Saturday, April 30, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
NEW PENSION SCHEME CHALLENGED
New Pension Scheme for railway employees challenged
The new pension scheme introduced by the Union Government for railway employees has been challenged in the Madras Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal.
An employee of the southern railway and Dakshin Railway Employees Union (DREU) have challenged the scheme terming it unconstitutional and invalid.
According to the new scheme, employees appointed on or after 01.01.2004 in the Railways would be governed by the new pension scheme which would be governed by 'Pension Fund Regulatory Development Authority' which would function under the overall control of Ministry of Finance. According to the new scheme, 10% of Pay and DA of an employee would be deducted and an equal amount would be contributed by the central government.
The entire pension scheme is being authorized through various executive orders, which cannot be done to govern the retirement benefits of government employees which has to be in tune with Articles 41 to 43 of the Constitution, alleges the application. The notifications issued by the government constituting PFRDA dated 10.10.2003 and 14.11.2008 are unconstitutional, as they have not been issued by the President of India and authenticated as required under Article 77 of the Constitution and the ordnance sanctioning this also lapsed in 2005, which renders the entire process without authority of law alleges DREU in its application.
The new pension scheme, which is mandatory to government employees curtails them from exercising any option said V. Daniel, a Helper in Southern Railway. According to the New Pension Scheme, any citizen of India can join the Scheme and they can choose their Fund Managers or opt for different schemes whereas no such option is available to government servants.
The application also raised serious apprehension over the way in which their funds are being exposed to market risk and they cite the risk clause in the offer document of the NPS which says that "there are no guarantee on investments and investments involve risks such as trading volumes, settlement risk, liquidity risk, default risk, including possible loss of principal'. The application also cited the statement of PFRDA Chairman that pension fund managers regulated by PFRDA are not giving minimum guarantee on returns in their products.
Besides seeking quashing of the notification and grant retiral benefits to all employees on par with those who joined prior to January 1994, the application sought an interim injunction against the notification and also to release family pension and gratuity to certain employees who died after the introduction of the new scheme.
The matter came up before the Madras Bench of the CAT comprising Members K. Elango and R. Satapathy. Counsel R. Vaigai advanced arguments on behalf of the DREU and highlighted how the funds of the employees are being entrusted with private players and are subjected to undue risks. She also apprised the Bench that the government as an employer cannot transfer its funds to a private player and expect him to discharge government's obligation.
After hearing the arguments on behalf of the applicant and of the central government, the Bench ordered interim relief directing the railway authorities to offer gratuity and family pension to all employees who joined after January 2004 within four weeks from the date of application and posted the matter for June 1.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
POSTMEN EXAM RESULT ANNOUNCED
Vacancies DP--5 DR--1 Seniority--2
Since none DP candidates qualified all 5 vacancies transferred to DR quota i.e., to GDS officials
Thorough examination
S/S V.Nagaraju,BPM,Chintavaram BO a/w Chillakur SO
S/S G.Sridhar,BPM,Cherlopalli BO a/w Manubolu SO
S/S CH.Ramesh babu,BPM,Vepinapi BO a/w Rapur SO
S/S S.Penchalaiah,BPM,Siddavaram BO a/w Rapur SO
S/S V.Sivaiah,GDSMD,MMMudi BO a/w Kotapolur SO
S/S T.Naraiah,BPM,Kogili BO a/w Yellasiri SO
Through seniority
S/S E.Rajarathnam,BPM,Thummur BO a/w Naidupet SO
S/S V.V.Seshagirirao,GDSMC/MD, Nellatur BO a/w Gudur HO
congratulations...
All the above six candidates who passed through examination are attended the coaching classes conducted by the NFPE,Gudur
first month salary they are going to get is Rs. 14375/-
Clarification regarding Fresh empanelment of private hospitals and revision of package rates applicable under CGHS
No: S.11O11/23/2009-CGHS D.II/Hospital Cell (Part I)
Government of India
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
Department of Health & Family Welfare
Government of India
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
Department of Health & Family Welfare
Maulana Azad Road, Nirman Bhawan
New Delhi 110 108 dated the 11th April, 2011.
New Delhi 110 108 dated the 11th April, 2011.
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject:- Clarification regarding Fresh empanelment of private hospitals and revision of package rates applicable under CGHS.
The undersigned is directed to invite reference to this Ministry’s various Office Memoranda issued for empanelling hospitals under CGHS at new rates in various CGHS covered cities, vide which revised package rates payable to private hospitals for treating CGHS beneficiaries were notified and hospitals and Diagnostic Laboratories and imaging centres were empanelled and to state that in response to the representations received from various quarters, it has now been decided to clarify as below:-
(1). A consolidated and updated list of hospitals, which are empanelled under CGHS through tender process initiated in 2009-10, is enclosed specifying the procedures, for which they were empanelled. Clarification is issued in respect of the hospitals, which were already empanelled under CGHS prior to their empanelment in 2010-11 and are approved for the same specialties for which they were empanelled earlier under the precious tender / continuous empanelment scheme,
(2) List of hospitals, which have acquired NABH status has been updated. The term, – Endoscopic procedures – under which category Hospitals are empanelled shall include endoscopic surgery as well as laparoscopy and laparoscopic surgery for the purpose of providing treatment facilities.
