Joint Committee for resolving pay and allowances of URCs employees

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF  DEFENCE

RAJYA SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-2229

ANSWERED ON-12.02.2014

Joint Committee for resolving pay and allowances of URCs employees

2229 . SHRI NARENDRA KUMAR KASHYAP

(a) whether Government has formed any Joint Committee of members of the Unit Run Canteens (URCs) employees union and representatives of tri services for resolving the issue of pay and allowances of URCs employees at par with Government servants, if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether Government has granted an interim relief of 15 per cent increase in the salaries of URCs employees, if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Joint Committee has presented its report to Government; and

(d) if so, the details thereof and the action taken by Government on the recommendations of the Committee?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF DEFENCE (SHRI A.K. ANTONY)

(a) A Committee has been constituted by the Services for resolving the issue of pay and allowance of URC employees.

The Unit Run Canteen employees are getting paid as per the rules regulating the terms and conditions of the services of the civilian employees of the URCs, issued by Army Headquarters in April 2003. These rules were made as per the directions of Hon’ble Supreme Court of India dated 4th January, 2001, in the case of Union of India and ors. v/s. M.Aslam and ors.

Thereafter the Hon’ble Supreme Court in its order dated 28.4.2009, in the case of R.R. Pillai v/s the Commanding Officer HQ SAC(U) and ors., held that, employees of the URCs are not government servant.

(b) The basic pay of URC employees was enhanced by 50% w.e.f. 1.2.2009, again 15% w.e.f. 1.12.2009 and by another 15% w.e.f. April 2013.

(c) & (d): The Committee has submitted its report for consideration of Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) through QMG. Government has not received the recommendation of COSC.