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Thursday 31 December 2015




Circle conference of National Union of Postman & MTS at Karimnagar

The Circle conference of NUPE PM&MTS is going to be held at Karimnagar from 3.1.2016 to 5.1.2016 under the presidentship of Sri RAJABABU, Postman Akkayyapalem. Our all India leaders Sri D.Theyagarajan SG FNPO, Sri D.Kishanrao GS NAPE Gr-c and Sri TN Rahate GS NUPE PM&MTS will attend the meeting and address the conference. Hence all are requested to participate more in number and make the conference a grand success. 
Date .31.12.2015

Launch Of Post-Terminals For BPMs - Rural ICT Project




Department has launched issue of Post-Terminals (POTD Devices) to BPMs on pilot basis on 28.12.2015 in the states of U.P, Rajasthan and Bihar as part of implementation of RICT ( Rural Information & Communication Technology). 

Key highlights of RICT
  1. Branch Post Masters to be given a hand held device for day-to-day operations
  2. Through the hand held device, BPM will be able to do transactions for Core Banking, Insurance and Mail Operations
  3. Scanning of documents and barcodes through a scanner
  4. Regional language support on the handheld device
  5. Provision of solar panels for battery charging at all Branch office





Monday 28 December 2015


Date:28.12.2015

Rural post offices will soon get digitally connected


NEW DELHI: The communications and IT ministry is set to a launch a slew of schemes on December 28 that will seek to digitally connect rural post offices across the country and enable core banking facilities at 12,000 other post offices.

The ministry will also announce a programme to set up over 1,000 ATMs in three months for the convenience of post office savings bank customers.

Communications and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will launch the schemes to mark the 'Good Governance Day'.

The ambitious project to digitise all transactions made by postmen in rural India will include equipping branch postmasters with solar powered, biometric hand-held devices.

It will be launched at three pilot circles in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan. A senior government official told ET that the Good Governance Day will hence be a critical date for the government to measure its success in digitising governance and for setting new digitisation goals. The official said the government's attempt to mark the day on December 25 last year had become controversial and it was thus decided to shift it to December 28. "By March 2017, 1.30 lakh hand-held devices will be made available across rural branch offices. This instrument will revolutionise lives of people across villages," the official said.

Booking and delivery of Speed Post, registered mail, money orders, sale of stamps and postal stationary will be done through these devices and paper receipts will be generated instantaneously, the official said. "All financial transactions shall also be reconciled immediately and cash on delivery amount collected in the village will be immediately credited to the account of e-commerce company," the official said.

These devices will also facilitate biometric authentication of social security beneficiaries at the time of pay-out, "reducing leakage in the scheme", the official said.

The postal department has clocked revenue of Rs 980 crore in 2015 through cash on delivery and the figure is likely to cross Rs 1,500 crore by the end of the current financial year, the official said. The postal department has also set up 57 integrated state-ofthe-art parcel centres for booking, processing and delivery of ecommerce parcels.

The official said the postal department has this year offered more than 57,000 policies under the PM Suraksha Bima Yojana, PM Jeevan Jyoti Yojana and Atal Pension Yojana to post office savings bank account holders.

Date:27.12.2015


Attestation of Certificate by Gazetted Officers Abolished by Government





Path-breaking initiatives like discontinuation of affidavits for host of government services and ending job interviews for various posts from January 1 among other initiatives kept the Ministry of Personnel in news during 2015.

“The most revolutionary and path-breaking decision is abolition of attestation of certificates by gazetted officers instead promoting self-attestation,” Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh told.

He said the government took this decision as it was willing to trust citizens, more importantly it’s youth who will not give wrong information while submitting self-attested documents.

This decision has come as a big relief to common people, especially those living in rural areas, who had to take lot of pain in getting documents attested.

The Ministry also recently discontinued the practice of submission of affidavit by the family members of deceased government employees for the appointment on compassionate grounds.

