Monday, January 31, 2011

Extension of Risk Allowance till 30.06.2011.

No.21012/01/2008-Estt. (Allowance)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, P.G. & Pensions
Department of Personnel & Training
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New Delhi, dt.25th January, 2011.

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject:- Extension of Risk Allowance till 30.06.2011.

The undersigned is directed to refer this Department's OM No.21012/01/2008-Estt.(AL) dated 13.10.2010 vide which payment of Risk Allowance was extended till 31.12.2010. Extension of Risk Allowance for a further period of six months beyond 31.12.2010 has been considered and it has been decided that Risk Allowance may be continued for a further period of six months upto 30.06.2011 or till such time Risk Insurance Scheme is implemented, whichever is earlier. All the Ministries Departments are requested to ensure implementation of Risk Insurance Scheme before 30.06.2011.

No further extension will considered thereafter.

S/d
( Zoya C.B.)
Under Secretary to the Govt. of India

LIVING ON THE TOP FLOOR? GET YOURSELF AN INBOX.

BANGALORE: The postman, an integral part of urban life, is having to keep pace with Bangalore's vertical growth. Their daily grind has changed from miles to go, to climbing up and down apartment blocks to deliver the day's cargo. While a few may term it an occupational hazard, the postman's humble requests for mailboxes on the ground floor have gone unheard.

Anticipating such a situation in 1989, the postal department had issued a circular saying an appeal be made to residents of multi-storeyed buildings to install letter boxes for each flat on the ground floor. Thousands of high-rises have come up in the city, but not all have lifts, and aged postmen are forced to sweat it out, sometimes to deliver a single envelope.

A copy of the circular is in possession of The Times of India. However, a senior postal official said a similar order was issued in 2001 again but nothing has changed. "It's only optional and the department has a mandate of door delivery. Speed post and money orders have to be door-delivered, only ordinary post can be dropped off in mailboxes."

A senior postman explained how difficult work can be at times. "In apartments with security personnel, we don't need to enter, and leave all envelopes with them. But in some apartments, there is no security. We end up climbing stairs and it's risky because we carry money orders and cheques. If we are attacked, there is no safety. Some of us have gone through bitter experiences," he said.

Even if lifts are available, postmen prefer taking the stairs. They reason: "Lifts can be scary as you never know when we might get stuck. What if the person standing next to us snatches the envelopes and runs away?"

"The public demands door delivery. People have no time to collect their own mail. People should set up mailboxes on the ground floor at least," says S S Manjunath, state secretary for Group C Employees Union.

AGE FACTOR

R Seethalakshmi, state secretary for Union of Postmen and Group D Employees, says at least 30% postmen are aged over 50, and 50% are in the 40-50 age group. "Besides, we are managing with just 55% staff. Recruitment is on," she added.

Postmen also complain that people do not come forward to receive posts which contain notices from banks and courts. "If they anticipate such notices, residents do not even open the door. Every day, each postman deals with five or six such notices. We intimate the neighbours, but not many collect their mail from us. When the final notice arrives from the bank or court, the postal service is blamed," Seethalakshmi said.
Times of India, Jan 25, 2011.

INDIA POST EYES GLOBAL SMES, RICH CUSTOMERS.

SILIGURI: India Post is coming up with a bunch of new services aimed mainly towards high value and premium customers and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) having international links.

MoUs on this front have been signed with relevant authorities in postal services from different countries including China, Australia, Bhutan, Germany, UAE, Hong Kong, Italy, France and South Africa, to provide highly-customized business services especially to SMEs.

The most important amongst these are international express mail services (EMS) for express documents and parcels up to 35 kg. This comes just after India Post's recently introduced flat rate parcel services (FRPS) for any country. Parcels under the service will be given priority in shipment when being sent to any country with which the India Post has signed an MoU.

According to John Samuel, business development manager, India Post, three self sealing containers of different sizes, to be used for FRPS and available free of cost at select post offices, can carry 1 kg, 2.5 kg and 5 kg parcels. These can be shipped to any country at a flat rate of Rs 1,000, Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,500, respectively.

"Plans to introduce this in the domestic sector, too, at a reasonable rate, are at an advanced stage. Both in the international as well as domestic sectors, all these parcels will carry unique bar codes and shipped through air route only," he said.

Samuel said that all India Post special customised business packages, especially those aimed towards SMEs, are going to have facilities like solutions for business shipment, dedicated small packet shipments corridor at most economic rates, assured, priority customs clearance and online tracking.

Additionally, India Post is going to design specific service products to help enterprises in overseas marketing.

Times of India 26 Jan, 2011.

AS TRADITIONAL SERVICES GO DIGITAL, INDIAPOST FINDS NEW LIFE AS AN INSURANCE PROVIDER.

Three decades ago, Tilak Ram was a mere part-time employee at India Post. Technically a Gramin Dak Sevak -- an "extra departmental employee" -- he has come a long way since. Today, Ram's spartan office-cum-home in rural Laksar, in the northern state of Uttaranchal, is constantly bustling with people. The 53 year-old Ram is a postal worker outside the regular cadre; there are thousands of them across India. Over the years, he has become the single-point contact for over 6,000 rural households across 12 villages around Laksar to sell mobile phone cards and postal stationery, update post office savings bank accounts, deliver pension money, and collect postal life insurance premiums.

Ram has now logged an impressive track record in India Post's fastest growing business -- rural postal life insurance (RPLI). In the last fiscal year, Ram, who earns a monthly salary of US$135 plus commission, sold 250 RPLI policies with a total sum assured of US$28,000. This bull run for Ram and 300,000 other GDSs who reach out to 730 million people across 600,000 villages, has established India Post as one of the largest players in the rural life insurance business.

