Saturday, January 31, 2015

Special postal cover on Eknath Ranade

  Anjali Devasher (second from left), Chairperson, Investment Board and Postal Service Board, releasing a special postal cover on Eknath Ranade to mark his centenary celebrations at a function in Vivekananda Kendra in Kanyakumari on Friday.
Anjali Devasher (second from left), Chairperson, Investment Board and Postal Service Board, releasing a special postal cover on Eknath Ranade to mark his centenary celebrations at a function in Vivekananda Kendra in Kanyakumari on Friday.

A special postal cover brought out by the Department of Posts to mark the centenary celebrations of Ekanath Ranade, founder of Vivekananda Rock Memorial and Vivekananda Kendra, was released here on Friday.
 
Anjali Devasher, Chairperson, Investment Board and Postal Service Board, released the special cover at a function held in Vivekananda Kendra Auditorium.
 
Ms. Anjali Devasher said that the special postal cover on Eknath Ranade was released to honour a great leader by the Department of Posts.
 
My Stamp was released by T. Murthy, Chief Postmaster General, Tamil Nadu Circle.
 
D. Bhanudas, general secretary, Vivekananda Kendra, received the special postal cover and My Stamp. A. Balakrishnan, vice-president, Vivekananda Kendra, presided. J. Charukesi, Postmaster General, South Zone, and office-bearers of Vivekananda Kendra attended the function.
 
Prior to the release of special postal cover and stamp, a short film on Eknath Ranade was screened at the auditorium.
 
P. Krishnaswami, Administrative Officer, welcomed the gathering and M. Hanumantarao, treasurer, proposed a vote of thanks.

R.K. Laxman should be face of RTI stamps, say activists

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In view of a recent Central Government circular seeking people's views on inclusion of postal stamps for paying RTI fees, activists have demanded that such stamps should bear the face of legendary cartoonist R K Laxman who passed away this week.
 
"There should be separate RTI stamps issued by the postal department, to facilitate payment of RTI fees," Subhash Chandra Agarwal, noted RTI activist who first proposed the idea before the Chief Information Commission, told The Hindu.
 
"It is a lovely idea to have R K Laxman's face on those stamps. It will be a nation's homage to somebody who took the common man's issues to a new height. Mr. Laxman turned the common man into a hero," former Chief Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi said.
 
Mr. Subhash Chandra said there were many parallels between the common man and the RTI Act. "The RTI Act is meant for the common man and R K Laxman's cartoons raised the voice of the common man," he said.
 
Separate RTI stamps
 
A few activists from western Maharashtra led by Vihar Durve recently wrote to the Department of Personnel and Training and the Prime Minister seeking issuance of separate RTI stamps in the name of Mr. Laxman who passed away this week.
 
At present, people filing RTI queries can make payment by four modes -- IPO, Demand Draft, Bankers Cheque and Cash against receipt. But the Central Information Commission, in its recent order passed last month, again recommended the use of ordinary postal stamps for paying RTI fees.
 
But the government apprehends that use of ordinary postal stamps may lead to many problems including accounting error for the postal department, misuse of ordinary stamps.
 
According to a circular issued by the Department of Personnel and Training on January 14, the government has formed a committee to look into these issues and to decide if postal stamps should be introduced as RTI fees. The circular seeks suggestions from the citizens.
 
The RTI activists have suggested that the government (postal department) issue separate RTI stamps for the purpose. "Firstly, it will be very easy for the citizens as these stamps will be freely available at all post offices," Mr Gandhi said.
 
"Also, these will be the most economical modes of paying RTI fees. If beautiful RTI stamps are issued, they will propagate the use of RTI. The people will be convenienced as many RTI petitioners face quite a few hurdles in paying fees," Mr Subhash Chandra said.
 
Difficulty
 

But Mr Gandhi pointed out a practical difficulty in implementing the measure. "At present, the revenue from the RTI fees goes to the States. But if postal stamps are introduced, the revenue will go to the Central government. Though Rs 10 crore annual revenue isn't much, the Centre will still have to convince all the States and get them on-board to implement this step," he said.