(3) Treatment in Casualty OPD shall be treated as treatment under emergency and credit facility shall be extended to the CGHS beneficiaries. However, routine OPD consultation shall not be considered a medical emergency.
(4) NABL Accreditation is not prescribed for imaging centres and therefore, list of Rates prescribed NABL centres shall be applicable for Imaging Centres.
(5) Empanelled hospitals, Diagnostic Labs and Imaging Centres shall send hospital bills (Credit bills) in respect of Pensioners, ex-MPs, Freedom Fighters, etc., to CGHS through UTI-TSL, where as hospital bills (credit bills) in respect of serving employees of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare shall be sent manually to the officer in the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare or Dte.GHS, CGHS or other organisations under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, who referred the beneficiary for treatment, as the case may be.
5. All other terms and conditions as mentioned in the earlier Office Memoranda pertaining to new empanelment remain unchanged.
s/d
[R Ravi]
Director
[R Ravi]
Director
Thursday, April 21, 2011
HATS OFF TO GDS HEROS
Since 1995 ,first verification of membership, only AIPEDEU is being recognised as single union in GDS cadre.
Though verification process completed, since one year back, result could not be announced due to various obstructions/hundles moved by the NUPE/BPEF GDS unions. However, the results of 2010 declared by the government on 15-4-11
For 1st recognition--35%
For 2nd recognition--15%
Other both GDS unions failed to secure even 15% declarations among the GDS employees
Government of India
Ministry of Communications & IT
Department of Posts
Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg.
New Delhi-110001
No.13/02/2010-SR Dated the 15-April, 2011
To
All Heads of Postal Circle,
All Postmasters General,
Director of Postal Staff College, Ghaziabad (UP)
CGM, PLI Directorate, Chanakyapuri PO, New Delhi
CGM BD & M Directorate, Dak Bhawan, New Delhi
CGM(MB&O), Dak Bhawan, New Delhi
DDG(PAF)/Chief Engineer (Civil)/ADG (Admn), Department of Posts
Postmaster General, Foreign Mails, Mumbai
All Directors, Postal Training Centres
Directors Foreign Mails Chennai, Kolkata and Delhi
All Directors/Dy. Directors of Accounts (Postal).
DOP&T, JCA Section, North Block, New Delhi,
Subject; Recognition of Associations of Gramin Dak Sevaks under EDA (RA Rules, 1995 – Declaration of results of the verifications process 2010.
Sir/Madam,
I am directed to refer to the Department's letter of even number dated 18-02-2010 regarding re-verification of membership of Gramin Dak Sevaks Associations through 'Check-off system' for grant of recognition. Three Associations namely, All India Postal Extra Departmental Employees Union, National Union of Gramin Dak Sewaks and Bharatiya Extra Departmental Employees Union, participated in the re-verification process, in this category.
2. Based on the information received from the Circles, the Competent authority has decided to grant recognition to All India Postal Extra Departmental Employees Union which secured 60.15% membership. The recognition so granted will be valid for a period of 5 years from the date of issue of this letter.
3. With the issue of this communication, the facilities, if any being availed by other Associations of this category, stand withdrawn.
Yours faithfully,
Sd/-
(Subhash Chander)
Director (SR & Legal)
Copy to;-
All India Postal Extra Departmental Employees Union and other applicant Associations.
All Officers and Sections of the Department of Posts.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
PENSIONS BILL CHALLENGED IN SRILANKA,PENSIONS BILL CHALLENGED IN SUPREME COURT – NOT IN INDIA – BUT IT HAPPENS AT SRILANKA:
PRESIDENT CALLS UNIONS FOR A DISCUSSION
The new Employees Pensions Bill which has drawn the ire of employees, employers and trade unions, has been challenged in the Supreme Court by the Ceylon Bank Employees Union (CBEU) on a fundamental rights (FR) issue.
Meanwhile President Mahinda Rajapaksa, conscious of the barrage of criticism over the scheme which is to be made mandatory contrary to earlier promises of a voluntary pensions plan, has invited trade unions for a meeting on April 25 – two days before the bill is to be debated in parliament – to discuss issues that concern workers. Anton Marcus, President of the Free Trade Zones and General Service Employees Union which is associated – along with other unions - with the CBEU in the petition, said notices of the FR application have already been sent to the Parliamentary Speaker and the Attorney General. "We are filing a motion in court next week to take up the matter on April 28 and thus it is unlikely that parliament will be able to debate it on April 27," he said. Courts have been on vacation and due to reopen in last week April.
