MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE GDS COMMITTEE
The Committee’s major
recommendations are summarized below.
1. 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.
New Wage
Scales
1.
10,000
- 24,470 (Other
than BPM Level 1)
2.
12,000
- 29,380 (Other
than BPM Level 2 & BPM Level 1)
3.
14,500
- 35,480 (BPM Level
2)
2. The minimum working hours of GDS Post offices
and GDSs is increased to 4 hours from 3 hours.
3. The new working hours for GDS Post Offices will
be 4 hours and 5 hours only.
4. The Level 1 GDS Post Offices/GDSs will have 4
hours as working hours and Level- 2 will have 5 hours as working hours.
5. The Point System for assessment of workload of
BPMs has been abolished.
6. 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 which presently
have 15% anticipated income norms.
7. 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.
8. The GDSs BPMs will be paid Revenue Linked Allowance
@10% beyond Level 2 wage scale if they will be successful in achieving revenue
beyond prescribed norms.
9. 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. The Committee has recommended a
set of actions for each category of GDS Post Offices.
10. The six approved categories of GDs 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.
11. The job profile of Multi Tasking GDS is expanded
to include work such as Business Development and Marketing etc. Their jobs will
no more be confined to their old designations. The Assistant BPM will assist
BPMs for increasing revenue generation.
12. 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).
13. The minimum wage has been increased to
Rs.10000/- per month and maximum to Rs.35,480/- per month.
14. The rate of annual increase is recommended as
3%.
15. 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.
16. Children Education Allowance @ Rs.6000/- per
child per annum has been introduced for GDSs.
17. Risk & Hardship Allowance@ Rs.500/- per
month for GDSs working in the special areas has also been introduced.
18. A Financial upgradation has been introduced at
12 years, 24 years and 36 years of services in form of two advance additional
annual increases.
19. The Celling of ex-gratia gratuity has been
increased from Rs.60,000 to Rs.5,00,000/-.
20. 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.
21. The coverage of GDS Group Insurance Scheme has
been enhanced from Rs.50,000/- to Rs.5,00,000/-.
22. The contribution of Department in Circle Welfare
Fund (CWF) has been increased from Rs.100/- per annum to Rs.300/- per annum.
23. The scope of CWF is extended to cover immediate
family members such as spouse; daughters, sons and dependent daughters in law
in the scheme.
24. The Committee also recommended 10% hike in the
prescribed limits of financial grants and assistance in the Circle Welfare
Fund.
25. The Committee has recommended addition of
Rs.10,000/- for purchase of Tablet/Mobile from the Circle Welfare Fund in the
head “Financial Assistance from Fund by way of loans with lower rate of
interest (5%)”.
26. Provision of 26 weeks of Maternity Leave for
women GDSs has been recommended.
27. The wages for the entire period of Maternity
Leave is recommended to be paid from salary head from where wages of GDSs are
paid.
28. The Committee has also recommended one week of
Paternity Leave.
29. The Committee has recommended 5 days of
emergency leave per annum.
30. Leave accumulation and encashment facility up to
180 days has been introduced.
31. Online system of engagement has been
recommended.
32. The maximum age limit of 50 years for Direct
Recruitment of GDSs has been abolished.
33. Minimum one year of GDS service will now be
required for GDSs for Direct Recruitment into Department cadres such as
MTS/Postman/Mail Guard.
34. Alternate livelihood condition for engagement of
GDSs has been relaxed.
35. Voluntary Discharge Scheme has been recommended.
36. The Discharge age has been retained at 65 years.
37. 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 power for transfer has been delegated
to the concerned Divisional head.
38. 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.
39. The Committee has recommended preferring
transfer before put off duty.
40. The Compassionate Engagement of GDSs has been
relaxed to give benefits to eligible dependents in all cases of death of GDS
while in service.
