Tuesday, December 31, 2013
National Level Awards of Excellence under MGNREGA for 2014.
Government of India, Department of Post,
O/o the Chief Postmaster General, Odisha Circle,
Bhubaneswar 751001.
To,
The PMG Berhampur/ Sambalpur Region,
All the SSPOs/ SPOs in Head Quarter Region.
No. SB/52-44/2012
Sub– National Level Awards of Excellence under MGNREGA for 2014.
Sir,
I am directed to intimate that the Ministry of Rural Development will organize MGNREGA Sammelan – 2014. This would be in continuation of previous year initiative to proved a national forum to all stake holders for mutual inspiration, recognition and commitment to MGNREGA. National leaders are expected to grace the occasion.
Directorate has instructed vide its letter no. 01-07 /2013-RB dated 24.12.2013 to send proposal in respect of good work done by officials for Awards of Excellence under MGNREGA. Kindly arrange to nominate one BPM from your Region/ Division and send the nomination with supporting facts in proforma enclosed by 03.01.2014. While short listing the name, complaints, irregularities and allegations must be given due negative weightage and it must be clearly indicated against name of nominated officials. In addition the following information may kindly be submitted in respect of nominated official for submission of report to the Directorate.
1. Total number of NREGS accounts in the B.O. :-
2. Total number of NREGS accounts opened during 2012-13 :-
3. Total aount Disbursed during 2012-13 :-
4. Whether any complaint/ allegation has been lodged against the official :-
Encl :- As above.
With regards,
Assistant DIrector (FS),
For CPMG, Odisha Circle,
Bhubaneswar –751001.
No. 01-07 /2013-RB
Government of India
Ministry of Communication & IT
Department of Posts
(Rural Business Division)
Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg
New Delhi-110 001
Dated: 24.12.2013
To,
Chief PMGs
(Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, West Bengal,)
Subject: Nominations of employees for MGNREGS awards
Department of Posts (DOP) is playing an important role in widening the scope of Financial Inclusion of rural people by disbursing wages under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) through Post Offices across the country. DOP is the largest Institution compare to any bank / financial institution in the country engaged in disbursing of wages under MGNREGS. Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) has recognized the works of DOP and has been awarding the employees of the DOP for making exemplary and outstanding contribution in promoting effective and efficient implementation of MGNREGS throughout the country. Awards for this purpose are given to the Departmental employees by the MoRD on recommendation of DOP in special function organized on 2nd February every year.
Although, DOP has not received request of MoRD for sending nomination for this year awards, but in anticipation that the request for the same will be received shortly, circles are requested to send the nominations of the employees engaged in effective and efficient implementation of MGNREGS by timely and transparent disbursement of wages through post offices in the format enclosed.
Since, the quantum of work under MGNREGS varies from circle to circle depending upon the number of accounts and amount disbursed; it is requested to send nominations as follows
SN
|
Circles
|
Number of MGNREGS account
|
Number of nominees
|
1
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
> 100 lakhs
|
Three BPMs and two officers
|
2
|
Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, West Bengal
|
50-100 lakhs
|
Two BPMs and one officer
|
3
|
Assam, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa
|
10-49 lakhs
|
One BPM
|
The nomination from the Circle may reach Postal Directorate by 7 January 2014 with approval of Heads of Circles. Nominations received without approval of the HOC will not be considered.
(T.Q. Mohammad)
Director (RB& Plg)
Department of Posts issued orders to keep in abeyance the orders on abolition of posts for the years 2005, 2006, 2007 & 2008.
The All India Unions of AIPEU Postman & MSE/Gr.D, AIPEU GDS (NFPE) & NUPE P-IV filed a case in Principle CAT, Delhi (during May 2012) praying not to abolish the vacant posts (DR) of Postman & Gr.D (MTS) of the years 2005, 2006, 2007 & 2008. The Pr. CAT issued stay orders (in OA No.1736/2013) on the issue and now the Department of Posts issued orders to all Chief Postmasters General to keep the orders in abeyance on abolition of posts in the circles.
