Revised Option in Schedule-IV under WBSROPA Rules, 2019
A number of Government employees of different establishments have submitted their option in Schedule-IV to come under the West Bengal Services (Revision of Pay and Allowances) Rules, 2019.Government of West Bengal
Finance Department
(Audit Branch)
Nabanna, Howrah – 711102
Email ID: finreceipt-wb@bangla.gov.in
No. 4960-F(P1)/FA/O/2M/32/23 (N.B) Dated, Howrah, the 23rd August, 2023
MEMORANDUM
It has come to the notice of Finance Department that a number of Government employees of different establishments have submitted their option in Schedule-IV to come under the West Bengal Services (Revision of Pay and Allowances) Rules, 2019 with effect from such a date which is inadmissible in terms of rule 5 of the said Rules read with Finance Department Addendum No. 6470-F(P2) dated 02.12.2019 and clarification issued under Memorandum No. 6471-F(P2) dated 02.12.2019. Accordingly, initial pay fixation made in Schedule-V with effect from such date is irregular and requires to be rectified.
2. In order to rectify such initial pay fixation under the WBS (ROPA) Rules, 2019, the employees concerned may be allowed to exercise their option afresh from such a date which is admissible under rule 5 of the said rules on receipt of a prayer from each such employee to this effect.
3. Now, the undersigned is directed by order of the Governor to say that the Governor has been pleased to allow the State Government employees who have earlier exercised their option in contravention of the provisions of rule 5 of the WBS (ROPA) Rules, 2019 read with Finance Department Addendum No. 6470-F(P2) dated 02.12.2019 and clarification issued under Memorandum No. 6471-F(P2) dated 02.12.2019 to exercise option afresh to come under the WBS (ROPA) Rules, 2019 within 90 (ninety) days from the date of issue of this Memorandum. The competent authority shall examine every such revised option in the light of provisions of ROPA, 2019 and invariably refer proposal for such change of option to come under ROPA, 2019 to Finance Department, after observing due procedure, for approval. However, any Government employee, who earlier exercised option in contravention of the provisions of rule 5 of the WBS (ROPA) Rules, 2019 read with Finance Department Addendum No. 6470-F(P2) dated 02.12.2019 and clarification issued under Memorandum No. 6471-F(P2) dated 02.12.2019 fails to avail of this opportunity for exercising fresh option to come under the said Rules, on detection of his/her irregular initial pay fixation made in Schedule-V on a future event, his/her date of option to come under the said Rules shall, by default, be deemed to be with effect from 01.01.2016 in terms of rule 6(3) of the said Rules ibid.
4. Some examples of admissible date(s) of option to come under the WBS (ROPA) Rules, 2019 based on some probable situations is listed below for convenience of all concerned:-
| Sl. No. | Situation | Admissible date(s) of option under ROPA, 2019 with remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | An employee has been placed in higher or same Grade Pay by way of functional or non-functional promotion with effect from 03.04.2018 and he/she opted for his/her final fixation of pay with effect from 01.07.2018 under ROPA, 2009. | Any one of the dates among 01.01.2016, 01.07.2016, 01.07.2017, 03.04.2018 and 01.07.2018. No other date shall be admissible for exercising option. |
| 2. | An employee has been placed in a higher Grade Pay by way of promotion with effect from 11.08.2018 and he/she opted for his/her final fixation of pay with effect from 11.08.2018 under ROPA, 2009. | Any one of the dates among 01.01.2016, 01.07.2016, 01.07.2017, 01.07.2018 and 11.08.2018. No other date shall be admissible for exercising option. |
| 3(a). | An employee has been placed in a higher Grade Pay by way of allowing MCAS, 2001 benefit with effect from 03.04.2018 and he/she opted for his/her fixation of pay with effect from 01.07.2018 under ROPA, 2009. | Any one of the dates among 01.01.2016, 01.07.2016, 01.07.2017 and 01.07.2018. No other date shall be admissible for exercising option. |
| 3(b). | An employee has been placed in a higher Grade Pay by way of allowing MCAS, 2001 benefit with effect from 03.04.2018 and he/she opted for his/her fixation of pay with effect from 03.04.2018 under ROPA, 2009. | Any one of the dates among 01.01.2016, 01.07.2016, 01.07.2017 and 03.04.2018. No other date shall be admissible for exercising option. |
| 4. | An employee placed in a higher Grade Pay by way of promotion with effect from 05.02.2017 and subsequently promoted further to another higher Grade Pay with effect from 20.09.2018. He/she opted for his/her fixation of pay due to such promotions finally with effect from 01.07.2017 and 20.09.2018 respectively under ROPA, 2009. | Any one of the dates among 01.01.2016, 01.07.2016, 05.02.2017, 01.07.2017 and 20.09.2018. No other date shall be admissible for exercising option. |
| 5. | An employee holding a higher Grade Pay due to CAS/MCAS benefit was promoted to post carrying lower Grade Pay with effect from 15.05.2016. He/she has been allowed to retain his/her higher Grade Pay as personal to him/her with promotional benefit in the form of 3% enhancement in existing pay with effect from the date of promotion as he/she had no scope to exercise option for fixation of pay due to such promotion with effect from his/her next date of normal annual increment i.e. from 01.07.2016. | Any one of the dates among 01.01.2016 and 15.05.2016. No other date shall be admissible for exercising option. |
| 6. | An employee placed in a higher Grade Pay by way of allowing MCAS, 2001 with effect from 11.07.2017 and then was further promoted to a post carrying higher Grade Pay with effect from 15.04.2018. He/she opted for fixation of such benefits with effect from 11.07.2017 and 01.07.2018 respectively under ROPA, 2009. | Any one of the dates among 01.01.2016, 01.07.2016, 01.07.2017, 11.07.2017, 15.04.2018 and 01.07.2018. No other date shall be admissible for exercising option. |
| 7. | An employee first joined in State Government service on 03.02.2016 and subsequently was promoted to higher Grade Pay with effect from 22.06.2019 and he/she opted for his/her final fixation of pay due to promotion with effect from 01.07.2019 under ROPA, 2009. | In this case the employee concerned shall have no scope to exercise his/her option to come under ROPA, 2019. His/her pay shall be revised directly under ROPA, 2019 with effect from 03.02.2016. |
5. This cancels this Department Memo. No. 4622-F(P2)/FA/O/2M/32/23 (N.B.) dated 01.08.2023.
Sd/- S. Barman
Secretary to the
Government of West Bengal