Friday, August 30, 2013
Cyber-spying fallout: Govt may restrict usage of Google's Gmail for employees
The government will soon ask all its employees to stop using Google's Gmail
for official communication, a move intended to increase security of
confidential government information after revelations of widespread cyber-spying by the US.
A senior official in the ministry of communications and information
technology said the government plans to send a formal notification to
nearly 5 lakh employees barring them from email service providers such
as Gmail that have their servers in the US, and instead asking them to
stick to the official email service provided by India's National
Informatics Centre.
"Gmail data of Indian users resides in other countries as the servers
are located outside. Currently, we are looking to address this in the
government domain, where there are large amounts of critical data," said
J Satyanarayana, secretary in the department of electronics and
information technology.
Snowden Fallout
The move comes in the wake of revelations by former US National Security Agencycontractor Edward Snowden that the US government
had direct access to large amounts of personal data on the Internet
such as emails and chat messages from companies like Google, Facebook and Apple through a programme called PRISM.
Documents leaked by Snowden showed that NSA may have accessed network
infrastructure in many countries, causing concerns of potential security
threats and data breaches. Even as the new policy is being formulated,
there has been no mention yet of how compliance will be ensured.
Several senior government officials in India, including ministers of
state for communications & IT Milind Deora and Kruparani Killi, have
their Gmail IDs listed in government portals as their official email.
A Google India
spokeswoman said the company has not been informed about the ban, and
hence it cannot comment on speculation. "Nothing is documented so far,
so for us, it is still speculation," Google said in an email response.
A senior official in the IT department admitted on condition of
anonymity that employees turn to service providers such as Gmail because
of the ease of use compared with official email services, as well as
the bureaucratic processes that govern creation of new accounts.
"You can just go and create an account in Gmail easily, whereas for a
government account, you have to go through a process because we have to
ensure that he is a genuine government user."
Last week, IT Minister Kapil Sibal
said the new policy would require all government officials living
abroad to use NIC servers that are directly linked to a server in India
while accessing government email services. Sibal said there has been no
evidence of the US accessing Internet data from India.
Sunil Abraham, executive director of Bangalore-based research firm
Centre for Internet and Society, said he agrees with the government's
decision to ban Gmail for official communication and that any official
violating this needs to be punished.
"After Snowden's revelations, we can never be sure to what extent
foreign governments are intercepting government emails," he said.
Abraham, however, called the government's decision a "late reaction", as
the use of Gmail and other free email services by bureaucrats has
increased in the past.
"Use of official government email would also make it easier to achieve
greater transparency and anti-corruption initiatives. Ministers,
intelligence and law enforcement officials should not be allowed to use
alternate email providers under any circumstance."
6th CPC had recommended not to merge 50% of Dearness Allowance (DA) Parliament was informed today
6th Pay Panel has not recommended 50% DA merger with Basic pay, says govt
The 6th Pay Commission had
recommended not to merge 50% of Dearness Allowance (DA) for government
employees with their basic pay, Parliament was informed today.
'The 6th Central Pay Commission
had recommended not to merge Dearness Allowance with basic pay at any
stage,' Minister of State Finance Minister Namo Narain Meena said in a
written reply to the Lok Sabha.
Government accepted this
recommendation, he said, adding that the recommendations of the 6th Pay
Commission were given effect from January 1, 2006.
Some Central Government Employees
Associations have been demanding for the merger of 50% DA with Basic Pay
and the constitution of 7th Pay Commission.
Meena said the setting up of the
next Pay Commission is considered normally after a gap of 10 years
between two successive Pay Commission.
DA to central government employees is revised twice a year, with effect from January 1 and July 1, calculated on the basis of percentage increase in all India Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers.
