Monday, June 29, 2020


NATIONAL FEDERATION OF CIVIL ACCOUNTS ASSOCIATIONS
Contact :( 0)9868520926. E-mail: aicaeachq@gmail.com.
Website: nfcaahqnd.blogspot.com
                                               Represented By
All India Civil Accounts Employees Association
          (RECOGNISED BY GOVT. OF INDIA)
              CENTRAL HEADQUARTERS: NEW DELHI
       All India Civil Accounts Employees Association Category -II
             CENTRAL HEADQUARTERS: MUMBAI
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Central Office: -                                                                                              Address for Communication:
Room No. 351, ‘B’ Wing,                                                                                      17/2 – C, P & T Quarters,
Loknayak Bhawan                                                                                                                                 Kali Bari Marg,
Khan Market, New Delhi – 110003                                                                                        New Delhi-110001

No. NFCAA/HQ/A-1/Cir-11/2020                                                                                      Dated: 15.06.2020
To,
            All Federal Executive Members,
            All Women Committee Members,
All Branch Secretaries of AICAEA & AICAEA Cat- II
Dear Comrades, 
RED SALUTE TO COM. RATHIN BURMAN ROY
Comrade Rathin Barman Roy, founder President of All India Civil Accounts Employees Association, expired on 10th June 2020 at Alipurduar (North Bengal). He had joined service in 1959 at AG Bengal He led AG Employees in two strikes held in 1968 and 1974. Suspended from service on both occasions and reinstated by sustained struggle of employees. After being transferred to Civil Accounts in 1976, he along with Comrade Ajoy Bhowmick and few others took initiative to build up All India Civil Accounts Employees Association and became 1st President of its All India ad hoc committee. However, to make the organisation stronger he relinquished his post but continued as Additional Secretary General and Vice President of the organisation. He was elected as the Vice-President of undivided AICAEA in 1994 the year in. He had a very clear understanding on the issues and he was a very dedicated leader. Despite being stationed in Kolkata, half of the days of the month he used to stay in Delhi in the residence of the Secretary General in those days to work in headquarters.  He was so dedicated towards the organisational activities that he had opted to continue in the National Executive committee as Vice- President for one more term even after his retirement from service.   
He was promoted to the post of JAO on passing JAO (Civil) examination   He was promoted to the post of AO twice but refused it to continue in AICAEA. 
Com. Rathin Barman Roy was the founder Secretary of AICAEA, West Bengal Branch too.
N.F.C.A.A. OFFERS RED SALUTE AND DIPS ITS BANNER TO MARK RESPECT TO THIS GREAT LEADER
N.F.C.A.A. DECIDES
 TO
MOVE AHEAD WITH STRUGGLES FOR REALISATION
OF ITS PENDING DEMANDS

1.    HOLD PROTEST MEETINGS IN EVERY OFFICE ON 25TH JUNE 2020 ON THE DEMAND OF NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT OF 22 POINT CHARTER OF DEMANDS.
2.    UNDERTAKE LEGAL COURSE OF ACTION FOR
(A)      IMMEDIATE RESTORATION OF AAO (CIVIL) EXAMINATION AND CONTINUATION OF EXEMPTION SYSTEM
(B)       IMMEDIATE RESTORATION OF 10% PROMOTION QUOTA FOR PROMOTION OF SENIOR ACCOUNTANTS AS AAO.

