Introduction of New Assured Career Progression(ACPS) Scheme and Restoration of Old ACPS.

No. Fin(PR)B(7)-59/2010
Government of Himachal Pradesh
Finance (Pay Revision) Department.

From

Principal Secretary (Finance) to the
Government of Himachal Pradesh.

To
1. All the Administrative Secretaries to the Government of Himachal Pradesh.
2. All Heads of the Department in Himachal Pradesh.
3. All Divisional Commissioners in Himachal Pradesh.
4. All Deputy Commissioners in Himachal Pradesh.

Dated: Shimla-171 002, the 9th August, 2012.

Subject:- Introduction of new Assured Career Progression Scheme on completion of 4. 9 & 14 years of service in a cadre and restoration of old (8-16-24-32) Assured Career Progression Scheme for government employees.

Sir/Madam

   I am directed to invite a reference to the subject cited above and to state that the matter regarding grant of Assured Career Progression Scheme on completion of 4, 9 and 14 years of service in a cadre has been engaging the attention of the State Government for some time past. The Governor, Himachal Pradesh, is pleased to introduce Assured Career Progression Schemes on completion of 4, 9 and 14 years of service in a cadre w.e.f 27.08.2009 (i.e. date before which earlier scheme was in operation) which shall apply to all categories of State Government employees governed by Himachal Pradesh Civil Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 2009. except in respect of the following cases/categories:-

   (i) Such categories of government employees who have been allowed three or more grade structure of pay scales under the H.P. Civil Services (Revised Pay) Rules. 1998 and further corresponding conversion under H.P. Civil Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 2009.

   (ii) Those categories of government employees for whom benefit of Career Progression is/was available under any other rules/instructions notified earlier.

   (iii) Those categories of government employees, whose pay scales are governed by MHRD/UGC guidelines. All India Service Officers, Judicial Service Officers etc, having different pay structures.

   2. This scheme is optional. An existing employee “including employee having less than four years service” will have the option, either to continue in the existing Assured Career Progression Scheme after a service of 8, 16, 24 & 32 years or to opt 4, 9 & 14 years Assured Career Progression Scheme. An employee who wants to opt this new scheme will have to exercise an option within two months from the date of issue of this letter along with an undertaking in the enclosed proforma through a sworn affidavit that he wants to accept this scheme effective from 27.08.2009 and will not claim any arrears. Consequently, on restoration of earlier Assured Career Progression Scheme (8-16-24-32), in new pay structure w.e.f. 27.08.2009 an employee may also exercise his option for the aforesaid scheme. However, an employee who does not exercise any option within the above stipulated period of two months shall be deemed to have opted for continuance in the earlier (8-16-24-32) Assured Career Progression Scheme with effect from 27.08.2009. Service in a cadre rendered by an employee in the same post before 27.08.2009 shall Count for the purpose of grant of benefit under this scheme.

   3.(a) After a service of 4, 9 and 14 years in a post or posts without any financial enhancement in the same cadre (herein after referred to as the same post) and service rendered in the same post in different Government Departments, who is not promoted to a higher level on account of non availability of a vacancy or non existence of a promotional avenue in the cadre, shall be granted the grade pay, which is next, higher in the hierarchy of grade pays given in the schedule annexed to Revised Pay Rules, 2009, upto the maximum grade pay of ` 8900. On placement in the next higher grade pay in the hierarchy of grade pays after a service of 4, 9 and 14 years, the pay of an employee shall be fixed at the next higher stage in the pay band and he shall be allowed next increment from the date he would have earned his next increment had he continued in the existing pay band, If the minimum of higher pay band is higher than the stage arrived at, his pay shall be fixed at such minimum and next increment shall be allowed after qualifying service of 12 months in higher pay band.

   (b) An employee who has completed four years service but less than 8 years service in a cadre will be placed in next grade pay in the hierarchy of grade pays and his pay will be fixed at next higher stage in the pay band. If the pay so fixed is less than the minimum of higher pay band than his pay will be fixed at the minimum of higher pay band. The next increment in such cases will be given after qualifying service of 12 months in the higher pay band.

   (C) An employee who has rendered 4 years of service but less than 9 years of service in the cadre and has availed benefit of placement in the next higher scale in the hierarchy of pay scales after eight years of service shall get nothing as he has already availed benefit of one increment and placement in the next higher pay scale under the existing Assured Career Progression scheme of 8, 16, 24 and 32 years of service.

   (d) An employee who has ‘competed 9 years of service but less than 14 years of service in a cadre in the same post and availed one placement in the next higher scale in the hierarchy of pay scales under the existing Assured Career Progression scheme after a service of 8 years shall be placed in the next higher grade pay in the hierarchy of grade pays and his pay shall be fixed at the next higher stage in that pay band.