Now people are required to submit self-declaration at the time of applying for compassionate appointment. All states and union territories have also been asked by the Centre to do away with practice of getting gazetted officer-signed affidavit and seek self-attestation.

Singh, a Lok Sabha member from Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur constituency, said soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement to end interviews from government jobs, his Ministry has acted on it.

“We have decided that from January 1, next year, the process of interview for Group C and D recruitments will be abolished,” he said, adding that these are some steps which nobody thought of in past over 60 years after country’s independence.



Date:28.12.2015





Saturday 26 December 2015

Date :26.12.2015

NUPE Group -C & NUGDS joint Circle Conference will be held at Tirupathi from 14.02.2016 to 16.02.2016

NUGDS Conference will be conducted 14.02.2016 to 15.02.2016 (Two days)

Give maximum publicity in the Divisions.

Book your journey tickets as early as possible.

Admission Of Children Of GDS In Kendriya Vidyalayas












Wednesday 23 December 2015

Date :24.12.2015

Merry Christmas








24/12/2015

Miladi Nabi Greetings









Bonus hike bill passed with effect from April 2014

Arrears of bonus (2014-15) likely !


The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a bill allowing doubling of wage ceiling for calculating bonus to Rs 7,000 per month for factory workers with establishments with 20 or more workers, with the benefits being applicable retrospectively from April 2014.

The Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Bill, 2015, was passed by a voice vote, with some members objecting to the raising of eligibility limit for payment of bonus from a salary of Rs 10,000 per month to Rs 21,000.
date:24.12.2015


Lok Sabha passes Bonus Bill; benefits to accrue from April 2014

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a bill allowing doubling of wage ceiling for calculating bonus to Rs 7,000 per month for factory workers with establishments with 20 or more workers, with the benefits being applicable retrospectively from April 2014.


The Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Bill, 2015, was passed by a voice vote, with some members objecting to the raising of eligibility limit for payment of bonus from a salary of Rs 10,000 per month to Rs 21,000.

Replying to a debate on the legislation, Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said the Government has ensured that the interest of workers are protected and there is no infringement on their rights.

"Because of Bihar Elections this bill got delayed... The Prime Minister spoke to me and asked why should the benefits of this Act should accrue to workers from 2015. It should be made available from the April 2014," he said while moving an official amendment to the Bill.

The official amendment provides that the benefits of the Act would be deemed to have come into force on April 1, 2014, instead of April 1, 2015. Dattatreya said the Ministry has held 21 tripartite meetings with all central trade unions while arriving at a decision.

The Bill provides for enhancing monthly bonus calculation ceiling to Rs 7,000 per month from the existing Rs 3,500. It also seeks to enhance the eligibility limit for payment of bonus from Rs 10,000 per month to Rs 21,000 per month.

"The Government's paramount intention is to safeguard the interest of workers... There is no infringement of workers' rights and whatever the government does will be in the interest of workers," Dattatreya said.

After the bill was passed, Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai, who was in the Chair, said the government should be congratulated for bringing the measure as also for effecting the benefits retrospectively. 

Terming the legislation as historic, Dattatreya said the outgo from government coffers would be about Rs 6,203 crore.

The Minister said the Bill would benefit crores of organised sector worker. He said unorganised sector constitute 93 per cent of the workforce or about 40 crore people.

Participating in the discussion, Mumtaz Sanghamita (TMC) said "it will benefit vast majority of poor workers. Bonus is the thing which is extra and over regular pay". She, however, wanted to know whether the increase in ceiling was commensurate to the inflation rate.

M Srinivas Rao (TDP) observed that labour laws in India were very weak and government should ensure safety and security for workers.

K Visheweshwar Reddy (TRS) said the sharp cut off of Rs 21,000 per month was flawed and added that contractual workers in factories are overworked and underpaid.

Sankar Prasad Datta (CPI-M) too echoed similar views saying that Rs 21,000 per month ceiling should not be there. Jaiprakash Narayan Yadav (SP) said there should be a special provision for women workers while providing bonus.

