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Grameen Dak Sevak: Details of Post Offices manned by GDS, Monthly Wages, Eligibility of Pension, Silent features GDS Committee Report

Grameen Dak Sevak: Details of Post Offices manned by GDS, Monthly Wages, Eligibility of Pension, Silent features GDS Committee Report 

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS
LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 3450

ANSWERED ON: 22.03.2017

Grameen Dak Sevaks

RAHUL KASWAN
TAMRADHWAJ SAHU
BALABHADRA MAJHI
RAMESH BIDHURI
Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:-

(a) the total number of postal circles in the country and the number of GPOs, SPOs and EDBOs functioning under these circles alongwith number of these post offices located in rural and urban regions separately;
(b) the number of post offices manned by Grameen Dak Sevaks (GDSs) State/UT-wise alongwith the details about the monthly salary of the GDS;
(c) whether Grameen Dak Sevaks (GDSs) are eligible for pension like other Government employees and if not, the reasons therefor;
(d) whether Government is contemplating to constitute any Committee to look into the salary structure and other service matters of Grameen Dak Sevaks and if so, the details thereof;
(e) whether the said committee has submitted its said report and if so, the salient features of the said report; and
(f) the time by which it is likely to be implemented?

ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS & MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

(a) Madam, the total number of Postal Circles in the country is 23. The total number of GPOs is 24, the total number of Sub Post Offices (SPOs) is 24753, the total number of Extra Departmental Branch Offices (EDBOs) is 129346. The details of these post offices rural and urban regions wise is enclosed at Annexure-I.
(b) The number of post offices which are manned by Gramin Dak Sewaks (GDS) is given in the Annexure-II. Details of the monthly wages admissible to various categories of Gramin Dak Sewaks are given in the Annexure-III.
(c) No, Madam. The legal status of the Gramin Dak Sevaks as held in 1977 by Apex Court is that they are holders of the civil posts outside the regular civil service. Being a distinct and separate category, CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 are not applicable in the case of Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS).
(d) Yes, Madam. To examine the system of Branch Post Offices, engagement conditions, existing structure of allowances and all other welfare issues pertaining to Gramin Dak Sevaks, a one-man Committee under the Chairmanship of Shri Kamlesh Chandra, Retired Member Postal Services Board was set up.
(e) Yes, Madam. The committee has submitted its report. The salient feature of the report is given in the Annexure-IV.
(f) The recommendations of the committee are being examined by the Department of Posts. No timeline is specified to implement the recommendations of the Committee.

Annexure-I
DISTRIBUTION OF RURAL AND URBAN POST OFFICES AS ON
31.03.2016

(in number)

