Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Examination of GDS issues
The Department of Posts has constituted a committee headed by Shri DK Chauhan, CPMG Rajasthan Circle under No. 17-103/2007-GDS dated 24.02.2015 with the following terms of reference:
(a) Examining/Revision of existing provisions for filling up of vacant GDS posts (Other than GDS BPM)
(b) Examination/Review of existing point based system of assessing indigence for compassionate engagement
The Committee has been allowed a time of one month to submit its recommendation.
Postal JCA, Bhubaneswar ( NFPE Unions) conducted the lunch hour demonstration in front of Divisional Office on 03.03.2015 against Budget-2015
Com. B Samal Divisional Secretary, AIPEU, Group-C, Bhubaneswar Division and Convenor, Divisional JCA leaded the programme
Side-Effects of Harmful Radiation from Mobile Phones and Towers
Press
Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Government of India
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
03-March-2015
14:22 IST
Side-Effects
of Harmful Radiation from Mobile Phones and Towers
The
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has informed that in a number of studies it has been reported that exposure to
radiation from mobile phones causes adverse health effects. But there is no
conclusive data available so far on this issue, however the growing body of
scientific evidences indicates some bio-effects and possible adverse health
effects of Radio Frequency Radiation (RFR) which merit further investigations.
Even the World Health Organization (WHO) (2011) after reviewing the studies
published from year 2000 to 31st May 2011 classified the radio
frequency electromagnetic radiations/field emitted from wireless phone under
group 2 B-carcinogen category. Due to this fact numbers of countries have developed
health based precautionary guidelines for exposure of EMF from cell phone
towers including India.
The
ICMR has further informed that there is no scientific confirmed evidence that
use of mobile phones causes mental and physical diseases. There is no proven
scientific evidence yet to suggest that electromagnetic radiations emitted from
mobile phone may lead to cancer, tumour, mental imbalance, dementia, headache
and even it can damage DNA of a person.
The ICMR is
conducting a multi-disciplinary cohort study in Delhi & National Capital
Region (NCR) to find out adverse effects of Radio Frequency Radiation (RFR), if
any, emitted from cell phone on adult Indian population. Under this study
specific absorption rate, power density, wave length and frequency of RFR
emitted from various types of cell phones used by the enrolled subjects as well
as from cell phone towers installed at various places in Delhi are measured.
The physical characteristics of RFR emitted from various cell phones will be
correlated with the clinical & laboratory findings to examine whether use
of cell phone is associated with reproductive dysfunctions, male infertility,
neurological disorders (cognitive behavior, sleep related disorders, depression
etc.), cardiovascular disorders, Otorhinolaryngology (ENT) disorders and
promote cancer if any, in Human Volunteers.
In
addition to the above, the ICMR has also funded few studies on limited basis in
India to address this issue. The summary of the finding of the studies
conducted in India in this area given below:-
Click here to view detailsRecruitment Rules of Unani and Ayurvedic Pharmacists in CGHS Dispensaries
Press
Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Government of India
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
03-March-2015
14:31 IST
Recruitment
Rules of Unani and Ayurvedic Pharmacists in CGHS Dispensaries
Copy of Recruitment Rules of
Unani and Ayurvedic Pharmacists are placed below:-
MINISTRY OF
HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(Department of
Health)
New Delhi,
dated 22nd Jan, 1979
G.S.R. 482--In exercise of the powers conferred by the provisio to article 309
of the Constitution, the president hereby makes the following rules regulating
the method of recruitment to the post of Pharmaceutical staff under Central
Government Health Scheme Delhi (Group – ‘C’) Unani namely:-
1. Short title and commencement:
(1) These rules may be called Central Government Health
Scheme Delhi (Group ‘C’ Unani Recruitment Rules, 1978)
(2) They shall come into force from the date of their
publication in the official Gazette.
2.
Number , Classification and Scale of Pay:-
The number of the said posts its
classification and the scale of pay attached thereto shall be as specified in
columns 3 to 5 of the Schedule annexed to these rules.
3.
Method of recruitment, age limit, qualifications etc:-
The method of recruitment, age
limit, qualification and other matters relating to the said post shall be as
specified in columns 6 to 13 of the Schedule aforesaid.
4.
