DETAILS ON RENTED PO BUILDINGS---PIB NEWS

Post Offices in Rented Buildings

The State-wise number of Post Offices being run in the country in the rented buildings, as on 31-03-2010 is given below.

S.N	Name of State	No. of P.Os running in the country in the rented building, State-wise
1	Andhra Pradesh	2015
2	Assam	465
3	Bihar	823
4	Chhattisgarh	296
5	Delhi	215
6	Gujarat	1094
7	Haryana	356
8	Himachal Pradesh	394
9	Jammu & Kashmir	196
10	Jharkhand	329
11	Karnataka	1416
12	Kerala	1214
13	Madhya Pradesh	762
14	Maharashtra	1733
15	Goa	93
16	Arunachal Pradesh	10
17	Tripura	53
18	Meghalaya	35
19	Manipur	42
20	Nagaland	25
21	Mizoram	28
22	Orissa	956
23	Punjab	547
24	Rajasthan	962
25	Tamil Nadu	2319
26	Uttarakhand	296
27	Uttar Pradesh	2531
28	West Bengal	1162
29	Sikkim	203
	Grand Total	20570

Under the activity of “Purchase of Land” in respect of current Plan scheme “Estates Management”, the available fund is being utilized to purchase plots for Post Offices from State Governments/Development Authorities and also in areas where department has difficulty in hiring premises to house Post Offices in future. The financial targets earmarked under this activity during the current Five Year Plan period are Rs. 6.39 Crores to purchase 15 plots.

The details of plots purchased, State-wise are as under:-

S. No	Year	Details
1	2007-08	Nil
2	2008-09	Purchased 2 plots (Dabhoi in Gujarat & Marhaur in Bihar)
3	2009-10	Purchased 1plot (Perambular in Tamil Nadu)
4	2010-11 (upto October, 2010)	Nil.

Details of funds allocated/released under the Plan sub head “Purchase of Land” is as under:

(Rs. in lakhs)

S. No	Year	Budget Estimate/Final Grant	Funds allocated/released	Spent
1	2007-08	0	0	0
2	2008-09	40.00	31.98	31.98
3	2009-10	26.00	25.51	25.51
4	2010-11 (up to October, 2010)	100.00	34.13	26.27 (payment of extension fee)

This information was given in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha by Shri Gurudas Kamat, the Minister of Communications and Information Technology.

PRODUCTS THROUGH POST OFFICES --- PIB NEWS

Products Through Post Offices

The Department of Posts has signed agreements with financial institutions including many other organisations to sell their products through Post Offices in the country. List of products sold at national level is as given below.

Sl.No.	Name of Company/Financial Institution	Description of product/service
1	Western Union Money Transfer	International money transfer to India
2	UTI Mutual Funds	Sale of UTI Mutual Funds through post offices
3	Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority	Point of Presence for National Pension Scheme Accounts
4	M/s Nirmal Packaging Systems	Sale of Corrugated boxes and Paper board envelops.
5	M/s Narsingh Dass & Co.	Sale of Tyvek Envelops
6	Ministry of Railways	Booking/cancellation of Railway Reservation Tickets under PRS Scheme
7	CBOP( Now merged with HDFC Bank)	Sale/Purchase of foreign exchange
8	Reliance Money Infrastructure Limited	Sale of Gold Coins
9	BSNL	Sale of recharge coupons Sancharnet Cards etc.
10.	India Post SBI tie-up	Department sells assets and liability products of SBI through identified postal outlets.
11.	NABARD-SHG linkage scheme	India Post has entered into a tie-up with NABARD to disburse micro credit to women self help groups (SHGs) on pilot basis.

The Central and State Governments take various measures from time to time to promote and popularize small saving schemes through print and electronic media as well as holding seminars, meetings and providing training to various agencies involved in mobilizing deposits under the schemes. As part of this ongoing exercise, Government has taken following steps to make the small savings schemes more attractive and investor friendly:-

-Introduction of Bonus at the rate of 5% on the deposits made under Post Office Monthly Income Account (POMIA) Scheme on or after 8th December, 2007 upon the maturity of the deposit.

-The benefit of Section 80C of the Income Tax Act, 1961 has been extended to the investments made under 5-Year Post Office Time Deposits Account and Senior Citizens Savings Scheme, with effect from 01.04.2007.