Circles

Departmental Post Office

Gramin Dak Sewak Post Office
Total Post Office

Head Post Office

Sub Post Office

Total

ED Sub Post Office

ED Branch Post Office

Total

Rural

Urban

Total

Rural

Urban

Total

Rural

Urban

Total

Rural

Urban

Total

Rural

Urban

Total

Rural

Urban

Total

Rural

Urban

Total

Andhra Pradesh
4
55
59
944
581
1525
948
636
1584
0
0
0
8594
144
8738
8594
144
8738
9542
780
10322
Assam
0
19
19
385
221
606
385
240
625
0
0
0
3246
141
3387
3246
141
3387
3631
381
4012
Bihar
0
32
32
637
386
1023
637
418
1055
0
0
0
7936
46
7982
7936
46
7982
8573
464
9037
Chhattisgarh
0
10
10
99
239
338
99
249
348
0
0
0
2789
20
2809
2789
20
2809
2888
269
3157
Delhi
0
12
12
6
389
395
6
401
407
0
0
0
78
69
147
78
69
147
84
470
554
Gujarat
0
34
34
644
663
1307
644
697
1341
0
0
0
7524
118
7642
7524
118
7642
8168
815
8983
Haryana
0
16
16
177
309
486
177
325
502
0
0
0
2138
44
2182
2138
44
2182
2315
369
2684
Himachal Pradesh
3
15
18
353
97
450
356
112
468
0
0
0
2310
7
2317
2310
7
2317
2666
119
2785
Jammu & Kashmir
0
9
9
94
163
257
94
172
266
0
0
0
1409
26
1435
1409
26
1435
1503
198
1701
Jharkhand
0
13
13
229
218
447
229
231
460
0
0
0
2610
39
2649
2610
39
2649
2839
270
3109
Karnataka
0
58
58
839
815
1654
839
873
1712
0
0
0
7770
181
7951
7770
181
7951
8609
1054
9663
Kerala
6
45
51
977
480
1457
983
525
1508
0
0
0
3224
335
3559
3224
335
3559
4207
860
5067
Madhya Pradesh
0
43
43
327
658
985
327
701
1028
0
0
0
7148
110
7258
7148
110
7258
7475
811
8286
Maharashtra
1
60
61
1031
1124
2155
1032
1184
2216
0
0
0
10538
105
10643
10538
105
10643
11570
1289
12859
North East
0
9
9
186
142
328
186
151
337
0
0
0
2500
86
2586
2500
86
2586
2686
237
2923
Odisha
0
35
35
666
500
1166
666
535
1201
1
0
1
6906
61
6967
6907
61
6968
7573
596
8169
Punjab
0
22
22
328
416
744
328
438
766
0
0
0
3081
14
3095
3081
14
3095
3409
452
3861
Rajasthan
1
47
48
722
570
1292
723
617
1340
0
0
0
8952
26
8978
8952
26
8978
9675
643
10318
Tamil Nadu
0
94
94
1330
1406
2736
1330
1500
2830
0
0
0
8945
356
9301
8945
356
9301
10275
1856
12131
Telangana
1
35
36
433
392
825
434
427
861
0
0
0
4815
159
4974
4815
159
4974
5249
586
5835
Uttarakhand
0
13
13
197
182
379
197
195
392
0
0
0
2315
14
2329
2315
14
2329
2512
209
2721
Uttar Pradesh
0
72
72
877
1602
2479
877
1674
2551
0
0
0
14852
259
15111
14852
259
15111
15729
1933
17662
West Bengal
0
47
47
681
1038
1719
681
1085
1766
0
0
0
7096
209
7305
7096
209
7305
7777
1294
9071
Total
16
795
811
12162
12591
24753
12178
13386
25564
1
0
1
126776
2569
129345
126777
2569
129346
138955
15955
154910



Annexure-II



STATE WISE LIST OF NUMBER OF POST OFFICES MANNED BY GRAMIN
DAK SEWAKS

Sl. No. Name of the State Number of Post

Offices manned by

Gramin Dak Sewaks
1 Andhra Pradesh 8738
2 Arunachal Pradesh 253
3 Assam 3387
4 Bihar 7982
5 Chhattisgarh 2809
6 Delhi 147
7 Goa 153
8 Gujarat 7596
9 Haryana 2182
10 Himachal Pradesh 2317
11 Jammu & Kashmir 1435
12 Jharkhand 2649
13 Karnataka 7951
14 Kerala 3558
15 Madhya Pradesh 7258
16 Maharashtra 10490
17 Manipur 645
18 Meghalaya 423
19 Mizoram 350
20 Nagaland 287
21 Odisha 6968
22 Punjab 3087
23 Rajasthan 8978
24 Sikkim 186
25 Tamil Nadu 9241
26 Telangana 4974
27 Tripura 628
28 Uttar Pradesh 15111
29 Uttarakhand 2329
30 West Bengal 7046

UNION TERRITORY WISE LIST OF NUMBER OF POST OFFICES MANNED BY GRAMIN DAK
SEWAKS

SL. No.
Name of the Union Territory
Number of Post
Offices manned by
Gramin Dak Sewaks
1 Andaman and Nicobar 73
2 Chandigarh 08
3 Daman and Diu 12
4 Dadar and Nagar Haveli 34
5 Lakshdweep 01
6 Puducherry 60


Annexure-III 



DETAILS OF THE MONTHLY WAGES ADMISSIBLE TO VARIOUS CATEGORIES OF GRAMIN DAK
SEVAKS

S.No.
Category of Gramin Dak Sevaks Time Related Continuity Allowance
Work load in hours
1 GDS Sub Postmaster Rs. 4575-85-7125 4 – 5 hours
2 GDS Branch Postmaster Rs 2745-50-4245 Up to 3 hours work
Rs 3200-60-5000 More than 3 hours up to 3 hrs.30 min
Rs 3660-70-5760 Up to4 hours.
Rs 4115-75-6365 More than 4 hours up to 4 hour 30 min
Rs. 4575-85-7125 More than 4.hrs 30 min up to 5 hours
3 GDS Mail deliverer/Stamp vendor Rs 2665-50-4165 For work up to 3 hrs for new entrants
Rs 3330-60-5130 For Work load Up to 3 hours 45 minutes
Rs 4220-75-6470 More than 3 hours 45 minutes up to 5 hours
4 GDS Mail Carrier/Packer/ Mailman Rs 2295-45-3695 For work up to 3 hrs for new entrants
Rs2870-50-4370 More than 3 hrs up to 3 hrs 45 min
Rs 3635-65-5585 More than 3 hours 45 minutes up to 5 hours.
Annexure-IV