Prahlad Singh Patel (BJP) asked the government to fix a minimum ceiling and not the maximum one. "We can also think of linking it with the Pay Commission, so that we do not have to come again and again to Parliament to make changes". He said bonus should not be linked to profit or losses.

The Payment of Bonus Act, 1965, is applicable to every factory and other establishment in which 20 or more persons are employed on any day during an accounting year. The last amendment to the eligibility limit and the calculation ceiling was carried out in 2007 and made effective from April 1, 2006.

This amendment in the Act to increase wage ceiling and bonus calculation ceiling was one of the assurances given by the Centre after 10 day central trade unions went on one-day strike on September 2. 


Source : http://www.dnaindia.com/

Constitution of GDS Committee - Gazette notification




CLICK HERE to view the Gazette notification on setting up one man committee on GDS matters. Sri Kamalesh Chandra, Retired Member, Postal services Board will constitute the committee.


Dec 23, 2015

Lok Sabha approved hike of wage ceiling for Bonus to Rs 21,000 and Bonus calculation ceiling to Rs 7,000


The Lok Sabha has approved amendments to the Payment of Bonus Act that seeks to make more workers eligible for bonus by raising the pay eligibility limit of employees to Rs 21,000 per month from Rs 10,000. 

The bill, tabled in the house earlier this month, also seeks to enhance the monthly bonus calculation ceiling to Rs 7,000 per month from Rs 3,500, thus substantially increasing the amount of bonus. 

Both the proposed changes are in line with the demands of 10 central trade unions, which had observed a day-long strike on September 22. 

The bill will now be tabled in Rajya Sabha. Once approved, it will be made effective from April 1, 2015. 

"I thank all parties for supporting the historic decision of this government," Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said after the discussion in Lok Sabha. 

The Payment of Bonus Act 1965 is applicable to every factory and other establishment in which 20 or more people are employed on any day during an accounting year.

The bill also provides for a new proviso in Section 12, which empowers the central government to vary the basis of computing the bonus. 

As it stands today, Section 12 says that where the salary or wage of an employee exceeds Rs 3,500 per month, the minimum or maximum bonus payable to the employee shall be calculated as if his salary or wage was Rs 3,500 per month. 

The last amendment to both the eligibility limit and the calculation ceilings under the Act was carried out in 2007 and made effective from April 1, 2006. 

This amendment in the Act to increase wage ceiling and bonus calculation ceiling was one of assurances given by the Centre after 10 central trade unions went on a day-long strike on September 2. 

 
Source:-The Economic Times

Monday 21 December 2015

Review of existing provisions for filling up of vacant GDS posts





Strengthening establishment of Single Handed Branch Post Offices




Scheme for engagement of a dependent of deceased casual labourer engaged on or before 01.09.1993 on compassionate grounds to Gramin Dak Sevak Post



 Scheme for engagement of a dependent of      deceased GDS on compassionate grounds


Scheme for engagement of a dependent of deceased GDS on compassionate grounds - review of existing point based system of assessing indigence

Threshold for "hard and deserving cases"would be 36 points in place of 51 points.

This suggestion was given by Sri.D.Kishan Rao General Secretary,NAPE Group-C to D.K.Chowhan Committee dated 5.03.2015 letter (letter produced below)





Letter to D.K.CHOWHAN COMMITTEE by Sri.D.KISHAN RAO G/S NAPE Group-C dated 05.03.2015

Amendments may be taken up in compassionate appointment to dependents of GDS officials

