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Tuesday, October 31, 2017

EDITORIAL POSTAL CRUSADER NOVEMBER-2017

EXISTENCE OF POSTAL DEPARTMENT AND
 POSTAL EMPLOYEES
UNDER ATTACK

WE HAVE TO RESIST IT AT ANY COST.

                   Government has unleashed an unexpected and most damaging attack on Post Office Small Savings Schemes.  Notifications are already issued permitting all Nationalised Banks and three Private Banks (ICICI Bank, Axis Bank and HDFC Bank) to accept deposits for all small savings schemes, viz: Recurring Deposit (RD), Time Deposits (TD), Monthly Income Scheme (MIS), Senior Citizens Savings Scheme (SCSS) Sukanya ‘Samridhi Account (SSN), Kisan Vikas Patra (KVPs) and National Savings Certificate (NSC VIII issue) with effect from 10th October, 2017.
                   Small Savings Schemes are controlled by Finance Ministry and Postal Department is running it on agency basis.  Finance Ministry is paying compensation to Department of Posts for various Small Savings Schemes related work.  About 40% of the total yearly revenue of the Department of Posts comes from Small Savings Schemes.  Permitting Banks including private banks to do small savings business means huge erosion in the revenue of Postal department.  Even otherwise Postal department is running on heavy loss and the decision to outsource small savings business will further aggravate the deficit situation. 
                   Out of total work load of the Post offices 50% workload relates to Savings Scheme work.  In some Post offices even 70% of the work load relates to Savings Bank Branch.  Not only the public directly coming to the Post Office counter for deposits and withdrawls, lakhs of MPKBY Agents and SAS Agents also canvas for various small savings schemes and contribute to the revenue and work load of Post Offices.  Once the banks including private banks starts the Small Savings Business aggressively, the number of transactions in Post Offices will come down.  This will result in reduction in the sanctioned posts for SB work and ultimately staff, especially clerical staff will become surplus.
                   Few years back, a committee appointed by Reserve Bank of India to study the functioning of Post office Small Savings Scheme, headed by Ms. Shymala Gopinath, then Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank, has recommended gradual phasing out of MPKBY/SAS Agents. The Committee has recommended to reduce the Commission paid to the Agents by 1% every year till it reaches 1% level from the present 4% commission.  The commission to SAS Agents are also reduced.  Due to the struggle and intervention of MPKBY/SAS Agents Associations and lefet parties Members of Parliament the commission is retained at 4% for MPKBY Agents.  The present decision of the Government to outsource Small Savings Schemes to Banks will definitely affect the job security of MPKBY/SAS Agents also.
                   Wage revision orders of Central Govt. employees were issued on 25-07-2016.  The demands raised by staff side to raise minimum pay and fitment formula is not yet considered favourably, even though Group of Ministers had given categorical assurance on 30-06-2016.  Consequent on appointment of 7th Pay Commission, Government appointed a one man committee headed by Sri. Kamalesh Chandra, Retired Member (Personnel), Postal Services Board on 19-11-2015 to examine the wages and service conditions of about three lakhs Gramin Dak Sevaks working in the Postal Department.  The Committee submitted its report to Government on 24-11-2016.  Almost one year is over but the favourable recommendations of the GDS Committee are yet to be implemented.  The file was sent to finance Ministry by Postal Board after approval of the Communications Minister.  Queries after queries are being raised by Finance Ministry and the file is still pending clearance.  7th Central Pay Commission Report was submitted on19-11-2015 and it took eight months for implementation of pay revision.  Seventh CPC report was in respect of more than one crore (100 lakhs) personnel including 32 lakhs Central Govt. employees, 33 lakhs Civilian pensioners and about 40 lakhs military personnel and pensioners.  Regarding GDS, there are only about three lakhs employees.  One year delay for implementation is quite unjustified and it shows the attitude of the Government to the most downtrodden section of employees.
                   Re-verification of membership under check off system was conducted for regular employees as per the CCS (RSA) Rules in the year 2015.  Now two years are over, but result of the verification is withheld by the Government for reasons best known to it.  GDS Membership Re-verification process was almost completed and recovery of subscription from pay in respect of Applicant Association/Unions commenced in the month of September 2017.  Suddenly Department issued orders to stop the GDS Membership verification process.  It is learnt that BPEDEU (BMS) which represents only 3 to 5% membership and  not going to get recognition has filed a complaint and based on the complaint the GDS verification process was stopped by the Government.
                   The above happenings are not isolated.  It is a prelude to bigger attacks that is going to come in the coming days.  The job security of Postal employees, their wages and trade union rights are under attack.  We have to resist it at any cost, just like we have resisted and defeated Govt’s move to amend Indian Post Office Act, Closure of 9797 Post offices, closure of 300 RMS offices, Mckinsey Consultancy’s recommendations and the TSR Subramanian Committee’s recommendations, for corporatisation and privatisation of Postal department. 
                   NFPE has already given a call for countrywide demonstrations at all centres and infront of all offices on 23rd October, 2017.
                   Further, major demands raised in our 23rd August, 2017 strike charters of demands are also pending settlement.  NFPE Federal Secretariat shall meet shortly and declare further agitational programmes.
                   NFPE and all its affiliated Unions/Associations calls upon the entirety of Postal and RMS employees including Gramin Dak Sevaks and Casual, Part-time Contingent employees to unitedly resist and defeat this onslaught on our life and livelihood.