T.M.R.Rasseedin, President of Ceylon Federation of Labour (CFL), like most trade union leaders, is skeptical of meetings with the President. "Going on past experiences, these meetings are an informal gathering mostly attended by pro-government unions. Its not a real dialogue … just some 'mock' discussions with little outcomes, followed by lunch," he said, adding however that his union would attend the meeting.
Mr Marcus said the President's Office should only invite unions represented on the National Labour Advisory Council, which has been raising issues over the pensions scheme, instead of all unions.
E. K. Vithana, Vice-President of the CBEU has been cited as the petitioner in the application which was filed on April 12 and he says the bill is inconsistent with the Constitution which he claims is violated in many ways. He says the bill deprives members of the Employees' Trust Fund of their due entitlements to the dividends realized from the investment of the moneys of this Trust Fund.
Among other issues the CBEU is contesting is that the scheme is mandatory for every employee; there are contradictions in the bill itself as to who becomes members; that it imposes restrictions to legal heirs to claim lump sum amounts upon the death of a member who has fully contributed to this scheme. It says the scheme must be made voluntary.
The petition says that under the bill once an employment is declared to be a 'covered employment' the employees concerned in these employment categories automatically become members without their consent to joining it. All workers who become members of the fund are forced to forgo a certain percentage of their remunerations to be remitted to the said fund. Workers don't have any choice but to remit their hard-earned remuneration to the fund against their will, it said.
".. there are no whatsoever provisions in the bill to the effect that the worker and in his absence his dependents will be entitled without any hindrance to the amount so deducted from the worker and to the interest accrued to that amount," the petition said.
It said workers who make contributions must have a minimum period of 10 years of contributions to qualify for a pension. If an employee does not have the respective number of years required he or she will have to make the balance payments relating to such period, without being employed, which would also include the monthly contribution of the employer as well.
If the employee is unable to make this balance payment he will stand to lose all deductions that were made from earnings. The petition says a large number of young female employees are employed in industrial and export processing zones and the duration of employment of most of these employees is often below 10 years. In such instances, they will stand to lose their remunerations.
The petition has also raised issue over withdrawal of the remittances before a worker completes 10 years of service. Early withdrawal would entitle the worker to only 60% of the contributions.
PRIVATISATION OF ROYAL MAIL - DEFERRED FOR 10 YEARS
Government announces amendments to Postal Services Bill – Temporarily saved from 100% privatization of Royal Mail, U.K.
The government has outlined safeguards which it hopes will help protect the long-term futures of the Royal Mail and Post Office network.
Announced as amendments to the Postal Services Bill, which is currently going through Parliament, the safeguards include an assurance that the Royal Mail will remain the sole provider of the universal service for the next 10 years and that MPs will be kept updated on the commercial relationship between Royal Mail and the Post Office so that further large-scale closures of branches can be prevented.
Under the Postal Services Bill, the government plans to privatise Royal Mail and 'mutualise' Post Office Limited (POL), splitting the two organisations. The mutualisation plans for the Post Office aim to give more say to sub postmasters in the running of the network however the National Federation of Sub Postmasters has called for a 10-year working arrangement between Royal Mail and the POL in order to ensure the its survival.
The announcement was welcomed by Communication Workers Union general secretary Billy Hayes. "The amendments on the universal service and the commercial relationship between Royal Mail and the Post Office have been key campaign aims for the union and we are delighted the government has listened," he said.
The new Employees Pensions Bill which has drawn the ire of employees, employers and trade unions, has been challenged in the Supreme Court by the Ceylon Bank Employees Union (CBEU) on a fundamental rights (FR) issue.
Meanwhile President Mahinda Rajapaksa, conscious of the barrage of criticism over the scheme which is to be made mandatory contrary to earlier promises of a voluntary pensions plan, has invited trade unions for a meeting on April 25 – two days before the bill is to be debated in parliament – to discuss issues that concern workers. Anton Marcus, President of the Free Trade Zones and General Service Employees Union which is associated – along with other unions - with the CBEU in the petition, said notices of the FR application have already been sent to the Parliamentary Speaker and the Attorney General. "We are filing a motion in court next week to take up the matter on April 28 and thus it is unlikely that parliament will be able to debate it on April 27," he said. Courts have been on vacation and due to reopen in last week April.
T.M.R.Rasseedin, President of Ceylon Federation of Labour (CFL), like most trade union leaders, is skeptical of meetings with the President. "Going on past experiences, these meetings are an informal gathering mostly attended by pro-government unions. Its not a real dialogue … just some 'mock' discussions with little outcomes, followed by lunch," he said, adding however that his union would attend the meeting.