PA / SA Examination 2014 results.....West Bengal Circle

To view, please CLICK HERE. 

Proposal for cadre restructuring of IP/ASP cadre and merger of ASP cadre to PS Gr. B cadre

All members and track in viewers are aware that General Secretary has already submitted cadre structuring of Inspector Posts and merger of ASP cadre in to PS Gr. B cadre proposal to Directorate under letter No. GS/AIAIASP/Merger-ASP/2013 dated 9/1/2015. Now, Establishment division of Directorate has called for following information from all Circles to confirm the data mentioned in the proposal.  

Sanctioned strength of ASP posts in Class-I Postal Divisions
Sanctioned strength of ASP posts in Class-I RMS Divisions
Sanctioned strength of ASP posts in GPO having Class-I status
Sanctioned strength of ASP posts in HPOs having Class-I status
Sanctioned strength of ASP posts in Circle/ Regional Offices






To speed up the cadre structuring issue at Directorate, there is need of submission of requisite information as early as possible by each and every circle. It is therefore requested to all members, especially Circle Secretaries and IP/ASPs working in Circle Offices to ensure submission of information of their circles on or before 2nd February 2015 itself to Directorate and give the details to GS by email.

It is learnt that Jharkhand Circle has submitted following information to Directorate.

Sanctioned strength of ASP posts in Class-I Postal Divisions
Sanctioned strength of ASP posts in Class-I RMS Divisions
Sanctioned strength of ASP posts in GPO having Class-I status
Sanctioned strength of ASP posts in HPOs having Class-I status
Sanctioned strength of ASP posts in Circle/ Regional Offices
16
Nil
Nil
Nil
6


Friday, January 30, 2015

Triple time increase in pay of Central government employees according to the estimated pay scales

Triple time increase in pay of Central government employees according to the estimated pay scales(click here)

The DA increase in January and July 2015 will play a vital role in the final numbers of the Pay Scale of 7th CPC. The estimated Pay Scales for Central Government Employees that the Seventh Pay commission can recommend for Employees working in Central Government establishments…

The Seventh Pay Commission report is expected to be released by the end of this year, and it seems that there will be no delay for the government to implement the report.

The Modi Government, being a believer in business will never want make arrear payments to the central government employees in the future and impose additional financial burden to the government.

If this is true, the seventh pay commission report will be implemented on 01/01/2016 and this news will be like a sweet melody in the ears of the central government employees.

Central government employees are also expecting the DA to be merged with their Pay. In such, along with the Implementation of the report, there will be growth in House Rent Allowance (HRA) and Educational allowance.

As on today’s date, the DA is at 107% and there are three more DA instalments remaining before the announcement of the Seventh Pay commission. One instalment in January 2015 and the second in July 2015 and final third one Jan 2016 will be implemented.

The DA calculation will be based on the All India Consumer Price Index. Based on the data available on today’s date, the DA is expected to rise by 6% which increases the DA to 113% in this instalment. If the same trend continues, the DA is expected to have another 6% hike this July and also in Jan 2016.

Hence the pay commission will consider 124% DA before preparing the final report; this will prove to be an important number in the final calculation. If by 01.01.2016 the DA reaches 124%, then just considering the DA alone, the pay of the central government employees will be doubled.

But the pay commission considers various other factors to finalise the Pay scales. While adding those numbers, it is certain that the Pay of the central government employees may have a triple time hike. This is good news for the Central Government employees.

Now we have to see how candid does the government stay on the expectations of the central government employees. Nearly 50 lakh central government employees and Pensioners are eagerly waiting for the implementation of the Seventy Pay commission.

Our numbers state that a triple time rise in pay is sure, now it is to see how much more will the government add to these numbers.

Source : CGEN.in

Philately Events...

Art and stamp exhibition on Mahatma Gandhi at Patna.

Dates: 29th Jan. to 3rd Feb. 2015.
30th January 2015, Talk on Gandhi Philately, Homage to Bapu through stamps issued around the world By Sanjay Jain and Pragya Kothari, Philatelists.
Venue: Lalit Kala Academy, Patna.

