Port Blair, Jan 20: D.Ayyappan, General Secretary, Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers’ Association who visited Delhi from 8th to 14th January, 2014 met Shri Ratan P. Watal, Secretary (Expenditure) in the Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India and submitted memorandum on various issues relating to the Govt. employees working in Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The issues brought before the Secretary (Expenditure) are 1) Extending Part B upgraded pay to left out categories of teachers like Headmaster, PET, Librarian, etc, (2) Upgraded pay for Lower Grade Clerks & Higher Grade Clerks working under the Andaman Nicobar Administration, (3) to issue adequate orders to remove anomaly in pay fixation of promoted employees viz-a-viz directly appointed employees, (4) to accord approval for creation of 193 posts of teachers in the Education department of Andaman Nicobar islands, proposal for which is lying in the Govt. Of India for the last few years, etc.
After discussion of the points in the letters, the Secretary (Expenditure) assured the General Secretary that the issues will be examined and needful action taken immediately.
Shri D. Ayyappan had also met Dr Sudha Sharma, Chairperson, Central Board of Direct Taxes, Ministry of Finance and submitted a memorandum demanding exemption of ISDA from income tax. The chairman assured him to look into the matter.
He has also met officials in the Ministry of Home Affairs and requested them to expedite the issues relating to the government employees pending in the MHA also to pursue the issues already pending in various other Ministries. The issues raised with the officials in the Ministry of Home Affairs are (1) Non-Functional Selection Grade in the Grade Pay of Rs. 4200 to those who have completed 5 years service in the post of Higher Grade Clerk as has been done in Central Secretariat Cadre (2) upgraded pay for Head Clerks/Assistants, Office Superintendents and Assistant Secretaries working under the A & N Admn, 3) Pay Fixation benefit of one increment on promotion from the post of Head Clerk to Office Superintendent, etc.
He also had a meeting with Smt Mamta Kundra, Joint Secretary in the Department of Personnel & Training. Apart from the issues raised before the Secretary (Expdr) and MHA, General Secretary had submitted a letter urging the Govt. of India to remove the restrictions imposed on availing Child Care Leave to women government employees. He had also demanded to provide a grievance redressal mechanism for the government employees of A & N Admn on the lines of JCM.
He met higher officials in the Ministry of Human Resource Development and requested them to expedite the issues of 1) Extending Part B upgraded pay to left out categories of teachers like Headmaster, PET, Librarian, etc, (2) ISDA during summer vacation to teachers, (3) enhancement of Medical Allowance from Rs. 75 to Rs. 1000 per month to teachers (4) Creation of 193 posts of different categories of teaching and non-teaching posts, etc.
He had also met the Director (Works) and other higher officials in the Ministry of Urban Development and brought to their notice the pending issues of employees of APWD.
During his tour to New Delhi, Shri D. Ayyappan had also attended the National Executive Committee meeting of the Confederation of Central Govt. Employees and Workers in New Delhi.
