FLASH NEWS
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
NFPE
CIRCULAR
National
Federation of Postal Employees
1st Floor North
Avenue Post Office Building, New Delhi-110 001
Phone:
011.23092771
e-mail: nfpehq@gmail.com
Mob: 9868819295/9810853981
website: http://www.nfpe.blogspot.com
To
All General Secretaries / NFPE Office Bearers
All
Circle Secretaries of NFPE Unions
Sub: Confederation Trade Union Education Camp at
Trivandrum - from 06th to 07th
May, 2017.
Comrades,
Secretary General,
Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers, vide Circular No.
Confdn/TU Camp /2017 dated 18.01.2017, has intimated that Confederation Trade
Union Education Camp will be held at Trivandrum (Kerala) from 6th to 7th May-2017 (Saturday and
Sunday).
Confederation has
allotted quota of 100 delegates for NFPE.
Accordingly the quota is allotted to all affiliates as mentioned below:
P-III
-30
P-IV-25
R-III-15 R-4-10
Admn.-5 Postal A/C-5
SBCO-5
GDS-10 Casual/L-5
All General Secretaries of affiliated unions are requested to allot delegates
to participate in the Camp with the direction to them to book to and fro
tickets as early as possible to avoid inconvenience.
The venue of the Camp is ” EMS Academy” about 11 KMs far away from Trivandrum
Railway Station and 17 KMs from Trivandrum Air Port.
Accommodation will be
arranged by the Reception Committee from 5th May after Noon to 08th May
morning 6 A.M. Food will be supplied from 5th May Night to 7th May Night.
Reception Committee Volunteers will be available at RMS office
situated near Railway Station Trivandrum and Bus Stand
Trivandrum from 5th May morning to 8th May Morning.
Nobody will be allowed to leave the Camp from 6th Morning to 7th evening. Strict
discipline will be enforced in the Camp. Those people who want to visit places
should arrange their travel in such a way so that they may attend camp on 06th & 7thMay-2017.
With fraternal greetings
Yours faithfully,
(R.N. Parashar)
Secretary Genera
Saturday, January 28, 2017
Income Tax Rates FY 2016-17 (AY 2017-18) - Finmin Orders
CIRCULAR NO : 01/2017
F.No.275/192/2016-IT(B)
Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Revenue
Central Board of Direct Taxes
North Block, New Delhi
Dated the 2nd January, 2017
SUBJECT: INCOME-TAX DEDUCTION FROM SALARIES DURING THE FINANCIAL YEAR 2016-17 UNDER SECTION 192 OF THE INCOME-TAX ACT, 1961.
Reference is invited to Circular No.20/2015 dated 02.12.2015 whereby the rates of deduction of income-tax from the payment of income under the head "Salaries" under Section 192 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (hereinafter ‘the Act’), during the financial year 2015-16, were intimated. The present Circular contains the rates of deduction of income-tax from the payment of income chargeable under the head "Salaries" during the financial year 2016-17 and explains certain related provisions of the Act and Income-tax Rules, 1962 (hereinafter the Rules). The relevant Acts, Rules, Forms and Notifications are available at the website of the Income Tax Department- www.incometaxindia.gov.in.
2. RATES OF INCOME-TAX AS PER FINANCE ACT, 2016:
As per the Finance Act, 2016, income-tax is required to be deducted under Section 192 of the Act from income chargeable under the head "Salaries" for the financial year 2016-17 (i.e. Assessment Year 2017-18) at the following rates:
2.1 Rates of tax
A. Normal Rates of tax:
B. Rates of tax for every individual, resident in India, who is of the age of sixty years or more but less than eighty years at any time during the financial year:
C. In case of every individual being a resident in India, who is of the age of eighty years or more at any time during the financial year:
Clarification on purchase of Air Tickets from Unauthorized Agents
To
The Secretary, OFB, ID-A, S.K. Bose Rd, Kol-01
All Sr. General Managers/All General Managers
Ordnance/ Equipments Factories.
