Excise men threaten stir over promotions

NAGPUR, April 16: Central Excise inspectors have threatened to launch an agitation in protest against the callous attitude of the government...

NAGPUR, April 16: Central Excise inspectors have threatened to launch an agitation in protest against the callous attitude of the government towards their long-pending problems.

They have been demanding at least three promotions in their career and payment of arrears of pay scales from September 1986 to December 1995 following certain observations of the fifth Pay Commission. Addressing a press conference, K V Srinivas, Secretary General, said the issues were discussed at the 12th convention of the All India Federation of Central Excise Executive Officers AIFCEEO held here recently. After considering various factors, the federation decided to pursue the pending issues with the government. If the government failed to take an early decision, then there is every likelihood of the disciplined cadre of inspectors launching an agitation, he warned.

Referring to the demand for three promotions in the career of an inspector, the federation office-bearer pointed out that it takes more than 14 years for aninspector to get his first promotion. The only channel for promotion of an inspector is on the basis of seniority. This is because of the policy of more intake in feeder cadre in comparison to the number of promotions from the feeder cadre to the posts of superintendent. The situation has become so serious over the years that in most of the commissionerates there would be no promotions in the next 4 to 5 years. The Federation has decided to move the Central Board of Excise and Customs to seek better promotional avenues, he added.

Regarding the pay scales issue, he said the inspectors of CBI and IB were given higher scales than that of Central Excise inspectors. Registering their protests, Central Excise inspectors had taken up the matter with the government and also with the fifth Pay Commission. The Commission in its report mentioned that there was no justification in granting higher scales to CBI and IB inspectors. But since CBI and IB inspectors already enjoy higher scales, the Central Exciseinspectors should also get the same scales from September 1986, the date from which the higher scale was given to IB and CBI inspectors, he argued while demanding arrears from September 1986 to December 1995.

The federation would also take up other issues including cadre review of C8217; and D8217; cadre, autonomy to Central Board of Excise and Customs and improvement in working conditions in central excise commissionerate.