FOR CIRCULATION AMONG MEMBERS ONLY

The Broadvision

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF THE PROGRAMME STAFF ASSOCIATION OF ALL INDIA RADIO & DOORDARSHAN

Vol. XI : Issue – 8 may-june, 2009

Dated : 12-5-2009

Friends,

I start this latest edition of Broadvision with a heavy heart due to the series of unsubstantiated allegations flying all around. My prayers to all our members, and the programme staff is to read this Broadvision carefully and understand the issues very clearly. It is high time that all staff understood that the numbers of programme staff is fast dwindling; and any success in future could come about only by the collective action of all Programme Associations. We all are destined to work together with one another for any fruitful results. Any distrust or lack of confidence among the programmers will not only affect the working relationships in different stations, but also hamper the progress of this great public service broadcaster. I sincerely pray to God that we all shall one day stand united if not by resolving our internal differences, than at least, to face the onslaught of competition from outside.

Works in the last one year

I.Many of our members wanted us to list out the activities of PSA in the last one year, so as to highlight the works done, and also the future course of action. We have been trying to raise and focus on many issues, and were able to show results on the following issues;

a.The lack of communication among members has been largely offset by our launching the website( in May 2008. More than 27300 visitors have browsed the site and a huge number of them have left their messages in the Guest book, Forum or Shout Box. Even though we do not agree with the animosity and points raised by some members in the Shout Box, we believe that the website has been able to abridge a huge communication gap among our members.

b.When there was a lot of misgivings and doubts among our staff members on the applicability of the 6th Central Pay Commission for our department. PSA was able to take it up jointly with other Engineering Associations, to get it resolved on 18.9.2008. The order dated 18.9.2008 (A-10/118/2007-PPC) of DG:AIR/2008/6th CPC/WL was issued late in the night, to assuage the feelings of several agitated staff members. We stoutly protected the upgraded scales granted to Trexes and PEXes on 25.2.1999.

c.The department over the years has taken a consistent stand that ACP shall not apply to the programme staff falling under the revised pay scales of 1999. This stand was inspite of a favourable judgment got by our association from the Hon’ble Principal Bench of CAT, New Delhi on 5.12.2002 (OA No. 2293/2001). However due to the several meetings we have had with the authorities and the justness of the cause, the department for the first time changed its stand and wrote to the Ministry of I&B in September, 2008 to reconsider the whole issue afresh. Now the proposal is being actively considered in the Ministry of I&B, which Ministry earlier consistently refused saying the matter is sub-judice.

d.As all of you by now know, there was a lot of confusion about the principles to be followed in preparing a seniority list for Trex/allied cadres. There had been nine different seniority list of Trexes/allied cadres (26.5.05, 25.7.05, 2.2.06, 18.9.06, 8.1.07, 23.3.07, 26.4.07, 31.8.08, 24.12.08) from February 2005 upto December, 2008. We for the first time prepared a mock seniority list encompassing all guidelines & rules of DoPT and then submitted it to the department on 6.2.2009. The purpose of this huge exercise was to have a legally valid seniority list, and to avoid litigation from individual programme staff. We are also prepared to listen and correct the mock list, if any member brings to our notice any rule or guidelines of DoPT that has been overlooked in this list.

e.The holding of DPC in the grade of PEX, had been held up for almost 11 years due to litigation. Many programme staff were working on adhoc basis for years together, and DoPT stopped giving extension to this adhoc promotions after June’2006, mainly due to the reason of non-holding of any DPC to the PEX cadre since 1997. It was because of the initiative shown by the directorate officials and our joint efforts that the PEX DPC was held for the first time in 11 (eleven) years.

f.When some members from Portblair, led by Sh. Saighal brought to our notice the non-issuance of special island duty allowance (thro their letter dated 24.10.2008), we took this up in right earnest with the directorate. After a couple of meetings, the issue was clarified and necessary orders were issued on 12.12.2008 (order No. 11/2/2008-A&G/1404).

g.The most important issue of non-consideration of the programme staff for cadre review was taken up by us vigorously with the directorate, and due to our persuasion and largely due to the justness of the cause the directorate concededto our demand. Cadre review committee was constituted for the programme staff as well. After a long, and tiring job of compilation of facts & figures, we submitted our cadre review report to the committee on 2.12.2008.The cadre review of the engineering section is not over and once that is over the department will take up the cadre review of all the three wings (programme, engineering & administrative) together. We have to be patient for some time.