Second Day News of the Silver Jubilee AlC of P4-NFPE being held at Cuttack from 29.12.2013 to 31.12.2013
PHOTO NEWS OF THE SECOND DAY OF THE SILVER JUBILEE ALL INDIA CONFERENCE OF AIPEU, POSTMAN & MTS/GROUP-D, CHQ
Comrade A.K.Padmanabhan CITU National President inaugurating the delegates session
General Secretary AIPEU GDS[NFPE] P.Pandurangarao addressing the session
Com.S.Ragupathy Assistant Secretary General NFPE addressing
Com.Milan Bhattacharjee former CHQ President P4 addressing
Leader of Bank Employees Federation of India addressing |
General Secretary Com. Ishwar Singh Dabas presenting the draft Biennial Report to Subjects Committee
NFPE President Com.Giriraj Singh addressing the session
General Secretary R4 Com.P.Suresh addressing the session
Monday, December 30, 2013
CEPT NEWS - SpeedNet Automatic Upgradation
SOFTWARE UPDATION AUTOMATED IN SPEEDNET 4.1.
The Center for Excellence in Postal Technology (CEPT), Mysore is making constant efforts to improve the quality of software to provide best services. As part of this activity, CEPT will now be pushing Speednet updates from the Data centre directly to the field offices, which have implemented Speednet Version 4.1.
At present, whenever an update is released for Speednet, the System Administrator has to go round all the offices under his control and to update software manually. Now this process is automated. The software at the local office gets updated automatically whenever CEPT releases update. SpeedNet communication will do the miracle.
Prerequisite:
a) SpeedNet Update 4.1 should be available in the system.
b) In respect of computers running XP SP1 or SP2, DotNetframework 2.0 or higher to be installed.
How it happens:
a) If the updates are limited to database upgration the same will happen silently in the background.
b) If the updates includes application level changes
i). the operator will be shown a message indicating availability of New update, at the time of login. (Fig.1 may be seen) and follow the instructions displayed. (This activity can be done by any operator)
ii). Software will not allow login, unless the upgradation process is completed.
Action to be taken by Offices running much older versions:
Offices not implementing Speednet Version 4.1, will have to upgrade manually by downloading the SpeedOne Updater.exe file available in the CEPT FTP site (at ftp://cept.gov.in/SpeedNet/
Challenges:
During automatic transmission, files may get damaged due to various Network or other problems. In such cases errors will be displayed while updating the application. When such errors are encountered, please download the update directly fromftp://cept.gov.in/SpeedNet/
Support:
For any further support please send mail to support@ceptmysore.netwith subject as :SPEEDNET AUTOMATI UPGRADATION – OFFICENAME - PINCODE
Phone: 91-821-2449015; 91-821-2440092;
09449865961; 9480809728; 9480809707
Fax: 91-821-2440526
EDITORIAL- POSTAL CRUSADER
NEW YEAR, NEW HOPES.
WE ARE ON THE STRUGGLE PATH
By the time this issue of “Postal Crusader” reaches your hand, an eventful year 2013 will be over and a new year 2014 is born. From our experience in the past, especially during the last year, we can definitely say that the year 2014 shall be an year of struggle for betterment of the living conditions of the common people of our country and the toiling masses including the Central Government Employees & Postal employees.
General election to the Parliament is scheduled to be held in the year 2014. The ruling class and also the corporate media have started their campaign, well in advance, in support of those who are ready to carry forward the rigorous implementation of neo-liberal globalisation policies. We have witnessed that when it comes to policy of liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation, both UPA and NDA Government are two sides of the same coin. Concerted efforts are being made by the corporate media to relegate the issues raised by the working class in February 20,21 All India Joint Strike and 2013 December 12th massive Parliament March to the background. We should identify our friends and foes from our own experience and shall frontload the working class issues and conduct intensive campaign against those who are in favour of neo-liberal policies and also in support of those who are opposing the anti-people, anti-labour policies of the ruling class. Remember, in democracy ballot is more powerful than bullet. Let us use this weapon prudently and discreetly and move forward in our struggle by further strengthening those forces who are continuously fighting against this neo-liberal policies and for the cause of working class.