                The GDS officials are very low paid employees.  On retirement after putting 40years of service they are getting only around one lakh rupees only. In the event of their demise the family members are coming on the roads because they would not get any pension. As they are not getting any pension or gratuity amount at par with regular employees they can’t be compared with regular employees for offering compassionate appointment to the dependents of the GDS. In fact the cap of 50 points should be removed and one of the dependent of GDS official should be given compassionate appointment. If it is not feasible to remove the point system it should be restricted to 30 points.
                No scientific method is being adopted in allotting points. E.g. If GDS officials is having RCC roof house no points are being given. Nowadays no one is constructing tiled roof house. Everyone is constructing RCC roof house only. The State Govt. is also constructing 2 bed room RCC roof houses to the below poverty people. In fact it is the slogan of the Central Govt. to provide a pakka house to each and every family in the country.  Therefore it is suggested that 10 points be given if the GDS is having a house irrespective of the house type. However if he has multi stored building the no points may given. 
                Regarding income of the member, no points are being given in the monthly income exceeds Rs.550/-. Nowadays due to higher inflation a labour is also getting daily wages more than Rs.200/-. The State Governments are extending the welfare measure to those people whose income is below Rs.150000 p.m. In fact the revenue authorities are not giving income certificate to the tune of less than Rs.60000 per year. Therefore 10 points be given if the income is below Rs.10000 per month.
                Regarding discharge benefits only 10 points are being given if the total benefit exceeds Rs.150000. The GDSGIS amount itself more than Rs.50000. The severance amount is also not liter amount and gratuity amount are put together the amount will automatically exceed Rs.150000/-. Therefore it is suggested that 20 points be given up to to 20 Lakhs , 15 points upto 3 Lakhs and 10 Lakhs. These amounts are proposed keeping in view of the next pay revision committee.
                For left over service, if the GDS is having below 5 years only 2 points are being given. But in fact the compassionate appointment is meant for losing offer of the family members . Therefore if there are minor girls or unmarried daughters, unemployed sons, 10 points should be given irrespective of the service left.
                Some GDS officials are having lands but they are not getting any income from them. 10 points may be given for land upto 10 acers. 5points for 15 acers and 3 points for more than 15 acers above.
                

Saturday 12 December 2015


Dec 12, 2015

Post office Savings Schemes - Gross Deposits for current fiscal sofar crossed 2.11 lakh Crores

Presently thirteen National Saving Schemes (NSS) viz Post Office Savings Accounts, Time Deposits (1 year, 2 year, 3 year and 5 years), Monthly Income Scheme, Post Office Recurring Deposit Scheme, National Savings Certificate (VIII Issue), National Savings Certificate (IX Issue) [to be discontinued with effect from 20.12.2015], Kisan Vikas Patra Scheme, Public Provident Fund Scheme, Sukanya Samriddhi Account Scheme and Senior Citizens Savings Schemes are under operation.

There has been no reduction in the amount being deposited under the NSS. In fact, the gross collection figures have risen during the last three years as under: 
                                                                   Rs. in crores
Year
Deposits (gross collection)
2012-13
234152.69
2013-14
250421.04
2014-15
304733.82
2015-16 (upto October 2015)
211977.52

The NSS are available for all Indian Nationals in rural areas as well as urban areas. However, these schemes are mainly operated through Post Offices which have large network in rural areas. At present, the Government has no proposal to bring a new small savings policy for senior citizens and weaker sections.

ORDER ON CYCLE MAINTENANCE ALLOWANCE TO GDS



Friday 11 December 2015

Thursday 10 December 2015


JOINT MEMORANDUM SEEKING MODIFICATION ON PAY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS SUBMITTED BY NFPE & FNPO



 AN URGENT MEETING OF J.C.M. DEPARTMENT COUNCIL WAS HELD ON 08.12.2015 AT DAK BHAWAN, NEW DELHI UNDER THE CHAIRPERSONSHIP OF SECRETARY (POSTS). BOTH FEDERATIONS (NFPE& FNPO) SUBMITTED JOINT MEMORANDUM SEEKING MODIFICATION ON PAY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH WAS DISCUSSED IN DETAIL. 

ALL OFFICERS OF POSTAL SERVICES BOARD AND BOTH SECRETARY GENERAL & GENERAL SECRETARIES OF BOTH FEDERATIONS PARTICIPATED IN THE MEETING. 