h.When the issue of pay anamolyto Trexes, and the grant of Rs. 5400 Grade Pay to PEXes was brought to our notice, we were able to convince the directorate about the different aspects to this issue through our meetings in the first week of January. Taking into consideration our views, the directorate has written a positive letter to the Ministry of I&B.(6.1.2009 & 14.1.2009) .

i.Apart from all the above mentioned issues, we have been dealing with legal cases concerning ACP (CWP. 4151/2003), PEX I/C (OA No.1273/08), non- induction of supervisors in IB(P)S (OA No. 2361/2007), PSA registration case (WP(C) No. 9084/2003), and the Ashok Maitreya case ( OA No. 2762/2008).

These cases apart, we have had two national executive committee meetings (12.5.2008 & 28.2.2009) at New Delhi, one day long dharna at Capital stations (23.10.2008), gate meetings in metro stations (17.12.2008) and a deferred mass casual leave on 24.12.2008 and the one day fast at Trivandrum (6.5.2009). We have also visited different stations for a series of meetings Cochin (may, 2008), Bangalore (31.8.2008), Jaipur (26.12.2008), Ahmedabad (18.3.2009), Jodhpur (19.3.2009), Lucknow (4.5.2009), Trivandrum (5.5.2009) and Hyderabad (8.5.2009).

In the days to come we intend to focus on the following issues;

  1. ACP for programme staff
  2. Rs. 5400 Grade Pay for PEXs
  3. Recruitment holiday in the cadre of PEX & JTS
  4. Speedy implementation of cadre review proposals and
  5. a open and transparent transfer policy for programme staff.

II (a)The meeting at Lucknow, AIR on 4.5.2009 was attended by me, General Secretary (R.Srinivasan) and the following programme staff,

  1. Mr. Pratul Joshi, Zonal Secretary (Central Zone)
  2. Mr. K.D.Shukla, AIR, Kanpur.
  3. Mr. D.S.Chauhan, ASD, Lucknow (AUPO)
  4. Mr. Chandra Prakash, Trex, AIR, Lucknow
  5. Dr. Mahendra Pathak, PEX, AIR, Bareilly
  6. Mrs. Rama Arun Trivedi, PEX, DDK, Lucknow
  7. Mr. Alok Dwivedi, Trex, DDK, Lucknow
  8. Mr. O.B.Bhattacharya,Trex, DDK, Lucknow
  9. Mr. Jainendra Singh, PEX, AIR, Lucknow
  10. Mr. Alok Shukla, PEX, DDK, Lucknow
  11. Mr. Amar Singh, PEX, AIR, Agra
  12. Mr. Atish Srivastava, Trex, AIR, Lucknow
  13. Mr. Govind Das, PEX, AIR, Jhansi
  14. Mr. Pyare Lal, PEX, AIR, Lucknow
  15. Mr. Ratnakar Bharti, PEX, CBS, Kanpur
  16. Dr. Sushil Kumar Rai, Trex, AIR, Lucknow
  17. Mr. Ashok Kumar, Trex, AIR, Lucknow
  18. Mr. V.K.Srivastava, PEX, AIR, Gorakhpur
  19. Mr. V.S.Chatterjee, PEX, AIR, Lucknow
  20. Mr. P.K.Tripathi, PEX, AIR, Lucknow
  21. Mr. V.N.Dubey, FRO, AIR, Allahabad
  22. Mr. Ajit Chaturvedi, PEX, AIR, Lucknow (AUPO)
  23. Mr. P.R.Chauhan, ASD, AIR, Lucknow
  24. Ms. Meenu Khare, PEX, AIR, Lucknow (AUPO)
  25. Ms. Archana Prasad, PEX, AIR, Lucknow
  26. Mrs. Madhu Sanwal, PEX, AIR, Lucknow
  27. Mr. Atma Prakash Mishra, PEX, DDK, Lucknow
  28. Mr. Sanjay Pandey, PEX, AIR, Lucknow
  29. Mr. Anupam Pathak, PEX, AIR, Lucknow
  30. Mrs. Ghazala Shahnaz, PEX, AIR, Lucknow
  31. Mrs. Rashmi Chowdhry, PEX, AIR, Allahabad (AUPO)
  32. Dr. K.B.Trivedi, PEX, AIR, Lucknow