Disqualification:-
No Person -
(a) Who has entered into or
contracted a marriage with a person having a spouse living, or
(b) Who, having a spouse living, has
entered into or contracted a marriage with any person, shall be eligible for
appointment to the said post:
Provided that the Central Government may, if satisfied at such a
marriage is permissible under the personal law applicable to such person and
the other party to the marriage and that there are other grounds for so doing,
exempt any person from the operation of this rule.
5.
Power to relax:- Where the Central Government is of opinion
that it is necessary or expedient so to do, it may, by order, for reasons to be
recorded in writing relax any of the provisions of these rules with respect to
any class or category of persons.
6.
Savings:- Nothing in these rules shall affect reservations,
relaxation of age limit and other concessions required to be provided for the
Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and other special categories of persons
in accordance with the orders issued by the Central Government from time to
time in this regard.
Click Here to view details Department of Posts, Mail Motor Service, Senior Manager (Non-Functional Selection Grade), Senior Manager and Manager Recruitment Rules, 2015.
Click here to view the Gazette Notification dated 18th February, 2015
Indian Post Office (First Amendment) Rules, 2015
Notwithstanding anything contained in Sub-Rule (1), the insurance of all value payable articles on which the amount specified for recovery exceeds Rs.1500 other than excepted articles, shall be compulsory for at least the amount specified for recovery from the addressee.”
Click here to view the Gazette Notification, Dated 5th February, 2015
BANKING SERVICES IN POST OFFICES
GOVERNMENT
OF INDIA
MINISTRY
OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT
OF POSTS
RAJYA
SABHA
UNSTARRED
QUESTION NO.533
TO
BE ANSWERED ON 27th FEBRUARY, 2015
BANKING
SERVICES IN POST OFFICES
†533.
SHRI BHUPENDER YADAV:
Will
the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to
state:
(a)
whether Government proposes to entrust banking related services to the
Department of Posts;
(b)
whether all post offices in the country would also function as a bank;
and
(c)
if so, by when this work is likely to be completed?
ANSWER
THE
MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI
RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)
(a)
Yes Sir. The Department of Posts applied to the Reserve Bank of India for
issuance of license for setting up of Payments Bank on 30.01.2015.
(b)
No Sir. The Government does not propose to convert all post offices in the
country to function as a bank. However, Department of Posts applied for license
for setting up a
Payments Bank on 30.01.2015, which may utilize a part of existing resources
/infrastructure of the Department.
(c)
Date of completion of the above work will be depended on the decision of the
Reserve Bank of India.
************
GOVERNMENT
OF INDIA
MINISTRY
OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT
OF POSTS
RAJYA
SABHA
UNSTARRED
QUESTION NO.547
TO
BE ANSWERED ON 27th FEBRUARY, 2015
DEPARTMENT
OF POSTS ENTERING INTO BANKING SERVICES
†547.
SHRI RAM NATH THAKUR:
Will
the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to
state:
(a)
whether Government plans to establish Post Bank of India by converting the wide
network of post offices spread across the country into commercial banks, if so,
the details thereof;
(b)
whether the Department of Posts had expressed its intention before the
Government of entering into banking services in the rural areas during a
discussion on the suggestions of a task force constituted on India Post;
and
(c)
if so, the details thereof and the action plan made by Government in this
regard?
ANSWER
THE
MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI
RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)
(a)
The Government does not propose to convert the wide network of post offices
spread across the country into commercial banks. The proposed Post Bank of India
is envisaged as an independent entity.
(b)
During the discussions
on the suggestions put forward by task force constituted for leveraging the Post
Office Network, the Department of Posts expressed the view that it is ready to
enter into the banking space with focus on rural areas.
(c)
Based on a consideration of all relevant aspects, the Department of Posts has
submitted an application to Reserve Bank of India seeking License for setting up
a Payments Bank as an independent entity..
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
After 14th Finance Commission, 7th pay panel's report looms
Finance
minister Arun Jaitley at a press conference after the 14th Finance Commission
report. The Seventh Pay Commission will submit its report by October 2015.
Photo: AP
New
Delhi: After the recommendations of the Fourteenth Finance Commission (FFC)
forced the government to reduce its plan expenditure in the 2015-16 budget, the
Union finance ministry fears its revenues will remain constrained in 2016-17 as
well since it has to absorb the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission
(SPC) in that year.
The
SPC will submit its report by October 2015.
“The
7th Pay Commission impact may have to be absorbed in 2016-17. The phase of
consolidation, extended by one year, will also be spanning out in this period.
