RMS EMPLOYEES OF BANGALORE TD SORTING OFFICE COMMENCED INDEFINITE STRIKE UNDER THE BANNER OF JCA (NFPE/FNPO) AGAINST THE UNILATERAL SHIFTING OF BANGALORE TD SORTING OFFICE TO BANGALORE RMS OFFICE. BANGALORE HIGH COURT HAS ORDERED VACATING THE BANGALORE TD SORTING OFFICE BUILDING BEFORE 31.12.2011.
THE SUGGESTIONS OF THE UNIONS TO SHIFT THE OFFICE TO RMS BHAWAN, G.P.O OR SOME OTHER OFFICE IS NOT AGREED BY THE ADMINISTRATION. DEPARTMENT IS NOT READY TO GO ON APPEAL TO SUPREME COURT ALSO. NFPE HAS INTERVENED AT DIRECTORATE LEVEL AND DISCUSSIONS TOOK PLACE WITH MEMBER (OPERATION).
DIRECTIONS HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO CPMG KARNATAKA CIRCLE TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE WITH THE STAFF UNIONS TO FIND OUT A SOLUTION.
NFPE ADDRESSED TO POSTAL DIRECTORATE
ON MERGER OF BANGALORE TD SORTING TO BANGALORE RMS AND SHIFTING OF AHRO III TO BANGALORE G.P.O.
No.PF-45/2011 Dated : 02nd August, 2011
It is reported that Karnataka Circle administration has ordered merger of Bangalore TD Sorting to Bangalore RMS and shifting of AHRO III to Bangalore GPO without consulting the Staff unions, which has caused protest and resentment among the staff.
It is a fact there is a High Court Order for vacating the present building in which the Bangalore TD Sorting Office is housed but the Department has not made any attempt to find out alternative accommodation which is available. The Court has given time up to 31.12.2011.There is enough vacant space in the RMS Bhawan, RT Nagar H.P.O. and Bangalore GPO Building. The facilities are and accommodation available in the proposed venue of the RMS Building is not at all sufficient accommodating the Bangalore TD Sorting Office with existing staff and material. It is feared that the Department is trying to implement the Mail Network optimization Project by merging the office which is against the sprit of understanding reached with the staff side during discussion on strike Charter of Demands.
The entire RMS employees are on strike under the banner of JCA (NFPE & FNPO) protesting unilateral and highhanded action of Circle administration.
Therefore, we would urge upon you to kindly intervene in the matter and issue necessary instructions to Karnataka Circle administration not to merge the Bangalore TD Sorting Office and AHRO III.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Classes of Pension
Superannuation
A superannuation pension shall be granted to a Government servant who is retired on his attaining the age of 60 years.
Retiring Pension:
A retiring pension shall be granted to a Government servant who retires, or is retired before attaining the age of Superannuation or to a Government servant who, on being declared surplus opts, for voluntary retirement.
Voluntary Retirement:
Any Government servant can apply for voluntary retirement, three months in advance, only after the completion of twenty years of his qualifying service, provided there is no vigilance or Departmental Enquiry pending /initiated against him/her.
Invalid Pension:
Invalid Pension may be granted if a Government servant applies for retirement from the service on account of any bodily or mental infirmity which permanently incapacitates him/her for the service. The request for invalid pension has to be supported by medical report from the competent medical board.
Compensation Pension:
If a Government servant is selected for discharge owing to the abolition of a permanent post, he shall, unless he is appointed to another post the conditions of which are deemed by the authority competent to discharge him/her to be at least equal to those of his own, have the option –
(a) of taking compensation pension to which he may be entitled for the service he had rendered, or
(b) of accepting another appointment on such pay as may be offered and continuing to count his previous service for pension.
Compulsory Retirement Pension:
A Government servant compulsorily retired from service as a penalty may be granted, by the authority competent to impose such penalty, pension or gratuity, or both at a rate not less than two-thirds and not more than full compensation pension or gratuity, or both admissible to him on the date of his compulsory retirement. The pension granted or allowed shall not be less than Rs. 3500/- p.m.
