Denial of 3rd MACP to Master Craftsman in Defence in the Grade Pay of Rs.4600

Denial of 3rd MACP to Master Craftsman in Defence in the Grade Pay of Rs.4600 is not as per DOPT Clarification – General Secretary/INDWF & Member National Council (JCM) Standing Committee

Secretary,

DOP&T

New Delhi

Brief about Master Craftsman granting MACP – III to Rs.4600/- Grade Pay in Defence

Master Craftsman in Defence were drawing the pay scale Rs.4500 – 7000 prior to 01.01.2006.
Through Fast Track committee on the recommendations of 6th CPC, Master craftsman (MCM) were upgraded to Rs.4200/- Grade Pay w.e.f. 01.01.2006 at par with Railways – vide M of D letter No.11 (5)/2009-D(Civ-I) dt 14.06.2010 and the re-structuring of Artisans were implemented by introducing 4 grade structure i.e., Skilled, HS Grade – II, HS Grade-I and MCM with a ratio of 45 : 20.625 : 20.625 : 13.75% respectively.
Principle Controller of Accounts Fys (PC of A(FYS), Kolkatta vide their letter No.Pay/Tech-II/04/2011/15 dated 26.10.2011 and 12.12.2011 clarified that the Industrial Employees who become MCM before 01.01.2006 is eligible for 3rd MACP in the Grade Pay of Rs.4600/-.

ISSUE

CLARIFICATION

Whether an Industrial Employee who was placed to MCM before 01.01.2006 and promoted to MCM on 01.01.2006 is eligible for 3rd MACP with Grade Pay of Rs.4600 after 30 years on the plea that he was granted only two up-gradations in his entire service i.e. Skilled to HS and HS to MCM

YES, such MCM is eligible for 3rd MACP with Grade Pay Rs.4600/- after 30 years of service if found otherwise eligible, as they got two promotions prior to 01.01.2006 i.e. Skilled to HS and HS to MCM. But those Industrial Employees who were not placed to MCM before 01.01.2006 are not eligible for 3rd MACP because such persons have got or shall get promotion from Skilled to HS –II, from HS II to HS I and HS I to MCM, so there is no scope for 3rd MACP upgradation.

After issue of the above clarifications by the PC of A (FYS) Kolkatta, Master Craftsman (MCM) who became MCM before 01.01.2006 were granted 3rd MACP to Rs.4600/- Grade Pay on completion of 30 years of service.

Subsequently the DOP&T vide their letter DOP&T I.D.No.7680/12/CR dated 13.07.2012 and M of D I.D. No.11 (5)/2009-D (Civ-I) Dated 23.07.2012 clarified.

a) Para 8 of Annexure-1 of DOP&T OM No.35034/3/2008-Est(D) dt. 19.05.2009 of MACPs provides that promotion earned in the post carrying same grade pay in the promotional post carrying same grade pay in the promotional hierarchy as per recruitment rules shall be counted for the purpose of MACPs. Financial up-gradation under MACPs in respect of Master Craftsman will be in the same Grade Pay of Rs.4200/- as that of the Promotional post of Chargeman.

b) ACP/MACP schemes have been introduced by the Government in order to mitigate stagnation faced by employees due to lack of promotional avenues. Financial up-gradation under ACP/MACP scheme cannot be more than what can be allowed to an employee on his normal promotion. It may be classified that placement of Highly Skilled Grade as Master Craftsman prior to 01.01.2006 is to be treated as one Promotion for the purpose of MACP benefits.

After issue of the above clarifications, the IEs who became MCM prior to 01.01.2006 and who were granted Rs.4200/- Grade Pay were denied the 3rd MACP and the up-gradation of Pay was considered as promotion. Similarly, MCM who got Chargeman which is also having identical pay were also counted as promotion and the Grade Pay Rs.4600/- granted have been denied. Now, accounts authorities have fixed pay be revising to Rs.4200/- Grade Pay accordingly, MCM employees on their superannuation, pension and all other terminal benefits have been re-fixed and paid on the Grade Pay of Rs.4200/-.

Representation was sent by the Federations and by Ordnance Factory Board to M of D which was forwarded to DOP&T in which we have submitted that:

As per clarification No.35 of DOP&T OM F.No.35035/1/97-Estt(D)(Vol-IV) dt 15th July 2001 which is being reproduced.

Sl.No	Point of Doubt	Clarification
35	Whether Placement/ Appointment in higher scales of Pay based on the recommendation of the Pay commissions or committees set up to rationalize the cadre is to be reckoned as Promotion/Financial up-gradation and offset against the two financial up-gradations applicable under the ACP Scheme?	Where all the post are placed in Higher scale of Pay, with or without a change in the designation, without requirement of any new qualification for holding the post in the higher grade, not specified in the Recruitment Rules for the existing post and without involving any change in responsibilities and duties, then placement of all the incumbents against such upgraded posts is not be treated as promotion/upgradation

a) As per DOP&T OM of 2001 mentioned above, it is clear that all the posts of MCM as on 31.12.2005 were enbloc upgraded to higher pay scale, the higher pay scale granted to MCM w.e.f 01.01.2006 cannot be treated as promotion. Accordingly the MCM who are placed in the pre-revised pay scale of Rs.5000-8000 w.e.f 01.01.2006 are entitled for their next ACP/MACP in PB2 +Grade Pay Rs.4600/- by ignoring the higher pay scale granted to them w.e.f. 01.01.2006.

b) The post of MCM was not a post of hierarchy prior to 01.01.2006 and it was part of HS Grade. The ratio which was introduced for Industrial Employees in M of D w.e.f. 20.05.2003, the ratio was 45:55 between Skilled and HS Grade respectively 25% of 55% was placed as MCM which is a part of hierarchy till 31.12.2005. Therefore MCM placed from HS Grade was not treated as promotion only after 01.01.2006; it was treated as a separate grade.

c) The post of MCM, is part of hierarchy w.e.f.01.01.2006 but not a feeder post to Chargeman and as such any movement from MCM to Chargeman cannot be treated as promotion in the identical Grade Pay.

From 20.05.2003	w.e.f 01.01.2006
Skilled – 45%	Skilled – 45%
HS Grade – 55%	HS Grade II – 20.625%
MCM – 25% of 55%	HS Grade I – 20.625%
Only two grades were there till 31.12.2005	MCM – 13.75%

Thus, till 31.12.2005, MCM was part of HS Grade and it was treated as part of HS Grade and was treated as placement and not counted for ACP.

Skilled ——– HS Grade I Promotion/ I ACP

HS Grade — MCM II ACP

MCM ——— was granted 3rd MACP w.e.f. 01.09.2008

Further, ACP – II to the erstwhile pay of Rs.5000-8000 was granted prior to the promotion of MCM and subsequently they were promoted to Rs.4500 – 7000 but they continue to draw the ACP scale Rs.5000 – 8000 prior to 01.01.2006.

They were also denied the benefit of 3rd MACP after 01.09.2008 which is unfair.

MCM to Chargeman is not a feeder post only as per SRO HS I is the feeder post thus MCM to be treated as re-designation and not as promotion.

Therefore, denial of 3rd MACP is not as per the DOP&T clarification of 2001.They should be allowed to continue in Rs.4600/- Grade Pay as was granted.

Yours Sincerely,

(R.SRINIVASAN)

General Secretary/INDWF & Member National Council (JCM) Standing Committee

Source : Indian National Defence Workers Federation