Today, RPLI has a corpus of US$890 million. India Post has sold 10 million RPLI policies between their 1995 launch and 2009-2010. But most of those sales occurred after November 2009, and 40% of them are micro insurance policies where the individual sum assured is less than US$550.

"We adopted an innovative approach to leverage our distribution reach in the pursuit of socially relevant objectives," says Uday Balakrishnan, who recently retired as member of the Postal Services Board and chairman of the Investment Board of India Post.

The RPLI numbers, say insurance analysts, makes India Post the largest micro insurance player in the US$13 billion Indian life insurance game. The quasi-government behemoth -- Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) -- sold 1.9 million micro insurance products last year with a 2.5 million target for fiscal 2011, according to Hemant Bhargava, executive director micro insurance at LIC. "There is a growing awareness amongst different pockets of the economy that you have to carry all sections of the population together, which makes micro insurance critical," he says.

In fact, financial inclusion was one of the drivers for India Post to reinvent itself as an insurer to be reckoned with. "Earlier, people couldn't do without us," says Abhishek Singh, senior superintendent of Post Offices in Dehradun in north India. "Now there's competition and we have to reinvent ourselves to be socially relevant." Many of India Post's mainline businesses like personal mail and telegrams have been battered -- volumes are down by 40% over the last decade -- by the technological advances of the Internet era.

Today, India Post's most popular product continues to be the postal savings bank, which holds the savings of over 200 million small investors and is growing. A recently released report by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry and PricewaterhouseCoopers projects household savings to reach US$5 trillion by 2020, up from US$330 billion currently. "The government wanted to harness these funds, which are still growing, and insurance became the ideal vehicle," notes Rashesh Shah, chairman of investment bank Edelweiss Capital, and an advisor to India Post.

Insurance was always part of India Post's portfolio: The service began with Postal Life Insurance (PLI) in 1884, aimed at government and semi-government employees. More than a century and a quarter later, PLI had covered only 10% of the eligible applicants in the category. When the RPLI was launched in 1995, it targeted women in the hinterland, with the maximum sum assured at US$6,520. But in the 15 years since its launch, the postal department sold a mere 10 million RPLI policies, despite rural India being home to two-thirds of the country's population of 1.2 billion.

The potential to address a larger audience also became clear in the low penetration of insurance in India's smaller towns and villages, particularly among the poor. "There is a growing recognition amongst insurance providers of the need for insurance to this population," says Shamika Ravi, assistant professor of economics at the Hyderabad-based Indian School of Business. A 2009 NCAER-Max New York Life survey shows that only 19% of rural households have life insurance coverage, compared to 38% of those in urban areas.

As for India Post, the agency never emphasized insurance as a major line of business and was content to promote its other products, including Speed Post (a courier service) and postal savings. It also became a distribution conduit for third party vendors. But mounting competition forced the organization to bring the insurance portfolio off the back burner, and leverage its longstanding relationship with people in the hinterland. "The postal department has a lot of goodwill and trust with rural people, which works well for insurance," notes S.C. Dash, professor of rural insurance at the National Insurance Academy, the country's apex training institute in Pune in the western Indian state of Maharashtra.

The larger idea, according to India Post's Balakrishnan, was to "help poor cohorts to organize their savings and engage them in the financial markets, to become part of the economic growth story." A majority of the cohorts were already familiar with India Post and had been using its services for years. India Post zeroed in on this captive audience for insurance. "Selling insurance to the poor was one way of locking in customers who were associated with the postal department through the savings bank," according to Edelweiss' Shah.

The trigger was largely a new government initiative to promote financial inclusion, competition from the Internet and other sources and the realization that India Post had an enviable, but underutilized, distribution channel. India Post has one of the best distribution networks in the country: There are 500,000 employees in 155,670 outlets, of which 89% operate in rural destinations, including remote and hilly terrain. They touch base with each of the 600,000 villages in India on a daily basis.

Battling the Private Sector

While the public sector India Post initially underestimated the potential of this distribution muscle, private players willingly piggybacked on the channel to sell mutual funds, gold coins and even consumer products because it made sense to tie up with an entity offering a cost-effective reach into the deep interiors.

Or consider the American remittance heavyweight Western Union, which tied up with the postal department for a pan-India presence a decade ago and saw its business soar. "There is a synergistic relationship," says Kiran Shetty, Western Union's regional vice-president, about the company's association with India Post."We have a strong global bond and India Post denotes trust, offering an emotional connect to consumers."

Western Union doesn't reveal the amount of money that passes through the postal channel daily, but Shetty states that India Post continues to be one of its largest partners. Out of the 63,000 locations, including retail and banks thatWestern Union transacts from, 7,000 locations are under the purview of India Post.

In the past few years, private insurers too connected with India Post to reach out to rural customers. For years, millions of rural poor shunned insurance as a product they did not need or could not afford. But it's the insurance companies that cannot afford to ignore them now. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) guidelines stipulate that rural India should account for 7% of the policies private insurers write in the first year of operation, and 20% in the tenth year. As a result, most of the country's 23 life insurers and 21 general insurance companies have been seeking to expand coverage in rural India.

But maneuvering the rural maze is a different ballgame altogether. "Personal connections and trust built over the years play a key role in customer interaction. Local people are important to sell micro insurance and collect premiums from the poor," says Iddo Dror, director of operations at the New Delhi-based Micro Insurance Academy. India Post's Gramin Dak Sevaks hail from the same rural milieu as their customers, ensuring market proximity. As India Post is a household name in the hinterland, it became the ideal conduit for the last-mile connectivity for private insurance companies. Players like ICICI Prudential and Dabur Aviva entered into referral agreement partnerships with India Post in various states to distribute and service their insurance offerings.