THE MEMORANDUM SUBMITTED IS REPRODUCED BELOW. 


CLICK HERE TO VIEW MEMORANDUM

Clarifications on settlement of severance amount to all discharged/promoted/resigned / voluntarily retired and expired GDS - Reg.


Office of the General Manager, Postal Accounts & Finance
Tamilnadu Circle, Chennai-600 008

No.                  /SDBS/Genl.                                                                            Dt.7.12.2015

To
The Senior Supdt./Supdt. Of Post offices, RMS & Airmail sorting Divisions,
Tamilnadu circle

Sub: Clarifications  on settlement of severance amount to all discharged/promoted/resigned / voluntarily retired and expired GDS-Reg.


Ref  : This office letter  No.3527 to 3576/SDBS/Genl.   Dt.26.11.2015

Following this office letter referred to above, some of the Divisions have raised doubts on some of the  key issues over phone . In order to clear some more doubts that may  arise in settlement  of  severance amount to all exit cases in  SDBS ,the following clarifications are issued for the guidance of  all Divisional Heads and  DDOs.

S.No.
Doubts raised
Reply










1


Divisions have to issue sanctions for settlement of severance amount accrued against the discharged/ promoted/ resigned/voluntarily retired/ expired GDS and instruct the DDOs to draw NIL bills.  

How the amount is proposed to be paid to the concerned GDS?
a)    On submission of Nil bills by the DDOs for severance amount,the amount shall be uploaded into the CRA system against PRANs of respective  GDS.

b)    The funds for such uploads shall be remitted to the Trustee bank by this office as being followed in monthly contribution uploads.

c)    All claim forms submitted (in Form-501,502 and 503 ) along with the KYC documents by  the GDS through the NL-CCs shall be forwarded to the NSDL  for further processing.

d)    On getting the approval from the NPS trust, the Trustee bank shall transfer the entitled amount to the subscriber’s bank accounts after apportioning the amount for investments in annuities as per the rules extant.

Hence ,No direct cash payment should be made by the DDOs under any circumstance








2




How the sanctions proposed to be issued by the Divisions should be?
Sanctions proposed to be issued by the Divisional Heads for settlement of severance for SDBS subscribers  is unique in way that while  all other payments sanctions would normally read as                 “ sanction is accorded  for the payment of …………”  followed with cash payments  where as the proposed sanction for severance amount  shall read as “ sanction is accorded  for  drawal of  Nil  bill for the following GDS …………” and  does not involve any  cash payment by the DDO.

In addition, the proposed sanction for settlement of severance amount for GDS enrolled under SDBS  would have an explicit alert to the DDOs as “No cash payment should be made from this sanction” besides stating that  “No severance amount has been authorised /paid for those GDS so far”  to whom the sanction is being issued.





3
For settling the severance amount as per severance amount, sanctions are being issued by the Divisions quoting the relevant ruling provisions.

What ruling provisions have to be quoted in the proposed sanctions for settlement of severance amount to the GDS enrolled under SDBS on their exit?
All decisions on SDBS are  arrived only on the basis of the Directorate orders No.6-11/ 2009-PE.II  dated 1.4.2011.

Severance amount accrued  upto 31.3.2011 for the GDS enrolled under SDBS who were subsequently promoted should be settled as per Para- 5  of the Directorate orders ibid while the same has to be settled to all other exit cases as per Para-27  (b)  of the Directorate orders ibid .




4
Is it enough to submit severance amount calculation sheets only for those GDS whose claim papers have already been sent to the GM’s office?
Severance amount calculation sheets should be submitted for all  exit cases as two lists one for those exit cases from 1.4.2011 to 30.11.2015 and another list for  those GDS who are going to be discharged from 1.12.2015 to 31.3.2016  without any linkage to the submission of claim forms by the GDS .

Hence all Divisional Heads should issue sanctions for all exit cases without waiting for the submission of claim forms by the GDS.