Thus, in the medium-term framework, the fiscal position will continue to be
stressed,” the finance ministry said in the macroeconomic framework statement
laid before Parliament along with the budget on Saturday.
The
Union Budget reduced the plan expenditure for the first time in many years by Rs.2,657
crore to Rs.4.7 trillion in 2015-16 from the revised estimate of 2014-15, as
the centre shared an additional Rs.1.86 trillion with states. The Finance
Commission has raised the untied share of states in net central taxes to 42%
from 32%.
The
tight fiscal situation forced the government to revise its fiscal consolidation
road map and set a less ambitious fiscal deficit target of 3.9% of the gross
domestic product (GDP) for 2015-16 against the earlier target of 3.6% set in
last year’s budget.
The
fiscal deficit of 4.1% for 2014-15 was also achieved through a sharp reduction
in plan expenditure up to Rs.1.1 trillion. Finance minister Arun Jaitley
in his budget speech said he had deferred the 3% fiscal deficit target to
fiscal 2017-18 from 2016-17.
The
government appointed the Seventh Pay Commission on 28 February 2014 under
chairman justice Ashok Kumar
Mathur with a timeline of 18 months to make its recommendations.
Though the deadline for submitting the report ends in August this year, the SPC
is likely to seek extension till October.
The
Sixth Pay Commission which was constituted in October 2006 had submitted its
report in March 2008.
As
a result of the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission, pay and allowances
of the Union government employees more than doubled between 2007-08 and
2011-12—from Rs.74,647 crore to Rs.166,792 crore, according to the Fourteenth
Finance Commission estimates.
“As
a ratio of GDP, it jumped from a little over 0.9% in 2007-08 to 1.2% in 2008-09
and about 1.4% in 2009-10 on account of both pay revision and payment of
arrears. However, it moderated to little over 1% in 2012-13,” the Finance
Commission said.
The
recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission were implemented by states with a
delay mainly between 2009-10 and 2011-12, with “significant expenditure outgo”
in arrears on both pay and pension counts, the FFC said.
The
FFC said that while the finance ministry projects an increase in pension
payments by 8.7% in 2015-16, a 30% increase is expected in 2016-17 on account
of the impact of the Seventh Pay Commission, followed by an annual growth rate
of 8% in subsequent years.
However,
it maintained that given the variations across states and the lack of knowledge
about the probable design and quantum of award of the Seventh Pay Commission,
it is neither feasible, nor practicable, to arrive at any reasonable forecast
of the impact of the pay revision on the Union government or the states.
“Further, any attempt to fix a number in this regard, within the ambit of our
recommendations, carries the unavoidable risk of raising undue expectations,”
added the Finance Commission.
A
senior Pay Commission official, speaking under condition of anonymity, said its
recommendations will surely have significant impact on the revenues of the
central government. “The 14th Finance Commission was at a disadvantage since it
did not have the benefit of the recommendations of the Pay Commission unlike
its predecessors,” he added.
N.R.
Bhanumurthy, professor at the National Institute of Public Finance
and Policy, said the FFC has tried to factor in the impact of the
recommendations of the SPC on the central government expenses. “The FFC report
shows the capital outlay of the central government will dip in 2016-17 to 1.4%
of GDP from 1.64% a year ago due to the implementation of the Pay Commission
recommendation before it starts rising to 2.9% of GDP by 2019-20,” he added.
The
FFC said that all states had asked it to provide a cushion for the pay revision
likely during the award period. The FFC advocated for a consultative mechanism
between the centre and states, through a forum such as the Inter-State Council,
to evolve a national policy for salaries and emoluments.
The
FFC also recommended that pay commissions be designated as Pay and Productivity
Commissions, with a clear mandate to recommend measures to improve productivity
of employees, in conjunction with pay revisions. “We recommend the linking of
pay with productivity, with a simultaneous focus on technology, skills and
incentives. We urge that, in future, additional remuneration be linked to
increase in productivity,” it said.
The
Pay Commission official quoted earlier said it has been mandated to recommend
incentive schemes to reward excellence in productivity, performance and
integrity, which it will do. “Though previous Pay Commissions have talked about
linking pay with productivity, the earlier governments have not accepted such
recommendations. Since this government has shown strong political will, we hope
they will accept our recommendations,” he added.
