ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2006

(Kolkata, 18th & 19th January, 2006)

SECRETARY GENERAL'S REPORT

Dear friends,

I welcome you all to Kolkata and wish you all my best wishes to make this conference a grand success.

We have since long been striving to receive positive response from the Administration in the matter of Superintendent of Customs (Prev.) for useful, beneficial deployment so as to serve the deptt. with better service. Also, we have been striving for justice in the matters of promotion from Gr. 'C' to Gr. 'B' and Gr 'B' to Gr 'A' but with no positive result so far. One of the aims & objectives of our federation is to develop healthy relationship between the members and the Administration as well as with other cadres but unfortunately the same spirit is not reciprocated most of the times by the Administration. The 'Bhardwaj Committee" report is one such example of indifferent approach shown to the issue involved. The report has not given any heed to the observation of the Committee Meeting dt. 13-08-04 wherein the Chairman and the J.S. (A) had made strong observation like:

At this, the Chairman remarked that AIPAF (All India Promotee Appraiser's Federation) was trying to create and act as a wall by having demanded that a Blue print formula be given first by the committee and OPPOSING MERGER IN ANY FORM and that it amounted to using their VETO.'

'J.S. (A) also ENQUIRED from the AIPAF as to whether it was desirable to have an E.O., who is junior to a P.O. by Six to Ten years, more so, where recruited through the same examination, to be promoted and in many cases already working as an Asstt. Comm., after already having availed one promotion as A.O., when the P.O. is still awaiting promotion from Supdt. to Asstt. Commr. It was NOT DESIRABLE AND AN UNHEALTHY SITUATION in the Department, concluded the J.S. (A).'

Having not considered the opinion of the committee, the report was prepared by Bhardwaj Committee is not in the right perspective and definitely lacks commitment to justice. It is a common knowledge of every person that people who perform similar nature of work should not be compartmentalized as it may happen that with the change in the situation; workload for one field may increase and it may also decrease for the other field. Then the person overloaded with the work will not able to give justice and will have to compromise with efficiency and output & would also lead to wrong doings. On the other hand, the other person would be left with very little work.

To increase efficiency and production & also to cut cost, merger is the catch word in the private sector, nationally and internationally but not with CBEC.

A work deployment of the officers of the same level cadres by functional merger was proposed and it is difficult to understand why blind eye is shown to such significant and sensitive issue. Moreover, in the liberalized economy with so many imports - export incentive schemes, an officer with a preventive knowledge & experience clubbed with appraising knowledge & experience would serve as a better Customs Officer. If we do not accept this fact then we should be prepared for scams & frauds to take place. It is said that it is the spirit and not the form of law that keeps justice alive i.e. even when the form of law is not leading to justice directly it is the spirit that helps keep justice alive.

Court Matters

It is difficult to understand why incorrect statements are made and affidavits are filed in court stating:

(a) P.O.’s get promotion to the ex-cadre post of Appraisers?

(b) P. O.’s promotion to the post of Appraisers is a second channel of promotion?

(c) Cadre-strength of the Supdt of Customs (Prev.) has not increased despite so many promotions?

Such statements and arguments made in the courts is an evident proof of absence of spirit to uphold the rule of law and justice. It is difficult to understand why successive officer acts in such a way as if it is the moral duty as a colleague officer to protect the incorrect things done by his predecessor at any cost. This is a bad example of a camaraderie if at all. A glance at why such things are taking place point to only one conclusion as if the Board is working for and on behalf of E.O's & Appraisers only.

It is notice that the judgement in the P.O. - E.O. case has put some demoralising effect on members when everyone had high hopes from the case.

It is also seen that there is definite apprehension in everyone's mind whether court cases could bring us justice in our promotion prospect to Gr.'A’.

I would only say that let's not lose hope ultimately the justice would prevail.

Without mentioning any name in particular, I thank all the members of our federation for their sincere co-operation.

With warm regards,

SATYA PAL DUDEJA
SECRETARY GENERAL