Compassionate Allowance:
(i) A Government servant who is dismissed or removed from service shall forfeit his pension and gratuity:
Provided that the authority competent to dismiss or remove him from service may, if the case is deserving of special consideration, sanction a compassionate allowance not exceeding two-thirds of pension or gratuity or both which would have been admissible to him if he had retired on compensation pension.
(ii) A compassionate allowance sanctioned under the proviso to sub-rule (i) shall not be less than the amount of Rupees one thousand nine hundred and thirteen per mensem.
Extraordinary Pension:
Extraordinary Pension in the form of Disability pension/extraordinary family pension may be paid to the Government servant/his family if disablement/death (or the aggravation of disablement/death)of the Government servant, during his service, are attributed to the Government service. For the award of extraordinary pension, there should thus be a casual connection between disablement and Government service; and death and Government service, for attributability or aggravation to be conceded. The quantum of the pension, however, depends upon the category of the disablement/death.
Government servants appointed on or after 1.1.2004 are not covered by the CCS(Extraordinary Pension) Rules.
Family Pension:
Family pension is granted to the widow / widower and where there is no widow / widower to the children of a Government servant who entered in service in a pensionable establishment on or after 01/01/1964 but on or before 31.12.2003 or having entered service prior to that date came to be governed by the provisions of the Family Pension Scheme for Central Government Employees, 1964 if such a Government servant-
(i) dies while in service on or after 01/01/1964 or
(ii) retired/died before 31.12.1963 or
(iii) retires on or after 01/01/1964
and at the time of his death was in receipt of pension.
Family pension is payable to the children up to 25 years of their age, or marriage or till they start earning a monthly income exceeding Rs.3,500/- + DA admissible from time to time p.m. whichever is earlier.
Widow daughter / divorced daughter/ unmarried daughter of deceased Government servant is also entitled for the family pension till her remarriage or up to life time or starts earning a monthly income exceeding Rs.3,500/- + DA admissible from time to time p.m. whichever is earlier.
Family pension is also payable to the dependent parents of deceased Government servants w.e.f. 01/01/98, where there is no claimant i.e. spouse or child for family pension, alive.
If the son or daughter, of a Government servant is suffering from any disorder or disability of mind or is physically crippled or disabled so as to render him or her unable to earn a living even after attaining the age of 25 years, the family pension can continue to be paid for life time subject to conditions.
A superannuation pension shall be granted to a Government servant who is retired on his attaining the age of 60 years.
Retiring Pension:
A retiring pension shall be granted to a Government servant who retires, or is retired before attaining the age of Superannuation or to a Government servant who, on being declared surplus opts, for voluntary retirement.
Voluntary Retirement:
Any Government servant can apply for voluntary retirement, three months in advance, only after the completion of twenty years of his qualifying service, provided there is no vigilance or Departmental Enquiry pending /initiated against him/her.
Invalid Pension:
Invalid Pension may be granted if a Government servant applies for retirement from the service on account of any bodily or mental infirmity which permanently incapacitates him/her for the service. The request for invalid pension has to be supported by medical report from the competent medical board.
Compensation Pension:
If a Government servant is selected for discharge owing to the abolition of a permanent post, he shall, unless he is appointed to another post the conditions of which are deemed by the authority competent to discharge him/her to be at least equal to those of his own, have the option –
(a) of taking compensation pension to which he may be entitled for the service he had rendered, or
(b) of accepting another appointment on such pay as may be offered and continuing to count his previous service for pension.
Compulsory Retirement Pension:
A Government servant compulsorily retired from service as a penalty may be granted, by the authority competent to impose such penalty, pension or gratuity, or both at a rate not less than two-thirds and not more than full compensation pension or gratuity, or both admissible to him on the date of his compulsory retirement. The pension granted or allowed shall not be less than Rs. 3500/- p.m.