POST BANK OF INDIA SANS POSTAL EMPLOYEES
POST BANK OF INDIA SANS POSTAL EMPLOYEES
It seems that the Post Bank of India (PBI) may become a reality in the near future. For the last more than fifteen years we have been told about the Post Bank and even the Parliamentary standing committee on Communications & IT has repeatedly demanded the Government for commencing Post bank. Several attempts have been made, but the Finance Ministry always took a negative stand, for one reason or the other. Majority of the bank managements including nationalized banks have been opposing the entry of the Postal department into commercial banking. The reason is obvious. They foresee a potential threat to their existence once Post Bank enters into their field and during the course of time the Post Bank may become one of the biggest Bank.
Post Bank of India will be an independent entity, separate from the current operations of small savings schemes being carried out by the Department of Posts on behalf of Ministry of Finance. Department has accordingly submitted an application to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 28.06.2013 seeking banking license subject to necessary cabinet approval. RBI has said that new banks will have to set up at least three branches in villages with a population of less than 10000, for each branch they establish in other areas. Although Post Bank does not intend to open a bank in every Post office, the plan is to meet the financial inclusion goal through these Post offices. India Post had 1,54,822 Post offices across the country as on 31.03.2013, the largest for any department in the world, and close to 90% of them – 1,39,086 – are in rural India. This is more than four times the number of rural branches run by India’s Banks put together. According to plan prepared by Ernst & Young, India Post will become Post Bank of India’s banking correspondent. PBI will use Post office infrastructure but very frugally. Carefully done PBI can be a game – changer in rural areas.
India post is among 26 applicants that sought banking licenses from RBI. India Post has to develop the standards to meet RBI guidelines. In its guidelines for new banking licenses announced on 22ndFebruary 2013, RBI required applicants to prove their eligibility on several fronts – from promoter holding to past experience to business plans. The minimum capital required by the applicants for license is Rs. 500 crores and foreign share holding in the new banks is capped at 49% for the first five years. The new banks have to be set up under a non-operative Financial Holding company (NOFHC). They also have to maintain minimum capital adequacy ratio – the ratio of risk weighed assets, a measure of financial strength of the bank – of 19 % for the first three years. New banks also need to list their shares within three years of starting operations.
The main argument put forward by those opposing the Post Bank is that Postal department has no experience when it comes to giving credit (loans). Department has only been taking deposits till now. Sanctioning and disbursing of credit needs an entirely different aptitude. India Post has no specialized experience in the business. It is reported that unlike many believe, the Post Bank of India will be a completely new entity with no legacies of a government department and very little to do with its parent department, except using some of its network. It will have an independent Board. Separate recruitment has been planned to have specialised banking staff. Of course, the Post Bank will be a subsidiary organisation of India Post, which need to be registered as a public sector Bank and Government equity in this new entity could be diluted. Whatever reforms and regulations Government implements in Nationalised Banking sector will be fully applicable to Post Bank of India also.
There are many talented and qualified Postal employees who want to switch over to the Post bank and to work as employees under the Post Bank. The reports that separate recruitment will be made for the Post Bank has cast shadow upon their hope to work in the Post Bank. NFPE demands that the existing Postal employees who want to switch over to the Post Bank shall be given chance to exercise option and if need be a trade test to assess their capability can also be conducted before selection. Selected officials can be imparted with intensive training in commercial banking business. In any case 100% open market direct recruitment is an injustice to those talented Postal employees who may not be able to apply for open recruitment due to age factor etc. we urge upon the Postal Board and Finance Ministry to give due consideration to this aspect, before the new Bank is rolled out.
PFRDA BILL LIKELY TO BE TAKEN UP IN PARLIAMENT ON 2nd SEPTEMBER 2013.
It is reported that PFRDA Bill will be take up in Parliament for discussion and adoption on 2nd September. Confederation National Secretariat once again calls upon all Central Government Employees to organize 2 hour walkout and nationwide protest demonstration on the day if bill is taken up or on the next day if information received late.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
MTS EXAMINATION KEY HELD ON 25/08/2013
PLEASE VISIT THE SITE V V ACADEMY LINKED BELOW
http://www.vvacademy.blogspot.in/
PLEASE VISIT THE SITE V V ACADEMY LINKED BELOW
http://www.vvacademy.blogspot.in/
JCM (NC) urges for 47th NC/NAC Meeting: Additional Charter of demand submitted to DoPT
Thursday, August 29, 2013
No. NC-JCM-2013/47th N.C. Meeting
August 14th, August 2013
The Secretary,
Department of Personnel & Training, North Block,
New Delhi
Sub:- Convening the 47th National Council meeting — regarding.
