Assured Career Progression Scheme for Regular Himachal Pradesh Govt. Employees

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-171002, the 7th July, 2014.

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

Sir/Madam,

I am directed to invite a reference to the subject cited above and to state that an Assured Career Progression Scheme was introduced vide FD's instruction No. Fin(PR)B(7)-51/98 dated; 15th December, 1998 w.e.f. 01.01.1996. Subsequently on revision of pay scales w.e.f. 01.01.2006, the operation of this scheme was stopped after 26.08.2009. After that new Assured Career Progression Scheme on completion of 4,9 and 14 years of service in a cadre w.e.f. 27.08.2009 has been introduced vide this Department's letter of even number dated: 9th August, 2012, in respect of State Government employees. This scheme is optional. An existing employee including employee having less than 4 years service has been given the option either to continue in the existing ACP Scheme after a service of 8, 16 24 & 32 years of service or to opt 4,9 & 14 years ACP Scheme.

2. Para 2 (i) (a), Para 2 (vi) & Para 2 (vii) of this Department's letter No. Fin(PR)B(7)-51/98 dated: 15th December, 1998, vide which old ACP Scheme (8-16-24-32) has been introduced, provide as under:-

2. (i)(a) After a service of 8 years in a post or posts in the same "Cadre" (hereinafter referred as-the same post) an employee, who is not promoted to the next higher level on account of non availability of a vacancy at such higher level or non existence of a promotional level in the "Cadre" shall be granted the payscale which is next higher in the hierarchy of pay scales given in Column No.3 of the 'First Schedule' annexed to Rules, 1998. If on 01.01.1996 or the date opted under Rule 6 of Rules, 1998, an employee becomes entitled to a higher pay scale on account of protection under the said rules, he shall be granted such higher pay scale.

2. (vi)  If an employee is promoted to the next higher promotional post in the regular way at any time before one of the benefits under this scheme becomes due, the grant of such benefit shall stand postponed accordingly and shall be granted after completion of service of 8 years in such promotional post. If the promotion of an employee to higher post occurs after having got placement in higher scale or the proficiency step up/steps up under this scheme, the benefit of only one increment instead of two increments normally admissible on promotion shall be given in fixing his pay in the scale of pay of the promotional post.

2. (vii) An employee shall be entitled to a maximum of two placements in higher scale and a maximum of two proficiency steps-up in his entire service career under this scheme.

3. Similarly, Para 3 (a) of this Department's letter No. Fin(PR)B(7)-59/2010 dated: 9th August, 2012, vide which new ACP Scheme has been introduced on optional basis envisage that a government employee after rendering a service of 4, 9 and 14 years in a post or posts without any financial enhancement in the same cadre/post, 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 Rs. 8900 and 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. As per Para 4 (a) of this scheme 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. Para 4(f) provides that- other existing conditions governing the grant of ACPS shall continue to be applicable

4. From the above it is clear that the benefit under Assured Career Progression Scheme is allowed to those Government servants who have no promotion avenues and remain stagnated on same cadre/post for long time due to non availability of promotional posts. According to Para 2 (vii) of the old Assured Career Progression Scheme and Para 4 (a) of new ACP Scheme, the prescribed placements/ proficiency steps-ups/ progressions are to be given in the entire service career and both these schemes are aimed at to provide financial benefits where no promotional avenues are available to an employee.

5 Moreover, the overriding objective of an assured career progression scheme is to ensure at least three financial up-gradations/enhancements/promotions to a regular employee in his entire service career. Therefore. in partial modification of earlier orders on ACP schemes it is directed that, once an employee has already got three enhancements/financial up-gradations i.e. grant of progression under the new or old ACPS, or promotion or any other financial enhancement except the annual increment or the general pay revision based on the pay commission, in fourteen years or more of his/her entire service thereafter, he will not be entitled for placement in next higher grade pay in the ACPS scheme introduced vide FD’s instructions dated 9th August, 2012. However, it is clarified that after availing three enhancements/up-gradation/promotion, an employee will be eligible to take the benefit of normal promotions available in his service career.

6. It is also clarified that if vacancy in higher/promotional post exists and an employee is eligible for promotion, then the promotion post will be filled prior to the grant of any benefit under the ACP scheme.

7. The instructions given in FD letter dated 9th August 2012 will be subject to the instructions given in this letter, For any further interpretation/ clarification/ modification of the decisions contained in the circular letter, the Finance Department shall be the final authority.

8. These instructions will be applicable with immediate effect and may be brought to the notice of all concerned for strict compliance and these orders are also available on http://himachal.nic.in/finance/PayRevision.html.

Yours faithfully,

Sd/-

Under Secretary (Finance) to the

Government of Himachal Pradesh.

Source:http://himachal.nic.in/WriteReadData/l892s/1_l892s/Pay_A1b-92453564.pdf