Salient features of the Report

o The old system of payment of Time Related Continuity Allowance (TRCA) is dispensed with and replaced with a new wage payment system. Under the new wage payment system, 11 TRCA slabs are subsumed into 3 Wage Scales with two Levels each for BPMs and for other than BPMs. One wage scale would be common for both the categories of GDSs.
o The minimum working hours of GDS Post Offices and GDSs are increased to 4 hours from 3 hours.
o The new working hours for GDS Post Offices will be 4 hours and 5 hours only.
o The Level 1 GDS Post Offices / GDSs will have 4 hours as working hours and Level – 2 will have 5 hours as working hours.
o The Point System for assessment of workload of BPMs has been abolished.
o The new wage payment system is linked to revenue generation of GDS Post Offices. Under the new system, there will be no increase in wages of BPMs from Level -1 to Level -2 on the basis of workload but the same will be increased based on achievement of prescribed revenue norms which is fixed at 100% for normal areas and 50% for special areas.
o The GDS Post Offices not achieving the prescribed revenue norm within the given working hours will have to open GDS Post Offices for minimum of additional 30 minutes beyond the prescribed working hours.
o The GDS BPMs will be paid Revenue Linked Allowance @10% beyond level-2 wage scale if they will be successful in achieving revenue beyond prescribed norms
o The GDS Post Offices has been categorized into A, B; C and D categories based on the revenue generation norms. The GDS Post Office in A category will achieve 100% revenue norm. The Committee has recommended a set of actions for each category of GDS Post Offices.
o The six approved categories of GDSs are subsumed into two categories only. One category will be Branch Post Master and all other 5 categories of GDSs are subsumed into one Multi Tasking Category.
o The GDSs working in the GDS Post Offices will be known as Assistant Branch Post Master (ABPMs) and those working in the Departmental Post Offices will be known as Dak Sevak (DS).
o The minimum wage has been increased to Rs. 10000/- per month and maximum pay to Rs. 35480/- per month.
o The rate of annual increase is recommended as 3%.
o A Composite Allowance comprising of support for hiring accommodation for GDS Post Offices as well as mandatory residence, office maintenance, mobile and electricity usage charges etc. has been introduced for the first time.
o Children Education Allowance @Rs. 6000/- per child per annum has been introduced for GDSs.
o Risk & Hardship Allowance @Rs. 500/- per month for GDS working in the special areas has also been introduced.
o A Financial upgradation has been introduced at 12 years, 24 years and 36 years of services in form of two advance additional annual increases.
o The Ceiling of ex-gratia gratuity has been increased from Rs. 60,000 to Rs. 5,00,000
o The GDS Contribution for Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS) should be enhanced maximum up to 10% and minimum up to 3% of the basic wage per month, whereas the Department should contribute a fixed contribution of 3% of the basic wage of the GDSs.
o The coverage of GDS Group Insurance Scheme has been enhanced from Rs. 50000/- to Rs. 5,00,000/
o The contribution of Department in Circle Welfare Fund (CWF) has been increased from Rs. 100/ per annum to Rs. 300/ per annum.
o The scope of CWF is extended to cover immediate family members such as spouse; daughters, sons and dependent daughters in law in the scheme.
o The Committee also recommended 10% hike in the prescribed limits of financial grants and assistances in the Circle Welfare Funds.
o The Committee has recommended addition of Rs. 10,000/ for purchase of Tablet / Mobile from the Circle Welfare in the head “Financial Assistance of Fund by way of loans with lower rate of interest (5%)”.
o Provision of 26 weeks of Maternity Leave for women GDS has been recommended.
o The wages for the entire period of Maternity Leave is recommended to be paid from salary head from where wages of GDSs are paid.
o The Committee has also recommended one week of paternity leave.
o Leave accumulation and encashment facility up to 180 days has been introduced.
o Online system of engagement has been recommended.
o Alternate livelihood condition for engagement of GDSs has been relaxed.
o Voluntary Discharge scheme has been recommended.
o The Discharge age has been retained at 65 years.
o The Limited Transfer Facility has been relaxed from 1 time to 3 times for male GDSs. There will be no restriction on number of chances for transfer of women GDSs. The powers for transfer has been delegated to the concerned Divisional head.
o The ex-gratia payment during put off period should be revised to 35% from 25% of the wage and DA drawn immediately before put off.
o The Committee has recommended preferring transfer before put off duty.

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