Saturday, February 28, 2015
Postal Network Spread Across the Country to be Used for Increasing Access to Formal Financial System
The Finance Minister, Shri Arun Jaitely presenting the Union Budget 2015-16, here today, said that the government is committed to increasing access of the people to the formal financial system. In this context, Government proposes to utilize the vast Postal network with nearly 1,54,000 points of presence spread across the villages of the country . The Minister hoped that the Postal Department will make its proposed Payments Bank venture successful so that it contributes further to the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana.
Shri Jaitley said that to bring parity in regulation of Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) with other financial institutions in matters relating to recovery, it is proposed that NBFCs registered with RBI and having asset size of Rs. 500 crore and above will b considered for notifications as ‘Financial Institution’ In terms of the SARFAESI Act, 2002.
Shri Jaitley said that to bring parity in regulation of Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) with other financial institutions in matters relating to recovery, it is proposed that NBFCs registered with RBI and having asset size of Rs. 500 crore and above will b considered for notifications as ‘Financial Institution’ In terms of the SARFAESI Act, 2002.
Source : PIB
Highlights of Union Budget 2015
Following are the highlights of the Union Budget 2015-16 presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Parliament today:
* No change in personal Income Tax
* Health Insurance Premium deduction hiked from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000; for senior citizens to Rs 30,000
* Transport allowance exemption hiked to Rs 1,600, from Rs 800 per month
* Additional 2% surcharge on people earning over Rs 1 cr; to fetch Rs 9,000 cr
* Wealth tax abolished
* Direct Taxes Code (DTC) dropped
* Rs 50,000 deduction for contribution to New Pension Scheme
* To lower Corporate Tax to 25% over next four years
* GAAR implementation deferred by 2 years to April 2017
* Service Tax rate hiked to 14%, from 12.36%
* Tax free bonds for roads, railways, irrigation projects
* 2015-16 growth between 8-8.5%, double digit growth feasible
* Retail inflation close to 5% by March, room for monetary policy easing
* To achieve fiscal deficit of 3% of GDP by 2017-18
* Fiscal Deficit target 3.9% in 2015-16, 3.5% in 2016-17
* Revenue Deficit to be 2.8% in 2015-16
* Current Account Deficit for 2014-15 to be below 1.3% of GDP
* To introduce comprehensive law to deal with black money
* Benami property transaction bill to tackle black money transaction in real estate soon
* 100% deduction for contribution to Swachh Bharat, Clean Ganga projects
* GST to be put in place by April 1, 2016
* Internationally competitive direct tax regime to be put in place to incentivise saving
* Incentivise use of credit, debit cards; disincentivise cash transaction to curb black money.
Link pay of government workers with productivity, recommends finance panel
NEW DELHI: The 14th Finance Commission has suggested linking pay with productivity with a focus on technology, skills and incentives, a move aimed at raising the productivity of government employees.
The panel has recommended that in future additional remuneration be linked to increase in productivity.
The Seventh Pay Commission is expected to submit its recommendations by August and it has been asked to look at the issue of raising productivity and improving the overall quality of public services in the country.
The Sixth Pay Commission had also said that steps should lead to improvement in the existing delivery mechanism by more delegation and de-layering and an emphasis on achieving quantifiable and concrete end results. Emphasis is to be on outcome rather than processes, it had said. The earlier Pay Commissions had also made several recommendations to enhance productivity and improve administration.
The 14th Finance Commission's recommendations assume significance at a time when the Narendra Modi government has focused its attention to improve the delivery of public services and is taking steps to use technology to improve efficiency.
READ ALSO: 14th Finance Commission recommendation — Key messages for Centre-state relations
The Union government has taken several steps to shore up the bureaucracy and has changed the way attendance is measured in government offices.
"Further we recommend that Pay Commissions be designated as Pay and Productivity Commissions with a clear mandate to recommend measures to improve productivity of an employee," said the 14th Finance Commission headed by former Reserve Bank of India Governor Y.V. Reddy.
READ ALSO: The 14th Finance Commission empowers states by putting more money in their hands
The Reddy panel said productivity per employee can be raised through the application of technology in public service delivery and in public assets created.
