Dearness Allowance to the employees of Central Government & Central Autonomous Bodies drawing pay as per 5th CPC - Revised Rates effective from 01.01.2018 (Click the link below to view)
FLASH NEWS
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
PIB NEWS ON GRATUITY CEILING INCREASE UP TO RS. 20 LAKH
Ministry of Labour & Employment
Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill, 2018 passed by Parliament
The Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill, 2018 has been passed by parliament today. The bill ensures harmony amongst employees in the private sector and Public Sector Undertakings/Autonomous Organizations under Government who are not covered under CCS (Pension) Rules. These employees will be entitled to receive higher amount of gratuity at par with their counterparts in Government sector. The bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha today and the Lok Sabha on 15 March, 2018.
The Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 applies to establishments employing 10 or more persons. The main purpose for enacting this Act is to provide social security to workman after retirement, whether retirement is a result of superannuation, or physical disablement or impairment of vital part of the body. Therefore, the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 is an important social security legislation to wage earning population in industries, factories and establishments.
The present upper ceiling on gratuity amount under the Act is Rs. 10 Lakh. The provisions for Central Government employees under Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972 with regard to gratuity are also similar. Before implementation of 7th Central Pay Commission, the ceiling under CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 was Rs. 10 Lakh. However, with implementation of 7th Central Pay Commission, in case of Government servants, the ceiling has been raised to Rs. 20 Lakhs.
Therefore, considering the inflation and wage increase even in case of employees engaged in private sector, this Government decided that the entitlement of gratuity should also be revised in respect of employees who are covered under the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972. Accordingly, the Government initiated the process for amendment to Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 to increase the maximum limit of gratuity to such amount as may be notified by the Central Government from time to time.
In addition, the Bill also envisages to amend the provisions relating to calculation of continuous service for the purpose of gratuity in case of female employees who are on maternity leave from ‘twelve weeks’ to such period as may be notified by the Central Government from time to time.
After enactment of the Act, the power to notify the ceiling of the amount of gratuity under the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 shall stand delegated to the Central Government so that the limit can be revised from time to time keeping in view the increase in wage and inflation and future pay commissions.
Source: PIB
MAJOR CHANGES IN NPS – RELAXATION NORMS
Relaxation of Norms for NPS
The Government of India has recently made three changes in the National Pension Scheme (NPS) including withdrawal norms. The details are as under:
Partial withdrawal during the service: The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), with an objective to meet the subscriber’s sudden financial requirement enrolled under NPS, has liberalized norms for partial withdrawals which also include reduction of requirement of minimum years of being enrolled under NPS from 10 years to 3 years from the date of joining. Suitable amendments were made through “Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (Exits and Withdrawals under the National Pension System) (First Amendment) Regulations, 2017 and the same has been notified on 10.08.2017.
Increase in the joining age under NPS: With an objective to allow individuals (under NPS-All Citizen Model and Corporate Sector Model) who are in the age bracket between 60 years and 65 years to join NPS system. Suitable amendments were made through “Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (Exits and Withdrawals under the National Pension System) (Second Amendment) Regulations, 2017 and the same has been notified on 06.10.2017.
Exit in case of disability and incapacitation of the subscriber: With an objective of facilitating easy exit & withdrawal in case of disability and incapacitation of the subscriber covered under NPS, PFRDA has made suitable amendments through “Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (Exits and Withdrawals under the National Pension System) (Third Amendment) Regulations, 2018 and the same has been notified on 02.02.2018.
This was stated by Shri Ship Pratap Shukla, Minister of State for Finance in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
Source: PIB
AADHAAR IS NOT COMPULSORY TO GET PENSION
Dr. Jitendra Singh chairs 30th meeting of Standing Committee of Voluntary Agencies
Adhaar is not mandatory to get pension: Dr Jitendra Singh
The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh chaired the 30th meeting of the Standing Committee of Voluntary Agencies (SCOVA) here today. The SCOVA meeting is organised by the Department of Pensions & Pensioners’ Welfare (DoP&PW), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions and the last such meeting was held on January 12, 2017.
During the meeting, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that the SCOVA which was first constituted in July, 1986 would be completing 32 years this year. He said this platform has gone a long way in addressing in a focused manner issues related to Pensioners. He said that today’s interaction was very meaningful and stimulating, thus reflecting on the working of DoP&PW. The Minister while assuring the representatives of pensioners’ Associations said that it was no more mandatory to have one’s Adhaar Card to get his/her pension.
