Aadhaar Bill passed; will help in better subsidy targeting: govt

கோடிகளில் மானியம் பெறும் அரசியல்வாதிகளுக்கும் முதலாளிகளுக்கும் இல்லை கட்டுப்பாடு. 
5 ம் 10 மானியம் பெறும் சாமானியனுக்கு கட்டாயமாகிறது ஆதார். 
 In its earlier avatar, Aadhaar merely assigned a unique identity to residents. On Friday, that changed with the Lok Sabha passing a new Bill, arming the Narendra Modi regime with statutory backing for targeted delivery of subsidies and services.

The Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill, 2016 was passed by a voice vote after Speaker Sumitra Mahajan turned down Opposition demands to send the money Bill to a Standing Committee on Finance.

In his reply to the short debate on the Bill in the Lok Sabha, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley noted that thousands of crores of rupees would be saved by routing government subsidies through the Aadhaar system.

Jaitley also allayed fears of any privacy breaches stating that the proposed legal framework specifically covered this aspect.

“This (law) will empower States to distribute resources to deserving people and save the resources that undeserving people get,” he said, adding that both the Centre and State governments would save thousands of crores.

LPG success

Outlining the success achieved on the targeting of LPG subsidies through Aadhaar cards, Jaitley said over Rs.15,000 crore had been saved by the Centre. Four States that had started a PDS delivery pilot on the same lines had saved more than Rs.2,300 crore, he added.

With the Bill now passed by the Lok Sabha, all eyes are now on the Rajya Sabha. Till late Thursday evening it was not certain whether the Upper House would debate the money Bill, as it had already allotted the remaining working days (the session breaks on March 17) to other important work such as passing the Union Budget.

A money Bill does not need Rajya Sabha approval. But the Upper House, where the NDA lacks a majority, can make recommendations within two weeks of receiving it. But these are not binding.

The Business Advisory Committee of the Rajya Sabha, which met on Friday, decided to allot three hours for the Aadhaar Bill next week. Commenting on the differences between the earlier Bill, tabled by the UPA, and the latest one, Jaitley said the earlier one provided for establishment of an Authority and gave the idea of a unique identity but failed to define its purpose.

Also, the new Bill would enable the Centre and the States utilise money from the Consolidated Fund of India for better targeting of benefits at deserving beneficiaries.

Jaitley also said that 97 per cent of adults and 67 per cent of minors have Aadhaar cards.

(This article was published on March 11, 2016)

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RICT Solution Rollout: Identification Of DoP RICT Trainers

As part of rollout of RICT solution each BO shall be supplied with a Handheld device called 'Main Computing Device (MCD)' along with its accessories e.g Barcode Scanner, PIN Pad, Battery Charger, Pen driver, SD card etc. by the RH Vendor. Suitable training shall also be imaparted to end users i.e. BPMs by tge "DoP RICT Trainers" who shall be trained by the RSI Vendor in Hardware as well Software part of RICT Solution. RSI Vendor is mandated to train approximately 4000 such pre identified DoP RICT trainers. All Circles are requested to identify RICT Trainers for each Postal Division in such way that there should be at least 01 Trained RICT trainer is available for each of 15 to 20 BOs.

 

 

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Notice for meeting with Secretary Generals of NFPE, FNPO and BPEF to discuss the issues relating to the 7th CPC

Notice for meeting with Secretary Generals of NFPE, FNPO and BPEF to discuss the issues relating to the 7th CPC

IMPORTANT  NEWS 

No.06-04/2015-SR

Government of India

Ministry of Communications & IT

Department of Posts

(S.R. Division)

Dak Bhavan, Sansad Marg

New Delhi, dated the 09^th March, 2016

Subject:  Notice for meeting with Secretary Generals of NFPE, FNPO and BPEF to discuss the issues relating to the 7^th CPC.

           It has been decided to convene a meeting with the Secretary Generals of the three Federations on 31.03.2016 at 11:00 AM in G.P. Roy Committee Room, Dak, Bhavan, New Delhi under the Chair of Secretary (Posts) to discuss the issues relating to 7^th CPC. 

           Kindly make it convenient to attend.  The meeting will be followed by lunch.