ROCPEX-2015, Tiruchi District Philatelic Exhibition at Tiruchi - 30th - 31st January 2015.

Dates: 30th - 31st January 2015
Venue: Bishop Heber Hr. Sec. School, Teppakulam, Trichy- 620 002.
Quiz competition and 'Design a Stamp' Drawing competition will also be held during the exhibition.
For more information Contact: The Senior Superintendent of Post Offices, Tiruchi Division. Phone: +91-431-2466249, 2466260 and 2414149.

Set of three stamps on Swachh Bharat is released by Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Hon’ble MOC&IT on 30.1.2015


The Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Parliamentary Affairs, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu along with the Union Minister for Communications & Information Technology, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad and the Union Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water and Sanitation, Shri Chaudhary Birender Singh releasing the Postal Stamp on ‘Swachh Bharat’, in New Delhi on January 30, 2015.

Thursday, January 29, 2015

DPC : PS Gr. B and JTS Gr. A.......updates!!!

It is learnt that results of DPCs for promotion to the cadre of PS Gr. B for the year 2014 and for promotion to the cadre of JTS Gr. A for the vacancy year 2013-14 are expected in first and second week of next month respectively. Repatriation orders are also under consideration   ...........General Secretary 

Biometric Attendance : Mandatory for all employees


Department of Personnel & Training asked Secretaries of all departments to ensure that all employees to mark their attendance in biometric attendance system. It is observed that a large fraction of employees are not marking their attendance in the new format.

It is once again reminded that all employees in all offices are required to mark their attendance in Aadhar Based Biometric Attendance System.

Click here to view the latest O.M.

Medical Insurance scheme for central employees in stead of CGHS ?

It is learnt that the Health Ministry has moved a proposal for ending the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) in its current form and moving to an insurance-based scheme - the Central Government Employees and Pensioners Health Insurance Scheme (CGEPHIS) — in an apparent attempt to cut costs. Instead of the government directly paying the medical bills of CGHS beneficiaries, the new scheme will be implemented through insurance companies registered with the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority and selected through bidding.

Questions related to Sukanya Samridhi Yojana

As you are aware Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 22 January 2015 launched a small deposit scheme Sukanya Samridhi Yojana for girl child under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) campaign. In this post we are bringing you some probable questions that can be asked related to this Yojana in the upcoming exams.

1) Who can open account in the name of Girld Child under Sukanya Samridhi Yojana? - Guardian/Natural Guardian

2) A Guardian can open how many accounts under SSY? - Only one account in the name of one girl child and maximum two accounts in the name of two different girl children.

3) An account under SSY can be opened up to the age of ___ years only from the date of birth? - 10 Years

4) Whether nomination facility is available for accounts under SSY? - No

5) Minimum amount for opening of SSY Account? - Rs.1000 (Subsequent deposit should be in multiple of Rs.100/-)

6) Maximum amount that can be deposited in a financial year in this account? - Rs.1,50,000

7) Whether there is any limit on the number of deposits? - No

8) What is the interest rate for the financial year 2014-15 under Sukanya Samridhi Yojana account? - 9.1%

9) Partial withdrawal, maximum upto 50% of the balance standing at the end of the preceding financial year can be taken after Account holder is attaining age of ___ years? - 18 Years

10) Sukanya Samridhi Account can be closed after completion of ___ years? - 21

11) If account is not closed after maturity, balance will continue to earn interest as specified for the scheme from time to time. State whether the statement is correct? - Yes

12) Normal premature closure will be allowed after completion of 18 years provided which condition? - Girl is married

All CG Employees are required to register themselves in the system of AADHAR Enabled Bio-metric Attendance System

All CG Employees are required to register themselves in the system of AADHAR Enabled Bio-metric Attendance System - Dopt notification

Introduction of AADHAR enabled bio-metric attendance system

G.I., Dep. of Per. & Trg., O.M.F.No.11013/9/2014-Estt.A-III, dated 28.1.2015

Sub: Introduction of AADHAR enabled bio-metric attendance system.