"Raising the skills of employees through training and capacity building also has a positive impact on productivity. The use of appropriate technology and associated skill development require incentives for employees to raise their individual productivities," the Reddy led panel said.
READ ALSO: With Finance Commission recommendations, Centre-state relations set to undergo dramatic change
"A Pay Commission's first task, therefore, would be identify the right mix of technology and skills for different categories of employees. The next step would be to design suitable financial incentives linked to measureable performance," the panel said.
READ ALSO: States in the red get lifetime from Finance Commission
The panel has recommended that in future additional remuneration be linked to increase in productivity.
The Seventh Pay Commission is expected to submit its recommendations by August and it has been asked to look at the issue of raising productivity and improving the overall quality of public services in the country.
The Sixth Pay Commission had also said that steps should lead to improvement in the existing delivery mechanism by more delegation and de-layering and an emphasis on achieving quantifiable and concrete end results. Emphasis is to be on outcome rather than processes, it had said. The earlier Pay Commissions had also made several recommendations to enhance productivity and improve administration.
The 14th Finance Commission's recommendations assume significance at a time when the Narendra Modi government has focused its attention to improve the delivery of public services and is taking steps to use technology to improve efficiency.
READ ALSO: 14th Finance Commission recommendation — Key messages for Centre-state relations
The Union government has taken several steps to shore up the bureaucracy and has changed the way attendance is measured in government offices.
"Further we recommend that Pay Commissions be designated as Pay and Productivity Commissions with a clear mandate to recommend measures to improve productivity of an employee," said the 14th Finance Commission headed by former Reserve Bank of India Governor Y.V. Reddy.
READ ALSO: The 14th Finance Commission empowers states by putting more money in their hands
The Reddy panel said productivity per employee can be raised through the application of technology in public service delivery and in public assets created.
"Raising the skills of employees through training and capacity building also has a positive impact on productivity. The use of appropriate technology and associated skill development require incentives for employees to raise their individual productivities," the Reddy led panel said.
READ ALSO: With Finance Commission recommendations, Centre-state relations set to undergo dramatic change
"A Pay Commission's first task, therefore, would be identify the right mix of technology and skills for different categories of employees. The next step would be to design suitable financial incentives linked to measureable performance," the panel said.
READ ALSO: States in the red get lifetime from Finance Commission
An internal study by the Commission showed that the expenditure on pay and allowances (excluding expenditure for Union territories) more than doubled for the period 2007-08 to 2012-13 from Rs 46,230 crore to Rs 1.08 lakh crore.
Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
UPU News : High-level speakers confirmed for World Strategy Conference
27.02.2015 - Postal and communication ministers, heads of international organizations and postal chief executives from across the globe will be speaking at the UPU’s World Strategy Conference in April.
Discussions will focus on how to ensure the Post can respond to customer needs in challenging times (Photo: Canada Post)
Among member-state representatives are Fred Matiangi, Kenyan minister of information, communication and technology, Yasuo Sakamoto, Japan's vice-minister of internal affairs and communication, and Csaba Polacsek from the Hungarian Prime Minister’s Office, among others.
They will be joined by the chief executives of Canada Post (Deepak Chopra), La Poste France (Philippe Wahl) and Saudi Post (Mohamed Saleh ben Taher Benten). Regulators from Norway, Belgium, Lithuania and Argentina will also bring their insights into the challenges and opportunities facing postal services around the world.
William Lacy Swing, the International Organization for Migration’s director general, and Arancha Sanchez, the International Trade Centre’s head, will contribute to the discussions on migration and trade facilitation.
From April 13-14 2015, some 40 speakers will take part in nine panels covering issues affecting the postal sector today and in future.
The first day will set the scene and take stock of progress achieved so far by the UPU’s current four-year roadmap, the Doha Postal Strategy.
Participants will also survey the current economic environment and explore how the postal sector’s use of innovation can ensure its future success.
Day Two will focus on the need for effective policy and regulation to keep the postal sector as relevant as ever in the 21st century and strengthen its capacity for social, financial and economic inclusion.