FIGHT AGAINST THE PANDEMIC OF COVID-19: STAY SAFE
Hope this circular shall find you all safe while COVID-19(coronavirus) has created havoc and whole perspective has changed. Entire world is going through transition. Challenges are many and so are the roads to overcome them.  Every day, reports of infected persons from Government offices and death cases are pouring in. But unfortunately, our Government has withdrawn from the fight against the pandemic and said; since the Corona shall not end, citizens of the country should be self-reliant to survive. In spite of all odds we shall have to move ahead. We shall have to fight the corona attack and pursue our issues as well.
DECISIONS OF FEDERAL EXECUTIVES
After detailed interaction amongst the Federal Executive Members across the country following decisions have been taken. All affiliates and their Branches are requested to pursue their members’ for proper implementation of the decisions.
1.  PROTEST MEETING IN EVERY OFFICE ON 25TH JUNE 2020
Affiliates of the NFCAA shall issue a letter to the concerned authorities demanding immediate settlement of pending issues immediately. In the event of non-response from the authorities, Unit wise protest programmes shall be observed on 25th June 2020. A separate circular in this regard is being issued.
2.  LEGAL ACTION ON IMMEDIATE RESTORATION OF AAO (CIVIL) EXAMINATION AND CONTINUATION OF EXEMPTION SYSTEM
As per the decision of the Federal Executive meeting dated 16/17 August 2019, a case in appropriate court shall be filed on the issues of conduct of AAO Civil Exam and continuation of
exemptions as no other option is left. However, a final letter shall be written by Central Hqrs to CGA seeking dialogue in 15 days and in the event of non-response, petition shall be filed on 16th day. Accordingly, the letter has been issued to CGA by the Central headquarters of AICAEA on 09.06.2020 and the copy of it is furnished in this circular.
3. LEGAL ACTION ON IMMEDIATE RESTORATION OF 10% PROMOTION QUOTA FOR PROMOTION OF SENIOR ACCOUNTANTS AS AAO.
Similarly, as per the decision of the meeting of the Federal Executive dated 11th February 2019,
another petition shall be moved to Pr.CAT, New Delhi against non-grant of promotion to Sr. Accountants as AAOs against 10% promotion quota since 2015 after the case in respect of AAO(Civil) Examination is filed. Necessary action in this respect has also been initiated.  
COMMENTS OF DRAFT RECRUITMENT RULES OF AO AND SR. AO
Office of The CGA vide OM No. A-65061(55)/7/2020/Group- B/CGA/14 dated 20th May 2020 has placed the Draft Recruitment Rules for the Accounts officers and Senior Accounts Officers. On examining the contents of the Drafts Recruitment Rules, It has been observed by the NFCAA that the Recruitment Rules have been drafted totally against the interest of the officer and employees of Civil Accounts Organisation and ignoring the decisions of the Government of India regarding the status of the Accounts Officer and Senior Accounts officer. CGA is totally against the merger of Accounts officer and Senior Accounts Officer which is untenable.
After detailed deliberations at different levels, the AICAEA CAT II vide its letter No AICAEA CAT II/HQ/MUM/2020 -2021 dated  12/06/2020  has forwarded its comments to CGA with endorsement of copies to Secretary, Department of Expenditure and  the Secretary, DOPT.
With Warm Greetings,
                                                                                               
(V.Bhattacharjee)
Secretary General

Copy of the AICAEA letter No:- AICAEA/HQ/A-2/2020/1391-94                                                                     Dated: 09.06.2020 to Smt. Soma Roy Burman, Controller General of Accounts with copy to Secretary, Department of Expenditure
Subject:-   Restoration of AAO (Civil) Examination system discontinued for last three years - implementation of examination and continuation of exemptions acquired by the candidates in the old pattern of examination in consideration of proposals given by the AICAEA.