All Group controllers & Branch AOs
All Group controllers & Branch AOs
Sub: Clarification on purchase of Air Tickets from unauthorized agents for non- entitled officials to travel by air
Kindly refer to DoP&T letter No.31011/3/2015-Estt(A.lV) dated 18/02/2016 wherein it is mentioned under points 14 & 15 that Govt employees not entitled to travel by air, may travel by any airline. However, reimbursement in such cases shall be restricted to the fare of their entitled class of train/transport or actual expense, whichever is less. In all cases whenever a Govt servant claims LTC by air, he/she is required to book the air tickets either directly through the airlines or through the approved travel agencies viz M/s Balmer Lawrie & Co. Ltd/ M/s Ashok Tours & Travels Ltd/ IRCTC. Booking of tickets through any other agency is not permissible.
This is for your information, guidance and necessary action please.
Dy.Controller
Accounts(Fys)
Reflection of the recurrent lapses in observing financial discipline in the Annual Performance Assessment Report (APAR)
F. No. 21011/21/2015-Estt. (A-II)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, P. G. and Pensions
Department of Personnel & Training
North Block, New Delhi-110001
Dated: 16th/18th January, 2017
Office Memorandum
Subject: Recommendation of the Public Accounts Committee regarding reflection of the recurrent lapses in observing financial discipline in the Annual Performance Assessment Report (APAR).
The Public Accounts Committee in its Nineteenth Report (16th Lok Sabha) (PAC) on Excess over Voted Grants and Charged Appropriations (2012 -13) which was presented to Lok Sabha on 29th April, 2015 has, inter-alia, recommended in its recommendation no. 21 that:"the Department of Personnel & Training to look into that the recurrent lapses in observing financial discipline should be reflected in the Annual Performance Appraisal Report of the budget controlling authorities as well as the Financial Advisors of the Ministry/Department concerned so as to ensure strict adherence to the financial discipline thereby reducing the recurrent phenomenon of excess expenditure to the barest minimum, if not, eliminated altogether.2. The matter has been examined in this Department. There already exist various tools in the existing PAR formats to assess the attributes and performance of the officers by reporting, reviewing and accepting authorities including observance of financial discipline. Therefore, whenever instances of recurring financial lapses come to light, these may be brought to the attention of the Reporting/Reviewing/Accepting Authority so that they may include these instances in the PAR of the officer of the relevant year.
3. Hindi Version will follow.(N. Sriraman)Director (E-II)All Ministries/Departments of the Govt. India
LTC Claims for the Period from 28.11.2015 to 31.05.2016 can be allowed - Central Civil Services (Leave Travel Concession) Rules, 1988 — Relaxation to travel by private airlines to visit Jammu & Kashmir.
No.31011/7/2014-Estt.(A-IV)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Department of Personnel and Training
Establishment A-IV Desk
North Block, New Delhi-110 001
Dated: January 13, 2017
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject:- Central Civil Services (Leave Travel Concession) Rules, 1988 — Relaxation to travel by private airlines to visit Jammu & Kashmir.
The undersigned is directed to refer to this Ministry’s O.M. of even no. dated 28.11.2014 on the subject noted above and to say that vide aforesaid O.M., facility to travel on LTC by private airlines to Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) under the special dispensation scheme was allowed for a period of one year. This facility ended w.e.f. 28.11.2015 and was re-introduced on 01.06.2016.
2. Many references have been received about Govt. Employees who had inadvertently travelled by private airlines to J&K during the gap period, i.e. from 28.11.2015 to 31.05.2016, under the impression that the facility was still operational and were later facing difficulties in settlement of their LTC claims.
3. The issue has been examined in consultation with the Department of Expenditure and Ministry of Civil Aviation. In relaxation to this Department’s O.M. of even no. dated 28.11.2014, it has been decided to allow the claims of those Government employees who had travelled by private airlines to Jammu & Kashmir on LTC during the gap period of 28.11.2015 – 31.05.2016. This shall be subject to the condition that tickets have been booked through the authorised modes and at LTC-80 fare or less and other conditions prescribed in DoPT’s O.M. No. 31011/7/2014-Estt.A-IV dated 28.11.2014.
(Surya Narayan Jha)
Under Secretary to the Government of India
29th SCOVA meeting under the chairmanship of Hon’ble MOS(PP) – Action Taken Report on the Minutes of the 28th SCOV A meeting held under the Chairmanshipof Hon’ble MOS(PP) on 27.06.2016
Mini try of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions (Department of Pension & Pensioners Welfare)
Para 4(iv) of the minutes:- Extension CGHS facilities to P&T pensioners
The representatives of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed that the 7th CPC has recommended that all Postal Dispensaries should be covered with CGHS. It was decided to await the decision of the Government within a month.