Even though the Government has announced constitution of 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC), the terms of reference and appointment of chairperson etc. are yet to be finalised. The unanimous proposal on terms of reference submitted by the staff side includes date of effect from 01-01-2014, DA merger, Interim relief, inclusion of GDS, statutory pension to those employed after 01-01-2004, minimum wage as per 15th ILC formula, settlement of anomalies and cashless, hassle free medical facilities. Now the ball is in the court of Government. In case the Government deliberately delay the appointment of CPC or reject the terms of reference submitted by the staff side, confrontation shall become inevitable.
Postal employees have put up stiffest resistance to the Government’s policy, to privatise the Postal services by amending Indian Post office Act 1898 for granting licence to private couriers, to close down 9797 departmental post offices, to merge about 300 RMS sorting offices and also to continue the ban on recruitment. Postal department is the only department where mass-scale recruitment and promotion through departmental examinations has taken place. The united struggle under the banner of JCA has prevented the Government to a great extent from implementing the neo-liberal policies in the Postal Sector.
Regarding 7th CPC, Postal employees have every right to get a better deal from Pay Commission and Government. The pay scales of each category of Postal and RMS employees including Gramin Dak Sevaks should be upgraded taking into consideration the fact that the cadre of PA, SA, Postmen, Mail guard, MTS exchanging mails and clearing letter boxes, Gramin Dak Sevaks are all unique to the Postal Department. Further IT modernisation project will be rolled out in full swing in 2014 and the skill of the postal employees including GDS in dealing with high technology will be further enhanced. Due to non-creation of additional posts in commensurate with the increase in workload due to introduction of new schemes and procedures and also due to abnormal delay in filling up of vacant posts, the workload of the Postal and RMS employees have increased manifold and this factor of extra-productivity should be taken into account while deciding the pay scales of postal and RMS employees including GDS.
Three lakhs Gramin Dak Sevaks and Casual, Part-time, Contingent employees are the worst sufferers of the Postal department. NFPE & FNPO has already decided to go for indefinite strike, if the Government rejects our demand for inclusion of GDS in the ambit of 7th CPC and revision of wages and regularisation of casual labourers.
NFPE & AIPEU-GDS (NFPE) had filed a writ petition in the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India praying for implementation of the 1977 Supreme Court judgement declaring GDS as civil servants and grant of all benefits of departmental employees to GDS. The Hon’ble Supreme Court has ordered the Delhi High Court to consider and decide the case and the writ petition is accordingly transferred to Delhi High Court. Thus the final legal battle for departmentalisation of GDS has begun and 2014 will be a turning point in the history of GDS
In short, 2014 is going to be an year of struggle and advancement of the working class of India and also the Central Government employees including Postal, RMS & GDS employees. Let us welcome the new year with a pledge to continue our fight for a better tomorrow.
Three-day Silver Jubilee All India Conference of AIPEU, Postman & MTS / Gr.D started on 29.12.2013 in the 1000 Year Silver City of Cuttack , Odisha
The 3-day silver jubilee All India
Conference of All
India Postal Employees Union, Postman & MTS / Gr.D started with pomp
and ceremony in the 1000 Year Silver
City of Cuttack, Odisha on 29.12.2013.
The grand celebration
started with a colourful and big rally from Cuttack GPO to the venue for the
Open Session at Cambridge School, Cuttack with the participation of thousands
of postal comrades from all corners of
India with red flags and slogans. The rally was led by Com. R.N.Dhal, Com. D.B.Mohanthy,
Com. R.C.Mishra, Com. N.C.Singh alongwith NFPE leadership, General
Secretaries and many other leaders of Odisha. Many organizations of Odisha offered
their floral greetings to the participants and the rally.
At the venue,
National flag was hoisted by Shri Jagannath Patnaik, Chairman, Reception
Committee, NFPE flag by Com. M.Krishnan, Secretary General, NFPE, AIPEU
flag by Com.S K.Humayun, All India President, P –IV. Subsequently, all the
invitees including Com. Basudeva
Acharya, Hon’ble M.P., Com. Janardhan Pathi, Vice-President, CITU and all the
leaders paid their homage to the martyrs column with floral tributes. All the
Invitees, delegates were given a grand welcome with cultural traditional song of
Odisha. Com. D.B.Mohanty, General Secretary, Reception Committee and Circle
Secretary P – IV welcomed the Chief Guests, Invitees, Leaders,
Delegates, Visitors to the session.