Source : http://www.livemint.com/
Government dept. unions demand wage revision
The Joint Council of Action (JCA), South Zone, representing unions of Railways, Defence, Postal and other Central government departments organised a demonstration near the Chennai Collectorate stressing various demands including wage revision and prevention of privatisation. They submitted a memorandum containing over 37 demands to the Collector after the demonstration.
More than 1,000 members of various unions including the Southern Railway Mazdoor Union (SRMU), All India Defence Employees Federation (AIDEF) and National Federation of Postal Employees (NFPE) took part in the two-hour long demonstration that started at noon.
Among the various demands were: to effect the Central Government Wage Revision for employees from January 1, 2014; ensure wage revision for employees once in five years; ban privatisation, public private partnerships or foreign direct investments in railways and defence establishments and give up corporatisation of postal services.
They also wanted the government to avoid outsourcing of government activities and withdraw the move to close down the printing presses, publication forms store, stationery departments and medical stores depots. The Unions also wanted the government to improve the condition of railway hospitals.
N. Kanniah, general secretary, SRMU and the convener of JCA, South Zone mentioned that this was the first time the ‘defence’ unions were taking part in a protest in association with other Central government Unions.
C. Srikumar, general secretary, AIDEF, said only the Railways offers 100 percent appointment on compassionate grounds — the other Central government departments offer only 5 percent.
“Due to this, hardly one or two candidate obtain jobs under this category every year. We want the government to remove this slab,” he added.
Source : http://www.thehindu.com/
Central Government staff demand early implementation of wage revision
Employees of Central government organisations staging a protest near the Collectorate in the city on Monday.— Photo: G. Moorthy
Members of the Joint Council of Action South Zone which represents employees from the Railway, Defence, Postal and other Central Government departments organised a protest meeting near the Collectorate premises here on Monday.
More than 300 members of various associations, including Southern Railway Mazdoor Union (SRMU), All India Defence Employees’ Federation (AIDEF) and National Federation of Postal Employees (NFPE), participated in the protest meeting. Zonal president Raja Sridhar and divisional secretary J.M. Rafiq addressed the meeting.
The members also submitted a petition at the Collectorate along with a copy of the demands adopted by the National Convention of the Central Government Employees in December 2014.
In their 37-point charter of demands, the employees asked for the implementation of wage revision for Central government employees, which should be done once in every five years.
‘No privatisation’
They also demanded that no privatisation or Foreign Direct Investment should be allowed in railways and defence establishments, and opposed corporatisation of postal services.
Among other things, they also opposed outsourcing and privatisation of governmental functions and asked the government to withdraw the proposed move to close down printing presses.
Stating that many residential quarters needed renovation, the employees urged the Central government to carry out repairs, not to compel staff to stay in inhabitable quarters, and pay house rent allowance.
Source : http://www.thehindu.com/
A piece of past, sealed and preserved
The post office in Thalayar is functioning since October 21, 1898
A sleepy village in Munnar has one of the oldest post offices in the country which is still in use.
Thalayar, a sleepy plantation village in Munnar, has carefully preserved a piece of its colonial past, housed in a typical tin-sheeted estate building of the British era. White letters on blue background scream out, ‘Post Office.’
History aficionados are welcome to go through the building’s origin, 117 years ago. Though the record is difficult to read, since the lower portion is damaged, the date of its setting up is legible. The post office was set up on October 21, 1898 and is one of the oldest post offices still in use in the country.
Munnar, replete with tea estates, had a wide communication network started by the British. The Thalayar post office was the third one in the region, the other two, at Munnar town and Devikulam, were launched in 1888 and 1892 respectively. The post office still works in a rented building of the estate company. India Post has employed three persons here, including a postmaster. The two post offices at Mattupetty and Marayur were later carved out of the area under the Thalayar post office, said a senior official here.
The original documents pertaining to the post office were intact just because of the determination of the British to keep, and protect, records of major happenings, he said.
There were also records of some of the transactions during the British era and these were later moved to a museum at Mysuru. “A few days ago, two postal employees from Germany visited the post office. British tourists too drop in to have a look,” he said. It is believed that the place got the name ‘Thalayar’ (meaning head of the river) during the British period as it is the originating place of the Pambar, one of the three east-flowing rivers of Kerala.
The post office was set up on October 21, 1898 and was part of the communication network started by the British in the Munnar region.
Source : http://www.thehindu.com/
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