lR;eso t;rs Xkzkeh.k Mkd lsod desVh fjiksVZ Report of the Gramin Dak Sevak Committee Hkkjrh; Mkd India Post Hkkjr ljdkj Government of India lapkj vkSj lwpuk izkS|kSfxdh ea=ky; Ministry of Communications & IT Mkd foHkkx Department of Posts Xkzkeh.k Mkd lsod desVh fjiksVZ Report of the Gramin Dak Sevak Committee Hkkjrh; India Post vDVwcj 2008 October 2008 Preface _______________________________________________________________________________ The Committee has been set up to examine the Extra departmental system, wage structure of Gramin Dak Sevaks, social security for those engaged in maintaining the rural system, recruitment, other related issues and public facilities to be provided through the network. The earlier committees were set up to examine the issues of similar nature, the present Committee has been set up at a time when the country is poised for rapid all round growth. The opportunities for the Post are growing, while at the same time competition is building in areas where the Post is involved. The expectations of the personnel engaged in the ED system and public perception for the provision of services are also high. The challenge before the Department is to make the best use of the Human resources at its disposal, bring in innovation, become customer focused and manage its budgets efficiently. The Committee had worked to examine various issues keeping these objectives in mind. 2. The Committee had the benefit of visiting different rural Post offices and interacting with the persons engaged therein and also a large number of Officers and staff who are involved in managing and improving the system. 3. Also the Committee has undertaken different surveys. One of the important surveys has been undertaken through National Sample Survey Organisation of Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. This is a socio-economic survey of the GDS and the work profile of rural Branch offices. The other one is the Public Opinion Survey on the rural network. The surveys have pointed to the need for improving the range, quality and cost efficiency of Postal functions in rural areas. 4. The requirement of the times is to transform the rural network. For this purpose the Branch offices are to be provided proper infrastructure, the Branch Postmasters are required to be given necessary training, technology has to be inducted, and provision of efficient and cost effective operations has to be ensured. The network has to be transformed to a quality network that will be a window to many of the services in the rural areas. It has to be responsive to the public and changing times. 5. In the context of several operators eager to have a slice of rural market, with the Department of Posts having the confidence of the rural public, implementation of changes proposed by the Committee will bring dividends to the personnel working in the system, improve the public facilities and lead the Department to self sufficiency. Eventually, it will lead to the fulfillment of social objectives of India Post. (R. S. Nataraja Murti) Chairman, Gramin Dak Sevak Committee New Delhi October 24, 2008 Organisation ___________________________________________________________________________ _ Committee 1. Chairman Shri R.S. Nataraja Murti, Retired Member (Personnel) Postal Services Board Secretary Shri A.K. Sharma, Deputy Director General, Department of Posts Assisted by 1. Shri K Rameswara Rao, Asst. Director General, Department of Posts 2. Shri Birendra Kumar Sinha, Inspector Posts 3. Smt Uma Muthukrishnan, Postal Assistant, New Delhi GPO 4. Shri Santosh Kumar Mishra, Postal Assistant, New Delhi GPO 5. Warrant officer S. Ramachandran, Army Postal Service Warrant officer C.P. Binoy, Army Postal Service 6. Miss Geeta Takkar, Stenographer-cum-Data Entry Operator (out sourced) 7. Miss Priyanjana Bagga, Data Entry Operator (out sourced) 8. Shri Saroj Kumar Singh, Multi functional Group D (out sourced) Index Sl No Contents Pages No 1 Introduction 1-3 2 Extra Departmental System in the Postal Department 4-9 3 Systems in vogue in other countries 10-29 4 Part time systems under Central/State Governments 30-37 5 Categories of Gramin Dak Sevaks 38-108 6 Extra Departmental Sub offices (EDSOS) 109-127 7 Rural Post office network – Access 128-147 8 Viability of Branch Post offices 148-189 9 Assessment of work load of Branch Post offices 190-203 10 General recommendations on wage structure and fixation of wages 204-243 11 Dearness Allowance 244-246 12 Productivity Linked Bonus 247-253 13 Performance Related Incentives 254-257 14 Service discharge benefits 258-266 15 Welfare measures 267-272 16 GDS (Conduct & Employment) Rules 273-282 17 Recruitment 283-306 18 Nature of penalties 307-316 19 Trade union facilities 317-320 20 Financing of Post offices 321-322 21 Public facilities 323-335 Sl No Contents Pages No 22 Public opinion survey on services provided by the Branch Post offices 336-368 23 Citizen’s charter and service standards 369-374 24 Equipment and accessories for Branch Post offices 375-381 25 Control and Supervision 382-394 26 Organisational structure and transformation