The honeymoon with private players, though, hasn't been a pleasant experience for the postal department. Managers at India Post complained that selling competitors' insurance products has proved counterproductive. "We were being undermined by private players who were using our extensive reach, and subverting our product, by offering hidden incentives to our counter staff," notes Balakrishnan. After a brief romance, India Post severed ties with private insurers last year.

More recently, the IRDA has said that private insurers could use the India Post network to distribute their products. The postal department, however, is yet to make the call on whether to align with competitors. One constraint is the agency's inability to match the gifts and cash incentives that the deep-pocketed private players tend to offer to its front office people in order to "motivate them" to sell that company's products.

Challenge and Opportunity

To beat competition, India Post is now milking its contact with the masses for all it's worth. The agency is reaching out to over 50 million participants in the National Rural Employment Guarantee effort (NREG) -- New Delhi's largest and most ambitious poverty alleviation program to increase the purchasing power of rural Indians. India Post is one of the main channels to distribute money to NREG recipients.

As the government intervention is putting money into otherwise unemployed hands, the recipients have emerged as an ideal target for RPLI coverage. "This segment, along with our relationships with large numbers of rural savings bank holders, gives us a certain customer intimacy that others would be hard-pressed to match," says Balakrishnan.

To reach out to this audience, India Post managers say they had to "examine and evaluate every process in the life insurance cycle to cut down waste." To capture the loose change spent on tobacco products in rural India, for example, the daily premium was pegged at an affordable 2 cents for micro insurance and 13 cents for larger policies. The mandatory medical examination was also waived, making it easy for the poor to warm up to insurance.

The product was backed by a compelling selling proposition -- one offering long-term financial stability to families that would provide for their children's education. "There is an aspiration out there that the next generation must do better, and people are willing to sacrifice today's consumption for children's education tomorrow," according to Rajeev Srinivasan, professor of corporate strategy and policy area at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore.

A big issue was the lack of awareness of insurance products amongst India Post's half-million employees operating in rural areas. Today, senior officers conduct rigorous training sessions for the Gramin Dak Sevaks and other staff to motivate and educate them on the product portfolio and the business opportunities. "We are gaining momentum now, and need to constantly train our people," says Sanjay Singh, director of postal services in Uttaranchal.

The pilot project of the revitalized RPLI was held in September 2009 at Etikoppaka, a small village with verdant sugarcane plantations in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh. RPLI's "education for children" proposition clicked with people, and almost all the 2,500 village adults in Etikoppaka bought micro insurance. "More than a risk cover, I looked at RPLI insurance as part of a savings strategy," says T. Gowriamma, who sells wooden toys in the village, and dreams of putting her young daughter and son through high school and college.

Buoyed by the experience, there are plans to position insurance, which brings in 5% of India Post's revenue today, as the main revenue earner in the next couple of years, according to Shekhar Kumar Sinha, chief general manager in charge of postal life insurance. The RPLI target for 2012 is to sell a minimum of 35 million policies. To meet the goals, India Post revised the incentive structure for its staff. Earlier, every US$2,170 sum assured policy sold fetched them a US$5.50 commission. Since last year, they earn a flat 10% commission on every premium paid. "Now everyone wants to sell more policies," adds Sinha.

India Post may have reinvented itself to face the big boys in the insurance sector, but there are challenges ahead. Already, the work load is putting pressure on the organization's antiquated infrastructure. "Service quality on a mass scale is a terrific ... challenge," notes Balakrishnan. Unlike private players who have dedicated staff for insurance, all the India Post employees have been multitasking, doing mails, money orders, savings bank transactions and insurance. Says IIM professor Srinivasan: "The private players are more customer focused. The post office has a track record on trust, but it's onerous. People will have to be more customer-centric."

A lack of product portfolio is another issue. Once rural customers enter the system, they yearn for more sophisticated financial products like crop and medical insurance, according to Dash of the National Insurance Academy. At the moment, India Post offers only life insurance while private players are offering a bouquet of services.

RPLI's rapid growth has left India Post over extended, says Shekhar Sinha. As a result, India Post has scaled down the 2012 target for RPLI from an initial 100 million policies to 35 million policies. The growth has also magnified many shortcomings, like the lack of marketing skills of the post personnel compared to aggressive competitors. "Is the current activity sustainable in the long term? How much of this passion permeates to the bottom of the pile?" asks Srinivasan.

There are plans to spin off the insurance business as a separate entity. This could be a challenge or an opportunity, whichever way India Post looks at it.

As Published on January 27, 2011 in India Knowledge@Wharton

Saturday, January 29, 2011

A FAVOUBLE PRONOUNCEMENT (BY CAT ERNAMULAM ON PENSIONARY BENEFITS TO GDS PROMOTEE

Friday, January 28, 2011

India Post invites suggestions from the members of public:

Amendment to Rule 64, 71 72 & 80 of the CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972- Issue of No Demand Certificate to Govt servants.


Thursday, January 27, 2011

LATEST RECRUITMENT RULES OF POSTMAN/MAIL GUARD & M.T.S RELEASED TODAY. NO.44-2/2011-SPB-1 DATED 27TH JANUARY 2011

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Latest Recruitment Rules for Multi Tasking Staff
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LATEST Recruitment Rules for Postmen and Mail Guard



















































































FURNISHING OF INFORMATION RELATING TO CASUAL LABOURERS (FULL TIME & PART TIME)


INTRODUCTION OF SERVICE DISCHARGE BENEFIT SCHEME (SDBS) FOR GRAIN DAK SEVAKS.




INFORMATION UNDER RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT, 2005.


Operating Procedure for franking machines under Remotely Managed Franking System.


