This refers to PNM Agenda Item No.30/2018 of AIRF with the Railway Board. In this connection, your kind attention is drawn towards the following facts related to the case:-

The Staff Side, while deposing before the 7th Central Pay Commission, had apprised to the Pay Commission that, subsequent to implementation of VI CPC recommendations, a peculiar anomaly arose where pay of the Jr. S.O. was fixed higher than that of a Senior Section Officer in Accounts Department of the Railways……

No.AIRF/405(VII CPC) Dated: July 2, 2018
The Chairman,
Railway Board,
New Delhi
Dear Sir,

Sub: Pay anomaly in the Supervisory Cadre of Accounts Department of the Indian Railways and pay disparity with other Supervisory Cadres of the Central Government Services.

This refers to PNM Agenda Item No.30/2018 of AIRF with the Railway Board. In this connection, your kind attention is drawn towards the following facts related to the case:-

The Staff Side, while deposing before the 7th Central Pay Commission, had apprised to the Pay Commission that, subsequent to implementation of VI CPC recommendations, a peculiar anomaly arose where pay of the Jr. S.O. was fixed higher than that of a Senior Section Officer in Accounts Department of the Railways.

The 7th Central Pay Commission, while examining the issue, observed that, the above anomalous situation arose merely on circumstantial grounds and needed to be rectified. Accordingly, VII CPC in its report found merit in the above contention and recommended that, seniors must be extended the benefit of stepping-up of pay and further in line with their recommendations in respect of Organized Accounts Cadre, and there is no justification for excluding officers in the Organized Accounting Departments who are in erstwhile GP Rs.4800/, all officers in the in the Organized Accounts Cadre(in Indian Audit & Accounts Department, Defence Accounts Department, Indian Civil Accounts Organization, Accounts Department of Railways, Accounts Department of Posts and Telecommunications) should be upgraded on completion of four years of service to GP Rs. 5400(PB-2), i.e. Pay Level 9 in the Pay Matrix(Para 11.12.140 of 7th CPC).
The Government of India accepted the recommendations of the VII CPC on upgradation of posts/grades under this para, and recently, Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure, issued OM No.F.No.25- 2/2017-IC/E.III(A) dated 18.06.2018, laying down that, the pay scales of the posts of AAO of the Indian Audit and Account Department, Indian Civil Account Organization and P&T Accounts, shall be upgraded under the pay structure of VII CPC w.e.f. 01.01.2016 as per Para 11.12.140 of VII CPC recommendations, but unfortunately, no such instructions have been issued till date in case of Railways.
It is worth-mentioning here that, the Ministry of Defence, in their ID Note No.369/C/2017 dated 23.03.2017, also recommended that, the above benefit be extended to Assistant Accounts Officer(AAO) of Defence Accounts Department as well.
It is further pointed out that, Supervisory Cadre of Accounts Department of the Railways is also entrusted with the responsibilities of presenting the Railway Accounts on widely accepted accrual bases accounting in addition to presenting the Government Accounts as per requirements laid down in the Constitution of India. It is also worth mentioning that, Supervisory Staff of Accounts are already performing their duties in high pressure due to huge number of vacancies and digitalization of work. There is, therefore, serious discontentment prevailing among the Supervisory Category of Accounts Department in Railways owing to non-extending the aforementioned benefit in Railway Accounts Department.
It would, therefore, be quite appropriate that, the Railway Board should take appropriate steps to accord justice to Accounts Department of Railways by extending benefit of grant of GP Rs.5400, i.e. Pay Level 9 in Pay Matrix of VII CPC, to the Supervisory Cadre of Accounts Department of the Ministry of Railways on completion of four years of service in GP Rs.4800 on par with their counterparts in other Organized Accounts Cadre of P&T, Indian Civil Accounts Organization and Indian Audit & Accounts Department of Government of India, at an early date.
An early action in the matter is solicited.