Mr Marcus said the President's Office should only invite unions represented on the National Labour Advisory Council, which has been raising issues over the pensions scheme, instead of all unions.
E. K. Vithana, Vice-President of the CBEU has been cited as the petitioner in the application which was filed on April 12 and he says the bill is inconsistent with the Constitution which he claims is violated in many ways. He says the bill deprives members of the Employees' Trust Fund of their due entitlements to the dividends realized from the investment of the moneys of this Trust Fund.
Among other issues the CBEU is contesting is that the scheme is mandatory for every employee; there are contradictions in the bill itself as to who becomes members; that it imposes restrictions to legal heirs to claim lump sum amounts upon the death of a member who has fully contributed to this scheme. It says the scheme must be made voluntary.
The petition says that under the bill once an employment is declared to be a 'covered employment' the employees concerned in these employment categories automatically become members without their consent to joining it. All workers who become members of the fund are forced to forgo a certain percentage of their remunerations to be remitted to the said fund. Workers don't have any choice but to remit their hard-earned remuneration to the fund against their will, it said.
".. there are no whatsoever provisions in the bill to the effect that the worker and in his absence his dependents will be entitled without any hindrance to the amount so deducted from the worker and to the interest accrued to that amount," the petition said.
It said workers who make contributions must have a minimum period of 10 years of contributions to qualify for a pension. If an employee does not have the respective number of years required he or she will have to make the balance payments relating to such period, without being employed, which would also include the monthly contribution of the employer as well.
If the employee is unable to make this balance payment he will stand to lose all deductions that were made from earnings. The petition says a large number of young female employees are employed in industrial and export processing zones and the duration of employment of most of these employees is often below 10 years. In such instances, they will stand to lose their remunerations.
The petition has also raised issue over withdrawal of the remittances before a worker completes 10 years of service. Early withdrawal would entitle the worker to only 60% of the contributions.
PRIVATISATION OF ROYAL MAIL - DEFERRED FOR 10 YEARS
Government announces amendments to Postal Services Bill – Temporarily saved from 100% privatization of Royal Mail, U.K.
The government has outlined safeguards which it hopes will help protect the long-term futures of the Royal Mail and Post Office network.
Announced as amendments to the Postal Services Bill, which is currently going through Parliament, the safeguards include an assurance that the Royal Mail will remain the sole provider of the universal service for the next 10 years and that MPs will be kept updated on the commercial relationship between Royal Mail and the Post Office so that further large-scale closures of branches can be prevented.
Under the Postal Services Bill, the government plans to privatise Royal Mail and 'mutualise' Post Office Limited (POL), splitting the two organisations. The mutualisation plans for the Post Office aim to give more say to sub postmasters in the running of the network however the National Federation of Sub Postmasters has called for a 10-year working arrangement between Royal Mail and the POL in order to ensure the its survival.
The announcement was welcomed by Communication Workers Union general secretary Billy Hayes. "The amendments on the universal service and the commercial relationship between Royal Mail and the Post Office have been key campaign aims for the union and we are delighted the government has listened," he said.
Monday, April 18, 2011
NFPE LOCAL MEETING- GRAND FELICITATION TO GDS COMRADE Local meeting conducted at Mallam So on 17-04-2011. Staff belongs to mallam, Yellasiri, Kota, Vakadu, Manubolu, Sydapuram attended. Com P. Panduranga Rao, K. Sudhakar, DSB Purushotham, K. Raghavaiah, K.Martin Luther, Ch. Subbaramaiah, A.Mallikarjuna, P.Ushakumari, K.saraswathi, Sri Rajagopal attended and narrated the various issues and lateset devolopment prevailing in the Postal Department and also in the Trade Union moovment as well sa ensuing indefinate strike from July 05th 2011. Com K.Pichaiah GDSMD Tirumur a/w Mallam So to retired on 04-04-2011 has been felicitated. Com K.Pichaiah is a stranch follower of NFPE participated in all strikes. He is habituated in attending the NFPE meetings wereever held very sincerely . His felicitation function done like a miny marraiege function.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
National Roundtable Conference on Mainstreaming of Rural Postal Network
National Roundtable Conference on Mainstreaming of Rural Postal Network Postal network with its size and reach across the country is the unique institution having potential to serve the rural community. Post Office is a microcosm of the rural community and is susceptible to changes in the environment. Therefore Department of Posts (DoP) needs to clearly redefine and reinvent the role of the Post Office in this new environment. This was stated by Shri Kapil Sibal, the Union Minister of Communications and Information Technology while inaugurating the National Roundtable Conference on Mainstreaming of Rural Postal Network here today. The Minister said that the Department is already on the road to Information Technology induction. Rural Information Communication Technology (ICT) segment of this project will throw up opportunities for serving customers on high end of the economic scale and development on initiatives as well as for ensuring last mile delivery.