Dear Sir,
The last meeting of the National Council (46th) was held on 15.5.2010. It is now more than 38 months that the Council met. As per the provisions of the Constitution of the National Council it ought to have been convened once in four months. The non-convening of the meeting has resulted in inordinate delay even in addressing the demands / issues / problems of the employees giving rise to discontent, frustration, anger and agitation.
We had send a few items for the inclusion in the agenda of the National Council vide our letter No. NC-JCM-2010/47th N.C. Meeting dated 17.1.2012. The passage of time without any meeting has resulted in certain issues gaining importance and the settlement of which cannot brook any delay.
We send herewith 12 such items for inclusion in the agenda as per the discussion with JS (E), some of the Staff Side members had a few days back.
This apart, the National Anomaly Committee which was set up in the wake of acceptance of 6th CPC recommendations is yet to conclude its business. There are issues in the agenda of National Anomaly Committee, which was not subjected to discussion even once. The MACP related matters have not also been brought back to the NAC to reach its logical conclusions.
We request you to kindly convene the National Council meeting, meeting of NAC on a date mutually convenient prefaralaly in the months of August itself.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
sd/-
(Umraomal Purohit)
Secretary
Encl.-As above.
CHARTER OF DEMANDS
1. Revise the wages of the Central Government employees including Gramin Dak Sewaks with effect from 1.1.2011 and every five years thereafter by setting up the 7th CPC.
2. Merge DA with pay for all purposes with effect from. 1.1.2011 including for Gramin Dak Sewaks.
3. Remove restriction imposed on compassionate appointments and the discrimination on such appointments between the Railway workers and other Central Govt. employees.
4. (a) Departmentalise all Grameen Dak Sewaks and grant-them all benefits of regular employees; End Bonus discrimination and enhance bonus ceiling to 3500/-; withdraw open market recruitment in Postman / MTS cadre; Revise cash handling norms; Grant full protection of TRCA; Grant Time Bound Promotion and Medical Reimbursement facility etc,
(b) Regularise the daily rated, contingent, casual workers and introduce a permanent scheme for periodical regularization. Pending regularization, provide them with pro-rata salary at 6th CPC rates.
5. (a) Revive the functioning of the JCM. Convene the meeting of the Departmental Councils in all Ministries/Departments. Settle the anomalies raised in the National Anomaly Committee as also in the Departmental Anomaly Committees. Hold National Council meetings as specified in the JCM constitution. (b) Remove the anomalies in the MACP Scheme.(c) Grant recognition to all Associations/Federations, which have complied with the formalities and conditions stipulated in the CCS(RSA) Rules.
6. Fill up all vacant posts and creates posts n functional requirements.
7. Stop downsizing outsourcing, contractorization, corporatization and privatisation of Governmental functions.
8. (a) Stop the proposal to introduce the productivity linked wage system; (b) discard the performance related pay structure; (c) introduce PLB in all Departments; (d) remove the ceiling on emoluments for bonus computation.
9. Revise the OTA, Night duty allowance and clothing rates.
10. Implement all arbitration awards;
11. Grant Five promotions to all employees as is provided for in the case of Group A services.
12. (a) Withdraw the PFRDA Bill. (b) Rescind the decision to allow FDI in pension sector;(c) Scrap the new contributory pension scheme (d) Extend the existing statutory defined pension scheme to all Central Govt. employees irrespective of their date of entry in Government service.
****
Confederation views:
Agenda for next meeting of the JCM National Council has been finalized on 27.08.2013 in consultation with DOP&T Twelve demands raised by Confederation in the charter of demands are included. (including GDS employees demand) Next meeting of National Council JCM is expected by the end of October 2013.