The Minister said that the Department of Pensions has brought out a series of OMs to benefit the Pensioners/Family Pensioners in the last 12 months including enhancing of minimum pension from Rs.3500/- to Rs.9000/- per month; the ceiling of gratuity has been increased from the existing Rs.10 lakhs to Rs.20 lakhs; the rates of ex-gratia lump sum compensation being paid to the families of employees who die in performance of duty has been increased from existing Rs. 10-15 lakhs to Rs.25-45 lakhs. He also said that divorced daughter will be eligible for family pension if divorce case has been filed before the death of pensioner/family pensioner, even though the judgment has been passed after the death of the pensioner /family pensioner.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said that this Government has given relief to the senior citizens and Pensioners in the Budget 2018-19 by allowing Standard Deduction of Rs. 40,000/- per year to the Pensioners and given exemption on tax on account of interest income from bank savings accounts has been increased to Rs. 50,000/ from Rs. 10,000/- per year. Deduction on account of health insurance premium which was earlier allowed at maximum of Rs.30,000/- has now been increased to Rs. 50,000/- in the case of Senior Citizens/Pensioners.
While addressing the meeting he said that we need to put in place an institutionalized mechanism to make good use of the knowledge, experience and efforts of the retired employees which can help in the value addition to the current scenario. Dr. Jitendra Singh said the retired employees are a healthy and productive workforce for India and we need to streamline and channelize their energies in a productive direction. We should learn from the pensioners’ experience, he added. The Minister also said that the DoP&PW should be reoriented in such a way that pensioners become a part of nation building process.
In the meeting, discussions were held on the action taken report of the 29th SCOVA meeting. Further many issues related to pensioners were discussed threadbare, such as revision of PPOs of pre-2006 pensioners, Health Insurance Scheme for pensioners including those residing in non-CGHS area, Special “Higher” Family Pension for widows of the war disabled invalidated out of service, Extension of CGHS facilities to P&T pensioners, issue relating to CGHS Wellness Centre, Dehradun etc. The Minister directed for the prompt and time bound redressal of the grievances of the pensioners and said that we should have sympathetic attitude towards them.
The Secretary, DoP&PW, Shri K.V. Eapen and other senior officers of the department were also present on the occasion. The meeting was also attended by the member Pensioners Associations and senior officers of the important Ministries/Departments of Government of India.
Source: PIB
PROMOTION TO THE GRADE OF DIRECTOR GENERAL POSTAL SERVICES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF POSTS. (Click the link below to view) http://utilities.cept.gov.in/dop/pdfbind.ashx?id=2752
PROMOTION TO THE GRADE OF DIRECTOR GENERAL POSTAL SERVICES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF POSTS. (Click the link below to view) http://utilities.cept.gov.in/dop/pdfbind.ashx?id=2752
Monday, March 26, 2018
Ref: Confdn/Genl/2016-19 Dated – 20.03.2018
To
Shri Narendra Modi Ji
Hon’ble Prime Minister of India
South Block,
New Delhi – 110001
Sir,
Sub: - Abolition of Posts lying vacant for more than five years – reg.
Ref: - (1) Govt. of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure OM No. 7 (1)/E. Cord-1/2017 dated 16th January 2018.
(2) Govt. of India, Ministry of Home Affairs OM No. 19011/01/2015-Fin.II (Pt.) dated 19th January 2018.
This representation is submitted with the most fervent hope that the Hon’ble Prime Minister will be condescend to intercede on behalf of the 32 lakhs of Central Govt. Employees who are very much aggrieved by the above mentioned orders of the Finance Ministry and Home Ministry.
Sir, It is with much shock and dismay the Central Govt. Employees came to know about the above mentioned orders of the Finance Ministry, Department of Expenditure to abolish all posts lying vacant for more than five years in all departments of Govt. of India. In this regard we would like to submit the following facts for your benign consideration and favourable orders.
(i) Post are lying vacant for more than five years, not because that there is no work load justified for retention of such posts. It is because of the dismal failure of the authorities to take timely and prompt action to complete the recruitment process to fill up those posts in a time bound manner. Due to this inordinate delay in filling up of those vacant posts, the remaining staff are compelled to do the work of those posts also. The abnormal delay in completing the recruitment process by staff Selection Commission is also a main reason for posts remaining unfilled for years together. In some cases, outsourced contract and casual employees are working for years together against those vacant posts. Thus it can be seen that a blanket order to abolish all posts lying vacant for more than five years is unrealistic and not rational.