Understanding that technology is not the end but is means to end like good governance and better quality of service India Post must adopt a holistic approach to technology led transformation. This platform be used to understand and conceptualise how important process reengineering, skill development and enhancement and resource planning is for implementing the new technology in our post offices. In the new environment possibilities of the rural post offices and Gramin Dak Sewaks being empowered and developed to become the “Vehicle of financial inclusion” and “Agents of last mile reach” in the digital age may be explored, he added.
India Post is the biggest postal network in the world, a major portion of which, consisting of about 1,39,000 post offices, is located in the rural India. Through a unique model of its rural branches, run by personnel drawn from the local communities, India Post has been providing mail, financial, and retail products to the remotest and most backward areas in a cost-effective manner. Its network is highly trusted and accessible to all the sections of the society. The network is however facing challenges of its under-utilization due to falling volumes of physical mails in rural areas. There are concerns that such sub-optimal utilization may be a loss of opportunity for this valuable national institutional capital.
India Post has the largest outreach among all the Central Government departments and agencies. This network has been and is continued to be used by other Government agencies in order to reach the people residing in the hinterland of the country due to its overarching reach. It is also the largest financial delivery network in the country and thus is ideally situated to deliver various instruments of financial inclusion, and social and economic development, particularly in rural areas. Moreover, rural postal personnel possess valuable information-capital on the households that can be leveraged to efficiently identify the prospective recipients of the social protection programmes. An ambitious programme of computerizing and digitally connecting the entire postal network is likely to further strengthen the potential and the capabilities of the network.
Rural post offices (called Branch Post Offices) function for three to five hours on all working days. They book registered letters, money orders, and collect ordinary letters through letter boxes located in all the villages even when they do not have a post office. They also deliver letters, both ordinary and registered and money orders at the doorsteps of all the addressees residing in their delivery jurisdiction. They open and service various kinds of deposit accounts and sell Rural Postal Life Insurance. They also provide retail services such as telephone and electricity bill collection. Some branch post offices (BOs) perform very specialized functions, e.g. 1,181 BOs collect data in respect of about 275 items of consumption every month on behalf of Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation for computation of Price Indices. The BOs are also involved in wage distribution to MGNREGA workers through more than 4.83 crore accounts.
The Minister for State for Communications and IT, Shri Sachin Pilot, Member Planning Commission, Shri Mihir Shah, Secretary Rural Development, Shri B.K. Sinha, Secretary (Posts) Ms Radhika Doraiswamy, Director Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Shri S. Parsuraman, experts, academicians and officers were present. The roundtable is being attended by various stakeholders in addition to the policymakers within India Post. It will explore various opportunities of engagement of the rural postal network towards social and economic development of rural communities and improvement of revenues of India Post in the process. This process will lead to drawing up of a roadmap for the rural postal network to bring it to the social and economic mainstream of rural India. This roadmap will also inform the Rural Entrepreneurs program for Gramin Dak Sewaks (Rural Postal Personnel). The conference will deliberate and try to identify initiatives for mainstreaming of rural post offices in the community they serve; inform stakeholders the opportunities coming up for the rural post offices in the near future through Rural ICT of India Post 2012 and bring out valuable inputs for orienting the Rural Entrepreneurs program for Gramin Dak Sewaks to address the needs of the community served by the Post Office effectively
Source: PIB
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Thursday, April 14, 2011
A COPY OF MEMORANDUM TO BE SUBMITTED ON 20-04-2011 & CHARTER OF DEMANDS
JOINT COUNCIL OF ACTION
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF POSTAL EMPLOYEES
FEDERATION OF NATIONAL POSTAL ORGANIZATIONS
ALL INDIA POSTAL EXTRA DEPARTMENTAL EMPLOYEES UNION
NATIONAL UNION OF GRAMIN DAK SEVAKS
NEW DELHI
No. JCA/AGTN/2011 Date – 20.04.2011
To
Ms. Radhika Doraiswamy
Secretary
Department of Posts
Dak Bhawan, New Delhi – 110001
Madam,
Sub: - Problems faced by the Postal and RMS Employees – Submission of Charter of Demands – regarding
Ref: - Our Letter No. JCA/AGTN/2011 dated 01.04.2011
The joint meeting of the National Federation of Postal Employees (NFPE), Federation of National Postal Organisations (FNPO) and GDS Unions has reviewed the situation prevailing in the Department of Posts and has decided to organize agitational programmes culminating in indefinite strike from 5th July 2011 for realization of the genuine demands of the Postal and RMS Employees and also to stop the disastrous policy offensives unleashed by the authorities such as closure/merger of Post offices/RMS offices, outsourcing, contractorisation etc. we have already submitted a letter dated 01.04.2011 detailing the issues which are agitating the minds of the entirety of Postal/RMS employees including Gramin Dak Sevaks.