The letter give by Com. Umraomal Purohit, Secretary, JCM (NC) and the 12 demands included in the agenda are given below:
M. Krishnan
Secretary General
The next and 47th National Council JCM meeting is expected to be held by the end of October 2013 - Confederation News
the next and 47th National Council JCM meeting is expected to be held by the end of October 2013 - Confederation News
Confederation Secretary General Shri M.Krishnan informed through his official blog today that the next meeting of National Council JCM is expected to be held by the end of October 2013.
CONFEDERATION DEMANDS INCLUDED IN THE AGENDA OF THE JCM NATIONAL COUNCIL
Agenda for next meeting of the JCM National Council has been finalized on 27.08.2013 in consultation with DOP&T Twelve demands raised by Confederation in the charter of demands are included. (including GDS employees demand) Next meeting of National Council JCM is expected by the end of October 2013.
The letter give by Com. Umraomal Purohit, Secretary, JCM (NC) and the 12 demands included in the agenda are given below:
M. Krishnan
Secretary General
Civil Services Mains Examination 2013 from December 1
Last Date for Online Applications is September 10
Civil Services Mains Examination 2013 is going to be held from December 1. The exam will be held for five days. There will be eight compulsory papers and one optional. Candidate who qualified in the prelims exam can submit their online applications before September 10.
Civil Service Main Exam 2013 will be held from December 1, 2013. Candidates who cleared the preliminary examination papers that were held in May this year are eligible to apply for the mains exam. Civil Services Main exam 2013 will be held for five days from 1st to 5th December. The test will be conducted in 19 centres located all across India.
The centres in which Civil services main examination will be held are Ahmadabad, Allahabad, Bangalore, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cuttack, Delhi, Dispur, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jammu, Kolkatta, Lucknow, Mumbai, Patna, Shillong, Shimla and Tiruvananthapuram.
Representation from Government Servant on service matters through VIPs and other important dignitaries/Offices- reg.
KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA SANGATHAN 18, InstitutionaL Area, Shaheed Jeet Singh Marg
New Delhi 110 016
New Delhi 110 016
F.11029-12/2013-KVSHQ (Admn.-l)
Date: 23.08.2013
The Deputy Commissioner
Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan
All Regional Offices
Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan
All Regional Offices
SUB: Representation from Government Servant on service matters through VIPs and other important dignitaries/Offices- reg.
Sir/Madam,
Of late the Govt. of India has observed that there is an increasing tendency on the part of employees and officers at different levels to by-pass the prescribed channels of representation and write directly to the high functionaries totally ignoring the prescribed channels. Apart from individual representations, the Service Unions have also developed a tendency to write to the Ministers and Prime Minister on individual grievance. Some of these representations also often forwarded through Members of Parliament. It is clear violation of Rule 20 of the CCS (Conduct) Rule, 1964.
The Govt. of India has viewed the matter seriously and has decided to initiate disciplinary action against those who violate the channel of submission of representations by the Government servants. A copy of Govt. of India, DoPT Office Memorandum No. 11013/08/2013-Estt (A)-III dated 06.06.2013 is enclosed with the instructions that the instructions contained therein may be followed in KVS strictly.
This may be circulated among all Kendriya Vidyalayas functioning under your administrative jurisdiction including all employees of your offices. Acknowledgement of the circular by each of the employee working under your jurisdiction be obtained and kept in record in your office. Further the compliance of these instructions be reported to KVS (Hqrs) within a period of 30 days from the receipt of this letter without fail.
Hindi version will follow.
Yours faithfully,
Sd/-
(Dr. E. Prabhakar)
Joint Commissioner (Pers.)
(Dr. E. Prabhakar)
Joint Commissioner (Pers.)
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Demand for new National Pay Commission(7th CPC)
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-1704
ANSWERED ON-23.08.2013
Demand for new National Pay CommissionWill the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to satate :-
1704 . SHRI D. RAJA
(a) whether it is a fact that all Railway trade unions have threatened to go on a general strike if their demand for a new National Pay Commission is not announced within a period of four months; and
(b) if so, the details thereof and Government’s reaction thereto?