Source : http://news.upu.int/
Friday, February 27, 2015
Government staff’s dharna on March 2
The Puducherry Government Employees Federation (PGEF) on Thursday announced a dharna on March 2 urging the Union Government to meet a charter of demands, including the retrospective implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendation from January 1, 2014.
The PGEF honorary president C.H. Balamohanan, general secretary M. Premadasan and other office-bearers announced the dharna in solidarity with the Central Government Employees and Workers Federation which has called for a series of protests across the country.
Mr. Balamohanan said service conditions and rules pertaining to the Central government employees are also applicable to 25,000 government employees in Puducherry as well.
Demanding salary revision once in five years, the officer bearers of the federation said now the salaries of Central government employees here have been revised once in 10 years and even though the Union Government has constituted the Seventh Pay Commission on January 1, 2014, there is no symptom of giving its final recommendation within eighteen months.
“We demand that Seventh Pay Commission recommendation should be applied with retrospective effect from January 1, 2014 and interim monetary benefit should be extended immediately. Besides, 100 per cent dearness allowance should be merged with basic pay and anomalies in the implementation of Sixth Pay Commission should be removed,” said Mr. Balamohanan.
They also said the government should give up the privatisation of railway and defence and the corporatisation of postal department and should fill vacant posts after lifting the ban on recruitment.
The federation also demanded the Union Government not to amend labour laws.
Meanwhile, Central trade unions on Thursday conducted a road blockade near Indira Gandhi Square. Earlier they took out a procession from Ellaipillaichavadi. Trade union leaders condemned the Union Government for amending labour laws and adopting ordinance route to amend Land Acquisition Act.
They said the Centre has not shown any interest on the charter of demands of all central trade unions.
The leaders also charged the government with implementing contract labour systems in all sectors.
Around 150 of them were taken into custody by police and later released.
Around 150 Central trade union members held for road blockade
Source : http://www.thehindu.com/
BOOK ON COM. S. K. VYAS, THE LEGENDARY LEADER OF CENTRAL GOVT EMPLOYEES
Confederation CHQ has decided to publish a book on Com Vyasji, who had been the Secretary General & President of Confederation for about 45 years. Interested leaders and other comrades are requested to send their BRIEF WRITE-UPS ON THE RARE AND SPECIAL INCIDENTS/ MOMENTS EXPERIENCED BY THEM IN CONNECTION WITH COM: VYASJI'S TRADE UNION LIFE. Photographs of Com. Vyasji, which deserves special attention, may also be sent. All write-ups and photos should reach Confederation CHQ (1st Floor, North Avenue Post Office, New Delhi- 110001) on or before 31st March 2015. All are requested to send by EMAIL ALSO (confederationhq@gmail.com OR mkrishnan6854@gmail.com).
ONLY SELECTED ITEMS WILL BE PUBLISHED
M. Krishnan
Secretary General
Confederation
India Post targets 50-fold growth in e-commerce revenue
BENGALURU: Internet retailers may have been the bane of the brick-and-mortar retail trade and a pain for the old order of things, but for one relic from the past, they are a proving to be a veritable godsend.
For India Post, a 240-year-old straggler long fighting for relevance in a digital economy, the explosive growth in this new-age business has offered it a fresh lease of life and given it the luxury of dreaming big.
These dreams have been bolstered by firms such as Flipkart and Amazon signing up for its services and with the theatre of activity for the fastgrowing ecommerce sector now moving to the country's remote corners.
The Department of Posts is targeting a seemingly implausible 50-fold increase in ecommerce revenues. "With decline in document shipments, ecommerce is our department's new focus," a top official at the Department of Posts, told ET. "We are targeting Rs .5,000 crore in revenue from this segment alone in the next 24 months." It won't be an easy task given that in the previous fiscal year to end-March 2014, it earned Rs 10,750 crore in overall turnover.
This year, it is on course to earn Rs 100 crore as delivery revenues from ecommerce firms, giving the department's claims a dark ring of incredulity as it is looking at a 50-fold jump in just two years. But officials point out that India Post had managed to expand ecommerce delivery revenues from Rs 20 crore toRs 100 crore in just a year, and given the explosive growth the sector is seeing, an exponential increase in revenues is not impossible. The department started cash on delivery pilots with Amazon in 2013. But the service picked up steam only in 2014, when it signed up players such as Flipkart, Snapdeal and Shopclues.