The undersigned is directed to refer to Secretary, DEITY’s DO letter no. SSD/DeitY/BAS/2014-74 dated 23.12.2014 (copy enclosed), observing that in many offices there is a large difference between the number of registered employees and the number of employees marking their attendance in the Biometric attendance system (BAS). The Secretaries of all Ministries / Departments have been requested to issue directions to all employees to mark their attendance in BAS Portal on regular basis.

 2. As per the Guidelines issued vide O.M. No.11013/9/2014-Estt.A-III dated 21.11.2014, it has been decided to use an AADHAR Enabled Bio-metric Attendance System (AEBAS) in all offices of the Central Government, including attached / sub ordinate offices, in India. All employees are, therefore, required to register themselves in the system and mark their attendance. Instructions already exist for dealing with cases of late attendance/ unauthorized absence, which may be followed.

 3. It is requested that necessary directions may be issued to all employees to mark their attendance in BAS portal on regular basis.

Download original DoPT Order

Authority : www.persmin.gov.in

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Cadre restructuring of cadre of Assistant Managers MMS

Information of Delhi Circle is as under :

No. of Sr. Managers MMS sanctioned posts  in circle
1
No. of Sr. Managers MMS posts vacant
Nil
No. of Manager MMS sanctioned posts in circle
Nil
No. of Manager MMS posts vacant
Nil
No. of Dy. Manager MMS sanctioned posts in circle
1
No. of Dy. Manager MMS posts vacant
1
No. of Assistant Manager sanctioned posts in circle
10
No. of Assistant Manager posts vacant
9
Whether copy of Recruitment Rules of Inspector MMS (old cadre) is available in the circle office.
No
Whether circle seniority list (gradation list) is available or otherwise
No

As on date CHQ has received information of West Bengal, Maharashtra and Delhi circle only. Remaining Circle Secretaries and CHQ Office bearers are once again requested to ascertain and furnish the requisite information to GS immediately.

How to Get Rid of Sinus Headache

To read the details, please CLICK HERE. 

Sukanya Samriddhi Account - Saving Scheme for Girl Child



Vacancy position for PS Gr. B Examinations 2013 and 2014

No. GS/AIAIPASP/PS Gr.B-Exam 13-14/2015              dated  :       28/1/2015.

To,
Shri Rajkumar,
Director (Staff),
Department of Posts,
Dak Bhavan, Sansad Marg,
New Delhi 110 001.

Sub : Vacancy position for PS Gr. B Examinations 2013 and 2014.

Respected Sir,

Directorate vide Memo No. A.34012/01/2015-DE dated 15/1/2015 has circulated calendar of departmental examinations scheduled to be held in the year 2015 wherein it is mentioned that PS Gr. B Examination 2013 and 2014 are scheduled on 21/6/2015 and 18/10/2015 respectively.

DPC for the promotion to the cadre of PS Gr. B for the vacancy year 2013 was already held on 10/10/2013 vide which 156 officers were promoted and it is learnt that DPC for the year 2014 is at the final stage.

It is therefore requested to kindly intimate the details of number of vacancies reserved for PS Gr. B Examination for the year 2013 and 2014 at the earliest.

A line in reply will be appreciated.
Yours sincerely,

Sd/- 
(Vilas Ingale)
General Secretary

Postal Department to Come Up With Insurance Policies for Girl Child, Women

CHENNAI: The postal department is planning to come up with insurance policies pertaining to girl child and women, according to Ms Anjali Devasher, Member Postal Services Board (Postal Life Insurance) and Chairperson of Investment Board.

Ms Devasher told reporters after giving away National awards for outstanding performance in postal life insurance and rural postal life insurance that the new policies are at the conceptual stage and refused to give any time-frame on when it will be introduced.

Talking about the IT project of India Post, Ms Devasher said that it will be rolled out once it is implemented in all the seven pilot circles.

She said that postal life insurance was started as an in-house life insurance scheme for the postal employees in 1884 and is now available to all employees of the Central and state governments including the defence and paramilitary forces, employees of PSUs, public sector commercial banks, autonomous bodies and universities and government aided educational institutions.

