The scheduled hearing of the AGM Stay Case at Jabalpur CAT held today and brief arguments happened at the Hon’ble Court. After the listening all sides, the court posted the case on 28.09.2022.
Team AIGETOA comprising of Shri Wasi Ahmad GS, Shri Vivek Kumar Singh AG, and Shri Badri Kumar Mehta FS held detailed meeting with PGM Estt regarding changing of committee member in the pay loss 22820/- committee and requested for holding the formal meeting with AIGETOA on the pay loss issues. It was apprised that the committee was formed in the July 2021 but only single internal meeting of the committee has been held so far. Further, the committee has not given an opportunity to the recognized Association AIGETOA to represent the matter on the pay loss issue to the committee so far. Since Chairman of the committee, Shri R.K. Goyal has got transferred to NTR as CGM hence we requested PGM Estt to incorporate current GM Pers in the pay loss committee. PGM Estt listened patiently and assured to revert back after speaking to Dir HR.
The creation of another SAB account for the left out 260 officers has been discussed in detailed. PGM Estt said the details from the LIC has come to BSNL and same shall be reverted back soon and the new account for the SAB shall become operational soon and the remaining officers shall be able to check the SAB amount in their LIC portal and SAB account shall be visible on pay slip.
Team AIGETOA comprising of Shri Wasi Ahmad GS, Shri Vivek Kumar Singh AGs, and Shri Badri Kumar Mehta FS held detailed meeting GM Admin to expedite the start of DRF (Death Relief Fund Scheme)/ GTI by the BSNL Management. The above matter was earlier raised strongly in front of CMD BSNL and full BSNL Board and informed management about the recent demises of BSNL Recruited employees and endless suffering of such families in absence. We apprised how they are totally collapsed with meager support of Rs 3500 to Rs 4500 a month by including both SAB Fund and EPS Scheme. It is happening basically due delayed start of the SAB Pension Fund by BSNL w.e.f. 2016 with very less percentage or just 3%, which is now raised to only 5%. The delayed start with less percentage has accumulated insufficient fund in the SAB Pension maintained by LIC and any eventuality coming as a serious financial blow to the families. It was agreed by CMD BSNL that a mechanism will be in placed to support the families in case of demise of the employee through DRF/GTI of suitable amount. We reminded GM Admin to expedite issue and start dialogue with the association to in place the mechanism at the earliest.
GM Admin listen our view patiently and shows concern on the matter and suffering of the families due to no DRF scheme and assured to take concurrence with Dir HR/CMD BSNL to expedite it further.
The details of the venue & stay arrangements for the Annual General Meet (AGM) of AIGETOA CHQ on 24th & 25th Sept 2022. The details for the meeting are as below :
Schedule of Annual General Meeting:
Date and Time of the meeting : 24th to 25th Sept 2022 from 10:00 to 21:00 Hrs.
Place : New Delhi.
Venue of meeting : Hotel The Grand Sobha, 1028/1, Near IGI Airport, Mahipalpur Extn, New Delhi – 110037
Direction on Google Maps. Click here
Discussion and Deliberation : 24th to 25th Sept 2022 (Sat & Sun).
Team AIGETOA comprising of Shri Ravi Shil Verma AIC, Shri Pavan Akhand AGS-1, Shri Vivek Kumar Singh AGS-2, Shri Yogendra Kumar AGS-6 and Shri Wasi Ahmad GS held meeting with GM Pers and his team and had a detailed deliberation on the implementation of recent order of Hon’ble CAT Kolkata, Issuance of SDE to AGM Promotion, MS RR, Declaration of some stations of Uttarakhand as Hard Tenure, Declaration of some stations of Karnataka as Soft Tenure, Release of new GATE JTOS from J&K and other tenure stations, Transfer & Posting.
We extend out thank to GM Pers for holding the meeting and listen the arguments of the association with open mind. Association side apprised all details related to fixation of seniority of SDE from vacancy year 2006-07 onwards and the injustice meted out to LDCE Qualified SDEs with all facts and figures supported by the documents. A detailed document of 300 pages was submitted to him along with updating the sequence of events from the beginning including submission of legal opinion by the Retd Justice of the Hon’ble Supreme Court by the association and assurance of management on account of the direction by the Hon’ble Court.