Com. Jagannath
Patnaik , Chairman, Reception Committee delivered the welcome speech and Com. Basudeva
Acharya, Hon’ble Member of Parliament inaugurated the Silver Jubilee Conference
by giving a valuable message on the policies of the Govt. and emphasized the
significance of Postal Trade Union Movement to safeguard the Govt Sector.
Shri S.J.Tilak De,
Hon’ble Chief Postmaster General, Odisha Circle & Shri P.K.Bisoi,
Postmaster General, Berhampur attended the Conference as Honourable Guests
for the session.
Addressing the Open
Session as Chief Speaker, Com. M. Krishnan, Secretary General, NFPE while elaborated
the history of Postal trade Union Movement and contributions of the pioneers
like Com. Babu Tarapad Mukherjee, Com. Dada Ghosh, Com. N J iyer and Com.
Adinarayan, told the participants to have a promise
for working with/for the GDS exclusively which will be a true tribute
to Com. Adi. He also briefed the present position of different issues pening
with the Govt. and role of Confederation to achieve the same.
Among others, Com.Janardhan
Pati, Vice President, CITU, Odisha, Com. R.N.Malik, Convener, Shramik O
Karmachari Ekta Manch, Odisha, Com.K.Raghavendran,
former Secretary General, NFPE & General Convener, AIPRPA, Com. I .S. Dabas,
General Secretary, AIPEU PM&MTS/Gr.D., Com.Giriraj Singh, General
Secretary, R-III, Com. P. Suresh, General Secretary, R-IV, Com. Pranab
Bhattacharya, General Secretary, AIPAOEU, Com. P. Pandurangarao, General
Secretary, AIPEU GDS (NFPE), Com. Milan Bhattacharya, former President, P4 CHQ,
Com. S. Raghupathi, Asst. Secretary General, NFPE, Com. R. Sitalakshmi,
Asst. Secretary General, NFPE also addressed the conference.
The Reception Committee honoured all the
Guests and Leaders by offering shawls and AIC
mementos. Com.R.N.Dhal , Working Chairman, Reception Committee expressed
heartfelt thanks and greetings to all the guests and invitees of the open
session.
‘Mee Seva’ services through post offices from New Year
13 new post offices to be opened in the State, including three in Vijayawada region
India Post will start extending ‘Mee Seva’ services through 2,437 post offices in Andhra Pradesh from February 2014. The project was successfully implemented on a pilot basis in 95 post offices across the State.
Citizens can avail of the entire gamut of 177 types of services which Mee Seva centers are currently rendering, through their neighbourhood post offices from the New Year, Chief Post Master General (A.P Circle) B.V. Sudhakar announced at a press conference here on Friday.
Another significant initiative is the opening of 13 new post offices in the State including three in Vijayawada region: two in Krishna district with one at Tadigadapa and the other one in Umamaheswarapuram village in Bapulapadu mandal and at Perecherla in Guntur district.
Mr. Sudhakar said that Rs. 10,624 crore was disbursed to 1.50 crore beneficiaries of MGNREGS through their post office accounts since February 2006. Payment of wages under the Central government’s flagship scheme was being made under the Direct Benefit Transfer scheme in 14 districts in the State.
Pack post scheme
The Pack Post scheme is a facility through which customers can get their international parcels containing items as diverse as pickles and televisions, neatly packed in the post offices for charges ranging from Rs.50 to Rs.275. Professional packing of parcels has been necessitated by damages and other difficulties in delivering them. In Vijayawada region, this service is available only at Buckinghampet post office.
The Mobile Money Order Transfer and Instant Money Order services have drawn encouraging response from the customers. ‘Uttaram Vacchindi’ and ‘Meeru Meedabbu’ schemes under which customers can keep track of their transactions (both deposits and withdrawals) and business mail through mobile phones (numbers have to be registered through e-mail: appostsms@gmail.com) evoked tremendous response. These schemes are specific to Andhra Pradesh.
Director of Postal Services K. Somasundaram and Post Master General (Vijayawada region) M. Sampath were present.
