CBOA-AP issued its circular No. 018 dated
30.04.2013 on denial of rent reimbursement facility to eligible officers at
Hyderabad. We are placing the same here for our readers.
CIRCULAR NO.: GS: 2013: 018 Date:
30.04.2013
TO ALL OFFICERS PLEASE
CIRCULATE
Dear Friends,
RENT REIMBURSEMENT
FACILITY TO ELIGIBLE OFFICERS
You are aware that the management has
recently enhanced the rent ceilings substantially with the continuous efforts
made by All India Central Bank Officers’ Federation, the recognized majority
organisation representing the interests of the officers and to whom we are
affiliated to.
However, the positive atmosphere created at
Corporate Level has not been percolating down to the lower level of the
management. A prime example is the denial of rent reimbursement facility to
officers working in Hyderabad and forcing them to apply for bank’s flats at Bandlaguda,
Hyderabad.
As the management’s attitude is not in tune
with the spirit of rent reimbursement facility extended to the officers, we
have addressed a communication to the Regional Management, Hyderabad demanding
for sanction of rent reimbursement facility to all the officers working in
Hyderabad as per their preferences and not to force them to apply for allotment
of Bank’s flats at Bandlaguda. We have also demanded the management to
compensate the loss suffered by the officers during the last four months due to
the indecisiveness of the management.
We are reproducing the communication sent to
the management, vide our letter No. GS/CBOA/2013/068 dated 30th
April, 2013, for your information.
“REG: RENT
REIMBURSEMENT FACILITY TO ELIGIBLE OFFICERS
In terms of Regulation 25 of Officers’
Service Regulations, 1979, the Bank Officers are eligible for rent
reimbursement facility upon recovery of 1.20% of Basic Pay in the initial stage
of pay in which he/she is placed (as per the Joint Note dated 27.4.2010) or the
standard rent for the accommodation as prescribed therefor, whichever is less.
From time to time, the rent ceilings are enhanced by the bank to compensate the
increase in market rentals.
Unfortunately the concept of rent
reimbursement facility has been misinterpreted by the management by declining
the applications of a large no. of officers, particularly the officers who
reported on 03rd December 2012 under All India Service.
In this connection, we would like to make it
very clear that the Constitution of India has given every right to the Citizen
of India to live wherever he/she wants and there is no debarment on their
choice as to where to stay or where not to stay. Officers of our bank are no
exception to this and they are entitled to stay at their choicest locations to
suit their convenience provided the place of stay falls within the permissible
radius of his/her place of work.
It is true that the Bank has purchased flats
at Bandlaguda to provide residential accommodation to the officers working at
Hyderabad by spending huge amount of money. It is also true that bank has
purchased these flats to provide residential accommodation to eligible officers
starting from Scale-I to Scale-VII.
We
regret very much to note that none of the executives have shown interest to
save the bank’s money and preferred to avail rent reimbursement facility
keeping the flats vacant at Bandlaguda. At the same time, the officers in the
lower rung have been forced to apply for these bank’s flats by declining their
applications for rent reimbursement facility.
In normal course, the eligible officers apply
for rent reimbursement facility immediately upon their posting at a particular
place. As finding a suitable house is very difficult in cities like Hyderabad
due to widespread location of branches, they occupy the house immediately by
paying the advance rent from their own sources pending sanction from the
management. The time gap between application and sanction doesn’t take more
than a week in normal course.
However, in the instant case, we are
surprised to note that management has taken its own time of almost four months
to decide on the applications of the officers seeking sanction of rent
reimbursement facility and declining leisurely in the fourth month. The
indecisiveness of the management has forced these officers to spend not less
than Rs.30000/- from their own pockets so far and continued to spend an amount
of more than Rs.8000/- p.m. towards the rent of the premises occupied by them.
Not only this, the officers who have been
availing rent reimbursement facility and who intend to shift their houses to
suit their convenience have been spending sleepless nights with a question
revolving in their minds as to how to stay at their present location and avail
rent reimbursement facility without disturbing their children’s education and
medical care.
Whenever an officer commits a mistake while
performing his/her duties, he/she is not only subjected to disciplinary action
but also recovered the dues from him/her to make good the financial losses
suffered by the bank. In the instant case, who will make good of the losses
suffered by the officers during the last four months and continued to suffer
with even now only due to the inaction of the management is a question to be
answered particularly when the need of the hour is to motivate the workforce in
achieving the golden goal of Rs.500000 crore business mix.
Looking into the scenario, we would like to
make it very clear that purchasing of flats by the bank for providing
residential accommodation and sanction of rent reimbursement facility to
eligible officers are altogether different issues which cannot be clubbed or
intertwined. Anything contrary, would not only be illogic but also a
stimulating factor in motivating/demotivating the officers.
We also do not understand as to why
management has adopted different approach in allotment of bank’s flats and
sanction of rent reimbursement facility at Hyderabad vis-à-vis the practice
adopted by Central Office in case of Bank’s flats at Mumbai where the officers
are being allowed rent reimbursement facility irrespective of the status of the
Bank’s flats i.e. whether occupied or vacant.
In view of what is stated above, we demand
that
Ø
all
the officers working in Hyderabad should be allowed rent reimbursement facility
or residential accommodation in bank’s flats at Bandlaguda strictly depending
upon their choices and preferences without forcing them to apply for Bank’s
flats at Bandlaguda
Ø
to
reimburse the rent paid by the officers during the period from December 2012 to
April 2013 whose applications were declined by the management after four months
period
We hope that the management would understand
the sentiments of the officers and initiate positive steps to boost up the
morale of the officers so as to imbibe confidence amongst them about their
wellbeing.”
We assure you that we shall be following up
the matter to reach logical conclusion and we shall be informing the
developments from time to time.
Yours sincerely,
Sd/-
(C.A.
MALLIKARJUNA RAO)
GENERAL
SECRETARY
OFFICERS’ COMMUNITY ……
ZINDABAD
A.I.B.O.C.
…… ZINDABAD
A.I.C.B.O.F
…… ZINDABAD
C.B.O.A. …… ZINDABAD
+1.jpg)
0 comments
Post a Comment