(Action:- Ministry of Health and Family Welfare)
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
The decision of the Government on the recommendations of 7th CPC is still awaited.
DoPPW
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare to indicate latest status during the meeting a to where the matter is pending. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has also been reminded on the same vide DoPPW OM dated 04.01.2017 to expedite the matter.
Representation of Defence Civilian Employees’ Federations regarding misinterpretation of Revised Pay Rules 2016 leading to incorrect pay fixation of employees
Immediate
Government of India
Ministry of Defence
Department of Defence
D(civ-I)
Subject: Representation of Defence Civilian Employees’ Federations regarding misinterpretation of Revised Pay Rules 2016 leading to incorrect pay fixation of employees – reg.
The Defence Civilian Employees’ Federation have reported that the Accounting Authorities in the Defence Estts. are misinterpreting the provisions of CCS(RP) Rules, 2016 leading to anomalies pay fixation of the defence employees. The Federations have demanded that clarification may be issued to the Defence Estts. to enable them to issue correct pay fixation orders of the employees, on the basis of the options exercised by them.
2. Taking into account these reports, MoD has sent a proposal to MoD(Finance) to seek clarification about the manner of fixation of pay through illustations prepared by this office. The said proposal for seeking clarification has been sent to MoD(Fiance) on 5.12.2016. A copy of this proposal is enclosed for information. In view of the complaints of incorrect pay fixation in defence establishments, it is requested that the clarification on this subject from Ministry of Finance/MoD(Finance) may please be awaited so that the pay fixation of the employees could be issued on the basis of right position. This position may please be communicated to various Accounting Authorities under the Contral of CGDA to avoid any inconsistencies in the matter of pay fixation.
sd/-
(Pawan Kumar)
Under Secretary
REFLECTION OF THE RECURRENT LAPSES IN OBSERVING FINANCIAL DISCIPLINE IN THE ANNUAL PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT REPORT (APAR) CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS
GDS ONLINE SOFTWARE IMPLEMENTATION CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS PAGE 2
Friday, January 27, 2017
CLARIFICATION REGARDING TIMELY PAYMENT OF GPF FINAL PAYMENT TO THE RETIRING GOVERNMENT SERVANT – DOPT ORDER.
No.3/3/2016-P&PW (F)
Ministry of Personnel, PG & Pensions
Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare
Desk-F
Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare
Desk-F
3rd Floor, Lok Nayak Bhavan,
Khan Market, New Delhi-110003
Dated 16th January 2017.
Khan Market, New Delhi-110003
Dated 16th January 2017.
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject: Clarification regarding timely payment of GPF final payment to the retiring Government servant – regarding
During review meetings held to evaluate the status of implementation of Bhavishya with Ministries/Departments, it was observed that GPF final payment in many cases is not being paid to the retiring Government servants immediately on retirement from service leading to payment of interest for the delayed period.
2. Rule 34 of General Provident Fund (Central Service) Rules clearly provides that when the amount standing at the credit of a subscriber in the General Provident Fund becomes payable, it shall be the duty of the Accounts Officer to make payment. The authority for the amount payable is to be issued at least a month before the date of superannuation, but payable on the date of superannuation. It may be noted that the requirement of submitting a written application by the retiring Govt. servant for GPF final payment has been dispensed with vide this Department’s Notification No.20(12)/94-P&PW (E) dated 15.11.1996 and notified under S.O NO.3228 dated 23.11.19963. As per Rule 11(4) of GPF Rules, in case the GPF balance is not paid on retirement, interest on the GPF balance is required to be paid for the period beyond the date of retirement also. While interest for the first six months beyond retirement can be allowed by the PAO in the normal course, approval of Head of the accounts office is required for payment of interest beyond six months and that of Controller of Account/Financial Adviser beyond a period of one year.
4. To ensure timely final payment of GPF, and to avoid unnecessary financial burden on account of interest beyond retirement, it has now been decided that every case, in which payment of interest on General Provident Fund becomes necessary in terms of Rules 11(4) of GPF Rules, 1960, shall be put up for consideration to the Secretary of the Administrative Ministry/Department. In all such cases the Secretary of the Administrative Ministry/Department will fix responsibility at all levels to take appropriate action against the Government servant or servants who are found responsible for the delay in the payment of General Provident Fund.