(ii) Posts are created after assessing the workload based on time-tested parameters and time tests. Abolishing such posts, in a most mechanical manner, even without re-assessing whether present workload justified retention of such posts by carrying out establishment review, will lead to imposing of heavy workload on the existing staff on a permanent measure which may create a chaotic situation in Govt. offices as the efficiency of offices may be adversely affected due to unbearable workload.
(iii) It may be pointed out that it is during the last NDA Govt’s time in May 2001 executive orders were issued to abolish 2/3rd (two-third) of all direct recruitment vacancies based on annual Direct Recruitment Plan in all departments without assessing whether the posts are justified or not. Lakhs of posts are abolished during the period from 2001 to 2008. Finally Sixth Central pay Commissions severely criticized the Govt’s policy of abolishing direct recruitment vacancies and opined that this has led to an “ageing bureaucracy” and strongly recommended to withdraw the abolition orders. Accordingly Govt. has withdrawn that orders and DOP&T has issued orders for filling up of all vacant posts.
(iv) It is most unfortunate that again the present NDA Govt. has issued another orders in 2018 to abolish all posts lying vacant for more than five years without giving any consideration to the facts as to what is the reason for posts remaining vacant for such a long period, whether there is justification for retention of those posts as per establishment review etc.
In view of the above facts, I, on behalf of the Central Govt. employees, most humbly request the Hon’ble Prime Minister to intervene immediately so that the orders issued by Finance Ministry will be reviewed in an objective, dispassionate and rational manner and be either withdrawn or kept in abeyance.
Yours faithfully,
(M. Krishnan)
General Secretary
& Member, Standing Committee
National Council, JCM
Mob: 09447068125
Email: mkrishnan6854@gmail.com
Ref: Confdn/Genl/2016-19 Dated – 19.03.2018
To
Shri J. P. Nadda
Hon’ble Minister for Health & Family Welfare
Government of India
Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi – 110011
Sir,
Sub: - Providing CGHS facilities at Vijayawada, state Capital of Andhra Pradesh.
Even though four year years are over after the formation of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states by dividing erstwhile Andhra Pradesh state, no separate CGHS Head Quarters is established for Andhra Pradesh state at its capital Vijayawada and the discrimination continues inspite of Several memorandums submitted earlier by various organisations and people’s representatives. As a newly formed state capital Vijayawada is entitled for establishment of CGHS facilities as the CGHS existing at Hyderabad has become a part of Telangana state. It is reported that state Govt. is providing required land for establishing Central Govt. offices in the proposed city “Amaravathi” the future Capital City of Andhra Pradesh. Land will be allotted for establishing CGHS also in the proposed capital city, if applied for by CGHS authorities new itself. AIIMS has already been allotted land. Pending Construction of own building the CGHS can function in rented buildings as being functioned in many others states.
Your kind intervention is requested to Immediate establishment of
(1) New CGHS Headquarters of Andhra Pradesh at Vijayawada with branches at Visakhapatnam and Tirupathi.
(2) Further those pensioners who enrolled CGHS membership from Non-CGHS area and continuing since 10 years may be granted permanent membership on payment of ten years subscription as per the rate of subscription on the date of their retirement excluding the amount already paid by them on temporary basis.
Awaiting early favourable action,
Yours faithfully,
(M. Krishnan)
Secretary General
& Member, Standing Committee
National Council JCM
COMMISSIONING MOTHER ENTITLED TO MATERNITY
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
Maternity Leave and Pension
Hon’ble Delhi High Court vide its judgement dated 17.07.2015 in the Writ Petition (C) No. 844/2014 – Rama Pandey vs. Union of India &Ors., has laid down that a female employee, who is the commissioning mother, would be entitled to apply for maternity leave. Department of Personnel and Training, after examination of the judgement, has circulated it to all Ministries/Departments for wide publicity vide Office Memorandum dated 29.01.2018.
In accordance with the Office Memorandum No. 1/13/09- P&PW (E) dated 19th July, 2017, family pension would also be granted to a divorced daughter from the date of divorce in cases where the divorce proceedings had been filed in a competent court during the life-time of the employee/pensioner or his/her spouse but divorce took place after their death, subject to fulfilment of all other conditions for grant of family pension.
No centralized data regarding grant of pension/family pension by the various Pension Disbursing authorities is maintained.