Karnataka and Haryana currently account for most ecommerce shipments followed by Delhi, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. India's onlineretail industry is expected to soar to $23 billion (Rs 1.4 lakh crore) by 2018 from about $2 billion in 2013. The overall ecommerce sector, including online travel bookings, is projected at $43 billion by 2018, according to Nomura. To be sure, India Post will not have it easy, competing as it will be with several large logistics firms such as FedEx, DTDC, Blue DartBSE 1.35 % and DHL as well as a rash of startups such as Ecom Express and Delhivery that have jumped on to the bandwagon.
For India Post, a 240-year-old straggler long fighting for relevance in a digital economy, the explosive growth in this new-age business has offered it a fresh lease of life and given it the luxury of dreaming big.
These dreams have been bolstered by firms such as Flipkart and Amazon signing up for its services and with the theatre of activity for the fastgrowing ecommerce sector now moving to the country's remote corners.
The Department of Posts is targeting a seemingly implausible 50-fold increase in ecommerce revenues. "With decline in document shipments, ecommerce is our department's new focus," a top official at the Department of Posts, told ET. "We are targeting Rs .5,000 crore in revenue from this segment alone in the next 24 months." It won't be an easy task given that in the previous fiscal year to end-March 2014, it earned Rs 10,750 crore in overall turnover.
This year, it is on course to earn Rs 100 crore as delivery revenues from ecommerce firms, giving the department's claims a dark ring of incredulity as it is looking at a 50-fold jump in just two years. But officials point out that India Post had managed to expand ecommerce delivery revenues from Rs 20 crore toRs 100 crore in just a year, and given the explosive growth the sector is seeing, an exponential increase in revenues is not impossible. The department started cash on delivery pilots with Amazon in 2013. But the service picked up steam only in 2014, when it signed up players such as Flipkart, Snapdeal and Shopclues.
Karnataka and Haryana currently account for most ecommerce shipments followed by Delhi, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. India's onlineretail industry is expected to soar to $23 billion (Rs 1.4 lakh crore) by 2018 from about $2 billion in 2013. The overall ecommerce sector, including online travel bookings, is projected at $43 billion by 2018, according to Nomura. To be sure, India Post will not have it easy, competing as it will be with several large logistics firms such as FedEx, DTDC, Blue DartBSE 1.35 % and DHL as well as a rash of startups such as Ecom Express and Delhivery that have jumped on to the bandwagon.
LEVERAGING ITS VAST NETWORK
India Post, founded as an arm of the East India Company, was a vital strategic institution for decades but its relevance declined dramatically as the rise of the Internet and use of emails for communication made its postcards and inland letters increasingly redundant.
But despite its mainstay business staring at oblivion, the department continued to have several advantages over its competitors, most notably its vast network of 1.5 lakh offices and an army of about 5.5 lakh employees across the country.
India Post has begun leveraging that strength now. It has begun training its postmen in ecommerce-specific requirements, such as accepting cash or card payments on delivery - crucial for online retailers in India - and handling same-day shipments. It also plans to open about 60 so called fulfilment centres, where goods are stored and sorted before deliveries, across the country this year for its ecommerce business.
For instance in Bengaluru, India Post will invest Rs 1 crore to decentralise packaging and ecommerce parcel services by establishing warehouses across the city, according to MS Ramanujan, Chief Post Master General, Karnataka Circle. To compete with DHL, India Post plans to buy land near the airport to establish a warehousecum-parcel centre, he said.
In Bengaluru and Gurgaon, India Post is already handling about 13,000 and 20,000 shipments, respectively, every day. "We are currently stretched to our limits. Opening ecommerce specific warehouses will lessen the load on post offices," said the official of the Department of Post, quoted earlier.
LESSONS FROM THE WEST
India Post can take heart from the experience of other countries where explosive growth of
ecommerce has changed fortunes of their state-run postal departments.
