FNPO Complaint: Target Pressure & Irregularities in Tamil Nadu Postal Circle

Subject: Representation regarding unbearable target pressure on staff and some irregularities in Tamil Nadu Circle – reg.

On behalf of our Union, we wish to bring to your kind notice the extremely alarming and disturbing situation prevailing in Tamil Nadu Circle with regard to unbearable pressure on staff in the name of targets and irregularities in the process of posting of HSG II and LSG promoted cadres. The issues are detailed below for your urgent intervention.

Unbearable Target Pressure and Harassment of Staff

It is a matter of grave concern that staff right from GDS level up to Group ‘C’ officials are subjected to unbearable pressure in the name of achieving targets. Though the Circle, Regions and Divisions are by and large achieving the targets allotted by the Directorate, new and unrealistic targets are repeatedly imposed, leading to total confusion among the staff as to which targets they are actually required to adhere to.

Targets are being fixed simultaneously at Circle, Regional, Divisional and Sub-Divisional levels, without any uniformity or accountability. In order to achieve such targets, some Divisional Heads and Sub-Divisional Heads are resorting to drastic and coercive methods, such as:

• Arbitrary cancellation of sanctioned leave
• Threatening staff with adverse APAR gradings
• Intimidation in the name of punishments and Review Transfers (RT)
• Continuous mental pressure and harassment

This situation has seriously disturbed the morale of the staff. If such unchecked practices continue, the aggrieved staff will be left with no option but to take an entirely different course of action, which may lead to undesirable and irreversible consequences.

In particular, the functioning of the Divisional Heads of Kanniyakumari and Thoothukudi Divisions has gone beyond control, causing extreme dissatisfaction and unrest among the staff.

Unrealistic PLI/RPLI Targets and Flawed Incentive Structure

On behalf of our Union, we seek to raise a fundamental question. Of late, one-day targets of IRI crore for PLI/RPLI business are being fixed at Divisional levels and now even at Sub Divisional Levels which was never the practice a few years ago. This clearly indicates that the problem emanates from the present incentive and target structure framed by the Directorate.

Further, there is no transparency regarding Number of policies procured, Number of policies cancelled & Number of policies continued beyond Initial periods

If a detailed and honest analysis is undertaken, it will reveal shocking facts, namely More than 50% of the procured policies are cancelled, and Out of the remaining 50%, nearly 30% are not continued

This unhealthy practice of pushing numbers without concern for sustainability is ultimately damaging the credibility of the Department and placing unjust pressure on staff.

Delay in receipt of clarification has led to delay in issue of HSG II Promotions

The delay in issue of HSG II promotion orders for about 600 officials for want of a clarification from Directorate was noted. While aspirants were expecting to join the promoted posts on 01.01.2026, nothing materialized in Tamil Nadu Circle, causing severe disappointment and financial as well as career loss to the staff. Due to this delay many officials lost their opportunity for HSG I promotion. The whole process was deferred for want of a clarification from Directorate. The lethargic attitude of Directorate in issuing the clarification was not noted in granting Circle/Regional allotments to the recently promoted PS Gr B officials. Everything was made ready overnight & the promoted officials were relieved to join their new posts on 01.01.2026. The efficiency was conspicuously absent in the case of Group 'C' officials at Directorate. The reason for this discriminatory approach is not known and is strongly resented by the staff.

Violation of Posting Norms and Irregular Transfers

Despite clear orders regarding the posting of HSG II and LSG promoted officials, the same are being conveniently ignored. (1) Even after prolonged struggle, a supplementary DPC for Accounts Line officials for the vacancy year 2025 was conducted and about 13 officials were promoted. However, while issuing postings, officials were unnecessarily rotated to other Divisions, even when vacancies existed in their home Divisions. This forced three officials to decline their promotions. (2) The posting of newly promoted LSG officials need to be made after considering the earlier transfer requests but the point has been flown in air and the newly promoted LSG officials were posted without considering the request of the seniors. Shockingly, even a Physically Handicapped (PH) official was posted outside the home Division despite availability of vacancy. On pointing out the same was rectified. Such actions are against established norms and humanitarian considerations and have caused immense hardship to the staff.

Inordinate Delay and Retention of Cases at Regional Level

On behalf of our Union, we wish to draw your kind attention to the persistent and undue delay in processing welfare-related requests of officials in Tamil Nadu Circle, such as Temporary Transfer requests, Reallotment requests, VRS applications and similar humanitarian issues. Despite repeated representations made to your good office over a long period, requesting fixation of a clear and definite time frame for disposal of such cases, no concrete mechanism has been put in place so far.

As a result, welfare-oriented requests of officials are being subjected to avoidable delays at various levels, causing severe mental agony and hardship to the staff.

It is observed that many requests, which cannot be disposed of at the regional level, are being retained at the RO well beyond reasonable time limits, without forwarding the same to Circle Office in a time-bound manner. When such cases are finally taken up, officials are informed that their requests did not reach the competent authority in time, for no fault of theirs.

Our Union strongly feels that unless and until a definite time frame is fixed for processing and disposal of such requests at each administrative level, welfare measures intended for staff will continue to be denied in practice. In the absence of timelines requests are kept pending indefinitely, officials are kept uninformed about the status of their cases & Genuine and humanitarian grounds are rendered ineffective. This defeats the very purpose of welfare provisions envisaged in the rules.

Conclusion

• In view of the above, our Union earnestly requests your kind and immediate intervention to:
• Regulate and rationalize target fixation at all levels.
• Stop harassment and coercive practices against staff.
• Review the incentive-driven target system, especially in PLI/RPLI.
• Ensure timely, transparent and fair handling of HSG II and LSG promotions.
• Strictly adhere to posting and transfer guidelines, particularly in respect of PH officials.
• Fix a definite and uniform time frame for processing welfare-related requests such as Temporary Transfer, Reallotment, VRS, etc., at each administrative level.
• Ensure that cases not within the competency of RO are forwarded to Circle Office without delay.
• Introduce accountability for unwarranted retention of cases.
• Ensure that deficiencies, if any, are communicated to officials in a timely and humane manner.

We hope that the genuine grievances of the staff will receive the personal attention of Hon’ble Chief PMG and appropriate remedial measures will be initiated at the earliest.