She said the scheme was extended to all persons residing in rural India in 1995 and is called Rural Postal Life Insurance Scheme.

She also said that the opening of foreign direct investment in the insurance sector will not affect the postal department. “We have a fixed clientele,” she said.

Shri V Pati, Chief General Manager of Postal Life Insurance said that the number of policies in postal life insurance and rural postal life insurance is almost Rs 2.86 crore. The corpus size is Rs 55,000 crore and the total sum assured for all policies is Rs 2,01,373 crore.

Training Programme on Public Procurement

To view Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure OM dated 23-1-2015, please CLICK HERE. 

Review of Model Calendar for the Departmental Promotion Committees (DPCs) being conducted by the Ministries/Departments.

To view, DoPT OM dated 28-1-2015, please CLICK HERE

Travel by Premium Trains on LTC - Clarification reg.

It has been decided travel by Premium Trains is not permissible on LTC. To view DoPT OM dated 27-1-2015, please CLICK HERE. 

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Proposal for cadre restructuring of IP/ASP cadre and merger of ASP cadre to PS Gr. B cadre

It is learnt that Directorate is confirming the number of Class-I posts shown in our proposal from all Circles. 

It is therefore requested to all Circle Secretaries and CHQ Office Bearers to ensure submission of requisite information by their Circle to Directorate immediately. 

LTC to neighboring countries : Ministry of Civil Aviation nods.

The civil aviation ministry has given its nod to a proposal to provide leave travel concession for government employees to Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka to boost tourism in the region.
A senior official in the ministry confirming the development said, “The move is intended to boost tourism within SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) countries. Pakistan and Bangladesh has been left out for now because of security issues.”
The approval from the ministry of civil aviation was required so that the LTC can be availed of on national carrier Air India while flying to these countries.

Dopt Notification – Amendment of Rules on Imposing Penalty on Central Government Employees

G.I., Dep. of Per. & Trg., Notification, dated 22.1.2015


G.S.R. 6(E).—In exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to article 309 of the Constitution, the President hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Fundamental Rules, 1922, namely:-

1. (1) These rules may be called the Fundamental (Amendment) Rules, 2014.

(2) They shall be deemed to have come into force on the 27th October, 2013.

2. In the Fundamental Rules, 1922, in rule 29, for clause (2), the following clause shall be substituted, namely:—


“(2) If a Government servant is reduced as a measure of penalty to a lower service, grade or post or to a lower time-scale, the authority ordering the reduction shall specify,—

(a) the period for which the reduction shall be effective;

(b) whether, on restoration, the period of reduction shall operate to postpone future increments and, if so, to what extent; and

(c) whether the Government servant shall regain his original seniority in the higher service, grade or post or time-scale on his restoration to the service, grade or post or time-scale from which he was reduced.”

Authority: DoPT Website

United States Postal Service hits hard times

After 200 years of daily deliveries, the United States Postal Service has fallen on tough times. 
 
The full impact of the organization’s difficulties has yet to reach the Lower Valley, but slower delivery times are looming as further cuts are made.

United States Postal Service profits have been declining for more than a decade, mostly due to internet communications taking the place of First-Class Mail, once the main source of postal income.

Unique in the world of business and government, the United State Postal Service is funded entirely by its own profits and not through taxes, yet is required to serve all customers in the country, regardless of location.

In addition, the Postal Service is overseen by the U.S. Congress, which in 2006 required the organization to pre-fund all its retirement obligations within 10 years. For the past three years the Postal Service has been unable to meet the $5.5 billion annual payments to the retirement fund, defaulting instead.

Due to the organization’s shaky financial situation, the Postmaster General has made cuts to service, starting with the 2012 closing of 150 out of nearly 500 mail processing plants across the country.

Though there were talks of closing the mail processing center in Yakima, it avoided that fate. According to Sunnyside Postmaster Isidro Rodriguez, there are no plans to do so now following the recent closure of the Pasco center.