It was a fruitful meeting, in that many of the issues raised by PEXs were clarified, and several suggestions were put forward by the staff. Two of these suggestions are listed below;

  1. There should be a transparent transfer policy for programme staff, and it should be followed in true letter and spirit; and
  2. The association should highlight the issue of ACP for Trexes

II(b)There was a meeting in AIR, Trivandrum on 5.5.2009. It was attended by the following members, apart from the General Secretary (R.Srinivasan),

  1. Mr. K.S.Pardhan, Trex, CBS, TVM
  2. Mr. P.V.Prasanth Kumar, Trex, AIR, Kannur
  3. Mr. C.Krishna Kumar, Trex, AIR, Calicut
  4. Mr. M.V.Sasikumar, Trex(SR), AIR, TVM
  5. Ms. Shirley Jacob, PEX, AIR, Kochi
  6. Mr. Baben ,Kaimaparamban, PEX, AIR, TVM
  7. Mr. Johnson Lukose, Trex, AIR, TVM
  8. Mr. Sasikumar.N, PEX, AIR, TVM
  9. Mr. C.Sreekumar, PEX, AIR, Mktg.,TVM
  10. Ms.Kusuma Priyadarsini.K, PEX, AIR, CBS, TVM
  11. Ms. Sandhya Rani.P, PEX, Mktg., TVM
  12. Ms. Rajeswari Mohan, PEX, AIR, TVM
  13. Ms. T.Vahida, PEX, AIR, TVM
  14. Mr. K.S.Ranaprathapan, PEX, AIR, TVM
  15. Mr. Muraleedharan Thazhakara, AIR, TVM
  16. Mr. P.Balan, PEX, AIR,Kochi
  17. Mr.V.Chandra babu, PEX,AIR,Kannur
  18. Mr.P.A.Biju, PEX,AIR, Kochi.
  19. Mr.K.V.Sarath chandran,TREX,AIR,Kochi
  20. Mr.B.Mathew joseph,TREX,AIR,Calicut.
  21. Mr.N.Raveendran,PEX,AIR,TVM
  22. Mr.B.Vijaya kumar,PEX,AIR,TVM
  23. Mr.S.Narayanan namboothiri, PEX,AIR,TVM
  24. Mr.T.K.Manojan,PEX,AIR,Kochi
  25. Mr.Raveendran chennilode,PEX,AIR,TVM

The meeting was a good forum in which many doubts regarding the Review DPC to JTS was clarified. Members felt that these doubts should also be clarified in the Broadvision so as to clear the mistrust among programme staff. The meeting also resolved that the indefinite fast on the issue of appointing Marketing Executives through BECIL should be deferred till a new Government takes over. However, in the meantime, it was decided to hold a one day fast the next day (6.5.2009), and also to start creating awareness all over India against the pitfalls to programme staff due to these contractual appointments. The one day fast was attended by many members, and was also addressed by the following leaders,

  1. Mr. M.K.Sivasankaran, Retd SD, AIR, TVM
  2. Mr. P.Ramachandran Nair, CPI Leader and Lok Sabha Contestant
  3. Mr. Satheesh, Distt.Secretary, Confederation of Central Govt. Employees
  4. Mr. Madhusoodan, Ex.Secretary, Confederation of Central Govt. Employees
  5. Mr. Anil Kumar, Leader, ARTEE
  6. Mr. Saji Mathew, Leader, ARTEE
  7. Mr. Jyotish Kumar, senior pex,mktg
  8. Mr. Sivakumar, Unit Secretary, AUPO
  9. Mr. Ravikumar, Unit Secretary, ADASA
  10. Mr. CUnnikrishnan, Leader, Group D staff association
  11. Mr. Jagathy Rajendran, Unit Secretary, Group D staff association
  12. Smt. Sushama, News reader

At the end of the fast it was decided to bring to the knowledge of Prasar Bharati the professional pitfalls of(in) appointing these Marketing Executives.