In the West, government postal services have gained the most from the ecommerce sector.
"The US Post is expected to earn half of its revenues from ecommerce package deliveries by 2020. Deutsche Post in Germany and Australia Post have also done well," said Arvind Singhal, head of retail advisory firm Technopak.
Its customers, many of whom are now looking to spread their wings in the hinterland to tap the market potential in India's small towns and villages, have good things to say.
"Given the vastness of our country, India Post plays a key role in offering a seamless experience for our customers who are located in the most remote parts of India," said Neeraj Aggarwal, senior director, supply chain, at Flipkart, which has been working with India Post since last year in addition to its own logistics firm Ekart.
India's ecommerce logistics market is expected to gross over Rs 7,200 crore ($1.2 billion) this year.
According to consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, ecommerce firms will need about 15 million sq ft of warehouse space by 2017, up from about 1.7 million sq ft available now. "Getting manpower for last-mile delivery and high expectations of same-day delivery due to technology integration are major challenges for us," said an official at a large ecommerce logistics player, declining to be identified. Shrinking air cargo space and rising costs have also put pressure on private companies to increase shipment rates. "I don't see shipment costs going down in 2015," said Mohit Tandon, cofounder at Gurgaon-based logistics startup Delhivery. India Post claims an advantage here, too.
Source : http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/
Postal department’s failure to deliver proves costly
Non-delivery of registered posts to the right addressee has cost the postal authorities dear with a consumer forum directing it to pay Rs.one lakh as compensation to an aggrieved consumer who lost his job due to the gross negligence.
Delivering an order on an appeal filed by V.Ravi of Auroville, the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, comprising its president Justice K.Venkataraman and member K.K. Rithia said, “It is a clear case of default, gross negligence and misdelivery on the part of postal authorities without ensuring delivery of the postal articles to the right addressee, which caused mental agony and loss to the complainant.”
V. Ravi of Morattandi was working as supervisor in Auro Food Limited and the company was taken over by the International Bakery Products Limited, Thiruchitrambalam. As he fell sick and was extending the medical leave, the company conducted an inquiry against him by employing a domestic inquiry officer. He replied to the officer’s letter stating that his health condition did not permit him to attend the inquiry. Subsequently, he was informed that a further inquiry would be intimated to him. However, the company later terminated his services without any intimation. When Ravi contacted the inquiry officer, he showed the proof of delivery of two letters sent by the company. Ravi was shocked to see them as he had not received the letters . The Senior Superintendent of Post Offices, Puducherry Division, replied that it was delivered to a third party by mistake and hence action was contemplated against the person, who delivered the letters.
Filing a consumer complaint in the District Consumer Forum, Puducherry in 2010, Mr. Ravi said due to the non-delivery of the letters , his life was ruined and his family members were put to mental stress besides costing him his job. The district forum dismissed his complaint holding that he was not entitled to any relief.
Hence Mr. Ravi preferred the appeal before the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
“It is a clear case of default, gross negligence and misdelivery’’
Source : http://www.thehindu.com/
UPU News : The IB goes green
A promise made, and a promise kept
The International Bureau, based in Berne, Switzerland, which acts as the Union’s secretariat and employs some 260 people, emitted the equivalent of about 1'000 tonnes of CO2 in 2012. This is 33% less than in 2008, taking into account the same sources.
A promise made, and a promise kept. During the 2009 UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, the UPU director general pledged to reduce the International Bureau’s carbon emissions by 20% by 2012 (compared to 2008 levels). This was in response to the UN secretary general’s call for UN agencies, funds and programmes to lead by example by adopting greener approaches to managing their operations, resources and facilities.
The International Bureau took several steps to deliver on its promise, including renovating its building facade, cutting down on staff travel, investing in more energy-efficient IT equipment, and reducing paper consumption. The renovation work alone netted energy savings of 42%, as well as a 48% reduction in heating oil consumption.
Efforts to further reduce the International Bureau’s environmental footprint will continue.
Moving Towards a Climate Neutral UN: The UN System's Footprint and Efforts to Reduce It
Results of the UPU and 50 UN agencies (2014 edition).