-With effect from 1.8.2007, the maximum deposit ceilings of Rs.3.00 lakh and Rs.6.00 lakh under the Post Office Monthly Income Account (POMIA) Scheme has been raised to Rs.4.50 lakh and Rs.9.00 lakh in respect of single and joint accounts respectively.

-The penalty on pre-mature withdrawal of deposits under the Post Office Monthly Income Account (POMIA) scheme has been rationalized from 3.5% to 2% on withdrawal on or before expiry of three years and 1% on withdrawal after expiry of three years.

-All categories of pensioners have been allowed to open and maintain ‘Pension Account’ under Post Office Savings Account Rules, with effect from 11th July, 2007.

-The restriction on opening of more than one account during a calendar month under the Senior Citizens Savings Scheme has been removed with effect from 24th May, 2007.

-Opening of “Zero deposit/Zero Balance” accounts for workers employed under NREG Act, under Post Office Savings Account Rules, with effect from 26th August 2008.

-Opening of “Zero deposit/Zero Balance” accounts for Old Age Pensioner Account under Indira Gandhi Old Age Pension Scheme, Widows Pensioner Account under Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme and Disabled Pensioner Account under Indira Gandhi National Disabled Pension Scheme with effect from 13th October 2009.

-National Savings Institute, a subordinate organization under the Department of Economic Affairs (Budget Division) also maintains its web site i.e nsiindia.gov.in in collaboration with National Informatics Centre to facilitate interface with the public through wider dissemination of information on small savings and on-line registration and settlement of investor’s grievances.

This information was given in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha by Shri Gurudas Kamat, the Minister of Communications and Information Technology.

AIPEDEU CENTRAL WORKING COMMITTE MEETING - WARANGAL

HOLIDAYS & RESTRICTED HOLIDAYS DURING 2011

CIRCLE OFFICE ISSUED ORDERS FOR RE-ALLOTMENT IN PSS GR-B CADRE

C.O has issued Regional allotments in PS Group B cadre vide lr.no.ST/12-1/2010-11 dtd 3.12.2010.
1. Sri J. Raghavendan, TN Circle to A.P. NR, Hyderabad
2. Sri P. Duraiswamy, TN Circle to A.P. NER, Visakhapatnam
3. Sri R. Baskaran, TN Circle to HCR, Hyderabad (Circle Office)
4. Sri S. Duraisamy, TN Circle to A.P. NR, Hyderabad
5. Sri K. Durairaju, TN Circle to AP ER, Vijayawada
6. Sri A.V. Gaikwad, Karnataka Circle to AP ER, Vijayawada
7. Sri Ramakrishna Somayaji, Karnataka Circle to AP ER, Vijayawada
8. Sri Vageesh Varada, Karnataka Circle to A.P SR, Kurnool
9. Sri Diwakara, Karnataka Circle to A.P NER, Visakhapatnam
10. Sri K. Naringa Rao, A.P. Circle to AP NR, Hyderabad
11. Sri D. RAmanaiah, A.P Circle to AP NR, Hyderabad

NEW SELECTION TO GDSMC/MDS

Interview have been conducted to the following posts on 3-12-10 by IP, Gudur North . The following candidates selected. Congratulations to both of them

T.Kavitha[416 marks without hindi] selected to the post of GDSMC/MD, Pidur a/w Manubolu SO[Native of Bandepalli village under Manubolu]

CH.Gopinath[418 marks without hindi] selected to the post of GDS MC/MD, Vindur a/w Gudur HO[Native of mannur village under Balayapalli mandal]

RED SALUTE TO BSNL EMPLOYEES

BSNL employees under the banner of Joint Action Committee are on 3 days strike all over india against the privitization,disinvestment,sending out of more than 1 lakh employees in the name of voluntary retirement according to the recommendations of syam petroda committee, re-payment of 18500 crores to BSNL which was recovered forcebly earlier e.t.c
National Federation of Postal Employees wish the strike success and extend total support.