Accordingly, we hereby submit a Charter of Demands containing the items which are to be discussed and settled amicably, failing which we will be compelled to resort to agitational programmes as mentioned in our letter dated 01.04.2011.
With regards,
Yours faithfully,
| M. Krishnan Secretary General, NFPE | D. Theagarajan Secretary General, FNPO |
| K. V. Sridharan General Secretary, AIPEU Group ‘C’ | D. Kishan Rao General Secretary, NAPE Group ‘C’ |
| Ishwar Singh Dabas General Secretary AIPEU -Postmen & MSE/Group ‘D’ | T. N. Rahate General Secretary NAPE Postmen, MTS & Group ‘D’ |
| Giriraj Singh General Secretary AIRMS & MMS EU Group ‘C’ | D. Theagarajan General Secretary,R-3, FNPO |
| P. Suresh General Secretary AIRMS & MMS EU MG & Group ‘D’ | A. H. Siddique General Secretary,R-4, FNPO |
| Pranab Bhattacharjee General Secretary,AIPAOEU – NFPE | O.P.Khanna General Secretary,AIPAOA(FNPO) |
| S. S. Mahadevaiah General Secretary, AIPEDEU | P.U.Muralidharan General Secretary, GDS – NUPE |
| T. Satyanarayanan General Secretary, AIPAEA | H.L. RAMTEKE General Secretary, AIPAOA |
| S. Appanraj General Secretary, AIPSBCOEA | S. Sambandam General Secretary, NASBCO |
| S. A. Raheem General Secretary, AIPCWEA | Pratha Pritam Ghorai General Secretary, NUCWE |
CHARTER OF DEMANDS
1. Stop closure /merger of PO/RMS Offices including BOs. Review the orders implementing Speed Post Hubs and Delivery Hubs and restore status quo ante. Stop outsourcing the works of Postal, RMS & MMS functions.
2. Grant status as Central Civil Servant to GDS employees for all purposes including service matters, pay scale, increment, allowances, pension, promotion and other terminal benefits, leave, bonus and trade union facilities. Scrap new recruitment rules for appointment as postmen which curtails promotional avenues – restore previous rules and withdraw tighten norms assessing BPM’s work. Drop reduction of allowances in case of reduction of workload.
3. Revise the wages of casual labourers and contingent employees w.e.f. 01.01.2006 based on the minimum pay recommended by 6th CPC. Stop outsourcing the work of casual labourers and contingent work. Grant temporary status to eligible full time casual labourers , Convert part time into full time absorb full time , part time contingent employees in vacant GDS posts.
4. Immediate revision of OTA & OSA rates.
5. Implement the assurances made on 12.07.2010 Strike Settlement and also the JCM Departmental Council Meeting held on 23.08.2010.( List enclosed) Ensure prompt holding of Departmental Council Meetings.
6. Immediate finalization of Cadre Restructuring proposals including Postal Accounts as assured by the Secretary Department of Posts and its implementation.
7. Stop decentralization of Postal Accounts, PLI and RPLI and ensure status-quo.
8. Expedite the process of filling of all vacant posts in all Wings including GDS.
9. Stop implementation of Postmaster Cadre till finalization of Cadre Restructuring. Ensure 100% filling up of LSG, HSG-II, HSG-I before implementation of Postmasters Cadre, remove the retrograde eligibility conditions for appearing the examination of Grade I and PSS Group B and allow account line officials also.
10. Stop combination of beats /double duty, stop harassment of staff insisting 100% impracticable condition for delivery under Project Arrow. Settle the demands raised in the Postmen Committee such as distance factor, number of articles, Grant of Cycle allowance without distance condition, cash payment for uniform and kit items, Supply of good quality uniforms, Revision of norms.
11. Fixing norms for new assigned works of MTS. Allow to decline postman promotion for MTS under seniority quota and review the recruitment rules of MTS to Postmen / Mail Guards.
12. Grant promotions to Drivers / Artisans at par with other C.G. organizations like Railways/Defence. Higher Pay Scales to charge hand & Drivers. Revision of CRC EPP and Logistic norms.
13. Declare SBCO Staff as Divisional cadre , Stop harassment of SBCO officials under contributory factors. Complete the Ledger Agreement Work update the SBCO before launching Core Banking.
14. Fill up all Postal Civil Wing and Electrical Wing posts as per CPWD norms. Creation of Postal /Electrical and Architectural Division in every Circle. Expedite the Restructuring of Civil Wing Cadres.
15. Ensure full fledge functioning of newly formed Postal Accounts Offices by providing adequate staff strength and accommodation. Rectify the anomaly caused due to promotion of Group ‘D’ official to the cadre of LDC after 2006. Restore the residency period of three years in respect of JA to SA promotion retrospectively w.e.f. 13.12.2006. Grant MACP to those joined in Sorter cadre treating LDC as entry grade as the Sorter grade has been defunct since 2000.