Friday, January 21, 2011

FLASH NEWS


THE REVISED RECRUITMENT RULES FOR M.T.S (GROUP 'D') IS EXPECTED TO BE RELEASED ON MONDAY.

The revised Recruitment Rules for Postmen will also be released on Monday. Instructions will be issued to all circle heads to fill up all the vacancies of Postmen/Group ‘D’/M.T.S up to 31.12.2010 within a time frame.

POSTMEN COMMITTEE

Postmen Committee met on 21.01.2011 at Dak Bhawan under the Chairmanship of DDG (MB) Shri T N RAHATE General secretary NUPE postmen and Gr D/M.T.S, Shri D Thegrajan Secretary General FNPO Representet FNPO
, in the meeting. Issues relating to Data entry work, Fixing minimum and maximum distance to be traversed by Postmen, filling up of all vacant posts of Postmen upto 2010 (inclusive of residual vacancies) were discussed in detail. DDG MB agreed that the Department will examine all the points raised by the Staff side and will come up with a final proposal in the next meeting. Next sitting will be held in March 2011.

Cadre Review

A meeting related to cadre restructuring is scheduled to be held tomorrow (22.01.2011) at 11.00 hours. Shri T N RAHATE general secretary nupe postmen Gr D /M.T.S and S/s D KISANRAO G/S NAPE P3 members of the Committee will represent FNPO in the meeting. Details will be published after the meeting.

POSTING OF WOMEN EMPLOYEES – REG.

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INTRODUCTION OF SERVICE DISCHARGE BENEFIT SCHEME (SDBS) FOR GRAMIN DAK SEVAKS

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CEILING FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF SPECIAL NURSING AND AYAH/ ATTENDANT CHARGES TO THE EMPLOYEES COVERED UNDER CS (MA) RULES, 1944.

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A FAVOURABLE PRONOUNCEMENT ON RETIREMENT BENEFITS MADRAS HIGH COURT.

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INTER-CIRCLE TRANSFER OF INSPECTORS OF POSTS UNDER RULE 38 OF P &T MANUAL VOL.IV - REG.

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Reimbursement of Expenditure

Description: CS(MA), 1944 - Reimbursement of expenditure involved in emergent cases for the treatment taken at private nursing home/clinic - Delegation of powers - Reg

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Thursday, January 20, 2011

CHALO PONDICHERRY, TAMIL NADU FOR CENTRAL WORKING COMMITTEE MEETING ON MARCH 2011

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G/S LATER ADDREST TO (1) The Secretary, DOPT (2) The Cabinet Secretary (3) Secretary expenditure CC To (1) Shri Manmohan Singh PM of India, (2) Shri Kapil Sibal MOC & IT (3) Shri Gurudas Kamat MOS & IT SUBJECT : CONSIDERATION OF APPROPRIATE GRADE PAY OF RS. 2400/-, RS. 2800/-, RS. 4200/- ETC. TO THE PROMOTEE GROUP ‘D’/MTS TO POSTMAN/MAIL GUARD/PA/SA
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DO LATER ADDRESS TO SMT. RADHIKA DORAISWAMI SUBJECT - REVIEW OF INSTRUCTIONS ON ENGAGEMENT OF CASUAL LABOURERS IN THE LIGHT OF THE GUIDELINES ON OUTSOURCING
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DO LATER ADDRESS TO SMT. RADHIKA DORAISWAMI SUBJECT: -ARROGANT AND AUTOCRATIC BEHAVIOUR OF THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES (ASPS/SPOS/SSPO’S) AND OTHER HIGHER OFFICERS CAUSING MENTAL HARASSMENT TO THE DELIVERY STAFF, MOSTLY IN ARROW PROJECT OFFICES AND DELIVERY POS DESIRING 100% DELIVERY
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MOBILE NUMBER PORTABILITY - NEWS

Procedure for Mobile Number Portability We all know that Mobile Number Portability will be a reality from 20th January 2011, as Government has at last announced the launch of this facility for the entire India from this date.
We do not know at this stage how this arrangement would span out but it's really boon for the customers who want to shift to other mobile network for want of quality, lesser cost or for more facility such as 3G. The procedure for switching over from one mobile network to another mobile network is as follows:

The customer should send a SMS (PORTMobile Number) from the number he wishes to transfer from one mobile network to the other, to number 1900. Then the customer will receive a Unique Porting Code (UPC) by SMS from his current service provider.

Now the paper work comes. The Customer will have to furnish his details in the prescribed application form to the chosen new mobile network along with Unique Porting Code (UPC) that he got through SMS.
The new mobile network company should then ensure that the switched over customer gets the connection from the new mobile network within seven working days.

TRAI has fixed a ceiling of Rs 19 on porting charges which the new service provider may collect from the subscriber.
Post-paid subscribers, before making the porting request, have to make sure that their last bill has been paid failing which the request for change to new service provider shall be rejected.

In the case of pre-paid subscriber, any balance amount left will not be carried forward when the number is transferred to the new service provider.

Once a subscriber ports his number to the new operator, then, he will have to wait for at least 90 days before he can change his operator again.

Source : The Hindu-Business Line
First electronic solar rickshaws for postmen in India

AJMER: The district will be the first in the country where the postmen will distribute the postal stuffs through green vehicles which will run by solar energy. The first of its kind centre of electronic solar rickshaw for distributing postal work is started in Ajmer on Monday by the Union Telecom and IT minister of states Sachin Pilot, promising to increase IT services in the remote villages of the country.

Five eco friendly solar auto rickshaws were distributed to the postmen to distribute posts in the different parts of the district. The department will look to the result of speed and costing of this project and then the facility will be spread in other parts of the country.