ANSWER
(SHRI KOTLA JAYA SURYA PRAKASH REDDY)
(a) and (b): There are two recognized staff Federations on Railways. Both the Federations have made numerous demands concerning various service matters of railway employees like pay and allowances, promotion and pension. While one of the Federations have indicated that if their grievances are not resolved in a time bound programme, the Federation would be compelled to conduct strike ballot as a first step. The other Federation have decided to give a time of four months to the Government for satisfactorily settling their demands failing which the Federation will be compelled to give call for ‘Indefinite Strike’ on Railways. One of the demands of both the Federations is regarding setting up of VIIth Central Pay Commission. Since constitution of Central Pay Commission is a subject matter of Ministry of Finance, the same has been referred to that Ministry.
Consumer forum imposes fine of 5k on chief post master
for deficiency of service
KANPUR: The Consumer Protection Forum,KanpurNagar, on
Friday ordered chief post master, KanpurNagar, to
pay Rs 5,000 to complainant within 30 days of the order for
deficiency of service.
Complainant Ashok Kumar Pandey had
moved the Forum claiming that he lost an opportunity to land a job and earn his
bread and butter owing to the deficiency of service. His application form for a
job in Barrage NirmanKhand-II,
irrigation department, Phoolbagh, was
rejected due to delayed delivery.
In his petition, Pandey claimed that he was unemployed and
had applied against an advertisement of the above job. The last date of
submission of form was February 18, 2009 and he had sent his form through speed
post on February 16. Pandey claimed that his application form reached the
irrigation department on February 20 and was not entertained. The postal
department returned his form with a note of refusal.
The claimant sought Rs 50,000 from the postal department as
damages for not delivering the application on time and the mental agony caused
by it.
Appearing before the Forum, the postal department
contradicted the charges of deficiency of services. In a written submission,
the department claimed that letter was delivered on February 20. As per norms
of speed post services, the letter is to be delivered within 72 hours of the
date of registry. The department said that Pandey's complaint be rejected as
the application was delivered within due course of time.
Forum president LV Singh and member Ganesh Prasad in their
order observed that speed post must be delivered within 48 hours but even if
the claim of 72 hours was considered then application should have been
delivered on February 19. However, the marking of refusal was done on February
20 at 12.45 pm, which indicated that the application form reached its
destination on the fourth day.
The Forum said that it was a fit case of deficiency of service and liable to be awarded.
The forum awarded the complaint and imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on chief post
master.
Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
LTC scam: MPs may also be inflating air travel bills
NEW DELHI: The stink of forged airline tickets being used to
defraud the government is spreading to Parliament.
Ever since TOI on Thursday exposed the widespread scandal in
LTC (leave travel concession) claims, where officials of the central government
and public sector units have been submitting forged or inflated airline travel
bills, information has been emerging of the scam being far more widespread than
known, and quite efficiently organized.
Here comes the latest shocker: It may not be just government
officials who have been submitting forged airline tickets in connivance with
travel agents to defraud the government. According to multiple sources, there
seems to be a well-oiled network of travel agents supplying members of Parliament with similarly inflated
flight tickets.
In some cases, it is possible that the MPs are not aware of
their bills being forgeries, but there are indications that some MPs may also
be part of the racket.
At least one Lok Sabha member
confirmed to TOI that he was a victim of one such racket. The MP, who did not
want to be named, lodged a complaint with the Speaker on August 12, demanding a
thorough probe of all airline tickets submitted by him to the secretariat.
Contents of the letter were shared with TOI.
Members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are entitled to
business class tickets to attend Parliament sessions, consultative and standing
committee meetings, or other official functions. Besides, they are also
entitled to 34 business class tickets in a year.
The 34 business class tickets can be used in different ways,
MPs can take spouses or companions along. The spouse/companion can travel alone
up to eight times using these tickets. The unused tickets are carried over to
the next year.
