How much we have to suffer

Ever since DOP has switched over from its traditional recruitment system to new methodology and given recruitment to outside agencies such as CMC and now SSC, there is complete chaos causing abnormal delay in recruitment. It is not only the prospective candidates who are suffering but also there is acute shortage of staff making it difficult for the divisional heads to run day to day work smoothly. On the other hand there is incredible pressure on us to meet the target and provide timely service to the customers. The career progression of employees is also relegated to back sheet may it be DPC or fixture of pay despite clear orders from the court of law. Amid shortage of staff and joint duties being performed by us, how difficult is it to cope with the existing work load is anybody guess , particularly when recruitment for the year 2014-15 and onward of PA cadre is still pending. There is no DPC for JTS/ Group B cadre. A ray of hope was seen when dossier of prospective selected candidates of the PA recruitment 2014 was received but the same has now again been diminished when the recruitment process of the allotted PA cadre candidates has been held in abeyance on the representation of candidates on reservation issue. When DOPT has uncertainties towards direct recruit over this issue, how DOPT or UPSC will take decision for promotional DPC may be JTS or PS Group “B” is a big question mark. Apparently we have to fight for our rights to get justice. 

As far as our department is concerned, every time, policy maker converged to formulate a policy, every time they failed. Obvious reasons are bereft of better understanding, critical approach, intensive research, thoughtful analysis and lack of foresightedness. Resultantly, number of policies took off with a little ray of hope, but each time it fell flat. Idea is good, initiatives are 100%, Pomp and Show is adequate, Results are zero. Probably reasons are lying somewhere else. On the contrary, there are other departments, which meticulous followed the directions of Nodal ones and never remained unhealthy. They never get excited or step ahead or raise their hands and thus, get all the warmth and caring.

Count from the beginning, none could go the right way, it deserves.

Ø  Pooling of operative persons under Reserved Training Pool or back door entry;

Ø Casual Labourers (Grant of Temporary Status & Regularisation) Scheme effective as on 29.11.1991 & instructions thereto (another back door entry);

Ø  One Time Bound promotion scheme (Financial upgradation after completion of 16 years regular service)

Ø  Biennial Cadre Review Scheme (Financial upgradation after completion of 26 years regular service)

Ø  1/3rd Fast track promotion.

Ø  Scheme for allotment of Surplus qualified IPs.

Ø  Introduction of Separate Postmaster Cadre. It was introduced in 2010 but see the results today. There are court cases after court case without any exam or promotions in the cadre. Now Postmaster Grade-I officials have filed court case against cadre restructuring seeking relief for them to keep their share for promotion in higher grade as given to other PA cadre officials under cadre restructuring.

Ø  Recruitment through CMC. Department has to black listed the company

Ø  Outsourcing Postal Agents. Few takers

Ø  Latest is the online recruitment of GDS. You will see the aftermath. At present it took one year to complete the recruitment process. Even after recruitment how many will join as GDS and out of this to how many department will able to retain, is intense to see particularly when department is eager to complete RICT project along with IPPB working.

As far as we as employees are concerned, aforesaid schemes effected the pay scale, pay band, carrier progression of the officials in one manner or the other and brought huge anomalies amidst themselves, be it may be during implementation of recommendations of 4^th CPC, 5^th  CPC ,6^th CPC and now 7^th CPC. Affected persons left stranded for want of specific, clear and unambiguous instructions. Nodal offices do issue instructions, but for their own schemes and never keep checks, RRs remained tossed between the organisations. Persons at the helm of the affairs remained at a bay and won’t persuade for interest of betterment of their own employees. 5400 is working under 4800, 5400 and 4800 are putting their files before 4600, 4200 is working under 2800, direct will get different initial fixture, departmental will other in the same feeder cadre and so on. Account line people have their own interpretation. Who is being supervised and by whom he is to be supervised and who has be supervised is now a 100 million dollar question.  

Alas ! Only a wonder can set right the dilemma

Reinventing Post Office

·         Postal Department is attempting to regain its lost glory by implementing and monitoring its traditional services through digital network that make all accountable at every level of service. Until the introduction of the courier service in the country people had no second choice than going to the Post Office to get their postal business transacted. At that time, the officers and the employees were much sincere and cooperative as far as possible in providing service to the clients. But the Post Office service began to deteriorate when the courier service landed in the country, situation further declined when instead of giving quick and better after sale service, the department officials showed one kind of lethargy, which is one of the reasons to divert the customers to the courier service.