Pilot also started the first BSNL wireless service mobile call centre of the state in Ajmer today that will resolve problems of 53 lakh BSNL mobile customers of the state. Union state minister and MP of Ajmer, Pilot, reached here today in the morning for a day program and inaugurated the first of it kind call centre here for the consumers of BSNL mobile holders. "The customers had to reach for the call centre situated in Gurgava of Haryana before to get solution of their problems and that took bit more time but now the customers can get the service directly in their state" said Pilot. He added that the youth of rural Ajmer will get the benefit of job through this call centre. The government is deciding to start such call centres in the other parts of the state so that the customers could get better services.

Briefing about the service, COO of Sparsh BPO services Satish Varanasi said that their company will provide services to the BSNL customers and they will train about 250 youths for running the centre and at present they have given employment to 124 people. "The center will provide services to 53 lakh customers in the state to solve their problems" said A K Jain chief general manager of BSNL.

Pilot then went to the General post office of the district and inaugurated the electro solar rickshaw center, from where the letters will be distributed with these new solar energy machines. Pilot also inaugurated the Airo-project in Gangwana, Makhupura, Kadel, Kuchil, Madar, Hatundi, Roopnager and Tilonia through video conferencing.

The state minister stated that with latest technology, the post and telegraph department will provide better services specially in rural parts of the country where people waited long to get the communication from different parts, "in this project `500 post offices are taken in first stage and in Ajmer district only 57 post offices are made high-tech in this project, people from rural regions could get the facilities of life insurance, banking, electronic money orders by this."

The auto solar rickshaws are prepared by the scientists of Indian government with collaboration of IT research department and with Kinetic motors of Pune. "The vehicle will run with battery and will charge with solar energy which is eco-friendly and we have given it a name of green vehicle" said senior scientist H S Mahti who came to Ajmer from New Delhi.
Courtesy: TNN, Jan 17, 2011

Clarifications Regarding Pay Fixation of Existing Group ‘D’ Employees in the Revised Pay Structure.

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Ceiling for reimbursement of special Nursing and Ayah/Attendant charges to the employees covered under CS (MA) Rules,1944.

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Tuesday, January 18, 2011

CLARIFICATION REGARDING REIMBURSEMENT OF AMBULANCE CHARGES TO CGHS BENEFICIARIES.

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Pakistan Post : Employees stage protest against privatization

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Monday, January 17, 2011

CENTRAL WORKING COMMITTEE MEETING OF OUR UNION NUPE POSTMEN & GROUP 'D'/MTS AT TAMIL NADU, PONDICHERRY- TO BE HELD ON 10TH, TO 12TH MARCH, 2011

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CLICK HERE FOR DOWNLOAD PDF FILE




Friday, January 14, 2011

Department Issued Orders on Revised Welfare Schemes are applicability to Gramin Dak Sevaks.

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Submission of Immovable Property Return for the year 2010 (as on 1.1.2011)

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FM holds Pre Budget Consultations with Different Trade Union Groups.

Union Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee held a meeting with Trade Unions’ Group to get their inputs for General Budget 2011-12, here today. This was the third meeting in the series of pre-Budget consultations held by Finance Minister with the stakeholders of different sectors. First meeting was held on Friday, the 7th January, 2011 with the stakeholders of agriculture sector and the second meeting in the series was held yesterday with captains of Indian industry.

Welcoming the representatives from different Trade Unions, the Finance Minister said in his opening remarks that growth in employment opportunities is vital for ensuring an inclusive development process and sought their policy suggestions to help the Government move rapidly in that direction. Shri Mukherjee said that one of the biggest challenge before our nation today is to find the correct balance between the need for economic growth, sustainability of our resources and natural habitats and the opportunities that need to be created for bringing the more disadvantaged and vulnerable section of people into the mainstream of the development process. He said that we also have to address the growing aspirations of young India. We need to have sustained higher economic growth with inclusive development, the Minister added.

Finance Minister Shri Mukherjee further said that to achieve that end, the Central Government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy focusing on rapid growth for reducing poverty and creating employment opportunities, improving access to essential services in health and education especially for the poor, and empowerment through education and skill development. He said that Schemes like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA), Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Bharat Nirman, Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission among others launched by the Government in the last few years have shown encouraging results in meeting some of the requirements of the disadvantaged sections of the society.

Shri Mukherjee said that while we have the advantage of having a young population, the realisation of the demographic dividend would depend on the growth of employment opportunities and on availability of the required skills in a healthy and educated labour force. He said that the Government recognises that without proper skill development, a burgeoning population could actually work to our disadvantage. The Finance Minister said that the National Skill Development Mission which comprises a comprehensive skill development programme covering the entire country has been launched and mandated to train 500 million skilled persons by the year 2022. This would help in meeting the industry requirements and in increasing the employability of our youth, the Minister added.

The Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee said that we have been making significant increase in our budgetary allocations for anti-poverty programmes, but these have to support the desired outcomes. We have to make a quantum improvement in the implementation of public welfare and development programmes, he said. Shri Mukherjee said that initiatives like the rolling out of unique identity numbers by the Unique Identification Authority of India will help in that regard.

Shri Mukherjee further said that on the employment front, the quarterly reports released by the Labour Bureau for July-September 2010 show a continuing upward trend. At the sectoral level, textile sector, IT / BPO industry, automobile industry and metal industry show an encouraging growth in employment, he added. The Minister said that a higher growth in employment has also been recorded in the export oriented units. Shri Mukherjee said that these are good signs that confirm that the post-crisis recovery of our economy has taken root.

Shri Mukherjee later invited the suggestions from the representatives of different Trade Union Groups for addressing the short and medium term concerns in our labour markets and in the rest of the economy.

