7th CPC & other issues: DoPT writes to JCM for Agenda Items for the meeting of Standing Committee

No.NC-JCM-2016/C.S. (PM)                                                  Dated: August 12, 2016

The Cabinet Secretary,

Govt. of India and Chairman

National Council JCM,

Cabinet Secretariat,

Rastrapati Bhawan,

New Delhi

Dear Sir,

We recall the discussions we had with you on 7th June 2016 when inter-alia we brought to your kind notice the growing discontent of the employees on the following two issues which were the subject matter of discussions on very many occasions

1. JCM functioning – Non-convening of meetings at the Departmental levels, consequent non availability of a forum for discussion and negotiations for Unions/Federations.

2. Compassionate appointments in Departments other than Railways

JCM functioning

The functioning of the JCM especially at the Departmental level was virtually halted, when the Government promulgated a new set of recognition rules in 1993 to cover the non industrial employees i. e. for employees in the Department other than Railways and Defence. It took nearly a decade and half to operationalise the new recognition rules and during the same period the functioning of JCM was virtually stopped at the departmental levels. This in-turn resulted in non-discussion and non settlement of various Departmental specific demands and issues, emanated from the flawed recommendation of 5th and 6th CPC. Now that the 7th CPC recommendations would be taken up for implementation, the need for a forum to discuss these issues, especially Departments specific matters need not be emphasized.

Compassionate Appointments

The untenable restriction imposed by the government i. e. 5 percent of the vacancies for Compassionate Appointments in Departments other than Railways has created innumerable difficulties and arbitrary discrimination. The very fact that the said government orders have no sway to half of the civilian employees makes the orders discriminatory and bereft of any merit. The specious plea of the Government that the said orders were issued on account of a directive from the Supreme Court was later found to be fallacious. On various occasions, the Staff Side was assured of a review of the scheme. The scheme requires simplification and has to be made non discriminatory too.

We want the above two issues to be discussed at your level and reach a settlement. We shall be grateful if you will afford us an opportunity to have such a discussion on a date convenient to you. We shall also be thankful if you can indicate the date of the meeting at least 15 days in advance.