Compassionate Allowance:
(i) A Government servant who is dismissed or removed from service shall forfeit his pension and gratuity:
Provided that the authority competent to dismiss or remove him from service may, if the case is deserving of special consideration, sanction a compassionate allowance not exceeding two-thirds of pension or gratuity or both which would have been admissible to him if he had retired on compensation pension.
(ii) A compassionate allowance sanctioned under the proviso to sub-rule (i) shall not be less than the amount of Rupees one thousand nine hundred and thirteen per mensem.
Extraordinary Pension:
Extraordinary Pension in the form of Disability pension/extraordinary family pension may be paid to the Government servant/his family if disablement/death (or the aggravation of disablement/death)of the Government servant, during his service, are attributed to the Government service. For the award of extraordinary pension, there should thus be a casual connection between disablement and Government service; and death and Government service, for attributability or aggravation to be conceded. The quantum of the pension, however, depends upon the category of the disablement/death.
Government servants appointed on or after 1.1.2004 are not covered by the CCS(Extraordinary Pension) Rules.
Family Pension:
Family pension is granted to the widow / widower and where there is no widow / widower to the children of a Government servant who entered in service in a pensionable establishment on or after 01/01/1964 but on or before 31.12.2003 or having entered service prior to that date came to be governed by the provisions of the Family Pension Scheme for Central Government Employees, 1964 if such a Government servant-
(i) dies while in service on or after 01/01/1964 or
(ii) retired/died before 31.12.1963 or
(iii) retires on or after 01/01/1964
and at the time of his death was in receipt of pension.
Family pension is payable to the children up to 25 years of their age, or marriage or till they start earning a monthly income exceeding Rs.3,500/- + DA admissible from time to time p.m. whichever is earlier.
Widow daughter / divorced daughter/ unmarried daughter of deceased Government servant is also entitled for the family pension till her remarriage or up to life time or starts earning a monthly income exceeding Rs.3,500/- + DA admissible from time to time p.m. whichever is earlier.
Family pension is also payable to the dependent parents of deceased Government servants w.e.f. 01/01/98, where there is no claimant i.e. spouse or child for family pension, alive.
If the son or daughter, of a Government servant is suffering from any disorder or disability of mind or is physically crippled or disabled so as to render him or her unable to earn a living even after attaining the age of 25 years, the family pension can continue to be paid for life time subject to conditions.
HIKE RATE OF RETURN ON GPF, PANEL ADVISES GOVT
Dear Comrades!
you are aware that the Confederation has been demanding for the enhancement of the interest rate on the GPF of Central Government Employees and this had been one of the demands of the CG Employees Charter. Now according to the PTI, a Parliamentary Panel headed by the former Finance Minister Sri. Yashwant Sinha has recommended hike to the GPF interest rates. We are reproducing the news item [Central Government Employees News]:
A Parliamentary panel today asked the Central government to increase the rate of return on provident fund for its employees in the light of rising bank rates and EPFO's decision to hike its rate to 9.5% for 2010-11.
"The rate of interest on General Provident Fund (GPF) which is pegged at 8% may be reviewed so that government employees are not put to any disadvantage more so now when the interest rates for bank deposits has also been raised," the Standing Committee on Finance suggested in its report.
If the suggests of the panel finds favour from the government, over 50 lakh Centre's employees will stand to benefit.
The panel headed by former Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha, pointed out that retirement fund body Employees Provident Fund Organiation has also increased rate of interest on PF deposits to 9.5% for 2010-11 from 8%.
The EPFO had been paying 8.5% interest on PF deposits since 2005-06. In September last year, it had recommended an increase in interest rate to 9.5% for 2010-11 after discovering Rs 1,731 crore surplus in their books of accounts.
In the present scenario, the bank rates are also increasing. Reserve Bank of India has increased its short term lending and borrowing rates by half a percentage point to 8 and 7%, respectively in its recent quarterly review unveiled on July 26.Following the central bank's rate hike, some private and public sector have also hiked their rates.
