Agitation suspended following R.S. direction. ITOs upto 2003 to be promoted within 31.03.16

As informed earlier, JCA suspended the ongoing agitation for three weeks with immediate effect following assurances and directions to CBDT by the Revenue Secretary. The directions by R.S. to CBDT in the meeting has been conveyed to Revenue Secy. for ready reference.
Click here for the letter dated 04.11.15 to Revenue Secretary.

The outcome of the said meeting and decision of suspension of agitation has been conveyed to Chairperson CBDT today.
Click here for the letter to Chairperson.

JCA came out with detailed circular after yesterday midnight. The salient features of the circular are listed below for quick reference.
Regarding ITO to ACIT promotion :
(i)The stagnation in the cadre of ITO needs to be removed.
 (ii) The calculation of vacancy for the promotion in ACIT cadre has to be done keeping in mind that the stagnation in ITO cadre comes down to 12 years from the present position.
 (iii) The officers who were promoted as ITO till 2003 are to be promoted in ACIT vide DPCs of R.Y.s 2014-15, 2015-16 & 2016-17.
(iv) The CBDT to obtain the necessary relaxations, if necessary, from the competent authority to ensure that all eligible persons promoted as ITOs till 2003 are promoted as ACIT and the proposal in this regard is to be sent to the Revenue Secretary soon.
 (v) The DPCs for ACIT for the R.Y.s 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 will be convened by 31st March, 2016.
(vi) The number of vacancies for the R.Y.s 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 will be ascertained by the CBDT within a week’s time, taking JCA into confidence. 
(vii) The formalities like removal of deficient APARs etc. for the vacancies till the R.Y. 2016-17 have to be initiated immediately. 
(viii) Necessary step to vacate the Stay-order in the Court Case pending before the Ernakulam CAT has to be taken. (ix) The representatives of JCA are told to appraise the Revenue Secretary directly in cases of non-settlement of the issues. 
Regarding the rest four demands in the charter :
(i)RRs of Gr.B & C cadres: After considering the suggestions of JCA the draft RRs has already been sanctioned by the Hon’ble FM and the same has been sent to the DoPT for approval. 
2. Filling up of vacant posts: For relaxation of RRs, as per suggestions of JCA, a comprehensive proposal will be submitted by the HRD to the CBDT within a day or two.
 3. Regularization of Casual Workers: The letter issued on 16.10.2015 on this issue has been kept in abeyance till further clarification is issued. Accordingly, intimation has already been sent to the Pr.CCCITs(CCA).
 4. Infrastructure Issue: An instruction has already been issued to all the Pr.CCITs to hold meetings with local JCA on additional space requirement and other infrastructure issues. 

It has been decided by the Central JCA that if positive steps are not taken by the CBDT within the period of suspension of agitation for 3(three) weeks from 04-11-2015, the JCA will be compelled to be relaunch the agitation immediately with more intense vigor. 
Click here for the full text of the circular

Outcome of meeting with Revenue Secretary

Update : Agitation suspended for 3 weeks based on assurances, details awaited.
JCA is yet to come up with the details of the much awaited meeting. Whatever news procured from different sources are being reproduced for our viewers.
In a nutshell, R.S. asked CBDT to complete DPC of 2014-15 immediately, then for 2015-16 and 2016-17 and asked to complete all DPCs within March 2016.
Details are :

1. RS expressed that the issue of stagnation in ITO cadre is serious and needs to be addressed and also expressed his concern.

2. RS asked both the Board and JCA to find solution on this issue through discussion.

3. JCA explained the delay in holding of DPCs and asked for more posts in ACIT cadre for promotion quota through GFR 254 and other means for removing stagnation.

4. RS expressed and directed to work out the modalities to reduce the stagnation to not more than 12 years.

5. RS directed the Member(P) to ensure DPC for 2014-15 immediately. He also directed to ensure immediate vacation of CAT stay.

6. RS directed to complete DPC for 2015-16 thereafter and also start preparing DPC for 2016-17 so that all the DPCs could be completed by March 2016.

7. RS directed Member(P) to put up the proposal at the earliest for more vacancies in ACIT cadre for promotion, be it GFR or otherwise.

8. RS asked JCA to withdraw the agitation immediately. He told that our problems will be addressed. JCA can meet him at any time. He expressed that PM wants the senior authorities to take proper care of employees problems but the employees should also work with sincerity. He told that this agitation has given him bad name.

9. RS had to go somewhere but he directed the Member to continue meeting with JCA and draw some agreeable conclusion. 

10. The Member was told by JCA that addressing stagnation was our priority and there can be no settlement if stagnation issue is not addressed irrespective whether DPC is held early.

11. The Member(P) told that he will meet RS again and will fix another meeting of JCA with him.

All eyes on meeting with Revenue Secretary today

Everybody is looking forward for the outcome of meeting of JCA with Revenue Secretary today. The meeting concluded some time ago. It is reported from sources that R.S. has been very positive about clearing promotion from ITO to ACIT in a large scale. Details are still awaited. Stay tuned for more update on this issue.
Click here for the update.

Under pressure from members, JCA to continue agitation

Under pressure from members from every corner of the country, JCA decided to continue the ongoing agitation and threatens to intensify it if at least some of the demands are not addressed properly.
In a letter addressed to Chairperson CBDT, JCA informs the following.
"In this connection, we are directed by the members of JCA to convey to you that if the actual number of vacancies taking into account the Assistant and Deputy Commissioners together are not computed, steps are not taken to address the stagnation in the ITO cadre, regularization of eligible casual/daily rated workers and relaxation of recruitment rules are not ordered, the issue of providing adequate infrastructure is not addressed, we will be constrained to intensify the agitation further."
Click here for the full text of the letter.

Agitation scaled down, most likely to be withdrawn

As anticipated, JCA leaders are the first to blink. The proposed dharna on 28.10.15 in front of the residence of Chairperson, CBDT has been withdrawn. Regarding ongoing agitation, decision is pending still now and to be decided today afternoon.
CBDT informed by a letter yesterday that 180 promotions to the post of ACIT for panel year 2014-15 to be submitted today to UPSC.
Similar exercise for 180 more posts to be done for the panel year 2015-16 has been commenced and to be submitted to UPSC shortly.
A meeting with Revenue Secretary and JCA to be held on 3rd November to address the issues relating to stagnation of ITOs.
No reference has been made regarding the other issues of the five point charter of demands in the said letter.
It is evident with the developments stated above, nothing could have been achieved so far. CBDT was always ready to effect promotion in the tune of 180 per panel year and they did not commit anything more. No other demands have been addressed yet. Still the leadership took this opportunity to escape and probably going to suspend the agitation.
The view of the leadership is expressed below :
" The meeting decided to postpone the Dharna programme to be held in front of the residence of the Chairperson on 28.10.2015 and the meeting was adjourned to 27.10.2015 without taking any further decision. It is felt that to create a conducive atmosphere to negotiate with the Revenue Secretary, GOI, in the issue of determining the correct vacancy calculations in the cadre of ACIT for the R.Y.s 2013-14 to 2015-16 and removing stagnation in the cadre of ITO created due to less number of posts sanctioned in ACIT cadre in the CRC, 2013, it may perhaps be necessary to scale down the ongoing agitation by partial suspension till the meeting scheduled on 03.11.2015."
Click here for JCA circular and CBDT letter.