C S I Hand Book

Monday, October 30, 2017

C S I Ready-Recknor

C S I Reference Book

Financial Inclusion Will Be Marketed By India Post Payments Bank

Manoj Sinha, the Communications Minister, this week claimed that the government is operating on setting up 650 outlets for India Post Payments Bank to make easy the financial enclosure, and revealed 2 new schemes by the postal division.

“We will be opening almost 650 outlets for India Post Payments Bank all over India. Two, namely in Ranchi and Raipur, have already commenced. The goal is that via 650 banks for post payments, we can force financial enclosure in 1.55 Lakh rural areas,” Sinha claimed to the media.


Sinha urged the postal workers to carry on reorienting themselves with disruptions and technological changes in order to drive innovative schemes to users, all the while keeping the communal values.

“Given the disruptions and with the approach technology is changing, it is fine to connect yourself with tech but values of department too have to be preserved, and that is the largest defy,” he claimed pointing out the long past of postal services in India, specifically the importance of the postman in rural area of the country.

The minister who was talking at an occasion to memorialize National Postal Week also declared 2 new schemes namely e-IPO (Indian Postal Order) and International Tracked Packet Service. The e-IPO was rolled out in denominations of Rs 50, Rs 20, and Rs 100 and now can be employed for educational institutions for fee payment and other causes. Previously, e-IPO of Rs 10 might be utilized only for RTI purposes.

The e-IPO has been launched out as a lead project in Delhi, Bihar, and Karnataka and is anticipated to be rolled out in the whole nation in the upcoming 2 Months. “Users can obtain e-IPO online from workplace or home of their own, as per their convenience. This roll out is a fraction of Digital India proposal since the transaction will be made via credit card, debit card, and net banking,” claimed Department of Post to the media in a statement.

The minister claimed that the postal department of India has undergone a huge change over the time, be it core banking, inter-operability of ATMs, or Aadhaar enrolment and providing of Passport Seva.
Source : http://columnistnews.com/

CHQ writes to Member (T) on CSI issues



Calling for Nominations for the seats allocated for training programmes at APPC, Bangkok, Thailand for the Calender year 2018



ପୁଞ୍ଜିବାଦ ମଣିଷର ଦୁ୍ର୍ଗତିର କାରଣ

Friday, October 27, 2017

Observance of Vigilance Awareness Week, 2017

NFPE, Odisha writes to Chief PMG regarding engagement of Outsourced Postal Agents in Bhubaneswar Division


No. NFPE – ODI / Corr / 2017
Dated at Bhubaneswar the 27th October, 2017
To
Dr. Santosh Kumar Kamila, IPoS
Chief Postmaster General
Odisha Circle, Bhubaneswar – 751 001

Sub:-  Regarding Engagement of Outsourced Postal Agents

Respected Sir,
It has come to the notice of this Federation that SSPOs, Bhubaneswar Division has issued a public notice in some popular local daily newspapers to engage Outsourced Postal Agents for booking and delivery of Registered, Speed Post and Parcels and a walk-in-interview has been scheduled on 30.10.2017 in Divisional Office, Bhubaneswar.

Our delivery staff are now engaged in picking up the Registered, Speed Post and Parcels including ordinary articles from the door points of the customer and the statistics is gradually increasing day by day. We are also experiencing your personal efforts to make aware the delivery staff during your visit to different offices and also in several workshops and meetings. In this context, engagement of OPAs seems to be contradictory. Delivery of accountable articles will certainly affect the workload of the delivery staff who will be only left with delivery of ordinary articles and thus there will be a negative impact on the staff strength also.

As per information available with us, such engagement in other Circles like Maharastra etc is not yet implemented.

Thus, for the welfare of the staff members, we would like to request you to kindly allow us for a constructive discussion in this regard as per your convenience. And till then, SSPOs, Bhubaneswar may kindly be instructed to stop engagement of OPAs.

Expecting your kind response, Sir.

 With regards.
Yours faithfully,


(BRUHASPATI SAMAL)
Chairman
NFPE Odisha State CoC 

Thursday, October 26, 2017

Government retains General Provident Fund interest rate at 7.8% for Oct-Dec

NEW DELHI: Employees of central government, Railways and defence forces will get 7.8% interest on their retirement savings for the October-December quarter, as they did in the previous threemonth period.
The government on Wednesday retained the interest rate for general provident fund (GPF) and other related schemes, in line with that for public provident fund (PPF).

