India Meteorological Department Non-Gazetted Staff Union was established in the year-1947 & has a long vivid history of solving various matters of staff. NGSU has played a key role in formulating & shaping the issues of staff welfare agends in IMD till date. At the same NGSU had been successful in revitalising policy matters at each level by fostering IMD's apex administration. The role of NGSU in IMD's hisory is well recognised & will continue to highlight in todays IMD's modernisation agendas. NGSU as a union had always tried to reach to hearts, heighten the morals & life of an individual staff in IMD's.
India Meteorological Department was established in 1875. Till 1947 therewas no union or association of staff worth its name in IMD. The NGSU came into existance only after the indepedence. It was an association of staff members and started functioning on 19th September 1947 mainly from Calcutta & Pune. Later on the Branch units were formed & till 1960 the staff association maintained a low profile. The employees strike in 1960 was a land mark in the history of this Union as well as other associations & the situation altered radically. There was a great mobilisation of Central Government employees against the injustice of the Govt. They came together, demonstrated their solidarity and made the strike successful, in the face of repressive measures unleashed by the authorities.
The Prime Minister Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru called the leaders of associations and proposed a mechanism in order to discuss and negotiate staff grivances across the table and settle them amicably. This gave birth to the Joint Consultative Machinary (JCM) in 1965. It is a matter of pride for us the IMD Non-Gazetted Staff Union (which was an association at that time) was a founding constituent of JCM. The General Secretary of IMDNGSU Com. P. D. Lakhera was one of the signatories to the Joint Intent for National Council of JCM signed by the Government and Staff side.
The period 1960 – 1971 witnessed the dynamic leadership of Com. P. D. Lakhera and Com. S. D. Suri. They became President & General Secretary alternately during this time. In 1971, in the all-India Conference of this Union at Mumbai, Com. S. K. Mitra was elected as the General Secretary. Com. S. K. Mitra was a bachelor & was totally devoted & dedicated leader. He was brought from Bhubaneshwar to Delhi & his commitment to the cause of the Union was above aproach. During his time the Union rose to its pinnacle.
In 1979 Com. L. C. Jindal took over the charge of General Secretary. During his tenure the infrastructure of the Union was further strengthed and the present Constitution (minus the modification after CCS (RSA) Rules, 93) was adopted. In May, 1985 Com. R. R. Dhasmana took over as General Secretary. The radical changes in policy matters vis-à-vis training, recruitment and promotion took place in Department during his tenure. It was indeed a tough time, but all these changes were successfully tackled and negotiated to the advantage of staff members due to sincere and dedicated efforts of the Union, especially Com. Dhasmana.
The bright path of Union widened by dedication of earlier leaders was then vividly flowered by next generation comrades Shri A. K. Bhatnagar, Shri R. A. Singh, Shri N. K. Yadav & Shri V. P. Kaushik till date. These comrades are pioneers of modern thoughts brought into the minds of members. They have successfully negotiated & modified policy matters at the apex level to the expectations of members & their welfare.
The organisational set up of IMD NGSU is divided into Central Executive Committee(CEC) as its apex body located at IMD, HQ New Delhi & seven Regional Ececutive Committees (REC) located at Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune, Nagpur, Mumbai & Guwahati. In addition to this IMD NGSU's work is supported by Branch committees & local units spread all over India. IMD NGSU has a total membership of 1500 members all over India at present representing all cadres of non-gazetted staff under IMD. The management of the union is governed by council called the UNION COUNCIL headed by a General Secretary & CEC functions under the general directions of the Union Council.
The aims & objectives of IMD NGSU are :-
- To consider all union questions and queries.
- To formulate & voice the views of the members of union.
- To take or direct the constituent bodies to take such actions as may be necessary for the protection and promotion of service interests.
- To advise & guide the constituent bodies in the matter of any Regional/Local Question.
- To assist the constituent bodies in taking necessary steps in respect of any Regional/Local question.
- To coordinate the activities of the Constituent bodies.
- To promote meteorological study.
- Generally to protect and promote the interests of service and to do all other things that are incidental and conducive to the attainment of the above aims and objects.