(Arun Malik)

Consultant (SR & Legal)

Official Side:

1.    All Members of Postal Services Board

2.    DDG (P), DDG (Estt.), DDG (SR & Legal)

Staff Side:

Secretary Generals, NFPE, FNPO & BPEF

Copy for information to:

1. Sr. PPS to Secretary (Posts)

Copy also to:

(i)            ADG (GA) – for booking the G.P. Roy Committee Room and arrangements of Tea/Coffee/Snacks and Lunch, through CPLO.  Exact number of persons and Menu etc. will be intimated later. 
(ii)          Caretaker – To ensure cleanliness of Committee Room and arrange flower vase etc.  
(iii)         A.E. (Elect) – for ensuring functioning of mikes etc.

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Postage Stamp on International Women's Day

India Post has issued two Commemorative Postage Stamps (SE-Tenant) on the theme "India-UN Women He for She" and First Day Cover to celebrate the occasion of International Women's Day at Dak Bhawan, New Delhi on 08.03.2016. 

The SE-Tenant stamps depict half a face of man and half face of woman..

 

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காந்தியின் வழியில் கோட்சேவின் தம்பிகள் (!)

Central employees may have to dress in Khadi on friday   

Friday dressing may have a new meaning for government employees - wearing khadi to work.

The government is considering a plea from the Khadi & Village Industries Commission to appeal to employees to wear clothes made from the hand-spun fabric at least once a week as part of a plan to boost khadi production and benefit small weavers across the country.

"We are discussing this with the government and we will make an appeal. Employees can wear it to work on just one day," KVIC chairman VK Saxena told TOI, when contacted. Sources in the government said the entire exercise would be voluntary but the idea is to increase sales. "Even if everyone buys one khadi garment, imagine the rise in sales," said an officer. The central government currently has around 35 lakh employees, which does not include the railways and defence personnel.

Officers, however, are not opposed to the plan. "I wear handloom saris most of the time. It's not a big deal," said an officer. Another officer described it as a "good idea" and added that a lot of officers were already wearing Fabindia shirts and will probably need to add one from Khadi to their wardrobe. Separately, KVIC is entering into tie ups with companies such as Fabindia and Raymond to retail high-end khadi at some outlets.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emerged as a brand ambassador of sorts for khadi urging people to buy. This has already provided a fillip to sales. In fact, boosting production is now a major challenge for KVIC, which has separately sought to push khadi for uniform in government schools, defence forces, railways and Air India.

Source : Times of India

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Business Today’s report on Central Government Employees Strength

Central Government Employees Strength – Task Force Formed to cut jobs if required – Budget speech 2016 indicated that Govt would rationalise its human resource to achieve maximum governance

Here is Business Today’s report on Central Government Employees Strength

The “governance and ease of doing business” section of the Budget speech talks about NDA government’s “unparalleled” emphasis to good governance with special focus on process reforms, IT-enabled government processes, etc.   Stating that the whole  idea  is  to  remove  the  irritants for  the  public  in  their interface with government agencies, Jaitley explains that a  task force has been constituted for rationalisation of human resources in various ministries. A comprehensive review and rationalisation of autonomous bodies is underway, he informs.

The message seems to be favouring automation and less job openings in the Central government services in future. While one can only appreciate the government’s intention to provide quicker, transparent and efficient services to its citizens, reduction of human resources need not always achieve that goal. In some cases, even replenishment of human resources could be the need of the hour.

HERE IS WHY

The Central government is already functioning with less number of employees than what is supposed to be its sanctioned strength.

Of the total sanctioned posts of 37.16 lakh in various Central government services, over six lakh remain vacant today. A huge majority, 5.3 lakh vacancies, are at the clerical and support staff level.  There are over 50,000 vacancies among Group B level positions and close to 18,000 at the Group-A officers’ level. A year ago, 4,802 IAS officers were in position against a total sanctioned strength of 6,375.

The Seventh Central Pay Commission, in its report in November 2015, informs that the current sanctioned strength of the Central government is approximately the same as it used to be 10 years ago (37 lakh in 2006). In other words, rationalisation of human resources has been an on-going process because of which the total sanctioned strength of 38.9 lakh in 2014 has come down to 37.16 lakh. The effective employee strength, if one takes out the vacant posts, would be 31 lakh, a figure that is closer to 29.82 lakh of sanctioned strength forty five years  ago (in 1971).