After that the stakeholders from different trade unions gave their suggestions for consideration for General Budget 2011-12.

DSM/BY/GN

Extracts of provisions in F.R. 56

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Wednesday, January 12, 2011

LATES NEWS,

Later To Smt. Radhika Doraiswami, IPS, Sect, Dept of posts, Subject Review of Instructions on Engagement of Casual Labourers in the light of the Guidelines on Outsourcing
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SPECIAL CONCESSIONS TO CENTRAL GOVT. STAFF WORKING IN KASMIR VALLEY.

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No. 18016/3/2010-Estt. (I)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, P.G. and Pensions
(Department of Personnel & Training)
North Block, New Delhi.

Dated, the 28th December, 2010

CORRIGENDUM

Sub: Special concessions/facilities to Central Government Employees working in Kashmir Valley in attached / subordinate offices or PSUs falling under the control of Central Government.

The undersigned is directed to refer to this Department of even Number dated 15.3.2010 extending the Special concessions / facilities to Central Government Employees working in Kashmir Valley in attached / subordinate offices or PSUs falling under the control or Central Government, for the period with effect from 1.1.2010 to 3 1.12.2010 and to say that the Annexure attached with the OM stands partially modified to include the Notes. The Annexure as modified is attached herewith.

Sd/-
(Simmi R. Nakra)
Director (P&A)

All Ministries/Departments of the Government of India. (As per standard mailing list)

Annexure

Details of package of Concession/Facilities to Central Government employees working in Kashmir Valley in Attached/Subordinate Offices or PSUs falling under the control of Central Government:-

I. Additional H.R.A. and other concessions:

(A) Employees posted to Kashmir Valley

(i) These employees have an option to move their families to a selected place of their choice in India at Government expense. T.A. for the families allowed as admissible in permanent transfer inclusive of transportation of personal effects, lump-sum payment for packing etc.

(ii) Departmental arrangements for stay, security and transportation to place of work for employees.

(iii) HRA as for Class 'A' city applicable for employees exercising option at (i). Such employees will be eligible for drawing the normal HRA as well at their place of posting provided Departmental arrangement is not made for his/her stay.

(iv) The period of temporary duty extended to six months. For period of temporary duty daily allowance at full rate is admissible, apart from departmental arrangements for stay, security and transportation.

(B) Employees posted to Kashmir Valley who do not wish to move their families to a selected place of residence;
A per diem allowance of Rs. 10/- is paid for each day of attendance to compensate for any additional expense in transportation to and from office etc. This will be in addition to the transport allowance, which the employee is otherwise eligible for under Ministry of Finance order

No. 21(2)/2008-E.II(B) dated 29.8.1008.

II. MESSING FACILITIES:

Messing Allowance to be paid to the employees at a uniform rate of Rs. 15/- per day by all Departments, or in lieu messing arrangements to be made by the Departments themselves. This rate of allowance will have to be adhered to uniformly by all the Ministries/Departments with effect from 01.07.1999. The slightly higher rate of Rs. 25.50 adopted by the Department of Telecom and Posts and allowed to be continued as a special case by the Department of Personnel in consultation with the Ministry of Finance, would, however, continue to be paid at the said rate.

III. ADJUSTRMENT OF MIGRANT EMPLOYEES:

As a purely temporary measure, the employees migrated from the Kashmir Valley are accommodated to the extent possible in the available vacancies under the respective Ministries/Departments in offices located outside but adjacent to the union Territory of Delhi.

IV. PAYMENT OF LEAVE SALARYIAD HOC FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE:

Arrangements were made for payment of leave salary for the period upto 30' April, 1990 in respect of employees who may not have received their emoluments after migration. Such employees were allowed to be given either leave salary at the minimum of the scale or some adhoc financial assistance as an advance to be adjusted from their dues after they join duty. Further the migrant employees who were unable to join their respective places of posting in the Valley due to the prevailing circumstances, were extended this facility till they were adjusted in accordance with (iii) above.

V. REGULARISATION OF THE PERIOD OF ABSENCE OF J&K MIGRANT EMPLOYEES:

In August, 1992, it was decided that the period of migration of a
Central Government employee, who migrated from Kashmir Valley in view of the disturbed conditions would be treated as Earned leave to the extent which may have been due to him on the date of proceeding for migration. However, the position was reviewed by the Ministry of Personnel in April, 1997 and if was decided that the Earned Leave which was at the credit of the Central Government migrant employee at the time of migration will not be adjusted against the migration period, but will remain available for the purpose of leave encashment on the date of their retirement in respect of the employees who had already retired or would retire in future. The period of absence would however count in the service for the purpose of pension, but shall not count for earning any kind of leave. During the period of absence, a migrant employee is entitled to his pay (excluding special pay and local allowances) dearness allowance, which he would have been otherwise paid from time to time including benefit of increment had he reported for duty immediately after expiry of his Earned leave.

VI. PAYMENT OF MONTHLY PENSION TO PENSIONERS OF KASHMIR VALLEY

Pensioners of Kashmir Valley who are unable to draw their monthly pensions through either Public Sector Banks or PA0 treasuries from which they were receiving their pensions, would be given pensions outside the Valley where they have settled, in relaxation of relevant provisions.

NOTE:- I. The package of concession/facilities shall be admissible in Kashmir Valley comprising of six districts, namely Ananhag, Baramulla, Budgam, Kupwara, Pulwama and Srinagar.

2. The package of concession/facilities shall be admissible to Temporary Status Casual labourers working in Kashmir Valley in terms of para 5(i) of the Casual Labourers (Grant of Temporary Status and Regularization) Scheme of Government of India. 1993.