of Rural Post offices 395-398 27 Financial implications of the recommendations 399-402 28 Summary of recommendations 403-429 Annexures 430-443 Acknowledgements 444-446 Chapter I Introduction Constitution of the Gramin Dak Sevak Committee The Government constituted one man committee vide Resolution No. 6- 1/2006 PE II dated 23rd July 2007 to examine the system of Extra Departmental Post offices and wage structure of Gramin Dak Sevaks. Terms of Reference 1.1 The Terms of Reference of the GDS Committee are:- (a) To examine the system of extra departmental Post offices, conditions of employment, wage structure of the Gramin Dak Sevaks and recommend suitable changes considered necessary. (b) To examine the reasonableness of introducing a social security scheme for providing provident fund and retirement benefits to Gramin Dak Sevaks. (c) To examine and suggest any change in the matter of recruitment, minimum qualification for appointment as Gramin Dak Sevaks and conduct & disciplinary rules. (d) To review the facilities provided to the public at different classes of extra departmental Post offices. (e) To examine the desirability and need to sanction any interim relief till the time the recommendations of the Committee are made and accepted by the Government. Composition of the GDS Committee 1.2 The GDS Committee comprised Chairman and Secretary as under:- 1) Chairman: Shri. R. S. Nataraja Murti, Retired Member (Personnel), Postal Services Board 2) Secretary: Shri. A.K. Sharma, Deputy Director General, Dak Bhavan Background 1.3 This is the 5th successive committee set up by the Government to go into the service conditions of the Gramin Dak Sevaks. The earlier four committees were set up in the year 1957 (C. V. Rajan Committee), 1970 (Madan Kishore Committee), 1984 (R. R. Savoor Committee) and 1995 (Justice Talwar Committee). The second, third and fourth committees were constituted consequent to the setting up of the third, fourth and fifth Central Pay Commissions respectively. 1 Methodology 1.4 The Gramin Dak Sevak Committee addressed Hon’ble Members of Parliament, eminent public men, important public functionaries, other stake holders to elicit their views on the Extra Departmental System and the working conditions of Gramin Dak Sevaks. Heads of Circle were addressed to circulate the letters to Public functionaries and Public Men to elicit their views on Extra Departmental System, working conditions of Gramin Dak Sevaks and introduction of new services. Foreign Postal Administrations were addressed to find out the details of Postal system working in their countries. A socio- economic survey was planned through the National Sample Survey Organisation of the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation of Government of India. The objective of the survey was to find out the socio-economic conditions of the Gramin Dak Sevaks and the profile of the work of Branch Post offices. The survey was spread over all the Postal Circles covering 422 Postal Divisions in the country. Five BOs in each Postal Division under two different Sub Post offices were selected by Simple Random Sampling With Out Replacement (SRSWOR) method covering about 2094 Branch Post offices in the entire country. The survey also covered 141 Panchayat Sanchar Seva Kendras. The public opinion survey totalling 2094 units covering 9,968 customers was also carried out by the field investigators of the Department of Posts along with the survey of Branch Post offices. The questionnaires and schedules were designed by the NSSO in consultation with GDS Committee. A two-day training programme cum workshop was organised jointly by NSSO and GDS Committee in the Postal Staff College, Ghaziabad from 1st Feb. to 2nd Feb. 2008. The nodal officers in the circles, Department of Posts and designated supervisory officers of NSSO were given comprehensive training on the methodology for canvassing the schedules of enquiries. On 2nd Feb. 2008 a seminar was conducted wherein the Committee invited views and suggestions of the APMsG/ ADPS on the Extra Departmental Postal System with specific reference to the terms of reference of the Committee. The Committee received memoranda from the NFPE, FNPO, BPEF & All India Postal Extra Departmental Employees Union, National Union of Gramin Dak Sevaks and Bharatiya Postal Extra Departmental Employees Union. 1.4.1 The Committee also addressed all the Gramin Dak Sevaks individually inviting their suggestions on their service conditions, improving their wage structure and exploring ways and means for increasing the workload of the Branch offices and improvement of rural Postal Services. The Committee received 11,071 responses directly from the GDS. The summary of the demands submitted by the federations and representatives of Gramin Dak Sevaks are given in Annexure-I. 1.4.2 The GDS Committee visited the field offices located in the normal, hilly, backward, tribal and remote areas to study the ED system, to assess the workload of the Branch offices, discuss issues and problems of ED System and GDS with the Gramin Dak Sevaks working in the field.