The total number of sanctioned posts was perhaps the highest in 1994 (41.76 lakh) as India’s economic liberalisaiton during that period saw disinvestments in sectors like telecom and resultant reduction in government jobs in the following years.

There are more reasons to believe that we may not be able to do away with too many posts immediately. In a submission before the Pay Commission, the Joint Consultative Machinery (JCM)-Staff Side had pointed out that contrary to the common perception, 88 per cent of Central government employees are either industrial or operational staff or not administrative staff. It also points to the increasing trend of outsourcing human resources through contracts, another reason, perhaps, for less-optimal performance.

Finally, this is not the first time BJP government is attempting to downsize the number of Central government employees. The first NDA government under A.B. Vajpayee had brought in a plan to optimise (not rationalise) the recruitment to Central government jobs in 2001. The government wanted to bring in 10 per cent reduction in total sanctioned strength in a phased manner over a period of time.  As per the “Optimisation Scheme”, all ministries and departments were mandated to prepare the Annual Direct Recruitment Plan for each year in order to prioritise the fresh intake of manpower. It continued for five years, and was extended for three more years, even after the change of regime at the Centre.

It was the Sixth Central Pay Commission which recommended the scrapping of the scheme as it felt that while “multiskilling of the government employees would increase their operational  efficiency while simultaneously optimizing the staff strength”, a blanket ban on filling up of vacant posts across the board can impact effective functioning of the government.

While appreciating the government’s intend to right size its human resources given the changes in the work process due to technology and consequent reduction of layers, the Commission suggested more flexibility for effective service delivery. “Care has to be taken that administrative delivery structures do not become hollow or thin in critical areas”, it had stated.

By explicitly announcing the government’s decision to revise the pay structure of the Central government employees on the basis of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendation, Jaitley has committed to spend more on salaries. However, it should not result in the finance minister ignoring the warning given by the Sixth Pay Commission.

Rationalisation of human resources is good, if it is purely to improve governance and efficiency. Cutting jobs with the sole objective of reducing the salary burden may not be advisable.

Source: Business Today

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Secretary General's Programme.

Today SGFNPO & SGNFPE met the following officers :

Member (P), DDG(P), DDG(Staff) & Director SR.

Out come of the meeting.

a) Provide copy of the Memorandum submitted by Department of Post to the 7 th CPC  IMPLEMENTATION CELL.
Reply: Memorandum will be supplied to the Federations after obtaining permission from the Chairperson Postal board.

b) Present Status of Cadre restructuring.
Reply: File is  with Ministry of Finance expecting approval shortly.

c) Filling up of the vacancies 

Reply: Letter has been sent by the Directorate to all Heads of Circles to fill up vacancies.

2) Today SGFNPO met Chief PMG Delhi circle along with O.P.Kanna , G.S. AIPAOA and P3,R3 Circle Secretaries, The  details of the meeting will be published in Sentinel 

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திருநெல்வேலி தலைமை அஞ்சலக மகளிர் தின விழா

திருநெல்வேலி தலைமை அஞ்சலகத்தில் நடைபெற்ற  மகளிர் தின விழா 

அஞ்சலக தலைவர் தலைமையில், உதவி அஞ்சலக தலைவர் திரு இராஜேந்திரன் அவர்கள் மற்றும்  பெண் தோழியர்கள் மரக்கன்று நட்டு மகளிர் தின விழா கொண்டாடினர் 

இதில் மூத்த தோழியர் திருமதி.தெய்வராணி அவர்கள், நமது செயலாளர் திருமதி சூரியகலா மற்றும் தோழியர்கள் பங்கேற்றனர். 

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மகளிர் தின விழா

திருநெல்வேலி இராணி அண்ணா அரசு மகளிர்  கலைகல்லூரியில் 
சர்வதேச மகளிர் தின விழா 08.03.2016 அன்று சிறப்புற நடைபெற்றது. 
இவ்விழாவிற்கு கல்லூரி முதல்வர் அவர்கள் தலைமை தங்கினார்.
இவ்விழாவில் திரு. திருமலை முருகன் Founder President Team Trust 
சங்கர்நகர் ஸ்ரீ ஜெயேந்திர சரஸ்வதி சுவாமிகள் வெள்ளி விழா மெட்ரிக் பள்ளி தாளாளர் திருமதி உஷா இராமன் 
நமது நெல்லை கோட்ட செயலாளர் திருமதி சூரியகலா அவர்களும் கலந்து கொண்டு சிறப்புரையாற்றினர்.