3. The benefit of additional HRA admissible under the Kashmir Valley package shall be admissible to all Central Government employees posted to Kashmir Valley irrespective of whether they are natives of Kashmir Valley, if they choose to move their families anywhere in India subject to the conditions governing the grant of these allowances.

4. The facilities of Messing Allowance and Per Diem allowance shall also be allowed to natives of Kashmir Valley in terms of the Kashmir Valley package.

Stepping up of pay of the promotee senior with direct recruited junior appointed on or after 01.01.2006.

No. 1-9/2010-PCC
Government of India
Ministry of Communications & IT
Department of Posts
Pay Commission Cell

Dated – 05.01.2011

To,

All Heads of the Circles


Subject: - Stepping up of pay of the promotee senior with direct recruited junior appointed on or after 01.01.2006.

This is regarding stepping of pay of promote senior with reference to direct recruit junior appointed after 01.01.2006.

2. The issue was examined in this office and referred to Ministry of Finance for clarification. Ministry of Finance Department of Expenditure Legal Cell vide U.O. No. 18/28/2010-Legal dated 29.12.2010 has clarified that the stepping up of pay of the promote senior with direct recruited junior appointed on or after 01.01.2006 may be agreed to subject to fulfillment of the following conditions: -

(a) Stepping up of the basic pay of seniors can be claimed only in the case of those cadres which have an element of direct recruitment and in cases where a directly recruited junior is actually drawing more basic pay than the seniors. In such cases, the basic pay of the seniors will be stepped up with reference to the basic pay of the directly recruited junior provided they belong to the same seniority list for all purposes.

(b) Further, government servants cannot claim stepping up of their revised basic pay with reference to entry pay in the revised pay structure for direct recruits appointed on or after 01.01.2006 as laid down in Section II of part A of First Schedule to the CCS (RP) Rules, 2008, if their cadre does not have an element of direct recruitment or in cases where no junior is drawing basic pay higher than them.

(c) Stepping up of pay of the seniors in accordance with the present advice of this Department shall not be applicable in cases where direct recruits have been granted advance increment at the time of recruitment.

3. The issues prevailing in the Circle may be decided as per above clarifications.

Sd/-
(Surender Kumr)
Assistant Director General (GDS/PCC)

Finalization of Common Seniority List (CSL) in the Grade of LDC of CSCS for the Select List years 1994 and 1995 - reg.

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Model RRs for the post of Upper Division Clerk

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Monday, January 10, 2011

(MACPS) for the Central Govt Civilian Employees Extension of the benefits to Officers of HAG Scale of Rs.67,000-79,000.

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No.35034/3/2008.Estt.(D)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension
(Department of Personnel & Training)
Establishment (D)

North Block, New Delhi

Dated: 24Ih December. 2010

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Sub: Modified Assured Career. Progression Scheme (MACPS) for the Central Government Civilian Employees - Extension of the benefits to Officers ofHAG Scale of Rs.67,000-79,000

Reference is invited to the Department of Personnel & Training's O.M. of even number dated the 19th May, 2009, wherein the financial upgradation under the Modified Assured Career Progression Scheme (MACPS) has been allowed upto the highest grade pay of Rs.12000 in the Pay Band 4. Consequent upon introduction of the new HAG scale of Rs. 67,000-79,000 in replacement of Rs. 37,400-67000 with grade pay of Rs. 12000 in PB-4, it is clarified that the benefits of financial upgradation under the MACPS shall be available to aforementioned HAG scale also.

2. All Ministries/Departments may give wide circulation to the contents of this O.M. for general guidance and appropriate action in the matter.

3. Hindi version would follow.

Sd/-
(Smita Kumar)
Director (Estt.I)
Tel.No.23092479

DEPARTMENT OF POSTS TO INTRODUCE CREDIT CARDS FOR RURAL PEOPLE.

The Department of Post (DoP) will introduce a prepaid credit card in association with leading banks including IDBI, HSBC and ICICI to rural people, which will facilitate non-cash transactions for purchasing products and services.

The card - 'White label Pre-paid Cards' - will come with pre-determined cash value and could be operated at merchant locations, ATMs and designated post offices subject to approval by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Disclosing his department's 100-day agenda, Telecom and IT Minister Kapil Sibal has said: "The department during the current fiscal year will introduce pre-paid parcel boxes for domestic parcels for one kg, 2.5 kg and five kg.
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"The boxes will be sold through over 800 post offices across the country," he added He further said that the Government would complete the up-gradation of 15 speed post centres by March 31.

DoP will also finalise the vendors for information technology solutions, which include customer interaction management, mail operations, banking, postal life insurance, enterprise-wide human resource management, among others. The project is phased over the financial years 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13. source:economictimes.indiatimes

Non-Functional Upgradation for Officers of Organized Group 'A' Services in PB-3 and PB-4.

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Saturday, January 8, 2011

Revision of guidelines for framing /amendment /relaxation of Recruitment Rules.

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Children Education Allowance Scheme – Clarification.

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Stepping up of pay of the promotee senior with direct recruited junior appointed on or after 01.01.2006.

No. 1-9/2010-PCC
Government of India
Ministry of Communications & IT
Department of Posts
Pay Commission Cell

Dated – 05.01.2011

To,

All Heads of the Circles


Subject: - Stepping up of pay of the promotee senior with direct recruited junior appointed on or after 01.01.2006

This is regarding stepping of pay of promote senior with reference to direct recruit junior appointed after 01.01.2006.