16.Drop the proposed move of ending the services of existing System Administrators by outsourcing the technology work to the outsider agencies. Create the System Administrators posts as assured and specified norms and other works.
17. Counting of past services rendered by erstwhile RTPs for promotions and MACP.
18. Implement Apex Court Judgement in case of RRR Candidates in true sprit and extend to all approved RRR Candidates awaiting for absorption.
19. Stop Harassing and victimization of innocent officials under contributory negligence factors. Implement the true spirit of Govt orders and Volumes and no recovery should be made if the concerned is not directly responsible for the loss sustained to the department.
20. Stop discrimination towards PO & RMS Accounts Cadre, Create separate cadre and earmark % of posts for norm based promotions in the same cadre, Count Special Allowance for fixation on promotion, Withdraw the recovery imposed on Postman Pay fixation and drawal of bonus to GDS. Restore the date of passing the Acct examination for according LSG promotions instead date of entry in PA cadre.
21. Enhance the LR strength on all cadres to the extent of 20% and fill up all vacant LR posts.
22. Ensure prompt grant of Child Care Leave as per the liberalized orders, unnecessary hurdles put forth should be dropped.
23. Review the MACP clarifactory orders and rectify the issues like, non drawal of spl allowance on acquiring MACP, wrong interpretation of IIIrd MACP to departmental promotes only after 30 years, Counting as double promotions as Group D & Postmen even in the case of promotion to Postman on GDS quota, non counting of training period for MACP, ignore promotions acquired on deptl exam for MACP, ignore all uncommunicated average bench marks for MACP as Judicial verdict.
24. Stop attack on Union office bearers by misusing Rule 37 transfers and Rule 9 of CCS (CCA) Rules. Dispose all Rule 9 (Pension rules) disciplinary cases pending at Directorate years together.
25. Denying the legitimate right of employees to avail holidays & Sundays by compelling them to attend frequent meetings / Melas.
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copy submitted to :
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by..........................................
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Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu go to Assembly Poll today
Kerala, Puducherry, TN go to Assembly Poll today Kerala is going to polls on Wednesday to elect 140 members of the state Assembly after an acrimonious campaign marred by sporadic clashes in the concluding moments between workers of ruling CPI(M) led LDF and opposition Congress-headed UDF, the main contenders for power. The electoral battle is intense in all the 140 segments between UDF and LDF with no wave is palpable in favour of either of the coalitions. In at least two segments in up-north and down-south BJP has been able to make the contest three-cornered. The concluding phase of the campaign had been unusually acrimonious with leaders from both sides trading charges, which at times slipped into the level of personal attacks. After remaining peaceful mostly, the scene witnessed widespread clashes in the dying moments of the campaign in which several persons were injured including minister and LDF candidate V Surendran Pillai. Chief Minister and CPI(M) veteran V S Achuthanandan has been the star-campaigner of the LDF. Congress leader and Defence Minister A K Antony was on the forefront of UDF camaign addressing scores of meetings for 11 days at a stretch. National leaders, who came to address election meetings included Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, BJP leader L K Advani, AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi and Chief Ministers Mawyawai and Narendra Modi. In 2006, LDF won 98 seats and UDF 42, which was almost the reveral of 2001 tally, living upto to the state's reputation of alternating between the two coalitions every five years. In the initial stages, UDF appeared to have a clear edge in view of its splendid performance in the Lok Sabha and civic polls by Congress and its allies. As the campaign gained momentum LDF succeeded in taking the fight to the UDF camp. High profile candidates in the fray include Achuthanandan (Malampuzha), UDF's Chief Ministerial probable Oomen Chandy (Puthupally), KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala (Harippad), CPI(M) polit bureau member Kodiyeri Blakrishnan (Thalassery), Muslim League leader P K Kunhalikutty (Vengara), Kerala Congress (M) supremo K M Mani (Pala) and senior BJP leader O Rajagopal (Nemom). Elections this time are also significant for Kerala as these are the first polls after NRIs got voting rights. However, only 8862 NRIs have registered as voters while an estimated 2.2 million Keralites are working abroad, mostly in Gulf countries. A total of 971 candidates are in the fray, a majority of them independents. The state has a total electorate of 2.31 crore. According to Chief Eelectoral Officer Nalini Netto, 3703 polling stations have been identified as sensitive. D-day for DMK, AIADMK After an acrimonious fourteen-day election campaign, arch rivals ruling DMK and opposition AIADMK have held their breath as the over 4.6 crore-strong electorate in Tamil Nadu will decide who among them will assert political supremacy on polling day on Wednesday. Political heavyweights among the 2,773 candidates who will have their fates sealed include DMK leader and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi (Tiruvarur), his arch rival and AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa (Srirangam), Karunanidhi's son and Deputy Chief Minister M K Stalin (Kolathur) and DMDK actor-founder Vijayakanth (Rishivandyam). Both Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa had confidently asserted during