We apprised that without going into the details of Court Case, the Association is of the firm view that the direction given by Kolkata Bench of Hon’ble CAT for amendment of SDE Seniority List 9 by incorporating SDETs promoted through both modes i.e. SQ and CQ for the vacancy year 2006-07 and publishing of seniority from the lis-9 to list-13 afresh in the light of the DoPT OM Dated 13.08.2021 should be issued and accordingly an speaking order may also be issued. Arguments and counter arguments were exchanged between two sides and the association insisted to implement the DoPT OM dated 13.08.2021 in true sense. Finally, it was agreed by the GM Pers that the matter will be re-examined and discussed at higher level also. We emphasize that management has got an opportunity to undo the injustice meted out to the LDCE qualified SDEs of 2006-07 onwards and this shouldn’t be allowed to slip from the hand.
On SDE to AGM Promotion, it was firmly told by that the Kolkata bench order has not touched the SDE seniority list 8 and only speaks about the revision on SDE Seniority list 9 to list 13 on the basis of DoPT OM dated 13.08.2021. Although the language of the order restraining for issuance of SDE to AGM Promotion is not clear but if read in totality, it is limited to only list 9 to list 13 i.e. the Promotion of the SDEs from list 9 to list 13 should be carried out after revision of these list in the light of DoPT OM 13.08.2021 only. Hence the Hon’ble Court at Kolkata has not restrained the SDE to AGM Promotion of SDE Seniority List 8 and it can be released once cleared by the Jabalpur Bench.
MS RR revision which incorporates stagnation clause for SDE to AGM and Fast Track Mechanism for AGM/DGM grades is in process of final discussion at the highest level and the revised draft of MS RR will be shared once the final meeting takes place at the of CMD BSNL.
The matter of conversion of soft tenure of Almora, Srinagar(Gwl) & New Tehri OAs of Uttrakhand Circle to Two Year Hard Tenure Stations was discussed in detailed and we reminded about earlier submission as well as CGM Uttarakhand recommendation. The matter of declaring five OAs of Karnataka viz. Madikeri, Karwar, Bidar, Chickmagalur & Shimoga as soft tenure stations was also discussed and hardship faced by the Circle for shortage of officers was discussed. GM Pers appraised that both the matter have been discussed with the Director HR and a final decision has to be taken. We requested to expedite the decision considering the situation of these Circles.
The matter of release GATE JTOS under Rule-8 from J&K Circle and NE Circles were also discussed. We apprised that at one side many GATE JTOs are waiting to return to their HOME STATE after completion of five years in these Circles and other side many SDES are waiting for their hard tenure posting at these locations in want of vacancies. As per restructuring, JTO and SDE are interchangeable and so a mechanism can be framed to release the GATE JTOs on Rule-8 for their home Circle after completing five years of service and equal numbers of SDEs can be posted from the waiting list to fill the gap. It will serve the purpose of both sides and address the issue in best possible way. We apprise that one meeting with PGM Establishment has already been done by the association on the subject. GM Pers agrees to look into the possibilities and examine the matter in consultation with the PGM Establishment.
The matter of retention, modification and OTP Transfer Cases also discussed in the meeting and cases handed over also.
The meeting ended on a positive note.
GS AIGETOA has represented the plight of Uttarakhand Circle facing acute hardship due to its harsh terrains, limited basic amenities, poor connectivity, and difficult living environment resulting in the acute shortage of employees to man the positions and maintain the services in many areas. This issue has been raised on many occasions by the association with different authorities but the result is awaited. Accordingly, GS AIGETOA has reached out to the CMD BSNL and requested his kind intervention to address the long awaited issues by converting three difficult terrain OAs namely Almora, Srinagar (Gwl) & New Tehri from Soft Tenure Station to Two Year Hard Tenure Station to attract employees from other Circles to work in these areas to break their long stay Circle Tenure as they are opting for J&K, Assam, NE etc.
