Signalling a fresh confrontation, the Arvind Kejriwal Government on Tuesday reiterated the Delhi Cabinet decision to grant time-bound pay scales to Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Service (DANICS) officers. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) which is cadre controlling authority of DANICS and IAS, has already rejected the Kejriwal Government decision and declared it as “ultra vires”. Top sources told The Pioneer that Delhi Cabinet on Tuesday reiterated its earlier decision to grant time-bound pay scales to DANICS by rejecting the MHA’s order.
On August 11, the Delhi Government had ordered that pay scales of DANICS officers be revised after they complete 13, 18 and 21 years of service which was not the case earlier. The Home Ministry, in its communication to Delhi Chief Secretary, asserted that it was the “competent authority to make any amendments in the DANICS Rules” and the Delhi Government did not seek its approval.
In a letter, the MHA has expressed its displeasure over the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government’s decision to grant time-bound pay scales to Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Service (DANICS) officers, declaring it as “ultra vires”. “The prescribed procedure had not been followed and the approval of the competent authority has not been obtained. As such, it has become ultra vires” the letter said. “Further, the proposal relating to creation of all posts carrying Grade Pay of Rs10,000 in Pay Band-4 and above are required to be brought before the Union Cabinet,” it added.
In fact, IAS lobby is also not happy with the Delhi Government’s decision while DANICS officers are happy. It is true that DANICS officials needs time-bound scale in their pay scales. As per rules, they should be promoted to IAS within eight years of services. But there are lots of officials who have not been promoted to IAS after 20-25 years of their services.
“It was after a long struggle that Delhi Government had passed the order of fair revision of our salary scale” said a senior DANICS officer. “There was no scope of promotion. The decision was aimed at removing disparity in salaries. Even the salary of a head clerk was equal to that of a DANICS officer,” he added.
DANICS is a civil service whose officers are deputed to serve the middle level and senior level administration of the Delhi Government as well as Union Territories like Andaman and Nicobar Islands, lakshadweep,Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
The decision was taken to boost the morale of these officers who were unhappy overtheir pay structures. According to officials, DANICS officers are eligible for promotion to the Indian Administrative Service after completing eight years of continuous service but this has actually been taking on an average of 27-28 years.
Insiders say that the AAP Government has successfully created a division among IAS and DANICS officials in Delhi. The Government doesn’t like IAS as they follow transaction of business rules while DANICS are closed to this Government as they have got opportunities to get plump posts which are fixed for only IAS officers.
Besides, there have been several instances in the past when senior IAS officers had refused to toe the Government line in deciding critical policy matters. While the Government wanted these IAS officers to overrule Raj Niwas in decision making, the officers refused to do so by strictly following the Transaction of Business Rules.