Press Trust of India / New Delhi August 02, 2011
STUDY TO BE CARRIED OUT ON POSTMEN RELATED ISSUES.
Government of India
No 25-20/2008-PE-I (Pt.)
Ministry of Communications & IT
Department of Posts
(Establishment Division.
Dated Bhawan, Sansad Marg
New Delhi-110 001
Dated 22nd July, 2011
To,
All Heads of Circles
Subject:-Study to be carried out on Postmen related issues.
Sir/Madam,
The Joint Council of Action of Staff Federations including Postmen Staff submitted their Agenda of demands to the Department for their resolution. As ordered by the Competent Authority, a separate Committee has been formed to look into the issues flagged by the Postmen Unions. A meeting of the said Committee held on 01.07.2011, wherein during the course of discussion, Staff side put forward certain issues on which they are facing difficulties while discharging their duties.
2. In this connection, therefore, the Competent Authority has decided that each Circle should carry out detailed study on following issues:-
(i) Extraction of Data Entry Work from Postmen.
(ii) Irregular computation of working hours for Postmen in the field units- assess
all areas of work being handled by Postmen.
(iii) Assess the average Beat Length of Postmen for deciding the maximum
Beat length as in some Circles it stretched upto 40 Kms or more.
(iv) Postmen to carry all articles (first class, second class, Speed Post,
Registered Post, Money Orders, EPP, etc.) in each Beat.
3. It is requested to complete the Study on above points and send the report alongwith the comments of CIFA to this office by 19th August, 2011 positively so that further suitable action could be taken.
4 It may please be accorded Top Priority.
This issues with the approval of the Competent Authority.
Yours Sincerely
(Prabhu Das Xalxo)
Asstt. Director General (Estt.I)
Note: All Circle Secretaries / Divisional Secretaries and Branch Secretaries are requested to keep watch on the Survey of the Beats done by the Administration and intimate developments to P-4 CHQ.
SCHEME FOR ENGAGEENT OF GDS ON COMPASSIONATE GROUNDS- MERIT POINTS AND PROCEDURE FOR SELECTION – REVISED PROVISIONS THEREOF.
Attention of all concerned is invited to this Directorate letter of even number dated 14 Dec 2010 under which the scheme for engagement of GDS on compassionate grounds with merit points & procedure for selection was circulated and made effective for all the compassionate engagement cases to be considered on or after 01.01.2011
2. The Scheme has recently been reviewed in this Directorate and in partial modification to the existing provisions contained in Para 7 of the Scheme, the following revised provisions may be substituted:-
(a) The existing ceiling of 10% is removed. All requests for compassionate engagement would be considered by the Circle Relaxation Committee on application of the relative merit points prescribed in this Directorate letter dated 14.12. 2010 in hard and deserving cases only subject to availability of the vacancy for the purpose & fulfillment of the terms and conditions of the GDS post. The term "hard and deserving cases" would mean cases over and above 50 merit points.
(b) All cases that are more than 5 years old or in which there is/are earning members(s) in the joint families hithertofare considered initially by the Circle Relaxation Committee and prescribed to be referred to this Directorate for approval would also be decided by the Circle Relaxation Committee concerned without further reference to this Directorate.
(c) All other provisions contained in the Scheme dated 14.12. 2010 shall continue to apply as already prescribed and all compassionate engagement shall be approved within the ambit of the prescribed Scheme only.3. The revised provisions shall take effect from the date of application of the original Scheme. However, no past case decided in accordance with the original scheme prior to issue of this order shall be reopened. All cases lying undecided for whatever reasons may be decided only by the Circle Relaxation Committee without any further reference to this Directorate
2. The Scheme has recently been reviewed in this Directorate and in partial modification to the existing provisions contained in Para 7 of the Scheme, the following revised provisions may be substituted:-
(a) The existing ceiling of 10% is removed. All requests for compassionate engagement would be considered by the Circle Relaxation Committee on application of the relative merit points prescribed in this Directorate letter dated 14.12. 2010 in hard and deserving cases only subject to availability of the vacancy for the purpose & fulfillment of the terms and conditions of the GDS post. The term "hard and deserving cases" would mean cases over and above 50 merit points.