 

 இவ் விழாவில் பங்கேற்று எழுச்சியுரையாற்றிய  நமது கோட்ட செயலாளர் திருமதி சூரியகலா அவர்கள் 

 சிறப்புவிருந்தினர் மற்றும் பேராசிரியர்களுடன் நமது கோட்ட செயலாளர் 

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Rs.70,000 crores set aside to implement 7th Pay Commission recommendations

According to sources, the government has set aside a sum of Rs.70,000 crores to implement the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission for the Central Government employees. The officials of the Ministry of Finance informed that the money was set aside based on the information received from the various ministries.

In order to implement the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission for the Central Government employees and pensioners, a sum of Rs.1 lakh crores was needed. Rs.70,000 crores has been allocated with an intention to set aside 60 to 70 percent of this requirement in the budget. The officials said that additional allocations will be made if required.

The recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission will be implemented from the Financial Year 2016-17 onwards. It is impossible to calculate the extent of financial burden that it would impose on the government. The numbers were arrived at based on the approximate calculations were made by each ministry.

A high-level committee was constituted under the chairmanship of PK Sinha, the cabinet secretary, in the month of January. The committee is taking steps to implement the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission. It will calculate the amount required to implement the recommendations for the 47 lakh Central Government employees and 52 lakh pensioners.

Similarly, the government is all set to implement the One Rank One Pension scheme for the defence pensioners. The finance ministry has already made budgetary allocations for this purpose.

In all likelihood, final decision on the implementation of the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission will be made only after the report of this Empowered Committee. Meanwhile, workers unions all over the country have announced strikes and protests. The indefinite strike, beginning April 11, will demand, among other points, an increase in the minimum wages, and the revocation of the new pension scheme.

The Central Government employees are hoping that the salaries based on the 7th Pay Commission will be issued from the month of June this year.

Source: http://7thpaycommissionnews.in/

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FM Arun Jaitley rolls back proposal on taxation of EPF withdrawal.

அவசர கோலத்தில் அள்ளி தெளித்தவை - திருப்ப பெறப்படுகிறது 

Facing all-round attack, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday withdrew his Budget proposal to tax employees' provident fund (EPF) at the time of withdrawal.

Jaitley had in his Budget for 2016-17 proposed to tax withdrawal of 60 per cent of accumulations in the employee provident fund after April 1, 2016. This was criticised by all employees unions as well as political parties. "In view of representations received, the government would like to do a comprehensive review of this proposal and therefore I withdraw the proposal," Jaitley said in a suo motu statement in Lok Sabha.

He, however, stated that 40 per cent exemption given to National Pension Scheme (NPS) subscriber at the time of withdrawal remains. In his budget proposal, Jaitley had proposed that 40 per cent of the EPF withdrawals would be tax exempt and the remaining 60 per cent would also get the same treatment provided the amount is invested in pension annuity schemes.

This proposal was criticised by the parties and the unions which said it amounted to forcing employees to invest in pension annuity schemes. "Employees should have the choice of where to invest. Theoretically such freedom is desirable, but it is important for the government to achieve policy objective by instrumentality of taxation. In the present form, the policy objective is not to get more revenue but to encourage people to join the pension scheme," Jaitley said explaining the rationale for the taxation proposal.

The proposal would not have impacted 3.26 crore EPFO subscribers drawing statutory wage of up to Rs 15,000 per month. Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has a total subscriber base of 3.7 crore.

Source: http://www.businesstoday.in/

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Good news! Now non-entitled employees can claim LTC on air travel.

New Delhi: All non-entitled central government employees have been allowed to travel by air while availing Leave Travel Concession (LTC) with a condition that reimbursement in such cases shall be restricted to the fare of their entitled class of train or actual expense.