“The Government of India has announced that during the financial year 2017-18, accumulations at the credit of subscribers to the GPF and other similar funds shall carry interest at the rate of 7.8% with effect from October 1 to December 31, 2017,” a finance ministry notification said.

Last month, the government had kept the interest rate on PPF unchanged at 7.8% for October-December, in line with the rates for small savings schemes. This may put pressure on the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to lower interest rates on its deposits.

The central board of trustees of EPFO is likely to consider the interest rates for 2017-18 at its upcoming meeting next month. EPFO had declared interest rate of 8.65% for 2016-17, down from 8.8% for 2015-16.

The finance ministry has been asking the labour ministry to rationalise the EPF interest rate in view of lowering of returns on various administered savings schemes such as PPF.

EPFO has over 50 million subscribers comprising employees other than those working in government organisations. The government generally ratifies the rate approved by the central board of trustees because the EPFO is an autonomous body and provides interest on EPF deposits from its own income.

The MoF takes a decision after evaluating whether the EPFO would be able to provide the rate approved by trustees through its own income. Once the finance ministry ratifies the rate, it is credited into the account of EPFO members for that particular financial year. 
Source :  https://economictimes.indiatimes.com

Press Release by Postal JCA, Bhubaneswar in c/w lunch hour demonstration on 26.10.2017 against outsourcing

Massive Lunch Hour Demonstration in front of Divisional Office on 26.10.2017 by NFPE Unions, Bhubaneswar against outsourcing of booking and delivery of Speed Post, Parcel and Registered articles
















Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Postal JCA, Bhubaneswar writes to SSPOs, Bhubaneswar to stop outsourcing of booking and delivery of Registered, Speed Post and Parcels



Dear Comrades,
All on a sudden, SSPOs, Bhubaneswar has issued a public notice in some popular local daily newspapers regarding booking and delivery of Registered, Speed Post and Parcels etc through outsourced agencies.

In strong protest against such arbitrary decision of the SSPOs, Bhubaneswar Division, Postal JCA, Bhubaneswar is going to organize a lunch our demonstration in front of the Divisional Office, Bhubaneswar on 26.10.2017.

In this context, Postal JCA, Bhubaneswar has already registered its protest before the SSPOs, Bhubaneswar. A copy of the JCA letter is reproduced below for kind reference of our members.

As such, all the comrades of NFPE, Bhubaneswar are requested to remain present in the campus of Divisional office during lunch hour on 26.10.2017 and make the demonstration programme successful.

With struggle greetings.

Ghanashyma Panda
Secretary, AIPEU GDS (NFPE)
Bhubaneswar Division
Sudhir Kumar Swain
Secy, AIPEU, Postman & MTS
Bhubaneswar Division
Dipti Ranjan Mohanty
Secretary, AIPEU, Gr.-C
Bhubaneswar Division

Postal Joint Council of Action
National Federation of Postal Employees
(AIPEU, Group-C & AIPEU, Postman & MTS)
All India Postal Employees Union GDS
Bhubaneswar Divisional Branch
 

No. Postal JCA / BBSR / 2017
Dated at Bhubaneswar 25th October, 2017
To
The Senior Superintendent of Post Offices
Bhubaneswar Division
Bhubaneswar – 751 009

Sub:   Request to stop outsourcing of booking and delivery of Registered, Speed Post and Parcels

Respected Sir,
It has come to the notice of NFPE, Bhubaneswar that a public notice has been issued in some popular local daily newspapers regarding booking and delivery of Registered, Speed Post and Parcels etc through outsourced agencies.

In this context, we would like to intimate that our staff members are smoothly performing the above duties with every sincerity and there is no reason to outsource such activities.

While NFPE, Bhubaneswar strongly opposes such proposal of the SSPOs, Bhubaneswar, sincerely requests to drop it to avoid any kind of dislocation / complicacies in future.

Expecting your immediate kind response Sir.

Yours faithfully,


Ghanashyma Panda
Secretary, AIPEU GDS (NFPE)
Bhubaneswar Division
Sudhir Kumar Swain
Secy, AIPEU, Postman & MTS
Bhubaneswar Division
Dipti Ranjan Mohanty
Secretary, AIPEU, Gr.-C
Bhubaneswar Division

Copy for kind information and necessary action to:

1.    All Circle Secretaries of NFPE Unions, Odisha Circle. 
2.    The General Secretary, AIPEU, Group-C, CHQ, , Dada Ghosh Bhawan, New Delhi – 110 008.
3.    The Secretary General, NFPE, North Avenue Post Office Building, New Delhi – 110 001


Ghanashyma Panda
Secretary, AIPEU GDS (NFPE)
Bhubaneswar Division
Sudhir Kumar Swain
Secy, AIPEU, Postman & MTS
Bhubaneswar Division
Dipti Ranjan Mohanty
Secretary, AIPEU, Gr.-C
Bhubaneswar Division