Source : http://www.thehindu.com
They enjoy work at all-woman ‘Dak Ghar’
It is a true reflection of women empowerment, freedom and space. The day starts and ends with a smile for more than one reason at the all-woman post office in MVP Colony.
Run by four women and a packer who helps in bundling and unbundling the sacs, the ‘Dak Ghar’ sets an example for the rest of the branches in terms of perfect teamwork skills.
The six-month young branch deals with a blend of both traditional and modern services catering to the needs of varied customer base.
As soon as the gates open at 9 a.m., visitors pour in with a number of queries that range from savings account to dispatches, money orders to register posts and several other services.
Here, the women work in tandem and come forward to help each other in times of need.
Explaining about what makes the post office so unique, Sub-Post Master M. Aruna Jyothi says, “When the enquiries become unmanageable, one can always count on a helping hand. We share our work and as a result we are not confined to one particular line of transactions. It is this teamwork that makes us stay close and enjoy our job immensely.”
The first ever Dak Ghar in the State and fourth in the country seems to impress the fairer sex for varied reasons.
“With such supportive colleagues, work-life balance becomes blissful,” says M. Sujatha, stamp vendor.
Although women feel more than happy to work as a team, they feel challenging to deal with diverse customers.
“Many a time it gets tough to handle a few visitors as they cannot wait until we finish a pending transaction. It’s only during such occasions, we find it tough to respond,” explains P.V. Sudha Rani, one of the postal assistants who has 25 years of experience in the service. Except the shift between computerised transactions and manual ones, postal assistant A.V.N.V.V. Lakshmi says it’s a beautiful experience to be part of the all-women post office.
Source : http://www.thehindu.com
Two street Colony cries for attention
Postal Audit Colony has not been black-topped in 11 years.
A view of the bad condition of Postal Audit Colony 1st Street at Saligramam in Chennai. Photo: S.S. Kumar
Postal Audit Colony in Saligramam is a two-street locality: its two stretches are called First Street and Second Street. The Colony is situated between Jakkammal Street on the east and Harris Street on the west. Colony residents complain that First Street and Second Street were black-topped 11 years ago. In contrast, roads and streets in areas around Postal Audit Colony, including Jakkammal Street and Harris Street, have been re-laid at least twice in the years.
A resident on Second Street says, “During the rainy season water logging is very common. After several appeals, a hole was drilled by the civic body where Second Street meets Jakkammal Street to make the rain water flow into the drain below. But it was not properly covered and it has become a pit in the middle of the street and is a threat to motorists and pedestrians.”
Overflowing manholes on either end of the Second Street and First Street, non-functioning street lights is an added problem. One of the long-time residents of the Colony, Radhakrishnan from Second Street, says he along with another long-time resident Mohandas, represented the issues many a time to the authorities. Similar efforts met with failure, says Jayaprakash, another resident.
During the civic elections of 2011, a few women residents of Sri Sai Castle on Second Street demanded from the contestants that road re-laying work should be initiated at the earliest. They even went to the extent of boycotting the civic elections. A quick fix was done: blue metal was laid without tarring. The quick measure was taken to tide over the monsoon period. The promise of a more permanent solution after the elections was not kept, says Ms. Jothi of Sri Sai Castle.
Sudevan from the same apartment complex says that until four or five years ago an elderly woman was appointed to keep the streets clean by the civic body. After her retirement, no replacement was found with the result that the streets are full of litter allowing mosquitoes to breed.
Source : http://www.thehindu.com
International trade Union News
South Korea: Stop arrests of trade union leaders and respect the rights of striking workers
“This police raid violated international human rights and labour standards in many ways – from arresting trade union leaders in retaliation for strike action to the police using unnecessary and excessive force that resulted in strikers being injured”
The South Korean authorities must rein in the police and respect the rights of striking workers, Amnesty International said after a massive police raid on the offices of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) in Seoul on Sunday.
“This police raid violated international human rights and labour standards in many ways – from arresting trade union leaders in retaliation for strike action to the police using unnecessary and excessive force that resulted in workers being injured,” said Polly Truscott, Deputy Asia-Pacific Programme Director at Amnesty International.
“The South Korean authorities must stop unlawful police raids and arrests of trade unionists, and respect the rights of striking workers.”