The Ministry of Personnel had recently eased norms for processing claims of LTC -- which allows grant of leave and ticket reimbursement to eligible central government employees to travel to their home towns and other places.

"Government employees not entitled to travel by air may travel by any airline. However, reimbursement in such cases shall be restricted to the fare of their entitled class of train, transport or actual expense, whichever is less," an order issued by the Ministry said.

The move comes after the government received a number of queries in this regard. In many cases, employees did not have railway station or good road network to their home towns and they had requested for permission to travel by air to save time, which was being denied, officials said.

Now, they will be allowed to travel by air and by any airline, they said. At present, those entitled to travel by air have to mandatorily travel by Air India.

A government servant may also apply for advance for himself or his family members 65 days before the proposed date of the outward journey and he or she would be required to produce the tickets within ten days of the withdrawal of advance, irrespective of the date of commencement of the journey, as per the new norms.

There are about 50 lakh central government employees.

All central government employees have been asked to share photos and interesting details of their holidays.

The DoPT has decided to put a limit of one month for verification of LTC claim after the LTC bill is submitted by government employee for settlement and final payment.

"Efforts should be made to reduce the duration of processing of LTC applications or claims at the earliest. The maximum time limit should be strictly adhered to and non- compliance of time limit should be adequately explained," its directive said.

Source:  http://zeenews.india.com/

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Women's Day wishes to all

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போராட்டம் தள்ளிவைப்பு

அரசின் கோரிக்கைகள் எழுத்து பூர்வமாக வந்ததா ?                      இல்லை போராட தடுமாறுகிறதா தொழிற்சங்கங்கள் ?

போராட்டம்  தள்ளிவைப்பு   

NJCA STRIKE DATE AND STRIKE NOTICE SERVING DATE POSTPONED 

Taking into consideration the request of the Cabinet Secretary to give more time to Govt. to arrive at conclusions on the Charter of demands raised by Staff side and also the situation in the aftermath of the coming into effect the Election Code of Conduct, NJCA meeting held on 7th March decided to defer the date of commencement of indefinite strike to 11th July 2016 and to serve strike notice on 9th June 2016.

NJCA writes to Cabinet Secretary for early redressal of Charter of demands.

NJCA

 National Joint Council of Action

 4,  State Entry Road,

 New Delhi - 110055

 No.NJC/2016/7th CPC                                                                                                        March 7, 2016 

To Cabinet Secretary,
 Government of India Chairman,
 National Council/JCM 

Subject:- 7th CPC recommendations and Charter of Demands - Reg.

 Dear Sir 

Kindly refer to the NJCA letter dated 10th December 2015 conveying you the decision of the National Joint Council of Action to go on indefinite strike in pursuance of the Charter of demands submitted there-with, if no settlement through bilateral discussions is brought about. I am also to invite your kind attention to the discussion the Empowered Committee of Secretaries chaired by you with Standing Committee of NC of JCM on 1st March 2016 where-in while summing up the discussions on the charter of demands you assured that a fair consideration would be given on all demands raised by the Staff Side. It was also stated by you that reasonable time should be given to the Government since the issues concern inter-departmental consultations.  The NJCA in its meeting held on 7th March 2016 considered the request made by you. To give space for negotiated settlement on the charter of demands raised by the Staff Side it has been decided to defer the commencement of the indefinite strike to 11th July 2016 and to serve the strike notice on 9th June 2016, if the desired settlement through bilateral discussions is not brought about.  It is requested that in the intervening period the Government may hold meaningful negotiation with the Staff Side, JCM so that a settlement could be reached on the Charter of demands raised by the staff side, in the interest of industrial harmony. 

Thanking you, 

Yours faithfully, 

sd/-

 (Shiva Gopal Mishra) Convener

Copy to:- The Secretary, Department of Personnel & Training, North Block, New Delhi
 The Joint Secretary (Pers), Department of Expenditure, North Block, New Delhi
 The Joint Secretary (AV), Department of Personnel & Training, North Block, New Delhi 
The Joint Secretary (Estt.), Department of Personnel & Training, North Block, New Delhi 
The Dy. Secretary (JCA), Department of Personnel & Training, North Block, New Delhi
 For kind information and favorable action please 

(Shiva Gopal Mishra) 

Convener

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