5. This issues with the concurrence of the Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure, vide their 10 NO.187/EV/2016 dated 2th September 2016.
6. Hindi version will follow.
(Seema Gupta)
Director
Director
650 districts in country to have post office PSKs
Mysuru: January 26, 2017
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has drawn up ambitious plans of opening post office Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs) in 650 districts across the country soon.
Disclosing this during the inauguration of a post office PSK here on Wednesday, MEA Secretary D.M. Mulay said the MEA was planning to collaborate with the Department of Posts by opening PSKs at district level across the country to meet the growing demand for passports. The demand for passports in India, which is around 2 crore a year, was the third highest in the world after China and the U.S. A total of 60,000 passports are issued every day in the country, he added.
While there are a total of 89 PSKs in the country, the first two post office PSKs were opened at the Metagalli Post office in Mysuru and the Head Post office at Dahod in Gujarat in pilot mode on Wednesday.
Usha Chandrashekar, member, Postal Services Board, who was also present at the inauguration, said the postal officials will be processing the applications for verification of documents and obtaining the photographs and biometrics of the applicants at the post office PSKs.
The Department of Posts, which was earlier only handling posts, has also been handling a variety of other services, including delivering e-commerce parcels, insurance, social security products, and agricultural seeds. Now, it will be handling delivery of passport-related services in an IT-enabled manner, she added.
Union Minister Ananth Kumar, who inaugurated the post office PSK in Mysuru, hoped that all the districts of the country will have a PSK in one year’s time and appreciated Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj’s initiative in the regard.
Pratap Simha, MP, recalled that the demand for a PSK for Mysuru was the first issue on which he had spoken in the Parliament after his election. He revealed that the decision to start a post office PSK in Mysuru from Wednesday was taken only last Friday and appreciated the officials of the Regional Passport Office, Bengaluru, led by RPO P.S. Karthigeyan for making the necessary arrangements in quick time.
The Department of Posts started the process to fill up the vacant GDS posts by adopting online procedure.
First it starts in four pilot Circles and early in other Circles.
Instructed all Circles to identify GDS vacancies after fill up the vacancies with eligible Casual Labourers by manual procedure.
//copy//
HAND HELD DEVICE INSTALLATION IN BOs -
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
KAMALESH CHANDRA COMMITTEE REPORT ON GDS
ONE STEP FORWARD
Sri Kamalesh Chandra,
Retired Member, Postal Services Board & Chairman Gramin Dak Sevak Committee has
submitted it's report to Government on 24th November 2016. Even though earlier
GDS Committee reports were published on the same date of submission itself ,
this time the Postal Board kept it pending for two months and published only on
19th January 2017. Against the unjustified delay in publishing the report ,
NFPE & AIPEU - GDS conducted series of agitational programmes like
protest demonstrations , mass dharnas and finally declared indefinite hunger
fast of Secretary General and all other General Secretaries in front of Postal
Directorate (Dak Bhavan) from 18th January 2017.
The main
recommendations of the Committee relates to simplification and rationalisation
of categories of GDS and the number of Time Related Continuity Allowance (TRCA)
slabs, increasing the wages of GDS and other welfare measures of GDS. The
Committee has not attempted to analyse the justification of our demand for
grant of Civil Servant status to GDS and has refrained from making any
recommendations on the legal status of the GDS stating that the matter is
presently subjudice and hence left it to the outcome of the court case. The
committee , however , observed that there is a tendency to withhold the
legitimate demands of GDS which are due to them , based on the apprehension
that they will get closer to regular employees , and their claim for
regularisation will be strengthened in the court of law , if such demands
are allowed.
The
Committee has further observed that the future survival of the Postal
department will largely depend on the successful management of the GDS post offices,
which effectively form it's "soul" and it would be difficult for the
department to survive without the "soul". The Committee felt that the
India Post Payment Bank (IPPB) which is going to be rolled out shortly , will use
the strength of the GDS network and experiences of more than 2.60 lakhs
trustworthy Gramin Dak Sevaks.