   (e) An employee who has completed 14 years of service in a cadre but less than 16 years in the same post and availed one placement in the next higher scale in the hierarchy of pay scales under the existing Assured Career Progression scheme after a service of 8 years shall be allowed two placements in the next higher grade pays in the hierarchy of grade pays i.e. After 9 years and 14 years service and his pay shall be fixed at the next higher stage in that each pay band.

   (f) An employee who has completed 16 years of service in a cadre but less than 24 years of service in the same post and has availed one placement in higher scale in the hierarchy of pay scales and one benefit of proficiency step-up under the existing Assured Career Progression scheme shall be placed in the next two higher grade pays in the hierarchy of grade pays with benefit of one increment only and his pay shall be fixed at next stage in the pay bands.

   (g) An employee who has completed 24 years of service in a cadre and has already availed benefit of one placement in the higher pay scale in the hierarchy of pay scales and two Proficiency Step-ups under ACP scheme after 8,18/16 and 24 years of service, he shall only be allowed two placements in the next higher grade pays in the hierarchy of grade pays without any benefit of increment as he has already availed benefit of three increments i.e. one on placement and two Proficiency step ups under the existing schemes.

   4.(a)  An employee shall be entitled to a maximum of three placements in the next higher grade pays in the hierarchy of grade pays with benefit of one increment each at every placement under this scheme. An employee who opts for this scheme but has already availed benefit of two placements in the higher scales in the hierarchy of pay scales after 8 years and 32 years and two proficiency step ups after 16 and 24 years of service in a cadre under the existing Assured Career Progression scheme of 8, 16, 24, 32 years of service will have to lose benefit of one increment granted after 32 years of service and his pay will be refixed with w.e.f 27.08.2009 accordingly.

   (b) The procedure for assessing the work and conduct for placement in the higher scale shall be the same as applicable to the case of promotion. The placement in higher scale shall be allowed only to these employees whose overall service record during the span of satisfactory service, is adjudged as ‘Good’ and the employee is otherwise suitable for promotion "Good" record shall mean that more than 50% Annual Confidential Reports are good and out of last three years report at least two should be ‘Good'. For all the remaining years the benchmark may be ‘Average'.

   (c) On placement in next higher grade pay under this scheme, an employee would continue to do the same work with same designation and there will be no need for creation of any separate post(s) and the employee shall remain on the strength of the same cadre.

   (d) An employee who is dismissed or is under suspension or on leave will be allowed to exercise his option under this scheme within two months from the date he/she joins duty.

   (e) If the higher grade pay is not granted on account of unsuitability, it shall not be considered as punishment under the C.C.S (C.C.A) Rules, 1965. Competent Authority for grant of higher grade pay shall be the same as in the case of promotion. Representations/Appeals against the non-grant of higher grade pay under this scheme shall also lie in the same manner as in the case of promotion.
 
   (f) As a necessary corollary to this decision the existing system of Assured Career Progression Scheme shall undergo a change to the extent indicated above. Other existing conditions governing the grant of Proficiency step-up/ACP scheme already notified shall continue to be applicable mutatis mutandis in a accordance with the above orders. The cases of ACP/proficiency step-up, which fell due prior to 27.08.2009, shall be settled according to the then prevalent instructions.

   (g) The progressions granted under this scheme shall be purely personal to the employee and shall have no relevance to his seniority position. As such, the senior employees shall have no claim of parity of pay on the ground that the junior employee working on the same post has got higher pay or grade pay under this scheme. While implementing this scheme, the difference in pay scales on account of grant of financial upgradation under the old ACP Scheme (15.12.98) and under this scheme within the same cadre shall not be construed as an anomaly.

   (h) No stepping up of pay in the pay band and grade pay would be admissible with regard to junior getting more pay than the senior on account of pay fixation under this scheme.

   (i) The benefits under this new Assured Career Progression Scheme (4-9-14) and old Assured Career Progression Scheme (8-16-24-32) shall be granted on notional basis with effect from 27th August, 2009 and on actual basis from the date of issue of these orders.

   (j)  For interpretation/ clarification/ modification of the decisions contained in the circular letter, the Finance Department shall be the final authority.

   (k)  The benefit gained by an employee under the existing scheme (8-16-24-32) will be adjusted in this scheme.

   (I) The competent authority for the grant of placement in the next higher grade pay and grant of intrement(s) shall be the same as in the case of promotion.

Yours faithfully,

sd/-
Joint Secretary (Finance) to the
Government of Himachal Pradesh.

Source:http://www.himachal.nic.in/finance/PayRevision/ACPSAug2012_A1b.pdf