(b) All cases that are more than 5 years old or in which there is/are earning members(s) in the joint families hithertofare considered initially by the Circle Relaxation Committee and prescribed to be referred to this Directorate for approval would also be decided by the Circle Relaxation Committee concerned without further reference to this Directorate.
(c) All other provisions contained in the Scheme dated 14.12. 2010 shall continue to apply as already prescribed and all compassionate engagement shall be approved within the ambit of the prescribed Scheme only.3. The revised provisions shall take effect from the date of application of the original Scheme. However, no past case decided in accordance with the original scheme prior to issue of this order shall be reopened. All cases lying undecided for whatever reasons may be decided only by the Circle Relaxation Committee without any further reference to this Directorate
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Sibal to convert 1.5 lakh POs into banks; to seek RBI nod
The humble post office is all set to undergo a radical change with a proposal to convert over 1.5 lakh post offices across the nation into full fledged banks on the anvil.
Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal wants to reach out to the masses in the rural areas with modern banking facilities through the post offices.
"We want to commercialise the department. We will seek a licence from the RBI to convert all our post offices into banks," Sibal told PTI.
The lack of modern banking facilities in rural areas and dependence of villagers on informal sector for their credit requirements has prompted the government to work on financial inclusion by way of setting up 'postal banks'.
"The State Bank of India can't build branches all over India, but there are post offices across India. The branches are already there, so infrastructure expenditure is not required. So you can actually give banking facilities at relatively lower costs, which would be extremely beneficial to people," he said.
The post offices currently offer financial services like savings bank, postal life insurance, pension payments and money transfer services. Its total corpus stood at Rs 5,82,832.9 crore as on March 31, 2011.
DoP's revenues grew 11 per cent to Rs 6,954.09 crore in 2010-2011 from Rs 6,266.70 crore in the previous fiscal.
However, negative growth rate in some circles has pushed the Department's deficit to Rs 6,625 crore in FY'11, almost equal to the annual revenue of the Department.
"I want to make the (postal) system commercialised. By corporatising over 1.5 lakh post offices across the country, the ministry is expecting to improve the quality of services, increase profitability and reduce prices," Sibal said.
Out of the 22 DoP circles, some circles like Chhattisgarh have reported a negative growth of 19 per cent, Jharkhand 18 per cent and North East 15.9 per cent, whereas Assam (23.7 per cent), Haryana (19.5 per cent), Karnataka (13.5 per cent) and Tamil Nadu (13.9 per cent), recorded positive growth.
Among other steps, the Minister has asked members of Postal Services Board (PSB) to ensure 20 per cent revenue growth on sustainable basis.
Each member of the PSB has been asked to identify, commercialise and operationalise five major schemes of the Indian government, and partner with 5 PSUs and 10 corporate houses for commercial tie-ups with India Post with revenue potential of at least Rs 50 crore each.
DoP is also believed to be working towards setting up ATMs and offer debit cards for its customers.
"My vision is that post offices must become banks, so that an ordinary man can with Rs 10 open an account. We can set-up ATM machines for the e-banking...we can do e-retail," Sibal said.
According to officials, work for setting up 1,000 India Post ATMs is at an advanced stage and DoP has already held parleys with vendors on this front.
The Department is also working on providing skill development courses to its over 4.75 lakh employees with the Human Resources Development Ministry.
"The postman should also learn e-banking so that he can actually help the consumer on the ground. So, we are developing specialised skill development courses with the HRD Ministry," Sibal said.
Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal wants to reach out to the masses in the rural areas with modern banking facilities through the post offices.
