submission of memorandum on the issues of the postal employees

Shri Anurag Thakur Ji,

Hon. Chairman, Standing Committee

Information Technology, Govt of India

Camp at Shimla

Sub:-     submission of memorandum on the issues of the postal employees

Respected sir,

                The postal employees of Himachal Pradesh extend heartiest welcome to your goodself and to the members of the standing committee on kind visit to Himachal Pradesh.  On behalf of the postal employees we are submitting some important issues needs your kind intervention are as under:-

1.            Acute shortage of operative staff in post offices

                Due to the erratic recruitment policy and hiring of incredible outsource recruitment agency M/s CMC Ltd , the Department is facing acute shortage of 70000 Group C staff as on date. In HP Circle, 600 posts of postal assistant are lying vacant. The existing staff has avoidable job pressure which is deteriorating the health of the staff and adversely affecting the quality of service. Surprisingly enough, there is no shortage of officers in the Department of Posts. Whenever, a post is vacated , it is filled up on short term basis and adhoc basis.  The operative staff working in the field offices  doing multifarious duties is under tremendous pressure and tension to meet the requirements of the Department in providing the service

                In postal due to this job pressure, number of officials have sought voluntary retirement and many have committed suicide. Recently, in West Bengal Circle a Sub Postmaster who could not bear with the administrative pressure and customers demand committed suicide. A Xerox copy of the print media is enclosed.

                The situation is alarming in the Department of Post and there is an immediate necessity to fill up the vacant posts by in house recruitment policy which was being followed by the Department prior to switching over to outsourced recruitment agency.

2.            Erratic functioning of McCamish software and Finacle

                The Department has installed McCamish Software for the purpose of Postal Life Insurance and Finacle for small saving services from Infosys Pvt Ltd. The McCamish software has not been providing trouble free service similarly the Finacle is not smoothly working due to erratic networking and internet connectivity being provided by M/s Siffy Pvt Ltd. The Postal Department has a large number of officers in the Directorate but none is ready to shoulder the responsibility whenever there is problem in the McCamsih and Finacle which have been purchased from M/s Infosys Pvt Ltd spending crores of rupees. This erratic functioning is compounding the miseries of the operative staff as well as the customers. Surprisingly, the Department does not seem to be serious to provide trouble free functioning of these softwares. Your intervention is solicited.

3.            Non Payment of incentive for working on Sunday / Gazetted Holiday during demonetization drive to the postal staff

                The postal Department has done a remarkable job in implementing the demonetization drive of Government of India. Despite infrastructural constraints viz shortage of man power, non availability of cash currency notes counting machines and fake note detecting machine, the staff has put its entire energy to work beyond duty hours and on Sunday / Holiday during the drive. Whereas our counterparts in banks were compensated with handsome incentive for this work. The orders issued by the Postal Directorate are lying in the files as unimplemented. So kindly intervene and cause grant of compensation to the postal staff at par with banks.

4.            Opening of Passport Offices and India Post Payment Bank

                The Government has decided to open POPSK and as on date 49 POPSKs have been opened across the nation in the premises of present post office building . it is a welcoming step but since the staff has to be provided by the postal Department from the existing strength , it will create more problem to the postal and to the new offices. Therefore,  adequate staff for new POSPK be provided.

5.            Non Extending of CGHS benefit to the postal and telecom employees of HP Circle

                The Honorable Union Health Minister has granted this scheme to central Govt employees of Himachal Pradesh and a CGHS dispensary is functioning at Shimla which further empanel the hospitals for treatment to the central govt employees. The CGHS dispensary is denying this facility to the postal and telecom employees on the plea that we have separate postal dispensaries which is untenable. Since, there is no P&T dispensary in Himachal Pradesh , the CGHS facility like other central Govt employees may kindly be provided to postal and telecom employees.

6.            Provision of closed Holiday on 2^nd and Fourth Saturday in the post offices at par with Banks

                The RBI has ordered closed Holiday in banks on 2^nd and Forth Saturday. The post offices except Administrative offices have six days week. This is discriminatory. The postal employees solicite your intervention to kindly cause closed holiday on 2^nd and fourth Saturday in post offices at par with banks.

With regards

Yours faithfully,

(H S Guleria)