This was stated by the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions and Prime Minister’s Office, Dr. Jitendra Singhin a written reply to question in the Lok Sabha today.
Source: PIB (23.03.2018)
Thursday, March 22, 2018
REVISION OF PATTERN & EXAMINATION SYLLABUS FOR LIMITED DEPARTMENTAL COMPETITIVE OF INSPECTOR POSTS (Click the link below to view) http://utilities.cept.gov.in/dop/pdfbind.ashx?id=2746
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REVISION OF PATTERN & EXAMINATION SYLLABUS FOR L D C E POSTMASTER GRADE –I (Click the link below to view) http://utilities.cept.gov.in/dop/pdfbind.ashx?id=2747
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
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
No.PF-01(e)/2018 Dated: 21st March, 2018
CIRCULAR
To
All General Secretaries / NFPE Office Bearers
All Circle Secretaries of NFPE Unions
NATIONAL CONVENTION OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES ORGANIZED BY CONFEDERATION OF C.G.E & W.
Dear Comrades,
Confederation of Central Govt. Employees and Workers has decided to organize a National convention of Central Government employees on 10th June 2018 at Sundaraiyya Vignana kendram, Bagalingampally, Hyderabad from 10 am to 5 pm with the object to declare the campaign programme and the strike to settle 10 Points Charter of demands.
The confederation has allotted quota to NFPE as 150 delegates to participate in the said convention. Therefore the quota is allotted to all affiliates as mentioned below:
PIII - 30, PIV – 30, RIII - 20, RIV - 20, Admn - 15, Postal Acctts - 15,
SBCO – 15, GDS- 10, Casual labourers - 5.
All affiliated unions are requested to allot quota accordingly to all circles.
All delegates may be instructed to book their up and down travel tickets immediately as train tickets reservation commences four months before. Food and Accommodation to delegates will be arranged by the C-O-C Andhra & Telangana, Hyderabad. Delegate fee is fixed as Rs.500/- (Rs. Five hundred only) per head. For other details C-O-Cs and affiliates are requested to contact the following.
1. Com. Azeez, GS, C-O-C - 09848082697
2. Com. V. Nageswara Rao, Presidnet, COC - 09912348233
3. Com. Usha Boneppalli, ITEF - 08985971009
4. Com. Balakrishna, ITEF - 08985970999
As Hyderabad is a Famous tourist centre, those delegates who want to go for sightseeing should arrange it on 9th or 11th June. Everybody should attend the convention on 10.06.2018 from 10 AM to 5 PM without fail.
CHARTER OF DEMANDS
1. Settle 7th CPC related issues including increase in Minimum Pay and Fitment Formula, HRA arrears, MACP Bench Mark, Option-I for pensioners etc.
2. Withdraw contributory Pension Scheme (NPS). Ensure defined pension under CCS (Pension) Rules 1972 to all employees appointed on or after 01.01.2004.
3. Fill up all vacant posts. Withdraw the orders to abolish all vacant posts lying vacant for five years. Create justified posts for excess work. Evolve proper mechanism for Regional recruitment. Stop engagement of retired persons.
4. (a) Regularise Gramin Dak Sevaks and grant Civil Servant status. Implement positive recommendations of Kamalesh Chandra Committee report.
(b) Regularise all casual and contract workers. Evolve a new scheme for regularization of Casual and Contract Workers.
5. Ensure equal pay for equal work as per Supreme Court judgment and grant parity in wages and pay scales.
6. Stop closure of Govt. establishments. Withdraw closure orders of Govt. of India Presses. Stop outsourcing and privatization of Government functions.
7. Avoid abnormal delay in extending benefits of 7th CPC to Autonomous body employees and pensioners.
8. Remove 5% condition imposed on compassionate appointments. Grant appointment in all deserving cases.
9. Grant five time-bound promotions to all employees on completion of 8, 7, 6, 5 & 4 years of service.
10. (a) stop attack on Trade Union rights. Avoid delay in conducting verification of Membership under CCS (RSA) Rules 1993. Declare results and grant recognition in a time-bound manner. Ensure prompt functioning of various negotiating forums under JCM scheme at all levels.
(b) Withdraw the draconian FR 56(j) and Rule 48 of CCS (Pension) Rules 1972 which is misused as a short-cut to punish and victimize employees.
Yours Comradely,
R.N. Parashar
Secretary General
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