Reference: This Association’s letters
1.     No. AICAEA/HQ/A-2/2020/665-667  dated: 27.01.2020
2.     No. AICAEA/HQ/A-2/2020/127          dated: 11.02.2020 and
3.     No. AICAEA/HQ/A-2/2020/127          dated: 12.02.2020
Madam,
I have been directed to invite your kind attention to the above referred letters on the subject matter and state that, It is nearly 3(three) years now the Controller General of Accounts did not conduct the AAO(Civil) Examination on the pretext of bringing changes in the pattern of the examination. "Draft Syllabus, Pattern" were published vide OM dated 15th May, 2018 for comments of stakeholders. Responding to the said O.M, the All India Civil Accounts Employees Association being the stake holder had submitted a detailed proposal vide its letter No. AICAEA/HQ/A-2/2018/2015 dated 29th June 2018 with the request of providing it an opportunity of oral deposition to the proposal it had given. A meeting with the representatives of the All India Civil Accounts Employees Association was convened on 21st August 2018 by the office of the Controller General of Accounts which was Chaired by the then Jt. CGA in charge of the Departmental Examinations.  In that meeting, apart from other matters, the staff side was given to understand that the proposed new pattern of Examination shall be introduced and conducted by the office of the Controller General of Accounts in the year 2018 itself.  Simultaneously, in all subsequent official meetings held after 21st August 2018 with the official side of the office of the Controller General of Accounts this Association used to keep on requesting to resume conducting the AAO (Civil) Examination without further delay. Not only this, the Association had been continuously requesting through various request letters to restore the AAO (Civil) Examination system.
But it is nearly three years now, no regular AAO (Civil) Examination has been conducted by the office of the Controller General of Accounts other than the odd Supplementary Examination in 2018. As such, serious adverse impacts on the departmental activities and career prospects to the totality of cadres of the employees working below the level of AAOs have caused. Some of the prominent points are jotted below:-
1.        Since more than 500 (five hundred) posts of AAOs are lying vacant for years together, the works in the Civil Accounts Organization is suffering very badly and the existing AAOs and other category of employees below the level of AAO are sharing the burden of work of highly technical nature of the posts of AAOs. This situation is causing serious harm to the efficiency of the Civil Accounts Organisation. 
2.        Hundreds of the aspiring candidates are facing irreparable damage to their career prospects as they are not able to appear for the examination which is very much connected with their future benefits. Not only this, it has been causing non-creation of promotional potential below the level of posts of AAO which is also causing equal harm to the future prospects of low paid employees. Large number of employees, who have become eligible to appear the examination as per the provisions of the rules and procedure in force, could not be able to appear the examination for the last three years which has caused serious setback in their future prospects.
3.        As a result of the chain linked effect, hundreds of MTS, LDC, Accountants, Stenographers and DEOs are not getting their legitimately overdue promotions to next grades for years together as the vacancies are not emerging in higher grades through promotion of AAO (Civil) Examination passed candidates from the feeder grades.      
4.        The candidates who have cleared less than 8(eight) papers of the existing pattern of examination are facing double edged injustice of not being able to clear their uncleared papers on one side and the threat of losing credit of clearing less than eight papers while other candidates of same examination have become AAO, AO and Sr. AO even as the existing pattern of examination was brought in to operation from the year 2006 on the other side.
The Civil Accounts Employees of the country could see a ray of hope after the OM No:- A.34012/MF.CGA (E)/AAO online Exam/Vol II/1049 dated 15th January, 2020 had been issued by your office conveying the regulation and syllabus for AAO(Civil) Examination. It was also a notable feature in the regulation and syllabus that majority of the suggestions given by the All India Civil Accounts Employees Association including continuation of 8(eight) papers instead of proposed 4(four) papers was accepted and retained. Even there was hardly any change in the syllabus in comparison to old syllabus and thus the syllabus has become very comfortable for both fresh and existing candidates.      
After the issuance of the regulation and syllabus, prospective and existing candidates for the examination were aspiring that, after a gap of three years the AAO (Civil) Examination shall now be conducted by the office of the Controller General of Accounts very soon. 
In appreciation of the OM No:- A.34012/MF.CGA (E)/AAO online Exam/Vol II/1049 dated 15th
January, 2020, this Association vide its above referred letters had requested you to kindly convene a meeting with the representatives of this Association at your level in the first week of February 2020 and thereby give the opportunity to the Association to supplement its views it has placed through the letters to resolve the issues connected with the exemption  to the candidates cleared upto 7(seven) papers in old pattern in particular as the employees had developed  a very clear understanding that the system of AAO (Civil) Examination would  stand restored in the Civil Accounts Organisation in no time  and all categories of candidates  shall be able to take effort for their career advancements without any more delay or  interruption. 
But it was very disappointing to observe by this Association and its members that no notable progress in this direction has been there and the request of the Association to convene a meeting has been kept aside. Even the letter of requests by the Association for discussions and settlement of such a vital issue concerning the growth of Civil Accounts Organisation and  future prospects of thousands of low paid employees have not  been considered for the last six months.  
Therefore, on behalf of the Association, I have been once again directed to request you to kindly convene a meeting at your level within a fortnight's time so that the issue could be settled across the table and existing congenial atmosphere could travel a long way.
Thanking you,
Yours Sincerely,
Sd/-
(Krishna K. Yadav)
Secretary General
Copy of the AICAEA CAT II letter NO: AICAEA CAT II/HQ/MUM/2020 -2021 dated 12/06/2020 to Smt. Soma Roy Burman, Controller General of Accounts with copy to Secretary, Department of Expenditure and Secretary, DOPT.
Subject: - Comments on Draft Recruitment Rules for the post of Pay and Accounts Officer and Senior Accounts Officer (Group A)-regarding 