a no holds barred campaign for the Assembly election that their party would form the next government. Electioneering was on a quiet mode this time around without the usual poll trappings like writings on walls and posters due to the Election Commission's hawk eyed vigil. Personal attacks against Karunanidhi and his family members by Jayalalithaa and Vijayakant and against the AIADMK chief by Stalin, as well as complaints by rival party leaders against each other to the EC forced the Commission to send notices to these leaders, seeking explanations. The EC had imposed a lot of restrictions and transferred some District Collectors, DGP and other top police officials on complaints that they were acting in a partisan manner. The Commission's actions had prompted Karunanidhi, who harped on the theme of development during the campaign, to go hammer and tongs against it, charging the EC with seeming to favour the Opposition and even stating that Tamil Nadu was under a 'mini Emergency'. His bete noire Jayalalithaa on the other hand targeted him over "rampant corruption" and "collapse" of law and order and asked the voters to rid the state of the DMK patriarch's 'family rule'. Hike in prices of essential commodities and frequent power cuts were issues picked up by the Opposition to attack the DMK government during the campaign. A host of national leaders including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, AICC President Sonia Gandhi, AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, BJP leaders L K Advani, Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and Narendra Modi, Left leaders Prakash Karat and A B Bardhan had descended on Tamil Nadu during the fortnight to campaign for their party's nominees. The ruling DMK is contesting 119 seats in the 234 member Assembly, leaving 63 seats to Congress, 30 to PMK, 10 to Viduthalai Chirutagal Katchi, seven to Kongu Munnetra Katchi, three to IUML and one each to Moovendar Munnetra Kazhagam and Perunthalaivar Katchi. AIADMK is contesting 162 seats and has allocated 41 seats to DMDK, 12 to CPI-M, 10 to CPI, three to Manitha Neya Makkal Matchi, two to All India Samuthuva Makkal Katchi, one each to AIFB, All India Movendar Munnetra Kazhagam, RPI and Kongu Ilaginar Peravai. In Puducherry, all necessary arrangements are being made for the peaceful polling on Wednesday. Over 8.10 lakh electorates will decide the fate of 187 candidates including 79 Independents in the Assembly elections on Wednesday. For the first time in the Union Territory, all the 851 polling booths have been connected with webcasting to monitor the polling process. Electronic voting machines and other materials for the poll is being taken to the booths on Tuesday afternoon. Ten companies of Para-military forces along with local police and home guards are deployed for security in the Union Territory. Additional security arrangements have been provided in 102 polling booths which are identified as vulnerable. All liquor shops in the Union Territory will remain closed.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Grant of family pension to childless widow of a deceased Central Government employee after her remarriage – Clarification
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare
New Delhi,
No.1/4/2011 -P&PW(E) the 1st April, 2011
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject: Grant of family pension to childless widow of a deceased Central Government employee after her remarriage – Clarification -reg.
A reference is invited to the Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare’s O.M.No. 38/37/08-P & PW(A) dt. 2.9.2008 whereby provisions regulating pension / family pension / gratuity / commutation of pension/disability pension/ex-gratia lump sum compensation, etc. were revised consequent upon implementation of Government’s decision on the recommendations of 6th CPC.
2. As per the provisions of para 8.6 of the ibid O.M., the childless widow of a deceased Government employee shall continue to be paid family pension even after her remarriage subject to the condition that the family pension shall cease once her independent income from all other sources becomes equal to or higher than the minimum prescribed for family pension in the Central Government.
3. References/Representations have been received in this Department from various quarters raising therein doubts that the provisions of this Department’s O.M. dt. 2.9.2008 do not adequately take care of cases wherein death of the employee took place prior to 1.1.2006 and the childless widow of the deceased employee got remarried before/on or after 1.1.2006.
4. The issue has been examined in this Department in consultation with Department of Expenditure. It is hereby clarified that the childless widow of a deceased Central Government employee who had expired before 1.1.2006, shall be eligible for family pension in the light of 6th CPC’s recommendations irrespective of the fact that the remarriage of the widow had taken place prior to/on or after 1.1.2006. The financial benefits in such cases, however, will accrue from 1.1.2006. This, however, would be subject to the fulfillment of certain conditions laid down therein, including the income criterion that the income of the widow from all sources does not become equal to or higher than the minimum prescribed for family pension in the Central Government.
5. This issues with the concurrence of Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance vide their U.O. No.64/EV/2011 dt. 11 3.2011.
6. This order, in so far as their applicability relates to the employees of Indian Audit & Accounts Department, is being issued in consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor General of India vide their U.O. No.50 -Audit(Rules/ 14-2010 dt. 31.3.2011…
7. Hindi version will follow.
-sd-
(K.S.CHIBB)
Director
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