.  Minimum one year of GDS service will now be required for
       GDSs for Direct Recruitment into Department cadres such as
       MTS/Postman/Mail Guard.
34.  Alternate livelihood condition for engagement of GDSs has been
       relaxed.
35.  Voluntary Discharge Scheme has been recommended.
36.  The Discharge age has been retained at 65 years.
37.  The Limited Transfer Facility has been relaxed from 1 time to 3
       times 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.
38.  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.
39.  The Committee has recommended preferring transfer before
       put off duty.
40.  The Compassionate Engagement of GDSs has been relaxed to
       give benefits to eligible dependents in all cases of death of GDS
      while in service.


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