5
It was instructed to issue sanctions and prepare Nil bills 3 months in advance before the actual discharge of the GDS. Does this 3 months mean
 3 calendar months or 3 months before the actual date of discharge
It may be reckoned as 3 months before the actual date of discharge.

Since the CRA system does not accept any upload after the date of discharge of the GDS, the Directorate has arranged for one time acceptance of severance uploads against all past discharged GDS besides instructing to stop drawal  and upload of contributions for the last three months preceding the date of discharge, the Divisional Heads are advised to initiate the proceedings to issue sanctions much before that so as the DDOs draw Nil bill and submit to this office 3 months in advance before the date of discharge of the GDS.

The modalities for the payment of the amount equivalent to the  Govt. contributions  for the last 3 months preceding the date of discharge shall be  intimated on receipt of further orders from the Directorate in this regard.



6
 Are the promoted/Resigned/ voluntarily retired/nominees of expired GDS who have completed only 10 years of service or less eligible for severance amount?

As per para- 3 (a) (iv) (1) and (iv) (2)  of  the Directorate orders No.6-11/ 2009-PE.II  dated 1.4.2011,severance amount  has to be calculated  for every completed year and month from the date of commencement of continuous of regular engagement till the time of enrolment under SDBS that is upto 31.3.2011 or 30.9.2013 depending upon the date of enrolment of the GDS under SDBS.

The minimum/ maximum ceiling limit of time/ amount applicable for the severance amount scheme cannot be extended for SDBS.

Hence all GDS enrolled under  SDBS who have been promoted/resigned/voluntarily retired/expired after 1.4.2011 are entitled for severance amount in proportion to the completed period of service  as per the extant orders.








7







How to calculate the severance amount from 1.4.2011 onwards?
It may be noted that SDBS is a replacement scheme for the existing severance amount scheme and drawal and upload of monthly Govt .contributions is equivalent to the payment of severance amount to the GDS on a month to month basis.

All GDS who have been regularly appointed and enrolled under SDBS on 1.4.2011( on completion 1 year of regular service ) are eligible for severance amount upto 31.3.2011 only.

Those GDS who were regularly appointed  before 1.1.2011 ,who have not opted for enrolment  on 1.4.2011 but opted later for enrolment from 1.10.2013 under  SDBS following one more opportunity  given  by the  Department  are eligible for severance amount upto  30.9.2013 only.

Those GDS who were regularly appointed  on or  after 1.1.2011 are not eligible for any severance amount.




8
Whether the names of those GDS who are put-off duty now can be included in the severance amount calculation sheets in case their date of discharge is nearing in three months ?
Yes, the names of those GDS who are put-off duty now can be included in the severance amount calculation sheets  in case their date of discharge is nearing in three months .

In case an administrative decision is taken to remove such GDS, the entire accumulations in SDBS PRAs including severance amount can be refunded into the Govt. account.

Action may be taken to speed up the administrative decision on such pending put-off duty cases under intimation to this office.




9


Are the removed GDS   eligible for any severance amount?  and can the names of such removed GDS also be included in the sanction ?
NoThe removed GDS are not eligible for any severance amount. The names of such removed GDS should not be included in the sanction.

The list of removed GDS has been called for by this office so as to deactivate their PRANs after getting the refund of entire accumulations in their SDBS PRAs .
                                                                                                                              
                                                                                             Senior Accounts Officer
                                                                                                       NPS-SDBS

No.                  /SDBS/Genl.                                                                Dt. 7.12.2015

Copy to
1.    The  Chief Postmasters/Senior Postmasters/Postmasters and Head Record officers ,Tamilnadu circle for information and guidance.
2.    The Senior Accounts Officer (Budget) O/O The Chief Postmaster Postmaster General , Tamilnadu circle,Chennai-600 002 .
3.    The Senior Accounts Officers, O/O Postmasters General ,Chennai City,Central,Southern and Western Regions for information.
                                                                                      
                                                                                                    Senior Accounts Officer
                                                                                                             NPS-SDBS