There are two ways for MPs to claim their tickets. One is to
collect exchange orders from the secretariat of the House concerned and submit
them to an Air India office and pick up tickets in exchange.
They can also obtain tickets from the Air India counter on the first floor of
Parliament building.
The second, and preferred way, is to buy tickets through
travel agents and submit the boarding pass, e-ticket and filled-up voucher for
reimbursement. The money is reimbursed to the bank account of the MP. Tickets
of any airline can be booked through travel agents.
It is in the second method that the scandal exists. According
to the MP who has complained to the Speaker, he used to buy his tickets through
a travel agent based in Regal Building, Connaught Place, in Delhi. The MP said
he thought he was "trapped by the representative of the travel
agent".
He said the travel agent was charging him an
"exaggerated amount" while supplying tickets purchased at lower
prices. When he sensed something was wrong, he switched to a new travel agent
based in Gulmohar Enclave. But here again, he realized that the same racket was
going on. He suspects that his personal staff may also be involved .
Inquiries with several officials involved with MPs, some MPs
themselves and travel industry sources indicate that many of the MPs may be
aware of the racket. In some instances, it is the personal staff of the MP who
seem to be involved .
What has let this racket flourish is the lax audit systems of
the Parliament secretariat, officials claimed. There seems to be no foolproof
audit of claims submitted by MPs, who only have to submit boarding passes and
e-tickets, which could well be forged.
The revelations about MPs' tickets too being possibly
manipulated comes even as the CBI is expected to begin an investigation against
travel agents, employees of the Rajya Sabha secretariat, Ordnance Factory
Board, Shipping Corporation of India and possibly even Air India for being part
of a massive racket in submitting fake or forged airline tickets to claim LTC.
Ever since TOI on Thursday exposed the widespread scandal in
LTC (leave travel concession) claims, where officials of the central government
and public sector units have been submitting forged or inflated airline travel
bills, information has been emerging of the scam being far more widespread than
known, and quite efficiently organized.
Here comes the latest shocker: It may not be just government
officials who have been submitting forged airline tickets in connivance with
travel agents to defraud the government. According to multiple sources, there
seems to be a well-oiled network of travel agents supplying members of Parliament with similarly inflated
flight tickets.
In some cases, it is possible that the MPs are not aware of
their bills being forgeries, but there are indications that some MPs may also
be part of the racket.
At least one Lok Sabha member
confirmed to TOI that he was a victim of one such racket. The MP, who did not
want to be named, lodged a complaint with the Speaker on August 12, demanding a
thorough probe of all airline tickets submitted by him to the secretariat.
Contents of the letter were shared with TOI.
Members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are entitled to
business class tickets to attend Parliament sessions, consultative and standing
committee meetings, or other official functions. Besides, they are also
entitled to 34 business class tickets in a year.
The 34 business class tickets can be used in different ways,
MPs can take spouses or companions along. The spouse/companion can travel alone
up to eight times using these tickets. The unused tickets are carried over to
the next year.
There are two ways for MPs to claim their tickets. One is to
collect exchange orders from the secretariat of the House concerned and submit
them to an Air India office and pick up tickets in exchange.
They can also obtain tickets from the Air India counter on the first floor of
Parliament building.
The second, and preferred way, is to buy tickets through
travel agents and submit the boarding pass, e-ticket and filled-up voucher for
reimbursement. The money is reimbursed to the bank account of the MP. Tickets
of any airline can be booked through travel agents.
It is in the second method that the scandal exists. According
to the MP who has complained to the Speaker, he used to buy his tickets through
a travel agent based in Regal Building, Connaught Place, in Delhi. The MP said
he thought he was "trapped by the representative of the travel
agent".
He said the travel agent was charging him an
"exaggerated amount" while supplying tickets purchased at lower
prices. When he sensed something was wrong, he switched to a new travel agent
based in Gulmohar Enclave. But here again, he realized that the same racket was
going on. He suspects that his personal staff may also be involved .