Download [3MB]
International Bureau emission-reduction strategy
Moving the UPU towards climate neutrality is an opportunity: in our efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of our activities, we are also uncovering more efficient and more intelligent management tool for our organization.
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Validity of Self Attested Documents
Press
Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
26-February-2015
13:49 IST
Validity
of Self Attested Documents
It is a
constant endeavour of the Government to simplify procedures by introduction of
self certification. For this, all Central Ministries / Departments as well as
State Government / UTs have been requested to review the existing requirement
in this regard and make provision for self certification, wherever possible.
Response from 25 States / UTs has been received indicating action taken by
them.
Different organizations prescribe different criteria for attestation, subject to statutory and legal provisions. As per its mandate, Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances has been requesting them to adopt self-certification, wherever possible, as a measure of administrative reform.
This was stated by the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and Minister of State in Prime Minister’s office Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply to a question by Shri Narendra Kumar Kashyap in the Rajya Sabha today.
Highlights of Railway Budget 2015
| 1 | The most-expected part about this year's Railway Budget - there is no increase in passsenger rail fares. |
| 2 | Rs.8.5 lakh crore will be invested in Railways in next 5 years. |
| 3 | 'Operation 5 mins', wherein passengers travellling unreserved can purchase a ticket in 5 minutes. |
| 4 | Bio toilets and airplane-type vaccum toilets in trains. |
| 5 | Surveillance cameras in select coaches and ladies compartments for women's safety without compromising on privacy. |
| 6 | Rail tickets can now be booked 120 days in advance. |
| 7 | Speed on nine railway corridors to go up to 200 km per hour. |
| 8 | Wi-Fi in more stations, mobile phone charging facilities in all train compartments. |
| 9 | Facility of online booking of wheelchair for senior citizens. |
| 10 | Satellite railway terminals in major cities. |
| 11 | Centrally managed Rail Display Network is expected to be introduced in over 2K stations over the next 2 years. |
| 12 | All india 24/7 helpline - 138 from March 2015 ; Toll free No.182 for security. |
| 13 | 917 road under-bridges and over-bridges to be constructed to replace 3,438 railway crossings; at a cost of Rs. 6,581 crore. |
| 14 | Four Railway Research Centres to start in four universities. |
| 15 | Details about new trains and increased frequency will be announced later in this session of Parliament after review. |
What is the investment plan?
The Railway Budget envisages an investment of Rs. 8.5 lakh crore in next five years.
How is it going to be mobilized?
The Minister suggested that the money could be raised from multiple sources - from multilateral development banks to pension funds.
What is the action plan in the sphere fund raising?
Go in for partnership with key stakeholders - States, PSUs, partner with multilateral and bi-lateral organizations other governments to gain access to long-term financing. Also, get technology from overseas. The private sector could be roped in to improve last-mile connectivity, expand fleet of rolling stock and modernize station infrastructure.
What is the thrust?
The thrust will be on revamping management practices, systems, processes, and re-tooling of human resources.
What is the proposal on capacity augmentation?
1. De-congesting networks with basket of traffic-generating projects will be the priority
2. Priority to last-mile connectivity projects
3. Fast-track sanctioned works on 7,000 kms of double/third/fourth lines
4. Commissioning 1200 km in 2015-16 at an investment of Rs. 8,686 crore, 84% higher Y-O-Y.
5. Commissioning 800 km of gauge conversion targeted in current fiscal.
6. 77 projects covering 9,400 km of doubling/tripling/quadrupling works along with electrification, covering almost all States, at a cost of Rs. 96,182 crore, which is over 2700% higher in terms of amount sanctioned.
7. Traffic facility work is a top priority with an outlay of Rs. 2374 crore .
8. Award of 750 km of civil contracts and 1300 km of system contracts in 2015-16 on Dedicated
9. Freight Corridor (DFC); 55 km section of Eastern DFC to be completed in the current year.
10. Preliminary engineering-cum-traffic survey (PETS) for four other DFCs in progress.
11. Acceleration of pace of Railway electrification: 6,608 route kilometers sanctioned for 2015-16, an increase of 1330% over the previous year.