II(c)The meeting in Hyderabad on 8.5.2009 (Friday) was attended by the following members and by Shri R.Srinivasan, General Secretary,

  1. Mr. P.Raja Rao, Director, AIR, Hyderabad
  2. Mr. P.C.V.Satyanarayana, PEX, AIR, Warangal
  3. Mr. K.L.Srinivasa Reddy, State Secy, AP State, PSA
  4. Mr. T.Arunan, Jt.Secy, PSA, Hyderabad Unit
  5. Mr. V.Udayasankar, PEX, CBS, AIR, Hyderabad
  6. Mr. Nagasuri Venugopal, Unit Secy, PSA, Hyderabad Unit
  7. Smt. J.Sailaja Rao, PEX, AIR,Hyderabad
  8. Smt. A.Padmavathi, PEX, AIR, Hyderabad Archives
  9. Mr. R.Kameswara Rao, PEX, AIR, Visakhapatnam
  10. Mr. S.SumanaspatiReddy, PEX, AIR, Hyderabad
  11. Mr. Janardhan Reddy, PEX, AIR, Kadapa
  12. Smt. Latha Raju, DD(P), Mktg Div, Chennai
  13. Mr.A.Malleswara Rao, PEX, AIR, Tirupathi
  14. Dr.Kumar, PEX, AIR, Kadapa
  15. Mr. Y.Srinivasulu, PEX, AIR, Kurnool
  16. Mr. S.Ramesh, Trex, AIR, Hyderabad
  17. Mr. N.Vijayasaradhi, PEX, AIR, Hyderabad
  18. Mr. S.A.Padmanabha Rao, PEX, AIR, Hyderabad
  19. Mr. Mantravadi Maheswar, PEX,AIR, Nizamabad
  20. Mr. C.S.Rambabu, PEX, AIR, Hyderabad
  21. Mr. G.Vijaya Kumar, PEX, AIR, Hyderabad
  22. Mr. K.F.J.Vidyalankar, PEX, AIR, Hyderabad
  23. Mr. P.Raghava Reddy, PEX, AIR, Hyderabad
  24. Mr. Y.Butchi Raju, PEX, AIR, Hyderabad
  25. Mr. Ch. Devadas, PEX, AIR, Hyderabad
  26. Mr. A.Sampath Naidu, PEX, AIR, Hyderabad
  27. Mr. S.A.K.M.Hussaini, PEX, AIR, Hyderabad
  28. Mr. N.Sudhakar Rao, PEX, AIR, Vijayawada
  29. Mr. Nageswara Rao, PEX, AIR, Markapuram
  30. Mr. R.Ramana Murthy, PEX, AIR, Ananthapur
  31. Mr. Khaliq Ahammed, Trex, AIR, Hyderabad

The meeting again was a forum for clarifying several issues troubling the programme staff in the recent past like,

  1. issues concerning early convening of Review DPC to the JTS cadre
  2. Grant of ACP to programme cadres
  3. problems encountered by adhoc PEX & PEX I/C
  4. Filling up of all vacant programme posts.

Many members felt that the review DPC to JTS should not be delayed further.

IIIFriends as you all know, and it is a matter of record in the website, that the present team of PSA has been trying to evolve a common front with other programme associations. Meetings were held as a result of this pursuit on 29.8.2008 (Chennai) and in the third week of November, 2008(Delhi).

However, recently AUPO had posted a model letter in its blogspot asking UPSC PEXes to resign from PSA. With due respect to the association (AUPO) we list their points as raised in the blogspot and our reply;

a.Point in AUPO blogspot “....PSA has been persistently contributing to ignoring, circumventing and violating the statutory recruitment rules.....during your tenure led to the illegal regularization of contractual persons at higher grades....Senior programme officers recruited through constitutional norms of the UPSC through pre amended rules of 1962, have not received a single regular promotion so far....”

