Postal Directorate has issued an OM 17-62/2001-GDS(Vol.II) dated 15 Jan 2025 regarding Provision of Leave Without Allowance (LWA) beyond 180 days to the office bearers of recognized Unions of Gramin Dak Sevaks at National Level
Leave Without Allowance (LWA) for GDS Union Office Bearers - Terms and Conditions
- The Indian Postal Directorate issued guidelines (OM 17-62/2001-GDS(Vol.II) dated 15 Jan 2025) on Leave Without Allowance (LWA) for national-level Gramin Dak Sevak (GDS) union office bearers.
- Previously, extensions beyond 180 days of LWA required Director General (Postal Services) approval; this power is now delegated to Chief Postmasters General.
- The LWA is limited to two union functionaries per recognized GDS union at any time, with their names communicated by the union's Secretary General to the Directorate.
- LWA less than 180 days is sanctioned by the Divisional Head, while LWA exceeding 180 days is handled by the Chief Postmaster General, maintaining separate accounts and records.
- The minimum period for which LWA may be granted is one month, commencing on the first day of a calendar month. Any further leave must also be in multiples of one month and must begin on the first day of a specific month
- The LWA period doesn't count towards GDS Gratuity, Severance Allowance, or other terminal benefits, and no Time-Related Continuity Allowance (TRCA) or Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS) contributions are made during this leave.
17-62/2001-GDS(Vol.II)
No. 17-62/2001-GDS (Vol.II)
Government of India
Ministry of Communications
Department of Posts (GDS Section)
Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg, New Delhi - 110 001
Dated: 15.01.2025
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject: Provision of Leave Without Allowance (LWA) beyond 180 days to the office bearers of recognized Unions of Gramin Dak Sevaks at National Level - reg.
Attention is drawn to the Postal Directorate's letter No.22-5/2005-GDS dated 24.03.2005 whereby instructions for grant of 'Leave Without Allowance (LWA)' beyond 180 days to the office bearers of recognized Unions of Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS) at National Level were issued.
2. As per the existing instructions, any further extension of LWA beyond 180 days in respect of two office bearers of recognized Unions of GDS at National Level, is to be considered by the Director General (Postal Services). In this regard, with a view to ensuring timely sanction of leave to the office bearers of the recognized GDS Unions, it has been decided to delegate the power of sanctioning leave beyond 180 days to the Union Bearers of recognized GDS Unions to the Chief Postmaster General, subject to the following terms and conditions:
(i) The facility of granting Leave Without Allowance (LWA) shall not exceed to two union functionaries at any given time for any recognized GDS Union. The names of office bearers for whom LWA is sought for discharging Union activities will be communicated by the Secretary General of the recognized GDS Union to the Directorate. The Directorate will circulate these names to the concerned Circles, and LWA will only be granted to the said functionaries by the competent authorities.
(ii) LWA for a period less than 180 days will be sanctioned by the Divisional Head (unit head in case of independent unit), whose office will maintain a separate account for each Union functionary. Once a Union functionary avails of LWA exceeding 180 days during their engagement, any further leave will be sanctioned by the Chief Postmaster General where the functionary is employed. The Circle concerned will also maintain a separate account of LWA sanctioned to such functionary beyond 180 days, and a copy of the leave sanction order must be sent to the Division where the GDS is working to update his/her leave records.
(iii) In the event of a transfer, the LWA record of the Union functionary must be promptly transferred to the new Division or Circle.
(iv) The minimum period for which LWA may be granted is one month, commencing on the first day of a calendar month. Any further leave must also be in multiples of one month and must begin on the first day of a specific month. Union functionaries on LWA may be required to arrange for a substitute or change their substitute, if instructed, in accordance with existing rules.
(v) The leave shall not be denied to Union functionaries unless there are official exigencies, in which case the reasons for denial must be provided in writing by the leave sanctioning authority.
(vi) The period of absence on LWA will not be considered for the purpose of calculating GDS Gratuity, Severance Allowance, or any other terminal benefit. Additionally, as the Union functionary will not draw Time-Related Continuity Allowance (TRCA) during the LWA period, no contribution to the Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS) will be made by the Department for such period(s).
3. This issues with the approval of the competent authority.
4. Hindi version will follow.
Digitally signed by RAVI PAHWA Date: 15-01-2025 10:03:09
(Ravi Pahwa) Director (GDS)
To
All the Chief Postmasters General
Copy to (for information) :
1. Sr. PPS to Secretary (Posts)/Sr. PPS to Director General Postal Services
2. PPS/PS to Member (Service Quality & Marketing/Member (Infrastructure)/Member (Operations)/ Member (Personnel)/ Member (HRD)/ Member (Financial Services)/ Member (Technology)
3. CGM, BD Directorate/Parcel Directorate/PLI Directorate/CEPT Bengaluru
4. Addl. Director General, APS Bhawan, New Delhi
5. Sr. DDG (Vigilance) & CVO/Sr. DDG (PAF)
6. Director General P&T (Audit), Civil Lines, New Delhi
7. Director General, NICF, Ghitorni, New Delhi
8. Director RAKNPA Ghaziabad/ GM, CEPT Bengaluru
9. All the DDGs, Dak Bhawan
10. All General Manager (Finance)/ Director Postal Accounts/DDAP
11. Director, Postal Training Centers.
12. All Sections of Postal Directorate.
13.All recognized GDS Unions - for information.
14. GM, CEPT, Mysuru, for uploading the OM on India Post Website.
15. Assistant Director (OL) Hindi Section, Dak Bhawan, New Delhi: For Hindi translation of the OM.
16. Guard File
17. Spare Copies.
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