Source : http://www.thehindu.com/
EDITORIAL POSTAL CRUSADER MARCH-2015
MAKE THE 28th APRIL -2015 PARLIAMENT MARCH
ON THE CALL OF NATIONAL COUNCIL JCM
A HISTORIC SUCCESS.
The Central Government is reluctant to settle the justified and genuine demands of Central Government employees i.e. 100% D.A. merger, 25% Interim Relief, Inclusion of GDS in 7th CPC , Date of Effect 1.1.2014 , Scrapping of New Pension Scheme , filing up of vacant posts, in all Department’s , withdrawal of contractrization and out sourcing policy, removal of 5% ceiling on compassionate appointments, Removal of MACP related anomalies , Revision of OTA Rates including some other demands.
Joint Consultative Machinery which was formed for the redressal of grievances of Central Government Employees by negotiations has been made defunct and no meeting has been held after 2010. After constitution of 7th CPC the views of Staff Side N.C. JCM has not been taken into account. The Terms of Reference of 7th CPC were declared unilaterally and agreed draft of Terms of Reference submitted by Staff Side was not given cognizance. The Minister in P.M.O. Shri Jitendra Singh replied in response to the question raised by some MPs that Government is not going to grant 100% or 50% D.A. Merger , 25% Interim Relief and inclusion of GDS in 7th CPC.
In the back ground of all these developments a National Convention of all constituents of National Council JCM was convened in New Delhi on 11th December-2014. All the participants’ organizations vehemently opposed the policies of Central Government.
After detailed deliberations it was decided that a massive Parliament March will be organized in New Delhi on 28th April-2015 in which the date of Indefinite Strike will be declared. Intensive preparation campaign is going on. NJCA was formed at National level in which the top leaders of AIRF, NFIR, AIDEF, NDWF, Confederation, NFPE and FNPO are included. State JCAs have been formed in most of the circles and State conventions have also been held and wherever it has not been formed the state leadership has been asked to complete this work very soon.
It has been decided to mobilize 100000 one lakh Central Government Employees to participate in Parliament March. Quota has been fixed as 50000 for Railways, 30000 for Defence and 30000 for Confederation. Confederation has allotted quota to NFPE as 10000. Accordingly NFPE has also allotted quota to each affiliated union. Comrades, as we know that whatever we have achieved that is because of struggles only. The present government is functioning to give maximum benefit to the corporates and capitalists. It is not at all concerned about the working class. It started disinvestment in PSUs, Declared 100% FDI in Railway and 49 % FDI in Defence. The recommendations of Task Force Committee headed by TSR Subramaniam .are big danger for Deptt of Post which has paved the way of privatization through Corporatization.
Confederation of C.G.E&W and NFPE have given separate programmes of agitation which should be observed with great enthusiasm.
NFPE calls upon the entire Postal, RMS and GDS employees to make all the programmes a grand success and mobilize the maximum number employees, more than the quota allotted to each affiliated union to take part in the Parliament March on 28th April-2015 on call of National Council JCM to make it a historic success.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Notification for “Stamp Design Competition
Department of Posts is holding a Stamp
Design Competition. The theme of the competition is Women Empowerment.
2.
The Terms and Conditions to participate in the competition are as follows:-
i.
Entries
are invited for Stamp Design Competition. The participants are to make
an original design on this subject (should not be copy of picture painted by
someone else).
ii.
Any
citizen of India can participate in this contest. The design could be in ink,
water colour, oil colour or any other medium (computer printed/printout will
not be allowed). The design submitted should be such that can be depicted on
the stamps in a visually appealing manner so as to be of interest to philatelic
collectors.
iii.
Participants
are free to use drawing paper, art paper or any other type of white paper of A4
Size.
iv.
The
following particulars should be written legibly on the reverse of the design:
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1.
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Name of the participant*
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|
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2.
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Age*
|
|
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3.
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Gender
|
|
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4.
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Nationality*
|
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5.
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Full and complete residential address with Pin code
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6.
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Phone/Mobile Number*
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7.
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E-Mail ID (if available)
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v.