Rodriguez says mail from Grandview and Sunnyside and points west are all processed in Yakima, while Prosser and points east are now served by the Spokane center.

Rodriguez, who was hired as interim postmaster last June before being named to the post on a permanent basis last fall, says the Sunnyside Post Office is feeling impacts of other cutbacks.

With the Outlook Post Office not having a postmaster, a postal worker from Sunnyside has been filling in at that post.

Besides an Outlook route, Sunnyside also has four other rural routes.

“We have a skeleton crew right now,” Rodriguez says. “We’re trying to manage our hours.”

Because of stretching to help cover Outlook, the Sunnyside Post Office is looking to hire two part-time workers – one for mail distribution and to be a carrier.

Grandview Postmaster Steve Barrientes said he doesn’t anticipate any layoffs with the changes being made this year.

“There is a lot of shuffling underway to prevent layoffs in the region,” he said.

Postal service in Grandview is not being impacted by the closures of processing facilities, but Prosser, Barrientes said, has been impacted by the closure of the Pasco processing plant.

For Grandview postal service patrons, Barrientes says there is nothing to worry about. Regarding slower first-class and periodical mailings, Barrientes said, “Grandview customers will continue to receive their mail as they have been.”

But changes are coming. The organization is currently bleeding money, a situation that would not be fixed even if the retirement pre-funding requirements were removed. As a result of cuts to staff, service has slowed down on a lot of rural routes, and the Postal Service itself has relaxed the standards for First-Class Mail.

According to the United States Postal Service, standards were changed this month, affecting roughly 14 billion pieces of the total volume of mail, about 9 percent, and up to 16 percent of First-Class Mail. The average delivery time for mail went from 1.8 days to 2.1 days, which means an extra day for customers on rural routes or who do not live near a processing plant.

Changes in rural delivery are a major concern for U.S. Postal Service customers like Brenda Tatum-Carlson of Granger, who relies on the daily delivery at her home.

“We order our prescriptions on-line,” said Tatum-Carlson, “but depend on the post office to get items to our house.”

If, in the future, the U.S. Postal Service was to decide to close either the Granger or Zillah offices, due to budget constraints, Tatum-Carlson said she would be forced to drive 20-miles to pick up her mail and medications in Toppenish. “It would be a really bad situation for me,” she added.

Fewer days of mail delivery could prove a real challenge for area senior citizens, according to Gloria Alexander, president of the Sunnyside Senior Citizen Group.

Her concern is for those senior citizens who are too afraid to use computers for on-line banking and bill paying.

“Many of us don’t ‘do’ computers. So not getting regular delivery of our mail would prove to be a real hardship,” said Alexander.

A reduction in daily and Saturday home  delivery would cause problems for other seniors with disabilities and who actually depend on the mailman for daily contact. For example, Cherry Fairbanks Morse said her mailman often delivers packages right to the door.

“He knows I have a disability and my husband is ill,” she explained. “Sometimes if he doesn’t see any movement at our house, he rings the doorbell just to check on us,” Fairbanks Morse said.

“I don’t think the U.S. Postal Service cares about things like that, but I would really miss my daily service if it were curtailed.”

Fairbanks Morse said having to travel downtown to pick up her mail would be an extreme hardship. “I wouldn’t be able to go every day,” she added.

Daily rural mail delivery of items such as the local daily newspaper would also be a hardship for rural mail customers, according to Yolanda Bickett of Sunnyside.

“My neighbor gets the paper in the mail a day late already,” Bickett said. “She gets all her items through the mail, including her meds. It would be an issue for her if rural delivery was cut. And for my family as well, because she shares the newspaper with us.”

The Postal Service has been discussing the possibility of closing more processing plants and reducing its staff even further to save costs. In addition, other options, such as cutting Saturday service, are on the table.

In the meantime, the Postal Service is looking at a potential rate increase this year, for almost every service except First-Class letters. Those will remain at 49 cents even if the rate increase goes through.
Source :  http://www.dailysunnews.com

Enhancement of Sum Assured to 50 lakhs in r/o PLI

To view, please CLICK HERE.