Some 130 trade unionists were arrested on Sunday when thousands of police raided the headquarters of the KCTU, in response to a strike by railway workers over fears that large-scale layoffs may be looming. Several workers were injured when police used pepper spray.
The police raid, which was carried out without a search warrant, was the first on the KCTU’s headquarters since it was given legal status in 1999.
The strike began on 9 December in protest at a decision by Korea Railroad (KORAIL) to set up a separate company to run a new bullet train line. The Korean Railway Workers Union (KRWU) – which is part of the KCTU – fears the move would lead to a privatization of KORAIL and large-scale layoffs.
In earlier raids on two KRWU offices in Seoul on 17 December, some 30 police officials seized computer hard drives and confidential documents. Two days later, police seized more hard drives and documents in simultaneous raids of the four regional head offices of the KRWU in Daejeon, Busan, Suncheon and Yeongju.
On 18 December Prime Minister Chung Hong-won reportedly branded the railway workers’ strike “illegal” and said the government would counter the industrial action with stern measures.
KORAIL subsequently suspended 7,927 workers participating in the strike as a disciplinary action. Warrants for arrests of 28 union officers were issued based on criminal charges of ‘obstruction of businesses’ and two union leaders were arrested. KORAIL has also filed a lawsuit worth 7.7 billion won (about USD 7.25 million) in damages against the KRWU and its 186 leaders. These developments are in direct contravention of internationally recognized labour standards.
“This is a blatant attempt by the Korean authorities to deny the rights of striking workers and to cripple the legitimate work of the trade union. It is a clear breach of international standards,” said Polly Truscott.
Amnesty International cautioned the South Korean authorities that, even if police intervention becomes necessary because strikers’ actions present a substantial risk of violence to persons or serious damage to property, the police must comply with international standards. These include the UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials, which underlines that the use of force should be exceptional and states that law enforcement officials may use force only when strictly necessary and to the extent required for the performance of their duty.
Background
Amnesty International is concerned that the current dispute may result in a repeat of the abuses of workers’ rights that occurred during a previous rail workers’ strike in 2009, which were harshly criticized by the International Labour Organization Committee on Freedom of Association (ILO CFA) in November 2012.
In that strike, close to 200 union officers were dismissed, and 15,000 members were subject to disciplinary sanction. The ILO CFA called for the “immediate dropping of criminal charges (both fines and prison sentences) brought under Section 314 of the Penal Code (‘obstruction of business’) against union officials and members” of the KRWU who had participated in the strike, “the immediate reinstatement” of dismissed KRWU members and the lifting of all related disciplinary measures.
To date, the government has failed to implement the ILO’s recommendations in that case.
Source : http://www.amnesty.org/
USPS News : Postal service toils to deliver parcels on time
Presents have been traveling all over the world today and not just because Santa is delivering them.
The staffs at Marshall’s post office and UPS have been working tirelessly to make sure gifts are delivered to their recipients on time this holiday season with the amount of parcels doubling what they had last year.
“We’ve had twice the parcel volume this year as last year,” acting postmaster Mike Ford said. “(Christmas Eve) has been back to normal, but yesterday we had about twice the volume and it’s been that way for about two weeks.”
UPS store owner Jenice Childers has been experiencing the same amount of incoming parcels, but welcomes this busy time of the year.
“We probably have been just a little more heavier than last year, we’ve been a little bit heavier, a little busier,” she said. “This is my favorite time of the year, the (staff) likes it, the busier the better for us.”
Both Ms. Childers and Ford noted that residents have become wiser in recent years by mailing packages earlier to avoid the mad rush at the last minute.
“A lot of people have learned to get here earlier, there were probably on a couple of people here this morning,” Ms. Childers said. “Anyone coming in today knows their presents are not going to get there before Christmas.”
She added that the ice storms in Dallas had backed up the delivery of a majority of packages, leading the postal service in Dallas to use 3,500 workers to relieve backlogs. However, she noted that they’ve received fewer complaints this year.
“Everyone has been pretty understanding, for the most part people have been understanding,” she said. “Now we’ll just as busy after Christmas because of all the things returned.”
Source : http://www.marshallnewsmessenger.com
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