An
undertaking stating that ‘The artwork submitted is original and no copyright
issues are involved’ should be sent along with the entry. In case of any legal
dispute related to copyright issue, Department of Posts will not be liable for
the same.
vi.
The
design should be sent without being folded, through “Speed Post” only, in A4
size envelope. The participants should mention “Stamp Design Contest” on
the envelope in which the drawing is sent.
vii.
The
prize winning designs will be considered for use on stamps and other philatelic
material. The prize money will be as follows:-
First prize 10.000/-
Second prize 6,000/-
Third prize 4,000/-
viii.
The
entries should reach on the following address by 15.04.2015.The entries
received after the last date of receipt will not be entertained.
To,
ADG (Philately)
Room No. 108(B), Dak Bhawan, Parliament Street,
New Delhi- 110001
Stage set for All India Postal Kabaddi
The 28th All India India Post Kabaddi Tournament will be held at the Patliputra Sports Complex in Patna from February 23 to 26. This was announced by Parimal Sinha, director of Postal Services at a Press conference in Patna on February 22, 2015.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Healthcare Facilities to Handle Cancer Cases
Press
Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Government of India
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
24-February-2015
13:19 IST
Healthcare
Facilities to Handle Cancer Cases
Cancer
can be diagnosed and treated at various levels in the Government health care
system. However, the number of teletherapy machines in the country is less than
the norms of WHO and International Atomic energy Agency (IAEA). While health is
a state subject, the Central Government supplements the efforts of the state
governments for improving healthcare including prevention, diagnosis and
treatment of cancer.
The Government of India had launched a comprehensive National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke (NPCDCS) in 2010 with focus on three sites of cancer namely breast, cervical and oral Cancer. From 2013-14 onwards, interventions under NPCDCS for prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment of Cancer, which can be taken up upto district level, have been brought under the umbrella of National Health Mission.
In addition, the Government of India under “Strengthening of Tertiary Care of Cancer” scheme of NPCDCSwill assist 20 State Cancer Institutes (SCI) and 50 Tertiary Care Cancer Centres (TCCC) in different parts of the country. The maximum assistance inclusive of State Share for SCI is Rs.120 crores and for TCCC is Rs.45 crores.
The treatment of Cancer patients in various Government Hospitals is either free or subsidized both for the Central and State Government Hospitals. In addition to Cancer diagnosis and treatment by the State Governments Health Institutes, the Central Government Institutions such as All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Safdurjung Hospital, Dr Ram ManoharLohia Hospital, PGIMER Chandigarh, JIPMER Puducherry, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata, etc. provide facilities for diagnosing and treatment of Cancer.
Oncology in its various aspects has focus in case of new AIIMS and many upgraded institutions under PradhanMantriSwasthyaSurakshaYojna (PMSSY). Moreover, to increase the number of seats in Super speciality course in Medical Oncology, Surgical Oncology and broad speciality course in Radiotherapy, the ratio of number of Post-Graduate (PG) teachers to the number of students to be admitted has been now increased to 1:3 for a Professor subject to a maximum of 6 PG seats per unit per academic year. Setting up of National Cancer Institute at Jhajjar (Haryana) and 2nd campus of Chittranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata has been approved.
The list of medicines specified in the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) which are included in the First Schedule of Drug Pricing Control Order (DPCO), 2013 also contain drugs used for the treatment of Cancer. 489 NLEM (drug formulations) medicines for which ceiling prices have been notified under DPCO, 2013, includes 47 anti-Cancer medicines. No person is authorized to sell any such formulation to any consumer at a price exceeding the ceiling price fixed by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) under Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers.
Financial assistance to Below Poverty Line (BPL) patients is available under the RashtriyaArogyaNidhi (RAN). Besides this, the Health Minister’s Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF) within the RashtriyaArogyaNidhi has been set up in 2009 wherein 27 erstwhile Regional Cancer Centres (RCCs) are provided with revolving funds to provide immediate financial assistance upto Rs.2.00 lakh to BPL Cancer patients.
The Health Minister, Shri J P Nadda stated this in a written reply in the RajyaSabha here today.
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