Under
the new wage structure recommended by the Committee, eleven (11) TRCA slabs are
subsumed into three (3) wage scales with two levels each for Branch Postmasters
(BPMs) and for other than BPMs. Out of three wage scales , one scale will be
common to both categories of GDS. The minimum scale for GDS other than BPM is
fixed as 10000 for 4 hours duty and the minimum scale for 5 hours duty is
12000. Similarly, the minimum scale for BPM with 4 hours duty is fixed as 12000
and minimum scale for 5 hours duty is 14500. There will be only three
categories of GDS with nomenclature BPM, Assistant BPM and GDS. All GDS working
in Branch Post offices (other than BPM) are re-designated as Assistant Branch
Post Masters (ABPM). All GDS working in Departmental Post offices are
designated as Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS).
The
minimum working hours of GDS is fixed as 4 hours (Level - 1) , instead of 3
hours at present and maximum working hours is 5 hours (Level - 2). Point system
for assessment of workload of BPM is abolished. The new wage structure is
linked to revenue generation of GDS Branch Post offices. Based on revenue
generation , all GDS Post offices will be categorised as A(Green), B
(Orange) , C (Pink) , D (Red) and efforts to be undertaken by the GDS BPM and
the departmental officers to increase revenue of each category is explained in
detail in the report. Committee has recommended that existing TRCA should not
be reduced. If the BPM in the category D (which is the lowest category as
per revenue earning) is not ready to improve the revenue earning ,
extension of working hours of Post office , stoppage of increment , withholding
of promotion under financial upgradation scheme , relocation of the Post office
etc are also recommended. The GDS BPM will be paid a revenue linked additional
allowance @10% beyond level - 2 wage scale , if the revenue earned
exceeds the limit fixed for category "A" offices. The increment rate
recommended is 3%.
The
other major recommendations are (a) Composite Allowance comprising of support
for hiring accommodation , office maintenance , electricity charges etc (b)
Children Education Allowance (c) three promotions (financial up gradations ) on
completion of 12 ,24 and 36 years. (c) Enhancement of ex-gratia ceiling and
Group Insurance Scheme amount (d) 26 weeks maternity leave for women GDS
and one week Paternity leave (e) 30 days General leave (instead of paid leave)
with provision for carry forward and leave surrender benefit upto 180 days of
accumulated General leave at the time of retirement ( f )
five days Emergency leave like casual leave (g) Minimum one year
service for writing promotional examination (h) liberalisation of grants
and financial assistance from welfare fund and (h) Risk and
hardship allowance.
Regarding
Pension, no major change is recommended by the Committee, except increase in
severance amount and increase in contribution to Service Discharge Benefit
Scheme (SDBS). Similarly, there is no favourable recommendation regarding
medical facilities. While recommending that the existing policy of
relocation /redeployment should be vigorously pursued to relocate GDS post
offices which are not justified as per norms, the Committee had also
recommended that the department should not order closing of any GDS post office
to further reduce the existing number of GDS post offices. The existing rule
that the maximum hours of duty of GDS should not go beyond five hours , is
retained by the Committee. There is also a recommendation that two separate
unions should be formed for GDS, one exclusively for BPMs and one for all other
categories of GDS.
Now
comes the question of implementation. Normally Department will appoint a Postal
Board Member to study and process the recommendations of the GDS committee for
implementation. Then Postal Board has to approve it after seeking the
comments of Joint Secretary & Financial Advisor. Then it is to be approved
by other nodal Ministries like Department of Personnel & Training, Ministry
of Finance, Law Ministry etc. After completing all these process, the final
proposal will be submitted to Cabinet for approval.
NFPE
& AIPEU - GDS will be making an in depth study of the recommendations and
shall submit a detailed memorandum to the Department demanding immediate
implementation of the favourable recommendations and also demanding
modifications , improvement and rejection where ever required. NFPE & AIPEU
-GDS will make sincere effort to get maximum benefits to the GDS. In case
Government refuse to implement or dilute the favourable recommendations NFPE
& AIPEU GDS will not hesitate to organise serious trade union action
including indefinite strike.
All of
us should keep in mind that the favourable recommendations of the GDS committee
is a product of sustained struggles conducted by the entire Postal employees
under the banner of NFPE , AIPEU -GDS , PJCA and Confederation of Central
Government Employees and Workers. Let us be ready for the 16th March 2017, one
day strike, for further improvement of our service conditions. Let us unitedly
fight and shall not rest till our final goal ie; civil servant status to GDS is
achieved. No doubt, Kamalesh Chandra Committee report is ONE STEP FORWARD. Let
us hope for the best.
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