BPM NEW SELECTIONS IN NELLORE DIVISION

BPM, PEDAPUTTEDU BO A/W GANDAVARAM SO [OC]
BPM,GANGAVARAM BO A/W KOVUR SO [OBC]
Last date for submission of applications: 23-12-2010
Interviews will be held on 27-12-2010 at SP office, Nellore
Applications are to be submitted to Supdt of POS, Nellore by Regd/Speed post

APPOINTMENT ON FAKE CAST CERTIFICATE

Some cases of appointments made on the basis of allegedly fake caste certificates have come to the notice of Government. As per information received from 30 Ministries/ Departments, there were about 1383 cases of appointments made on the basis of allegedly false/ fake caste certificates. The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered 58 cases against 67 persons on allegations of appointment on the basis of fake caste certificates. The Government has issued instructions to the effect that the appointing authorities should verify the caste status of a Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe candidate at the time of initial appointment and promotion against a vacancy reserved for them. The instructions further provide that verification of caste status should be done at every important upturn of employee’s career so that the benefit of reservation and other schemes of concessions, etc, meant for SCs/STs go only to rightful claimants. Instructions also provide that if any person gets an appointment on the basis of such false claim, he should be removed from service. The Government of India has requested all the States/ UTs to streamline the system of verification of caste certificates so that unscrupulous non-SC/ST/OBC persons are prevented from securing jobs meant for SCs/STs/OBCs by producing false certificate. They have also been requested to initiate disciplinary proceedings against officers who default in timely verification of caste status in such cases or issue false certificates so as to rule out collusion between candidates holding false/ forged certificates and employees. This was stated by Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. Shri V. Narayanasamy in written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.

INDIA POST'S GADGETS TO STREAMLINE NREGA PAYMENT

NEW DELHI: India Post will provide gadgets such as biometric fingerprint scanners , magnetic strip readers and thermal printers to its 1,30,000 rural offices to smoothen the process of verification and payment under the national rural employment guarantee scheme . It has charted out an ambitious rural information technology (IT) plan that will make the wage disbursement under the scheme paperless, said an official with the department who asked not to be named. Although NREGA is administered by the ministry of rural development, payments under the UPA government's flagship job safety programme are routed through the postal network and bank branches. The postal department services more than half of the wage earners under the scheme in most states of the country. The government has allocated Rs 40,100 crore for NREGA in 2010-11 . It is estimated that the rural development ministry will be able to utilise only about Rs 35,000 crore in the current year. A total of 179,43,189 families have been provided employment under the scheme till June 30 this year.
The devices offered to the post offices will have an in-built global positioning system (GPS) to determine the frequency of the postal staff's visits to the villages, which will ensure accountability on the part of the branch post masters. This will also help the department map its delivery territory.
The move will help the hugely popular scheme to check leakage of funds owing to fake attendance under the scheme. In some states of North East, it was found that funds were transferred under the scheme to even doctors and engineers. In Uttar Pradesh alone the leakage is estimated at . 850 crore annually.
The department has invited participation of private players in this regard. The IT revamp, which will happen in phases, is expected to be completed in two years, said an official with the ministry of communications and information technology.
To ensure that the process is made hassle-free , the devices will have portable web cameras with enabling features such as bluetooth and wifi access for seamless transfer of data that may be required under the verification process for accounts.
Transactions under the scheme will happen only when the wage earner's biometric information is matched with data stored in the department's electronic database.
"Our devices will be compliant with standards issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India," said YP Rai, deputy director general (rural business) at India Post.
As network availability in most rural areas is inconsistent, the devices will have facility to function both online and offline. To address the problem of inadequate power supply, the devises will have an in-built battery with solar chargers.

