Monday, October 30, 2017

Circle Union writes to CHQ on problems arising out of CSI rollout in Odisha Circle


No. P3NFPE – Odisha / 15 – 10 / 2017
Dated at Bhubaneswar the 27th October, 2017
To
Com. R N Parashar
General Secretary
AIPEU, Group-C, CHQ
Dada Ghosh Bhawan, New Delhi - 110008

Sub: - Problems arising out of CSI rollout in Odisha Circle  

Respected Comrade,
This is to bring your notice that with the recent launch of the Pilot Project of Core System Integrator (CSI) in Cuttack City Division, the Department has been facing technical glitches for the past few days. Ever since the CSI rollout in the division on October 6, the shift from the old system is moving at a snail’s pace and this has slowed down the transactions in all most all the post offices across the Division.

As brought to the notice of this Circle Union by our Divisional Union, Cuttack City, all the staff members of Cuttack City Division have not been trained in operating new version of the software. The entire treasury branch of Cuttack GPO including supervisors are neither imparted with any training nor assigned with defined work as required under CSI environment. As a result, many important treasury functions are now stopped i.e. CTS cheque clearing works, remittance received/drawn from bank, payment through cheques and issue of cheques etc inviting serious public resentment.

In addition, all most all the single/double handed SPMs are unable log in and access to the CSI software due to non-availability of compatible hardware and thereby counter transactions have almost come to a halt inviting public anger. Contradictorily, suitable trained officials preferably User Champions are not available for instant solution. 

            In this context, we have written to / discussed severally with the Chief Postmaster General, Odisha Circle with request to defer next phase CSI roll out dates till installation of the required number of compatible hardware and smooth completion of proper User Champion and End-User Training to avoid future complicacies.

            Now, the proposed 2nd phase rollout on 17.10.2017 which had been rescheduled to 27.10.2017 has now been dropped since the TCS failed to resolve the existing issues by the dates so fixed.

            As per information gathered from our staff members of Cuttack City Division who are presently working and members of other Divisions who are undergoing User-Champion / End-User training, the following deficiencies are coming to our notice.

1.    The trainings are not being imparted as per TCS Blue Book on CSI which requires at least 18 days for User-Champion Training. Instead, our User-Champions are being imparted with such training for 8 days which becomes very difficult to follow and educate themselves to train the End-Users suitably. Similarly while the End-Users are to be trained in 11 modules for at least 29 days in average, they are practically being trained just for 3 days in Odisha Circle for two different modules only. The most unfortunate thing is that neither the User-Champions nor the End-Users are supplied with a guide book and the Trainers from TCS are moving hastily just to complete the training programme for name sake.

2.    Both the hardware and software are not compatible as per  TCS Blue Book for CSI. The mandatory check-list for compatible OS, updated service pack etc. are grossly ignored. It is too piteous that most of the offices in Odisha Circle are having pirated version of windows 7 which will certainly hamper data transfer.

In spite of several correspondences / discussions, the outdated systems, and other accessories like printers (both dot-matrix and laser including Pass Book Printers), barcode scanners etc beyond the prescribed life period have neither been condemned nor new systems supplied to suit the need of CSI as per Blue Book. Even when the CSI software interface is very large and can be properly view on 19 inches or more bigger size  monitors, most of the post office are having small size (15 inches)  monitors which put more strain on the of our officials. Every time the discussions are ended with paucity of funds for purchase of new systems / accessories as required.

Adding salt to the injury, no prompt and effective step is taken by the administration for immediate repairing of UPS, Generator and replacement of damaged batteries in spite of continuous discussions and correspondences. Many Post Offices are now running with direct current and suffering a lot during power failure. The offices in rural areas are the worst sufferers.

3.    All the post offices in Odisha Circle migrated to CBS Finacle in Odisha Circle till date are having 512 Kbps under NSP-1 and 256 Kbps under NSP-2 irrespective of the systems in use by the offices. But as per TCS Blue Book for CSI, 1 Mbps is mandatory for offices having 1 or 2 PCs and similarly 3 Mbps is required for offices having more than 5 PCs. Regretfully, some post offices are there in Phulbani and Koraput Division where both NSP-1 and NSP-2 are non-functional. In spite of several discussions with both the Chief PMG and Regional PMG, the issues are still unsettled.

4.    Another important thing to intimate that Odisha Circle has experimentally started RICT in three Divisions only. There are still 15 Divisions for RICT roll out. If CSI roll out is initiated without completing RICT, then the PMs/ SPMs working in MDGs/SOs will have to log in to B O User ID for every purpose, viz. Cash Receipt, Cash Remittance, Receipt of Accountable Articles, Rebooking of B O Transactions etc. Since the work has to be finished on the day itself, the BOs having huge number of transactions will certainly create problems for their Account Offices. Therefore, completions of RICT before CSI roll out needs to be considered first.
                       
Therefore, under the above facts and circumstances, we would like to request you to take up the issue at the Directorate level for instructing Odisha Circle not to go ahead with the CSI roll out further till completion of RICT in the Circle and suitable solutions to the above hardware, software, connectivity and training issues.

Awaiting your positive action and immediate response.

With regards.
 Yours Comradely,

 (B SAMAL)

Circle Secretary

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