New EAs: We Share Your Concern |
After the implementation of the 6th Pay Commission recommendations and subsequent clarifications of some issues, many cadres in our department are experiencing difficult situations. EAs recruited in recent years are the one’s who are yet to get the justice. Recently, in continuation to the gazette notification dated 29th August 2008 the Ministry of Finance has come out with a clarification granting Rs. 4600/- Grade Pay to all those EAs who are in the pay scale of Rs.6500-10500. It’s indeed a welcome move for all those who have been granted the grade pay of Rs 4600/- from 4200/-. At the same time, we are equally concerned about the injustice done to a large number of other EAs who are in the pay scale of Rs 5000-8000 (pre-revised). I do understand the feelings and pain of our younger members on the delay in justice to them. The issue of GP 4600 might have come as another painful experience for the EAs joined after 25-2-1999. I am confident that you know the reality behind the GP 4600 that it was only a general recommendation to the Central Govt employees who were carrying the pay scale Rs.6500-10500 as on 1.1.2006. We believe that the only solution for us is to ensure that all EAs in AIR&DD are granted the pay scale Rs.6500-10500. This issue has also been taken up in the courts. After getting a favourable judgement from Delhi CAT, we are now fighting it out in the Hon’ble High Court in Delhi, because the government preferred to appeal against the CAT judgement. The legal battle is indeed a time consuming one and we have little control over this. But we do realise that all this while the agony of new EAs is getting compounded. Therefore, we started taking up the issue departmentally as well. To this end ARTEE is pursuing a ‘one pay for one cadre’ demand with the ministry, taking appropriate assistance from the positive verdicts granted by Hon'ble CAT Delhi in EAs case and Hon'ble CAT Kolkata in Technician case. Though we have approached the DG:AIR with representations, the matter became serious only after the meeting ARTEE representatives had with Smt. Ambika Soni, Hon'ble Minister for I&B on 23rd July 2009 in which we have succeeded in convincing the Hon'ble Minister about the injustice to the recruits after 25.2.1999. She directed Joint Secretary (Broadcasting) to make efforts to settle the issue outside the court if possible, as per our demand. Accordingly DG:AIR started the movement of the file with all the details (provided by us) and sent it to Prasar Bharati for processing it to the Ministry. Prasar Bharati sought some clarifications, including the status of various court cases and details about the verdict of the Hon'ble CATs. We have provided all these documents and now the file is again under submission. We are following up the matter vigorously and I am personally confident that we will succeed in bringing equal grade pay & pay scales to our younger members, not only in EA cadre but in other cadres too- wherever different scale persist in same cadre on the basis of the date of joining. It will be very difficult for the affected persons to face the delay but we should be aware of the functioning of the government system also. The order for GP4600 took more than one year inspite of the notification in the Gazette way back in August 2008. This delay in the system is not only for the welfare of the employees but in every matter of the system. Today, there are good number of such EAs, but I would like to emphasise that we took up the issue way back in 2003, when there were very less number of EAs in 5000-8000 scale and even the applicants were in probation period, scared to put their signature in the Vakalat Nama (for court). Only after we assured the protection from the Association, the applicants agreed to sign in the papers. If the Association took up the responsibility at such a time then we are determined to fight out till justice is ensured to our members. We have heard about some efforts from new EAs to form parallel pressure groups. Well, we are a democratic country and ARTEE firmly believes in democratic traditions. So we cannot really deny anybody his/ her democratic right. But, it needs to be emphasised here that if such activities go beyond a certain level, it has the potential of harming the interest of all concerned. My humble request to you all younger comrades is to keep faith in the Association, which is considered to be the mother for all its members. I am confident that we will come out with flying colours in your case also as early as possible. I am herewith enclosing some of our representations for your reference. With warm regards, |
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