Lok Sabha Question No. 3788 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-08-09
Subject: Gramin Dak Sevaks
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: KIRTI (JHA) AZAD

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF POSTS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3788 TO BE ANSWERED ON 9 TH   AUGUST, 2017

## GRAMIN DAK SEVAKS

†3788. SHRI KIRTI AZAD:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has constituted any Committee to look into the salary structure, other service matters and problems of Gramin Dak Sevaks and if so, the details and the composition thereof;
- (b) whether  the  said  Committee  has  since  submitted  its  report  and  if  so,  the recommendations thereof; and
- (c) the time by which these recommendations are likely to be implemented?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS & MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

- (a) Yes, Madam. A one man Committee  headed by   Shri Kamlesh    Chandra, Retired Member (Personnel), Postal Service Board, Department of Posts,  was set up vide  notification  dated  19 th November,  2015  to  examine  the  wage  structure  and service conditions of the Gramin Dak Sevaks.
- (b) & (c) Yes,  Madam.  The  Committee  submitted  its  report  to  the  Government which contains wide ranging recommendations relating to wage structure and service conditions of the Gramin Dak Sevaks. An executive summary of the recommendations of the Committee is given in the Annexure. Action  to  implement the recommendations of the Kamlesh Chandra Committee Report is under vigorous process by the Government

## Details of the recommendations made by the Committee

- o The  old  system  of  payment  of  Time  Related  Continuity  Allowance  (TRCA)  is dispensed with and replaced with a new wage payment system. Under the new wage payment system, 11 TRCA slabs are subsumed into 3 Wage Scales with two Levels each for BPMs and for other than BPMs. One wage scale would be common for both the categories of GDSs.
- o The minimum working hours of GDS Post Offices and GDSs are increased to 4 hours from 3 hours.
- o The new working hours for GDS Post Offices will be 4 hours and 5 hours only.
- o The Level 1 GDS Post Offices / GDSs will have 4 hours as working hours and Level 2 will have 5 hours as working hours.
- o The Point System for assessment of workload of BPMs has been abolished.
- o The new wage payment system is linked to revenue generation of GDS Post Offices. Under the new system, there will be no increase in wages of BPMs from Level -1 to Level  -2  on  the  basis  of  workload  but  the  same  will  be  increased  based  on achievement of prescribed  revenue  norms  which  is fixed  at  100%  for  normal  areas and 50% for special areas.
- o The GDS Post Offices not  achieving  the  prescribed  revenue  norm  within  the  given working  hours  will  have  to  open  GDS  Post  Offices  for  minimum  of  additional  30 minutes beyond the prescribed working hours.
- o The GDS BPMs will be paid Revenue Linked Allowance @10% beyond level-2 wage scale if they will be successful in achieving revenue beyond prescribed norms
- o The GDS Post Offices have been categorized into A, B; C and D categories based on the revenue generation norms. The GDS Post Office in A category will achieve 100% revenue norm. The Committee has recommended a set of actions for each category of GDS Post Offices.
- o The six  approved  categories  of  GDSs  are  subsumed  into two  categories  only.  One category will be Branch Post Master and all other 5 categories of GDSs are subsumed into one Multi Tasking Category.
- o The GDSs working in the GDS Post Offices will be known as Assistant Branch Post Master (ABPMs) and those working in the Departmental Post Offices will be known as Dak Sevak (DS).
- o The minimum wage has been increased to Rs. 10000/- per month and maximum pay to Rs. 35480/- per month.
- o The rate of annual increase is recommended as 3%.
- o A Composite Allowance comprising of support for hiring accommodation for GDS Post Offices  as  well  as  mandatory  residence,  office  maintenance,  mobile  and  electricity usage charges etc. has been introduced for the first time.
- o Children Education Allowance @Rs. 6000/- per child per annum has been introduced for GDSs.

- o Risk  &  Hardship  Allowance  @Rs.  500/-  per  month  for  GDS  working  in  the  special areas has also been introduced.
- o A Financial upgradation has been introduced at 12 years, 24 years and 36 years of services in form of two advance additional annual increases.
- o The Ceiling of ex-gratia gratuity has been increased from Rs. 60,000 to Rs. 5,00,000
- o The  GDS  Contribution  for  Service  Discharge  Benefit  Scheme  (SDBS)  should  be enhanced maximum up to 10% and minimum up to 3% of the basic wage per month, whereas  the  Department  should  contribute  a  fixed  contribution  of  3%  of  the  basic wage of the GDSs.
- o The coverage of GDS Group Insurance Scheme has been enhanced from Rs. 50000/to Rs. 5,00,000/
- o The  contribution  of  Department  in  Circle  Welfare  Fund  (CWF)  has  been  increased from Rs. 100/ per annum to Rs. 300/ per annum.
- o The scope of CWF is extended to cover immediate family members such as spouse; daughters, sons and dependent daughters in law in the scheme.
- o The  Committee  also  recommended  10%  hike  in  the  prescribed  limits  of  financial grants and assistances in the Circle Welfare Funds.
- o The  Committee  has  recommended  addition  of  Rs.  10,000/  for  purchase  of  Tablet  / Mobile from the Circle Welfare in the head 'Financial Assistance of Fund by way of loans with lower rate of interest (5%)'.
- o Provision of 26 weeks of Maternity Leave for women GDS has been recommended.
- o The wages for the entire period of Maternity Leave is recommended to be paid from salary head from where wages of GDSs are paid.
- o The Committee has also recommended one week of paternity leave.
- o Leave accumulation and encashment facility up to 180 days has been introduced.
- o Online system of engagement has been recommended.
- o Alternate livelihood condition for engagement of GDSs has been relaxed.
- o Voluntary Discharge scheme has been recommended.
- o The Discharge age has been retained at 65 years.
- o The Limited Transfer Facility has been relaxed from 1 time to 3 times for male GDSs. There will be no restriction on number of chances for transfer of women GDSs. The powers for transfer has been delegated to the concerned Divisional head.
- o The ex-gratia payment during put off period should be revised to 35% from 25% of the wage and DA drawn immediately before put off.
- o The Committee has recommended preferring transfer before put off duty.

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