Our clarification: We wish to state that rather than throwing wild allegations, it is better to highlight facts- the present team has never, ever tried to regularize illegal, contractual appointments in the higher grades, and the PEXes recruited through UPSC are suffering due to the string of cases filed on different issues like, discipline wise work allocation, discipline wise promotion, seniority list, notification of duties and responsibilities of IB(P)S officers etc. which have delayed holding of the review DPC & DPCs to different programme cadres. How could PSA delay review DPC, when it is not party to any of these court cases.

b.Point in AUPO blogspot “.....It has also been brought to our notice that the PSA is taking different stances regarding the contractual service rendered by Producers and Production Assistants as staff artists. The PSA suggests that contractual service of Producers and Science Officers rendered prior to their regularization as Government servant on 6.3.1982 can be taken into account for purposes of promotion.”

Our clarification: We wish to submit that in fact, if you could find the time to verify facts., We have in our website circulated a letter to members on 14.7.2008, in which we have struck to opposing eligibility to promotion of Doordarshan Production Assistants recruited after February, 1985. This is the cut off date (15.2.1985) taken by Trexes in their case in Chennai High Court (W.P. No. 22530/2006) & in Ernakulam High Court (W.P.C. 22461/2008). The stand taken in the impleading application (OA No. 2762/08) to insist on the cut off date of 1982 was taken as a result of suggestions from a senior PEX known to you, and it does not constitute a contra stand, if you could again find time to read our counter filed in the Ashok Maitrey case (2762/08)

c.Point in AUPO blogspot“.....However, in case of Production Assistants, the PSA is clear that as per statutory rules and court judgments the contractual service is not applicable and cannot be taken into account.”

Our clarification : This argument of AUPO has been very clearly rebutted by the Hon’ble Principal Bench of CAT (OA No. 821/01 dated 22.1.2003), the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi (W.P. No. 2110/2003 dated 25.7.2006), the Hon’ble High Court of J&K (SWP No. 1261/97dated 16.7.97), Supreme Court of India (SLP No. 8880-8881/1999 dated 14.2.2000) and the Ministry’s speaking order dated 14.3.2001 (No. F 45013/29/2000-B(A). Hence we feel re-agitating issues settled by the courts & Ministry long back will only delay the review DPC. PSA does not and has not taken a stand anywhere to count the service rendered before 1982. PSA has not in any letter or court taken a stand that the contractual service of PA’s should be counted. All the cases on Production Assistants till date are either for ratio in promotion, or separate seniority list or eligibility of post 1984 Doordarshan Production Assistant for promotion to PEX cadre.

d.Point in AUPO blogspot“Many of the direct recruit PEXs have stayed with the PSA so far and tried out best to resolve issues from within its fold. We have tried to ignore the many lapses of the PSA including the unpardonable lapse of stating that PEXs are not eligible for Production posts of the IBPS. This matter had to be resolved by AUPO through judicial means and it is unfortunate that the PSA though they were made party to the case, stayed away from the judicial proceedings until AUPO won the case.”

Our clarification: The Ministry of I&B through several documents opposed the eligibility of PEX for IB(P)S production posts (D.O.No. 45013/04/03-BA(P) dated 31.10.03, D.O.No. 32013/15/02-BA(P) dated 11.2.04) and was advised to file a review application against the judgment dated 26.3.2004 of Hon’ble CAT in OA No. 2343/2001 & 399/2001. However, it was only because of the joint efforts of PSA & AUPO (as the minutes of meeting with MIB-No.45011/39/04-BA(P) dated 2/18.11.2004 & No. A 32013/04/05-BA(P) dated 28.3.2005-Annexure 1 & 2) that the department accepted this point. Hence we humbly submit that a careful look through the recordsiswarrantedrather than blaming PSA, .

The present team of PSA still strongly believes that the problem of stagnation in the PEX & Trex cadre can be removed only if the review DPC to JTS takes place at the earliest.

IV.Friends the idea behind creating the shout box in our website was actually similar to the whistle blower act i.e. to highlight issues affecting the organization or matters related to public service broadcasting. However, there have been some entries attacking other cadres in an unsubstantial manner. Some times there are instances of mischief makers trying to use the shout box to create intra-cadre animosity. We have on several occasions requested members to desist from creating animosity and shall continue to do so. But at the same time we stand by our view that democracy lives through exchange of views and not by unsubstantiated allegations. One such post in shout box mentions the step-up received by direct recruit PEX’s as illegal. We would like to very clearly state that the salary step up exercise to direct recruits PEX was absolutely legal, justified and as per FR&SR rules.