30 Nov, 2010, 06.16AM IST, Souvik Sanyal,ET Bureau

DISCUSSION WITH CADRE RESTRUCTRING WITH POSTAL DIRECTORATE

DISCUSSION ON CADRE RESTRUCTURING
SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR AND POSTMAN RELATED ISSUES
An informal meeting with DDG (Estt.) and other officers on the issue of Cadre Restructuring has been held at the Directorate on 23.11.2010 .All General Secretaries of NFPE lead by the Secretary General Participated.
The following are the gist of discussion held in the meeting:
1. Since , GDS could get Gr. ’D’ promotion only after 45 to 50 years of age ,in most of the cases, the MACP is nothing but a mirage for this cadre. There should be provided three promotions with smaller span on time which was agreed.
2. Similar in the case of postman many of them could not get third MACP due to paucity of required service. Cadre review should be carried out to provide three promotions to Postman within a span of twenty years. It was replied that the Postman on higher promotions should make data entries in the Postmen Module which was in principle agreed by us.
3. Further it was informally discussed to provide 20% of LGO Vacancies for seniority cum fitness instead of writing examination.
4. In respect of System Administrators it was discussed to carve-out the cadre from PA and make it as promotional post for PA/SA. It was told that creation of about 2000 to 2500 posts it will require a matching saving around 3000 PAs/SAs. Grade Pay of Rs. 4200/- which is available in other Department’s. For System Asstt.,it was agreed to consider
5. The Official qualified in PO & RMS Acctts. Examination may be granted 2800 Grade Pay and may be posted to A/Cs Branch carving out a separate cadre to Accounts line,shall be explored.
6. With regard to PA Cadre the official side categorically stated that there is no elevation of Posts or Grade Pay in the Cadre review proposed for increasing the promotional posts can only be considered on matching saving. We argued about justification of Grade Pay of 4200/- to LSG which was finally agreed to consider.
7. Our demand to upgrade 11395 single handed Pos and 6719 double handed Posts Offices as LSG and 6621 present LSG Post to HSG-II post and amalgamation 1622 HSG-II posts and HSG-I posts will be considered. The DDG (Estt.) informed that in lieu of increased promotions staff side should come forward with proposal for matching saving. He suggested merger or closure of single handed Sub Post Offices to the extent of 300 in urban area which was strongly opposed by us.
8. We further demanded that at the time of upgradation of LSG /HSG-II and HSG-I posts some decent nomenclature should be given instead of present nomenclature.
9. The proposal on SBCO, Postal Administrative Offices will be discussed in the next meeting.
10. On RMS we demanded to increase the number of supervisory posts at least by three times to provide 1st, 2nd and 3rd promotions with in 25 years.
11. The DDG (Estt.) refused to discuss about MMS drivers case since it is subjudice.
12. The meeting was only a preliminary one and detailed discussions will be held shortly with the members of the Committee with full fledged discussion.
POSTMAN RELATED ISSUES
One more meeting was also held on the same day to discuss about Postman related issues. The following are the out come:
1. Postman may not be entrusted with any data entry work other than issue of Speed Post and Registered articles for delivery. Norms for this work should be fixed.
2. Revision of norms of registered / Un-registered articles delivering and also for distance travelled will be considered.
3. Norms will be considered for the left out items also.
4. A survey will be conducted to decide the minimum and maximum distance to be travelled by foot in congested and non-congested areas using milometer and cyclometer.
5. Distance conditions for cycle maintenance allowance may be reviewed.
6. For Speed Post Delivery separate incentive should be given when this work is done with normal duties.
7. We also opposed unilateral introduction of single beat system in Metros and big Cities (e.g. Chennai). Proper compensation for excess duty or creation of additional posts should be ensured.
SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR
There was another meeting on 23.11.2010 to discuss the System Administrator’s issue. It was agreed to release orders shortly on the grant of conveyance allowance. The duties and responsibilities and other issues will be discussed in the next meeting. Carving out a separate cadre will be considered taking in to account the existence of System Assistant post in other Departments.
POSTMASTER’S CADRE:
The Department of Posts has released the Gazette Notification of Postmaster’s Cadre and numerous mails and calls are being received by Federation and CHQ. We want make it clear that we are not against the creation of Postmaster’s Cadre. At present 1/3rd posts of LSG, HSG-II and HSG-I are identified for Postmaster’s Cadre.
We are seeking further following improvement in the order:
1. Before finalizing the options for Postmaster’s Cadre all the LSG, HSG-II and HSG-I posts should be filled up or all officials in 1st, 2nd and 3rd MACP should be allowed to exercise option to Postmaster’s Cadre.
2. 25% posts of PS Gr .’B’ (Gazetted) shall be filled up from among the existing HSG-I officials at the initial stage itself.
3. APM Accounts and Accountants shall also be permitted to opt the Postmasters Cadre.
We further desire to discuss this issue in threadbare during discussion in the Cadre Review Committee.