Reference: - Your office OM No. A-65061(55)/7/2020/Group- B/CGA/14 dated 20th May 2020
Madam,
I have been directed to refer to the above and forward the comments, suggestions and views on the draft Recruitment Rules on behalf of the All India Civil Accounts Employees Association Category II for the posts of Pay and Accounts Officer and Senior Accounts Officer.  
Though the All India Civil Accounts Employees Association Category -II represents the cadre of Assistant Accounts Officers, but the Association being the natural stakeholder, considers it relevant and essential to offer its comments on the proposed Recruitment Rules for the cadre of AO/Sr. AO on the ground that the career prospects of the cadre of AAO is directly connected with the recruitment Rules of the AO/ Sr. AO.    
 This Association after a detailed study of the Draft Recruitment Rules for AO/Sr. AO placed in the website of the Controller General of Accounts likes to draw your attention to the following few lines for your consideration and necessary action: -
1.       As per the recommendations of 7th CPC and implementation of such recommendations Pay band and Grade Pay have been replaced pay level of pay matrix in the following manner: -
a.   AAO:   PB 2 GP Rs.4800/- to Level 8(Rs. 47600/-) and PB2 GP Rs 5400/- to   Level 9 (Rs.53100) after 4 years  
b.   AO:       PB2 GP Rs.5400/- to Level 9 (Rs.53100)   
c.    Sr.AO:  PB3 GP Rs.5400/- to Level 10 (Rs.56100)
  Thus, on promotion from the post of AAO to AO no financial benefit is available while after such promotions responsibilities of the promotees to the level of AO increases manifold and the most important factor of cadre change comes to effect.  Moreover, AAO and AO are functionally not comparable. AAO functions as section head while PAO functions as Head of Office.  Therefore, keeping the AAO cadre away from the normal promotional benefits of being promoted as AO is totally unjustified both scientifically as well as logically and hence, need to be rectified.
2.       Contrary to the situation discussed in point No. 1 above, the AO on promotion to Sr.AO is granted the promotional benefit in the form of one increment while at this stage there is no change in work profile. It is also surprising to find in the Draft recruitment Rules that AO and Senior AO have been made two separate cadres and two different Recruitment rules have been proposed to be adopted by splitting the existing composite recruitment Rules for AO/ Sr. AO and that to ignoring the following basic facts-
a.    Responsibilities and functionally AO and Sr. AO are the same. Both are liable to carry out the responsibilities holding the independent charge of Pay &/ Regional Pay &/Zonal Accounts offices and function as head of offices. The basic principle of equal pay for equal work enshrined in the Constitution of India, one post one salary concept of the present Government of India and recommendations of 6CPC with regard to delayering of posts/ cadres have not been taken into consideration at the time of drafting the Recruitment Rules.
b.   In compliance with the directions of Hon’ble High Court of Delhi contained in Order dated 17.09.2013 in WP(C) No.2698/2013, the Ministry of Finance, had taken a conscious decision that the post of Sr. Audit Officer and Sr. Accounts Officer in the Indian Audit and Accounts Department in Pay Level 10 earlier classified as Group ‘B’ post, is classified as Group ‘A’ without any change in the Pay Level.,
c.    The Comptroller & Auditor General of India, in pursuance of the Ministry of Finance mentioned in “b” above and in concurrence of the Ministry of Finance,   notified in Gazette of India, Part II Section 3 Sub-Section (i) vide GSRNo.860(E) dated 18.11.2019 published on 20.11.2019merged the AO and Sr. AO.  It has been prescribed that the feeder cadre for promotion to the posts of Sr. Accounts Officer shall be Assistant Accounts Officer. The eligibility criteria for promotion to the posts of Sr. Accounts Officer shall be Assistant Accounts Officer in Level - 8 (Rs. 47600-151100) of the pay matrix with seven years of regular service including service rendered in non-functional grade of Level - 9 (Rs. 53100-167800) of the pay matrix.
d.   Historically, the Government of India as well as the consecutive CPC’s have accorded the same treatment to the cadres of organized Accounts and organisations of C&AG. Under this background, the Ministry of Finance would not give a different treatment to the cadre of Civil Accounts unless deviation is proposed by the heads of the Accounting organisation.
e.    Duties and responsibilities of Accounts/ Senior Accounts Officers of Civil Accounts organisation are completely different and are of higher nature than their counterparts in any other Accounting formations of Government of India.  Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance OM No. F No.23 (4) /E. Coord/2020 Dt.23.03.2020 have declared Civil Accounts Organization as an essential service. As such the responsibilities and role of head office of an essential service department shall be vital in discharging duties as they require not only to ensure effective, accurate and timely payment and Accounting functions on behalf of the Government of India at different levels but also require to deal with officers of Level 12 and above beyond their regular purview of service.  
f.      Merger of Accounts/ Senior Accounts Officers will end cases of pay anomalies which cropped up after implementation of MACP. The proposal of merger is in line with proposals forwarded for cadre review.       
 It is amply evident from the preceding paras of this letter that, segregating the cadre of Accounts/ Senior Accounts Officers in to two different cadres and creation of recruitment rules for the post of Pay and Accounts Officer and Senior Accounts Officer separately is totally against the basic concept of the Civil Accounts organisation and its functional system, against the current scenario and against the policies and principles of the Government of India. Proposal for segregating the AO/ Sr. AO also runs contrary to the approach of CGA towards the first Cadre Review proposals of Gr-B and C Cadres of the Civil Accounts organisation.                                   
The comments of the Association on columns of the Schedule to the draft recruitment rules are annexed to Annexure I and Annexure II to this letter respectively The Association hopes that you will kindly consider the request made by the Association from the angle of protecting the interests of your own employees and shall give an opportunity to the Association to offer its oral deposition in support of the points it has raised.
Thanking you,
                                                                                                                                 Yours Sincerely,
Encl.: - As above                                                                                                                                                Sd/-
                                                                                                                                        (Amol V Sule)
Secretary General
Copy for information to:-
1.      The Secretary, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, North Block, New Delhi- 110001.
2.      Secretary, Department of Personnel & Training, Government of India, North Block, New Delhi- 110001.  
Sd/-
(Amol V Sule) 
Secretary General

