ALL INDIA AUDIT & ACCOUNTS ASSOCIATION
AUDIT LEKHA BHAWAN
15/1089-90, VASUNDHARA, VASUNDHARA (P.O.), Dt. GHAZIABAD (U.P), PIN-201012
Ph: 0120-2881727/4101593/ 0 – 98681 45667
E-mail: auditflag1923@gmail.com
Website: www.auditflag.blogspot.com
Reference: AIA/Circular-10/2009 Date: 21st April 2009
To
Unit Secretaries,
Members of Women's Committee &
Members & Spl. Invitees – NE
Dear Comrades,
Bilateral Meeting with Pr. Dir., Staff
Bilateral meeting was held with Pr. Director, Staff on 20th April 2009. Association was represented by Comrades M Duraipandian, President, MS Raja, SG, V Nageswara Rao, V Sreekumar, Additional Secretaries General and AS Rawat, Asstt Secy General. Com Subhash Pandey, Vice President couldn't attend due to ill-health. AC (N) and AO (JCM) were present in the meeting.
A brief on the discussion is given below.
At the outset Com M Duraipandian, President, expressed appreciation for the grand gesture by CAG on 27th March 2009 by getting up from his seat, shaking hands with President and Secretary General stating that 'there will be light at the end of the tunnel' at the conclusion of the meeting. He hoped that this gesture would percolate down to every level.
PD, Staff also put on record his appreciation for the factual recording done by the Association on the discussion with CAG.
The agenda items were taken up thereafter.
1. Vacate victimisation of Association activists; allow democratic functioning of Association without interference from administration.
On Kerala situation Pr Director, Staff stated that he is bound by the parameters set by CAG in his meeting with Association on 27th March 2009. Association presented certain instances where AG (A&E), Kerala is behaving in such a manner that does not befit a human being.
Regarding the suspension of Com PC Parikh, President of Civil Audit Association, Rajkot, Gujarat, PD, Staff stated that suspension for such a long period is not desirable and assured that he would intervene.
The issue of insistence on constitutional amendment on quorum was raised by Association. After detailed discussion, PD staff agreed to have a re-look and put up to DAI. The situation in Kerala where there are four branch offices in addition to the Main office as well as the difficulty for mustering a minimum quorum in the case of SO(Comml.)/AAO (Comml) whose membership are scattered all over the country were placed in this context.
Similarly on the issue of amending the constitution of All India Audit & Accounts Association to make it a biennial conference, it was stated by Administration that it was sought for the purpose of ensuring submission of annual accounts. After discussion it was agreed that association will submit annual accounts on adoption by the CWC, subject to approval by triennial conference.
PD, Staff stated that circular on grant of special casual leave for organizational work would be re-iterated. It was also assured that non grant of special casual leave to members of SO/AAO (Comml) Association – especially in Kerala – would be attended to.
2. Strengthen Audit & Accounts to Safeguard People's Rights
a) Stop down sizing; Stop outsourcing & privatisation of Audit & Accounts; Scrap curtailment/shedding of Audit functions in the name of Audit Plan.
b) Ensure continuance of the existing Accounting and Auditing methodologies and appropriate party days with scientific work norms.
c) Ensure effective Panchayati Raj Audit & Accounts by sanctioning more posts.
Detailed discussion took place on the item. Association insisted that deepening and widening the scope of audit and accounts is what is expected of the department and is the need of the day when scams upon scams are breaking out every passing day.
PD, Staff stated that a review is being undertaken by the administration on the functional requirements. He assured that our view points are being taken into account in this respect.
We from our side requested that CAG take initiative in demanding more areas of work including audit of listed companies. It was stated by us that once CAG take the lead, we will go all out in mobilising the public opinion in its favour.
3. Redesignate LDC as Audit/Accounts Assistant, grant PB1 Grade Pay 2800 (4500-7000 pre-revised) and grant following pay scales to other cadres, maintaining vertical relativity.
Auditor/Accountant/Steno Gr II : PB2, GP 4200
SA/Steno Gr I : PB2, GP 4600
SO/AAO/Private Secretary : PB2, GP 4800
& PB3 GP 5400 on completion of 4 years
AO : PB3, GP 6600
SAO : PB3, GP 7600
It was stated by administration that they would check how error was crept into the advertisement for the post of DEO giving the pay as pre-revised pay scale of 4500-7000.