"We want to commercialise the department. We will seek a licence from the RBI to convert all our post offices into banks," Sibal told PTI.
The lack of modern banking facilities in rural areas and dependence of villagers on informal sector for their credit requirements has prompted the government to work on financial inclusion by way of setting up 'postal banks'.
"The State Bank of India can't build branches all over India, but there are post offices across India. The branches are already there, so infrastructure expenditure is not required. So you can actually give banking facilities at relatively lower costs, which would be extremely beneficial to people," he said.
The post offices currently offer financial services like savings bank, postal life insurance, pension payments and money transfer services. Its total corpus stood at Rs 5,82,832.9 crore as on March 31, 2011.
DoP's revenues grew 11 per cent to Rs 6,954.09 crore in 2010-2011 from Rs 6,266.70 crore in the previous fiscal.
However, negative growth rate in some circles has pushed the Department's deficit to Rs 6,625 crore in FY'11, almost equal to the annual revenue of the Department.
"I want to make the (postal) system commercialised. By corporatising over 1.5 lakh post offices across the country, the ministry is expecting to improve the quality of services, increase profitability and reduce prices," Sibal said.
Out of the 22 DoP circles, some circles like Chhattisgarh have reported a negative growth of 19 per cent, Jharkhand 18 per cent and North East 15.9 per cent, whereas Assam (23.7 per cent), Haryana (19.5 per cent), Karnataka (13.5 per cent) and Tamil Nadu (13.9 per cent), recorded positive growth.
Among other steps, the Minister has asked members of Postal Services Board (PSB) to ensure 20 per cent revenue growth on sustainable basis.
Each member of the PSB has been asked to identify, commercialise and operationalise five major schemes of the Indian government, and partner with 5 PSUs and 10 corporate houses for commercial tie-ups with India Post with revenue potential of at least Rs 50 crore each.
DoP is also believed to be working towards setting up ATMs and offer debit cards for its customers.
"My vision is that post offices must become banks, so that an ordinary man can with Rs 10 open an account. We can set-up ATM machines for the e-banking...we can do e-retail," Sibal said.
According to officials, work for setting up 1,000 India Post ATMs is at an advanced stage and DoP has already held parleys with vendors on this front.
The Department is also working on providing skill development courses to its over 4.75 lakh employees with the Human Resources Development Ministry.
"The postman should also learn e-banking so that he can actually help the consumer on the ground. So, we are developing specialised skill development courses with the HRD Ministry," Sibal said.
Post office core banking
Post offices to offer core banking solution by next year:
In a major exercise to boost its profitability, the Department of Posts (DoP) plans to introduce core banking solution besides setting up India Post ATMs and debit cards for its customers."We have set target of bringing in core banking solution by 2012. It will ensure smooth online transactions. We are giving some e-payment services, but they are fragmented," a top offical from Department of Post said.He added that the work for setting up 1,000 India Post ATMs was in advanced stage and DoP had already held parleys with vendors on this front. "We will also issue debit cards to our existing savings account-holders," the source added.The DoP is tying up with banks so that customers can use their India Post debit card at any ATM machine pan-India. With a network reach of over 1.44 lakh post offices, DoP hopes to transform itself into a post bank."Yes, this is very much possible. We are offering three-fourth of a bank's services and have the widest reach. The infrastructure is almost ready. In fact, we have given this proposal to the Ministry of Finance and are waiting for its comments," he added.The lack of modern banking facilities in rural areas and dependence of villagers on informal sector for their credit requirements prompted government to establish a post bank. "The aim of establishing a post bank is to provide banking services to the rural poor who still do not have modern banking facilities and still have to depend on informal sector for their credit requirements," he said.The Planning Commission had allocated Rs 5 crore during the 11th Plan period towards this purpose under the head of 'studies and miscellaneous expenditure relating to setting up of Post Bank of India'. The DoP with its huge network already provides various financial services, including a post office savings bank, postal life insurance, pension payments and money transfer services.
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