ANNEXURE -I

Comments to be made regarding proposed Recruitment Rules to the posts of Pay and Accounts Officer
Sl. No.
Serial no./Column no. of the proposed Notification/Schedule of RRs to the posts of   Pay and Accounts Officer
Comments
1
1
May be deleted
2
2
May be deleted and sanctioned strength amalgamated into sanctioned posts of Sr.AO
3
3
May be deleted.
4
4
May be deleted.
5
5
May be deleted.
6
6
May be deleted
7
7
May be deleted
8
8
May be deleted
9
9
May be deleted
10
10
May be deleted
11
11
May be deleted
12
12
May be deleted
13
13
May be deleted

ANNEXURE - II

Comments to be made regarding proposed Recruitment Rules to the posts of Senior Accounts Officer
Sl.
No.
Serial no./Column no. of the proposed
Notification/Schedule of RRs to the posts of 
Senior Accounts Officer
Comments
1
1
No Change
2
2
997 (199+798) subject to variation depends on workload
3
3
No Change
4
4
Following may be inserted in place of existing entries: -
“Level 10 in Pay Matrix (Rs. 56100 – 177500)  
5
5
No Change
6
6
No Change
7
7
No Change
8
8
No Change
9
9
No change
10
10
No Change
11
11
Assistant Accounts Officer in Level-8 (Rs. 47600- 151100) of the pay matrix with Seven years of regular service including service rendered in non-functional grade of Level-9 (Rs. 53100-167800) of the pay matrix.
 Note: Where juniors who have completed their qualifying or eligibility service are being considered for promotion, their seniors would also be considered provided they are not short of the requisite qualifying or eligibility service by more than half of such qualifying or eligibility service or two years, whichever is less
12
12
No Change
13
13
No Change

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