The Association stated that creation of cadre of DEO would have future ramification as that cadre would be out of the hierarchy of cadres obtained in IA&AD. We pleaded for re-designation of the cadre as Audit/Accounts Assistant placing all the existing LDCs in that cadre as one time measure.
It was stated by PD, Staff that the demands under this item would be considered at the time of cadre review/restructuring that is underway that is expected to be concluded in another 3-4 months. He assured that the Association would be consulted before any final decision is taken.
It was assured that grant of grade pay 4200 to Auditor/Accountant would be taken up once again with the MOF.
4. Fill up all vacant posts and sanction adequate post as per the agreement of 16.10.1992
The Association was informed by PD, Staff that the 500 dossiers for the post of Auditor/Accountant has already been received from SSC, in addition to that of DEOs. It was stated that presently, Accountants are recruited only in offices of AsG (A&E) at Uttarakhand, Chhatisgarh and Arunachal Pradesh. In the case of Auditors, initially, in such offices where the vacancy position is above 35% of the sanctioned strength, the recruitment would be done. We were informed that bulk recruitment in any cadre will create a situation of stagnation in the days to come and hence recruitment would be done in phases. It was assured that there would be continued recruitment in the Auditor cadre.
It was further informed that final picture would emerge only after the finalisation of cadre review that is underway.
5. Grant ACP on hierarchical pattern.
PD, Staff informed that if we insist on grant of ACP on departmental hierarchy, we may have to forego the recommendation of 6 CPC for 3 ACP (which is not based on departmental hierarchy but the hierarchy of grade pay).
To avoid loss to the LDCs, PD, Staff stated that the diversion of direct recruitment quota for promotion quota can continue for one or two years more and examinations could be conducted wherever necessary so that no LDC remains for availing ACP.
6. Re-designate Supervisor as Section Officer; grant further promotion upto AO/SAO; earmark 20% of AAO (SO) cadre for Supervisors.
Regarding re-designation of Supervisor, PD Staff informed that it is a bigger issue that could be discussed later. As regards earmarking 20% of total strength of SO/AAO for promotion of Sr Auditor/Accountant as Supervisor, Pr Dir Staff responded positively stating that taking the total strength of SO/AAO cadre to grant promotion to SAs as Supervisor could be considered, but it may not be 20%. He said that this could be discussed along with the cadre review.
7. Restore Unilateral Transfer policy
It was stated by Pr Director Staff that in the given situation restoration of unilateral transfers is not possible.
8. Revise TA/DA rates and permit self certification to claim re-imbursement of food and conveyance charges.
PD, Staff agreed with the view that present situation is creating certain difficulties for the field staff. But the MOF with whom the issue was raised refused to relax the conditions and rejected the request for permitting self certification, instead gave an option of retaining the pre-revised set up, informed PD, S. The Department would write to government requesting to revise the old rates commensurate with the prevailing price line, assured Pr Dir, Staff.
9. Placement of all matriculate Gr Ds in PB I, Grade Pay 1900
The scheme does not differentiate between matriculate and non matriculate on placement to PB1, but only on upgrading the skill of the unskilled. Hence it is not possible to grant GP of 1900 to matriculate Gr D, informed PD, Staff.
We were told that the meeting with DAI would be arranged in the month of May 2009.
SLOWLY, SOME IMPROVEMENTS
The developments in the recent past definitely point out to welcome changes in the attitude of CAG administration. It might not be fully upto our expectation, but one has to accept and be receptive to positive signals and actions. After a long gap of nearly a decade, there is going to be some fresh recruitment in the cadre of Auditor (/Accountant). Some DEOs are also going to be recruited soon. Against a vacancy position of 16000 it might seem to be too little, still it is a big step reversing the trend.
The sustained agitation that we launched for the last few years has begun to make its impact. We cannot be complacent; this reminds us of the onerous task ahead – to carry the struggle ahead.
It also reminds us of our greater responsibility. To ensure probity in government functioning, mass awakening is required, simultaneously raising our own standards – of the department's as well as we the personnel working in IA&AD.
We have to carry forward the struggle to ensure that the department does not dodge its responsibilities and the executive does not dare to browbeat the department by mass campaign by rallying the intelligentsia and the common man, preparing our own employees for a sustained agitation so as to prevent the friends of liberalisation and outsourcing from having their way.
Though we can draw some relief from the fact that the struggles have started showing results, as stated earlier, we shall have to carry the struggle to new heights.
Every Unit leadership may take pains to carry the message to the mass of employees.
With greetings,
Yours fraternally
(M. S. Raja)
Secretary General
