GLARING ISSUES OF CIRCLE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES ADDRESSED BY ADMIN UNION:

ALL INDIA POSTAL ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES EMPLOYEES UNION GROUP ‘C’&’D’

(AFFILIATED TO NATIONAL FEDERATION OF POSTAL EMPLOYEES)

CENTRAL HEAD QUARTERS 30/3D, P&T QUARTERS, KALIBARI MARG,

 NEW DELHI-110001.

NO : AU/A-3/PLI-RPLI Dated 14^th March,2014

To

    Ms. P. Gopinath

    Secretary,

    Department of Posts,

    & Chairman,

    Postal Services Board,

    Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg,

    New Delhi-110001.

Sub : Appeal for conversion of Circle Administrative Offices as Central Processing Centres & violation of Directorate order and agreement – cases of Karnataka and Tamilnadu Circles.

Respected Madam,

                     I would like to bring to your kind notice about the fact that my union had raised the issue of centralization of PLI work in Circle Administrative Offices including Regional Offices in different meetings and even in the meeting of 2^nd August, 2013 in the Postal JCA meeting held at New Delhi.

                    As per your advice the matter was discussed with Ms. Anjali Devashar, Member, Postal Services Board (PLI) and even the demerits of the decentralization as well as merits of centralization were duly communicated to Member, PLI, Postal Services Board through this union letters even no. dated 19-08-2013 & 19-11-2013 for her kind perusal, although no significant decision in this regard has yet been taken.

                    In this regard it was minuted in the event of nationwide strike in January,2012  that “the request of the staff side to permit the Circle/Regional office branch of PLI to accept, process & service the policies relating to their Head Quarter Cities where they were located was accepted to”. Even in the meeting of 21-05-2012 and in the meeting of Departmental Council dated 28-12-2012 taken by the Secretary Posts, Directorate upheld the same view. Such order was neither reversed nor altered, even during your incumbency as Secretary, Posts.

                    Thus when the problem of decentralization of PLI works seemed to have been solved, a DO letter issued in the month of February-2013 by the Chief General Manager, PLI Directorate addressing PMsG by name in the name of India Post Project-2012 changed the whole scenario. In the said DO letter it was communicated that 8 field Post Offices in 7 Circles, i.e, Rajasthan, Delhi, Assam, Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Maharashtra & Uttar Pradesh will be brought under the Pilot Project. It was listed that rest of the Circles would be rolled out in early part of 2014 as part of Phase-II. It was mentioned that case files of PLI & RPLI should be segregated Head Post Office(PAO wise) and those HPOs would be would be called as Central Processing Centres. Subsequently, D.O letters of CGM(PLI) dated 26-06-2013 and 08-07-2013 added further momentum.

                    Incidentally, this issue was neither discussed in the meeting of “National Postal Policy-2012 on 01-10-2012 nor even in the meeting of IT Modernization Project-2012 or recorded any where. In no other meeting of any forum, Decentralization of PLI works to the Head Offices instead of Divisions, was discussed and the whole exercise was done, keeping the staff side and Postal JCA in the dark and even violating the latest provision of “Post Office Life Insurance Rules-2011”.

                    Moreover in different meetings PLI Directorate explained two objectives for decentralization of PLI/RPLI claims, acceptance of proposals and servicing.

                   (1) Decentralization of operational procedure, Administrative, Financial Powers and modernization in the worldwide phenomenon for reaching nearer to the customers for providing after Sales Service.

                  (2) With excellent business in PLI/RPLI the insurant are to be serviced properly. For this purpose, it is important that the Service Centres are near to their residence location.

                   But those objectives would never be fulfilled in the light of worldwide perspective and parameters

 Density of population, urban population as percentage to total population, human development index and quality of life comparison clearly indicates that we should have our own independent and sovereign policy for our country-India. When Italy, Germany, UK, USA, France, Australia & Japan are having urban population varying between 68.4% to 91.3% , India is having just 31.3% of urban population against 68.7% of people living in rural areas within the ambit of 640867 villages. In addition to that bad condition of Roads & poor connectivity with towns and worsening conditions of villages, are the major constraints for development which also clearly indicates that India should have its own independent principles for successful Insurance business.

Inspite of our very strong & logical arguments opposing the move of Department for decentralization and the mode of decentralization firstly PLI works were decentralized to Divisions and thereafter again very recently in the name of Pilot Projects, those works are being further decentralized to Head Post Offices instead of Division causing uncertainties & instabilities in different Circles, apart from gross violation of “Post Office Life Insurance Rules-2011”. It is most shocking that the Private Companies like Infosys and TCS are dictating the fate of PLI/RPLI business. We do apprehend that this will cause leakage and transfer of our Insurants’ data and business secrecy to those private companies. It is very surprising that in these days of highly competitive environment, repeated fluctuation in taking decisions actually damaging the prospects of PLI/RPLI business.

                     In this context, it is relevant to mention that taking the advantage of palls of uncertainties, some Circle Heads who are much below the rank of DG are issuing one after another order verbal and written, ignoring the logical and justified agreements reached between the staff side and official side at the apex level i.e, between DG and JCM leaders. As glaring examples, we are citing the incidents of Tamilnadu and Karnataka Circles. Apart from haphazard and hectic transfer of PLI case files to the units outside COs/ROs ambit in the name of data cleansing works etc in both of the Circles, verbal and written instructions are issued for decentralization of PLI works like surrender, conversion, second loan, survival benefit on AEA policies, final payment of AEA policies, maturity above 5 lakh etc although no such instructions have been issued by the Dte.            

                   The Circle administration who agreed and given in writing that the files would be brought to Circle office, once data clearing work is over. Authority sent the files for data clearing work as there was no man power in Circle office to complete the work within the time frame. Now PLI works are being thrown out of Circle office without any any written orders in Karnataka Circle. The staff are irrationally detected as excess and being sent to South Karnataka Region. Move is going on us for volunteers to go outside Bangalore i.e, at DHARWAD. All such hectic steps are being taken without any written orders and without consulting the concerned Union.

                   Tamilnadu Circle also transferring all the PLI related works pertaining to Chennai city Divisions/Units on the pretext of huge pendency in credit postings which have since long being allowed to accumulate year after year. Entire PLI works except death claim and conversion have been ordered to be transferred to the Divisions concerned with immediate effect.

                   Staff in both of the Circles are shocked and expressed their strong resentment over such sorrowful state of affairs developed in recent times. 

                   Therefore, you are requested to intervene in the matter and direct the concerned Heads of Circles to refrain from taking such actions immediately and to restore status quo.

                    With regards.

                                                      Yours faithfully,

                                                                                           

                                                       Pranab Bhattacharjee

                                                          General Secretary

                                                            Camp at O/O the Ch. PMG

                                                           W.B. Circle, Kolkata-700012

                                                                                                             Mob: 09432208901