AJIT KUMAR Sachdeva 11:51 AM (4 minutes ago) to piyush, fm, fmo, ajaitley, ravis, samiritizarani, tc.gahlot, cabinet, cabinetsy To, The Prime Minister, Government of India, South Block, Raisina Hill, New Delhi. India-110011 Subject: UNIFORMITY OF PAY SCALES IN PSU’S UNDER MINISTRY OF POWER-regd. Sir, NHPC Officers Association (NOA) had been representing & pursuing for rationalization in existing Pay Structures and removal of anomaly in the implemented pay scales of Officers of NHPC since 01.01.1997. Similar anomaly also exists in four other CPSUs namely REC, THDC, SJVN and NEEPCO, all under the administrative control of Ministry of Power. The “Pay Committee” report (26th June 1999) provided for a uniform pay structure for all CPSU’s. This pay structure was effective from 01.01.1997. However, during implementation stage, NTPC & POWERGRID adopted an improved pay structure (i.e. annual increment @4% instead of fixed slab increment as proposed by the Pay Committee) which was got ratified by Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), Ministry of Heavy Industries upon the recommendation of Ministry of Power. However, the aggrieved five CPSUs were denied parity with the benefits despite repeated requests. The anomaly still exists in spite of the regular assurances & promises by our respective Power Ministers who had promised early & fair resolution of this anomaly. This has really demoralized the affected PSU’s of power sector in terms of dipping morale & dissatisfaction due to non uniform pay structures among sister concerns thereby terming their roles & contribution as inferior to their counterparts / Sister Organizations. The anguish and state of plight of the Officers of these five CPSUs, in so far as denial of their rightful pay parity, can be understood from the undue long time the subject case has taken to reach the Cabinet Committee (nearly 15 years). The entire issue worsened with implementation of revised IDA pay scales w.e.f. 01.01.2007 as the revision in basic pay (including fixation etc.) is directly linked to the existing current basic pay of each individual which in turn is directly linked to the annual increment. This has resulted in Officers of NHPC getting lesser pay viz-a-viz their sister concerns namely NTPC and Power Grid. It would be worthwhile to note that both NHPC & NTPC were incorporated on the same date and initial recruitment for both were made through a common selection process. Power Grid got subsequently incorporated in 1992 with Officers from NHPC & NTPC inducted in it through mass transfers. Under payment to the Officers, has resulted in their de-motivation and left them with scars of feeling belittled and inferior viz-a-viz their counterparts in NTPC and Power Grid besides belies the principles of “Natural Justice” and “Equal Work Equal Pay”. This anomaly in pay scales is further set to compound upon revision in pay scales, due w.e.f. 01.01.2017, if not corrected forthwith. It is glaring to note that four out of these five aggrieved CPSUs are Hydro Power Development Organisations having nearly 76% of the total Central Hydro Capacity and nearly 24% of the India’s total Hydro Capacity. It is even more glaring to note that this de-motivation to the Officers of these Hydro Organisations has come at a time when the country aspires to achieve an accelerated GDP growth for which availability of power is a vital ingredient and for which, and rightly so, the concerted efforts of the Government are to accelerate development of indigenous Hydro Power potential. Besides numerous other benefits of Hydro Power viz-a viz Thermal, unlike fossil fuel, which can be conserved for future if not used, flowing water not used for power generation is a permanent loss to the economy and to the Nation. As a consequence of the persistent follow up by these five CPSUs, upon approval of the proposal by their respective Boards, with MOP, the subject case was put up for approval of the Cabinet Committee on 21st February 2013. AS per normal procedure, any case put up for Cabinet approval, is first comprehensively examined by the concerned administrative Ministry (MOP) with regards to it being fair, just, equitable and in the best interest of the Nation for the joint summarily review and concurrence by all concerned Ministries (in the instant case, Ministry of Law, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Heavy Industries). In the instant case, even after such an exhaustive review over such a prolonged period (15 years), the Cabinet referred the matter to a group of three Cabinet Ministers (Minister of Heavy Industry, Power and Finance) who in turn decided to authorize Minister of Finance to take a final decision. Unfortunately, in a bid to avoid financial implication, the Finance Ministry has side tracked the matter to avoid a fresh review as per ministerial proposal submitted to the Cabinet & instead rely on the views of a Group of Officers who at the initial stages of the examination of the case had opined otherwise (Refer M O F, Deptt of Expenditure letter of 17th july2013- attached). Thus the matter remains stalled/under hold without further submission to Cabinet. This has in a way resulted in taking midterm course correction and bringing to naught the exhaustive examination & clear recommendations by the concerned Ministries to resolve this anomalous status of differential pay scales for PSU’S under the Ministry Of Power. Besides defying articles 14 & 16 of the Indian constitution & the basic spirit of the recommendations of Uniform Pay Structures proposed by the Pay Committee Report, this proposal unjustifiably remains pending from due & just considerations by the Cabinet. We would also like to highlight that four of the aggrieved CPSUs have been accorded “Mini Ratna Category-I” and the 5th having “Navratna Ministry of Heavy Industries status based on their profitability over a long period.” by Thus the financial incidence of rationalization of the pay scale anomalies in these CPSUs shall be met out of profits of the organization with no budgetary support. Having remained in Government service you can very well appreciate that disparity of any nature among the PSU’S specially under the same Administrative Ministry is neither justified nor permissible as per our constitution .A large number of retired Officers & serving Officers affected by this anomalous position suffer a big financial loss which goes on widening with each Pay revision. The retired Officers of these PSU’s get a very meager pension based on part payment through their EPF contribution .They don’t even get a cover for adjustment towards the inflation effect on their pensions & thus further get disadvantaged. Our Retired Officers have been waiting patiently since long & were almost sure to get it when it was submitted to Cabinet for approval as almost all concerns of major Ministries were addressed & then only the proposal was submitted to Cabinet. On one side the VIIth Pay panel Govt Employees has been constituted, while officers of these PSU’S of Power ministry are being denied their rightful dues since 1997 & 2007 on account of Pay party with sister organisations. We request your good self to kindly direct the concerned for rationalization of anomalies in pay scales of Officers of these five CPSUs under Ministry of Power at the earliest. It is hoped that restoration of uniformity in pay scales shall provide a new vigour, thrust and motivation to the Officers to rededicate themselves in onerous task of nation building through development of power sector, which was the very purpose of creation of these CPSUs. We would be privileged to furnish any further details that may be required or even make a personal audience, if so desired. With deep regards, Encls: As Above Yours truly (A K SACHDEVA) RETD. Executive Director (NHPC) CC: 1.0 MINISTER OF STATE FOR POWER WITH INDEPENDENT CHARGE 2.0 FINANCE MINISTER, GOVT OF INDIA 3.0 MINSTER OF HEAVY INDUSTRIES & B P E, GOVT OF INDIA.
Posted on: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 06:27:01 +0000
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