Lok Sabha Question No. 1427 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-27
Subject: Gramin Dak Sevaks
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: BHEEMRAO BASWANTHRAO PATIL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF POSTS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1427 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27 TH      DECEMBER, 2017

## GRAMIN DAK SEVAKS

1427.  SHRI BHEEMRAO B. PATIL:

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 has been constituted to look into the salary structure,  other  service  matters  and  problems  of  Gramin  Dak  Sevaks  under  the Chairmanship of Shri Kamlesh Chandra.
- (b) Yes,  Madam,  the  Committee  has  submitted  its  report  to  the  Government.  The salient features are given in the Annexure.
- (c) The recommendations of the Committee have been considered by the Department. After getting the necessary approvals from all concerned, the recommendation of the Committee will be implemented.

## Salient features

## of the One Man Committee Report headed by  Shri Kamlesh Chandra

- 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 has 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).

## Annexure

- 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 up-gradation 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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