Lok Sabha Question No. 1208 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-25
Subject: Kamlesh Chandra Committee
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: R. GOPALAKRISHNAN, DUSHYANT CHAUTALA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF POSTS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1208 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25 th   JULY, 2018

## KAMLESH CHANDRA COMMITTEE

1208. SHRI R. GOPALAKRISHNAN: SHRI DUSHYANT CHAUTALA:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the committee headed by Shri Kamlesh Chandra constituted by the Government to  look  into  the  wage  structure  and  other  social  security  benefits  of  rural  postal  employees including Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS) has submitted its report;
- (b) if  so, the details and the major recommendations thereof along with the action taken by the Government to implement the recommendations of the committee;
- (c) whether the rural postal employees including the GDS are demanding for implementation of said recommendations of the committee and if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government thereon;
- (d) the reasons for delay, if any, in the implementation of the recommendations of the said committee; and
- (e) 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.
- (b) & (c) Major  recommendations  of  Shri  Kamlesh  Chandra  Committee  report  are attached  at Annexure-I. The  Government  has  considered  the  recommendations  and orders  have  been  issued  for  implementation  of  approved  recommendations  relating  to TRCA,  GDS  Gratuity,  Severance  amount,  Maternity  leave  for  female  Gramin  Dak Sevaks, and  other allowances on 25.06.2018 and 27.06.2018.
- (d) The recommendations of the Committee were examined by the Government and orders have been issued after receipt of necessary approvals.
- (e) The recommendations relating to wages and allowances have been ordered to be implemented  w.e.f. 01.07.2018. The recommendations pertaining to service matters are being processed by the Department.

## Major recommendations made by Shri Kamlesh Chandra Committee to look into the service conditions of Gramin Dak Sevaks.

- 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).
- 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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