2. The issue was examined in this office and referred to Ministry of Finance for clarification. Ministry of Finance Department of Expenditure Legal Cell vide U.O. No. 18/28/2010-Legal dated 29.12.2010 has clarified that the stepping up of pay of the promote senior with direct recruited junior appointed on or after 01.01.2006 may be agreed to subject to fulfillment of the following conditions: -

(a) Stepping up of the basic pay of seniors can be claimed only in the case of those cadres which have an element of direct recruitment and in cases where a directly recruited junior is actually drawing more basic pay than the seniors. In such cases, the basic pay of the seniors will be stepped up with reference to the basic pay of the directly recruited junior provided they belong to the same seniority list for all purposes.

(b) Further, government servants cannot claim stepping up of their revised basic pay with reference to entry pay in the revised pay structure for direct recruits appointed on or after 01.01.2006 as laid down in Section II of part A of First Schedule to the CCS (RP) Rules, 2008, if their cadre does not have an element of direct recruitment or in cases where no junior is drawing basic pay higher than them.

(c) Stepping up of pay of the seniors in accordance with the present advice of this Department shall not be applicable in cases where direct recruits have been granted advance increment at the time of recruitment.

3. The issues prevailing in the Circle may be decided as per above clarifications.

Sd/-
(Surender Kumr)
Assistant Director General (GDS/PCC)

Interest bearing advances/Sixth Central Pay Commission recommendation on House Building Advance-enhancement in past cases-regarding.

No.I-17011/2(1)/2009-H.III
Government of India
Ministry of Urban Development
(Housing -III section)
Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi.
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Dated:- the 14th July, 2010

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Interest bearing advances/Sixth Central Pay Commission recommendation on House Building Advance-enhancement in past cases-regarding.

The undersigned is directed to invite attention to this Ministry's O.M. No.I-17011/2(1)/2009-H.III dated 27th November, 2008 on the above subject and to say that it has been decided in consultations with Ministry of Finance to make the afore-said orders applicable with effect from 1st January, 2006. Accordingly, an enhancement of House Building Advance, if applied for, may be granted for an amount equivalent to the difference between the previously sanctioned amount and the new amount determined on the basis of pay in the pay band, in past cases, where HBA was sanctioned on or after 1-1-2006 but before 27-11-2008 subject to complying following conditions:-

(a) The Government servant should not have drawn the entire amount of HBA sanctioned under earlier orders and /or where construction is not completed/full cost towards acquisition of house/flat is yet to be paid.

(b) There will be no deviation from the approved plan of construction on the basis of which the original sanction of House Building Advance was accorded. The revised cost of the original plan can, however, be considered for determining the additional amount, subject to the prescribed maximum limits.

(c) Supplementary Mortgage Deed, Personal Bond and Sureties will be drawn and executed at the expense of the loanee.

(d) The actual entitlement will be restricted to the repaying capacity computed on the basis of the formula laid down in this Ministry's O.M. No.I-17015/16/92-H.III. dated 17.10.2000. It should be ensured that the entire amount of advance with interest is recovered before retirement of the Government servant.

(e) Rate of Interest: The rate of interest chargeable in such cases would be as per the slab applicable to the total sanctioned amount i.e. amount already sanctioned on or after 1-1-2006 but before 27.11.2008 plus the enhanced sanction. However, the new rate of interest would be chargeable only on collective amount that would remain outstanding on grant of enhancement so granted. Thus, the amount of HBA that has already been re-paid on old rates will not attract the fresh interest charges.

2. However, the existing limit of maximum admissible amount of Rs.7.50 lakh for the purpose of construction/purchase of new house/flat and Rs.1.80 lakh would remain unchanged. In other words, the sum total of previously sanctioned HBA and the enhancement granted under these orders cannot exceed the aforesaid limits. In any case, not more than one enhancement is admissible to a Govt. employee.

3. The applications for enhanced HBA should be submitted within six months from the date of issue of this order.

4. Ministries/Departments whose branch offices are situated in the far flung areas like in case of Ministry of Defence, etc., are advised to give wider publicity to these orders through modern communication mean like facimile e-mail, web-sites etc. so that there is no occassion for any representation for extending the time limits of six months on the grounds of receiving these orders late.

s/d
(V.K. Gupta)
Deputy Financial Adviser

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Central Govt. employees are likely to get 6% D.A. from January 2011.

Whatever the price of onion is, the D.A will not be as sweet as July last year.

As per the All India Index published by Labour Bureau, Govt. of India the Dearness Allowance payable to the Central Govt.staff with effect from January 2011 may not be more than 6 percent.

The figure for Nov'10 has just released and it stands at 182. The December figure is expected in the end of January. Even if the figure touches 185 in December, which is very unlikely, the D.A. hike will be limited to 6%.

Only thing to cheer is the fixed allowances such as Children Education Allowance, Conveyance Allowance for some category of staff will be 25% more as the D.A. will certainly cross the 50% mark. It may be remembered that D.A. linked allwances such as Transport Allowances will be unchanged

S.K.MISHRA CIRCLE SECRETARY,NAPEC, BIHAR CIRCLE NO MORE.

SRI SANJAY KUMAR MISHRA,CIRCLE SECRETARY,NAPEC ,BIHAR CIRCLE AND ASST GENERAL SECRETARY CHQ ATTAINED MORTALITY ON 31ST DECEMBER 2010.THE NUPE Postmen Gr ’D’ /MTS AND FNPO AND SHRI T.N RAHATE GENERAL SECRETARY N.U.P.E Postmen & Gr 'D'/MTS & PRESIDENT FNPO DIPS ITS FLAG IN SALUTE AND CONVEYS HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO THE BEREAVED FAMILY.



Posted By T.N Rahate
General Secretary,
N.U.P.E Postmen & Gr 'D'
/MTS

PROBATION IN VARIOUS CENTRAL CIVIL SERVICES.

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Review of instructions on engagement of Casual Labourers in the light of the guidelines on outsourcing.


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