·         The government however, in the past, often tended to hold India Post — the world’s largest postal network — to account on commercial performance parameters, while at the same time utilising its vast network to push its various social objectives. The officers suddenly become active when Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi hinted at these strengths while tweeting that the “postman along with a teacher is the most respected government employee in rural areas”. Incidentally, the savings bank accounts offered by post offices already have deposits of over ₹6 lakh crore, second only to the State Bank of India. Financial inclusion has been the lodestar by which the government wants to steer the financial system. This give birth to India Post Payment Bank Ltd. Company (IPPB).

·         India Post too demonstrated that, given the opportunity, it is more than capable of meeting the most exacting expectations of even global players. It has emerged as one of the leading logistics partners for India’s explosively growing e-commerce sector, while at the same time ensuring last-mile delivery of an array of government services, ranging from benefit transfers under MNREGS to old age pensions and health insurance for the poor. This is why the proposed corporatisation of India Post is a welcome development, since it will provide a measure of autonomy to the commercial arms of the department. The plan envisages setting up a holding company under which five independent entities will look after different aspects of the postal department’s operations including separate companies for banking and insurance. The others in a series of moves is a tie-up to ease the pressure of the passport office, opening of Aadhaar enrolment cum updation centres, Internet packed service etc.  

·         Hitherto department have Post Office Savings Bank (POSB) service that was started in 1882 to facilitate small savings in the country. It operates as an agency of the Ministry of Finance and caters to the basic savings needs of the citizens. All the 1.55 Lakh Post Offices in the country provide the basic banking products of the POSB. Of these 25,353 are departmental Post Offices which are manned by the regular government employees. Though POSB has outstanding balance of Rs. 1,98,935 Crore yet not able to compete with the banking sector that provide any where any time banking. After putting POSB on CBS platform it becomes largest entity in the country on the CBS platform surpassing all the banks. This feat was achieved in less than four years. As on today 991 of the proposed 1000 ATMs are functional in the country. The ATMs are interoperable with other bank. Now customers can access their CBS POSB account from anywhere in the country.  A significant step towards financial inclusion as all these CBS accounts can be used for MGNREGS, DBT, social security pensions and other programs of the Government of India. CBS can also be integrated with AEPS and APBS. The data and CBS environment is ready for providing CBS based services even to the rural areas through handheld devices in 1.3 lakh Branch Post Offices. Networking connectivity is the major problem in 50% of the BO villages where however connectivity will become reality through DARAPAN project. Services like RTGS, NEFT, POSB debit cards at POS as digital payments, full fledged internet and mobile banking may be taken over by India Post Payment Bank Ltd. (IPPB) in near future.

·         No doubt there is future of the department in rural segment but here there are many challenges. It is complained that the post offices situated in the rural areas do not open on time. Clients here wait patiently because rural customers still do not have other option except to use Post Office. Sometimes, Post Offices are managed single handed because some of the employee do not agrees to go to the rural areas to serve and staff shortage is the other issue. This trend was required to be checked by the officers of the department in order to give more emphasis to the rural sector where the department has potential to serve but unfortunately here the pace remain very slow. While serving the people of rural area department can generate substantial revenue by providing best e-commerce services. Some times in rural area, it is seen that treatment to COD articles and business parcels arriving from other post offices are not or cannot be delivered in time, which put the receivers in great anxiety. Despite these odd situation people’s hope still lie with the Post Offices over the courier so must catch it by providing better service.

·         Still it is hoped that future is likely to favour the post office if it can mobilize resources and technology to create new products and services, use its network for a variety of services and improve the way existing services are delivered. By doing so it would have also defeated the dire predictions that email would make physical mail obsolete. All that is required is a serious commitment to all managerial level in the circles, division of work by creating new jobs as is being done in banks, aggressive marketing, proper training, human resource development and close monitoring at every level to curtail the expenditure and increase the revenue resources. The officers should listen to the worker by shunning their bureaucratic approach.