Inquiries with several officials involved with MPs, some MPs
themselves and travel industry sources indicate that many of the MPs may be
aware of the racket. In some instances, it is the personal staff of the MP who
seem to be involved .
What has let this racket flourish is the lax audit systems of
the Parliament secretariat, officials claimed. There seems to be no foolproof
audit of claims submitted by MPs, who only have to submit boarding passes and
e-tickets, which could well be forged.
The revelations about MPs' tickets too being possibly
manipulated comes even as the CBI is expected to begin an investigation against
travel agents, employees of the Rajya Sabha secretariat, Ordnance Factory
Board, Shipping Corporation of India and possibly even Air India for being part
of a massive racket in submitting fake or forged airline tickets to claim LTC.
Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Safety of Women Workers
Business Process Organisations (BPOs) are covered under the
Shops and Establishment Act, which is a State Act and enforced by respective
State Governments. Ministry of Home Affairs has sent a detailed advisory dated
04th September, 2009 to all State Governments and Union
Territories wherein they have been advised, inter-alia, to make a comprehensive
review of the effectiveness of the machinery in tackling the problem of crime
against women. The advisory, inter-alia, advises the State Governments and
Union Territories on gender sanitization of the police personnel, adopting
appropriate measures for swift and salutary punishment to the persons found guilty
of violence against women, minimizing delays in investigations of
crime against women and improving the quality of investigations, setting up
‘Crime AgainstWomen Cell’ in district where
these do not exist, setting up of special courts, improving the safety
conditions in road and special steps for security of women working in night
shifts of call centers.
As
far as safety provisions in textile firms are concerned, they are governed by
the Factories Act, 1948. As per Section 66 of the Factories Act,
1948 women workers are allowed to perform any work only during 6.00 a.m. and
7.00 p.m. and in special cases with State Government permission between 5.00
a.m. and 10.00 p.m.
In
respect of factories registered under the Factories Act, 1948, mechanisms are
in place, to initiate legal action and launch prosecution against such
factories that violate safety norms. Details of such prosecutions for violating
safety norms including safety of women filed during the year, 2011 State-wise
is given at Annexure-I.
This
information was given by Minister of State for Labour & Employment Shri Kodikunnil Suresh
in the Lok Sabha today
in reply to a written question.
Working more than 50 hours a week may harm your health
WASHINGTON: Employees who work for more than 50 hours a week may be harming their mental and physical health, a new study has warned.
Researchers from Kansas State University found a preliminary link between workaholics and reduced physical and mental well-being.
Sarah Asebedo, doctoral student in the University, working with colleagues Sonya Britt and Jamie Blue used the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 for the study.
"We looked at the association between workaholism and physical and mental well-being," Asebedo said.
"We found workaholics - defined by those working more than 50 hours per week - were more likely to have reduced physical well-being, measured by skipped meals.
"Also, we found that workaholism was associated with reduced mental well-being as measured by a self-reported depression score," she said.
The link between workaholism and well-being has been assumed for years; however, there was a lack of research supporting the link until this study, Asebedo said.
To understand why people work overtime even when they know it is not good for their well-being, the researchers used Gary S Becker's Theory of the Allocation of Time, a mathematical analysis for choice measuring the cost of time.
"This theory suggests that the more money you make, the more likely you are to work more. If you are not engaged in work-related activities, then there is a cost to the alternative way in which time is spent," Asebedo said.
"Even if you understand the negative consequences to workaholism, you may still be likely to continue working because the cost of not doing so becomes greater," she said.
According to Asebedo, Becker's theory suggests that not only can working more make a person wealthier but it also creates less leisure time to spend money. As income increases a person may be more likely to work more and create an unhealthy habit.
She advises workaholics to be aware of the effect excessive work has on their physical and mental well-being and to be prepared for what they can do to mitigate or counteract the effects during busy work periods.
Data for the study was taken from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 cohort, a nationally representative sample of 12,686 young men and women in US who were interviewed on an annual basis from 1979 through 1994 and are currently interviewed on a biennial basis.
Source : The Economic Times
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