GS AIGETOA has requested CMD BSNL for immediate conduction of the BSNL Sports and Cultural Board Meeting to approve the Sports Calendar and conduct 19th All India BSNL Sports and Cultural Meet. It is important to mention here that the said meet even has not been held in BSNL since last three years on account of Covid Pandemic and other administrative reasons.
AIGETOA taken up the matter of restoration of seniority of the LDCE-12 qualified SDE. GS AIGETOA has reached out to the Director HR requesting him to comply the order given by the Hon’ble Court in the OA NO 350/01626/2022 dated 13.09.2022, where the matter of allowing rotation of quotas in the particular vacancy year has been addressed. Hon’ble Court has directed to publish the seniority list in the cadre of SDET in the light of DoPT OM 13-08-2021 and address the grievance of the applicant by issuing a detailed speaking order, as per following details of the order of the Hon’ble Court:
“At hearing both the counsels agreed that the representation preferred by the applicant seeking amendment of the provisional seniority list No. 9 (Annex-8) to incorporate promotees as SDE(T) in SQ and CQ by rotation of quotas as per the DOPTs Circulars in tune with the DOPT OM dated 13.08.2021 against vacancy year 2006-07 and in terms of the decision rendered in K. Meghachandra Singh is accorded.”
“Let a detailed speaking order be issued on the representation and let a seniority list to be published afresh in the light of the DOPT OM dated 13.08.2021.”
Association has requested that the merit of the judgment dated 13/09/2022, legal opinion submitted in this regard earlier and the various DoPT OMs under reference may kindly be uphold on true sense and accordingly the direction of the Hon’ble CAT Kolkata in the OA NO 350/01626/2022 dated 13.09.2022 should be complied immediately without any delay.
A case was filed in 2018 by AIGETOA, SNEA & AIBSNLEA against hiving off the tower to BTCL company. Yesterday, we had a detailed deliberation with Dir CM (Details will be share later) on the subject and other matters including IPMS. After that we had meeting with our Counsel in detail in the matter. Accordingly, the counsel presented the case in the Hon’ble Court. It is learnt that the matter of hiving off the BSNL Towers to BTCL has been disposed off with a direction with liberty to the Petitioners to approach the court in case the circumstances change in respect of the decision of BSNL to hive off the tower business. Earlier BSNL has submitted in its reply in the Court that BSNL is not going to transfer the Towers to BTCL.
Team AIGETOA comprising of Shri Wasi Ahmad GS, Shri Badri Kumar Mehta FS and Shri Vivek Kumar Singh AGS visited the Sanchar Sadan, New Delhi to meet officials of the DoT for follow up meeting on SDE RR clearance and Standard Pay Scale E2-E3.
After approval of BSNL Board, the new SDE RR was sent to DoT for clearance to notify the RR. The association was continuously following up in the DoT for its concurrence as sought by BSNL. After continuous follow up the matter, Estab Section of DoT cleared and sent to Fin section for assessing any Pensionary liabilities due to the stagnation clause introduced in the SDE RR and possible conflicts with EPP if any. It is important to note here that SDE RR has a clause of the promotion from JTO to SDE through Personal up-gradation after completion of fix amount of period. In the finance wing, various queries raised and questionnaire sent to the BSNL. After following up in the BSNL, reply of all queries of the DoTwas sent last week. It was confirmed that the reply has been received in the DoT. Teams AIGETOA elaborated all replies in detail with the DDG dealing the subject in DoTand convince him about no financial outgo of the DoT on pension due to the introduction of the stagnation system as well as cleared other doubts also raised in the meeting. It was assured in the meeting to us that after internal deliberation, the file will be processed by next week positively paving the way for clearance of the DoT. In view of above, we are expecting notification of SDE RR by next month surely. Once the notification will be issued, the process of left out JTO Promotion to SDET will be issued immediately through stagnation clause and process for LDCE will also be initiated.
The discussion on standard pay scale E2-E3 couldn’t be held yesterday as the Member Services was attending the ongoing session at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. So, nowthe matter of Pay Scale will be taken up next week with the Hon’ble Member Services