GLIMPSE OF BIANNUAL CONFERENCE HELD AT GUDUR ON 11/11/2012

NFPE STRIKE NOTICE TO BE SERVED ON 19-11-12

STRIKE NOTICE TO BE SERVED ON 19.11.2012.

Please copy and submit the same after holding a massive demonstration on 19.11.2012

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF POSTAL EMPLOYEES

ALL INDIA POSTAL EMPLOYEES UNION GDS (NFPE)

NFPE/12.12.2012                                                     Dated – 19th November, 2012

To,

The Director General

Department of Posts

Dak Bhawan, New Delhi – 110001

NOTICE

Sir,

            In accordance with the provisions of Sub Section (1) of Section 22 of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, we hereby notify that all the Postal/RMS/MMS/Administrative & Postal Accounts Employees and the Gramin Dak Sewaks which are affiliated to Confederation of Central Government Employees & Workers will go on one day strike on 12.12.2012. The demands for acceptance of which the employees embark upon One Day Strike are detailed in the Charter of Demands enclosed.

                                                                                   

M. Krishnan                                                                   R. Sivannarayana

Secretary General, NFPE                      General Secretary, AIPEU Group 'C'          

                                                             

Ishwar Singh Dabas                                                         Giriraj Singh

General Secretary                                                     General Secretary

AIPEU Postmen, MTS & Group 'D'                        AIRMS & MMS EU Group 'C'

`                                                                                                                                  

                                                                       

P. Suresh                                                                      Pranab Bhattacharjee

General Secretary                                                              General Secretary      

AIRMS & MMS EU MG & Group 'D'                           AIPAOEU Group C & D           

                                                                                                                                   

T. Satyanarayana                                                                    S. Appanraj     

General Secretary                                                                   General Secretary      

AIPAEA                                                                                    AIPSBCOEA     

                            

                                                                       

S. A. Raheem                                                                           P. Pandurangarao      

General Secret                                                                      General Secretary      

AIPCWEA                                                                             AIPEU GDS (NFPE)      

                                                                                                                                               

CHARTER OF DEMANDS

1.       Appoint Seventh Pay Commission for revision of wages of Central Government Employees including Gramin Dak Sevaks from 01.01.2011.

2.       Grant merger of 50% DA to all including Gramin Dak Sevaks from 01.01.2011.

3.       Remove restrictions on Compassionate appointments.

4.       Departmentalization of GDS and grant them all benefits of regular employees. Revise cash handling norms; withdraw open market recruitment in Postmen/MTS, Grant full protection of TRCA. Grant Time bound promotions. Implement Medical reimbursement Scheme etc.

5.       End Bonus discrimination and enhance the bonus ceiling of GDS to 3500/-

6.       Regularize the Casual, Part-time, contingent employees and grant revise pro-rata wages from 1.1.2006.

7.       Revise Overtime allowance and Night Duty allowance.       

8.       Stop downsizing, outsourcing, Contractorisation and privatization.

9.       Grant Five promotions to all.

10.     Implement all Arbitration awards.

11.     Ensure prompt functioning of JCM at all levels.

12.     Withdraw PFRDA Bill.

13.     Stop price rise and strengthen public distribution system.

14.     Withdraw all trade union victimization.

15.     Enact laws to grant Right to Strike to Government employees.

GUIDELINES FOR FILLING UP OF VACANT POSTS OF POSTMAN / MAIL GUARD / MTS

RPLI Bonus for the year 2008-09

RPLI Bonus for the year 2008-09

Simple Reversionary Bonus rate for the year ending 31.03.2009 on the Rural Postal Life Insurance Policies on their becoming claim, due to death or maturity:-

Sl.	Type of Insurance Policy	Rate of Bonus
(i)	Whole Life Assurance (WLA)	Rs.65 per thousand sum assured
(ii)	Endowment Assurance (EA)	Rs.50 per thousand sum assured
(iii)	Anticipated Endowment Assurance (AEA)	Rs.47 per thousand sum assured
(iv)	Convertible Whole Life Policies	Whole Life Bonus would be applicable but on conversion, Endowment Bonus rate will be applicable

The rate of Bonus for the year 2008-09 will be applicable from the date of receipt of this notification by the Circles and this will also be applicable to claim cases received but not settled till the date of receipt of this Notification.

Interim Bonus at the rates mentioned above will also be payable for all claims arising due to maturity or death until future valuation is completed.

Source:-Directorate of Postal Life Insurance Notification No. 5-1/2007-LI dated 6^th November, 2012

CLARIFICATION ON FILLING UP OF VACANT POSTMAN / MAIL GUARD / MULTI TASKING STAFF

CLARIFICATION ON FILLING UP OF VACANT POSTMAN / MAIL GUARD / MULTI TASKING STAFF

Indo-Israel revelry on postal dept's new release

Indo-Israel revelry on postal dept's new release

ALLAHABAD: Department of Posts has set rolling celebration of Deepawali. While special arrangements are being made for distribution of Deepawali greetings timely, a twin-set of postage stamps depicting Deepawali have been issued by India and Israel.
Director postal services Allahabad region Krishna Kumar Yadav said the stamps of Rs 5 denomination are being issued on the occasion of completion of 20 years diplomatic relations between India and Israel.
The festival of lights is celebrated as Deepawali in India and as 'Hanuka' in Israel.
'Deepawali' is the festival of lights and celebrated on the eve of 'Amavasya' in the Hindu month of Kartik in India.
The Hanuka is also celebrated as festival of lights in Israel. This is Jewish holiday festival of eight days started before 2{+n}{+d} century BC at the time of the Maccabean Revolt in Jerusalem at the time of re-dedication of holy temple in the form of memorials.
The candles are lit on windows and doors in a traditional way and this is also lit on nine-branched Menorah and also as Hanuka special lamps. The postal stamps are available in Philately Bureau, Allahabad head post office and Allahabad Kutchery head post office too.

Barack Obama reelected as U.S President

Barack Obama reelected as U.S President

Transfer to lower post under FR 15(a) - DOPT Instructions

Transfer to lower post under FR 15(a) - DOPT Instructions

Click here to View Department of Personnel and Training OM No.16/4/20 I 2-Pay-1 dated 05-11-2012 on the above subject matter.

Wallposters in c/w 12th Dec 2012 one day strike

TRAI orders cap of 100 SMSes a day at low rates

In yet another attempt to curb the menace of pesky spam messages, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has announced a cap of 100 SMSes in a day per SIM at concessional rates. For every SMS sent above the cap imposed by the TRAI, a minimum charge of 50 paisa will be levied. TRAI's order comes in the wake of complaints from the subscribers about receiving pesky messages from unregistered telemarketers, who allegedly are taking an advantage of the cheap SMS packages provided by telecom operators.

According to TRAI's principal advisor, N Parameswaran, the move will help stop unregistered telemarketers from misusing the concession SMS plans for sending bulk promotional messages. The restriction however does not apply on registered telemarketers, transactional message-sending entities, and telephone numbers.

The regulator is also considering a new mechanism which will enable telecom operators to block messages with same or similar characters. The proposed mechanism envisages a maximum of 200 SMSes with “similar signatures” are sent in an hour. The service provider can block the source once the cap is breached.

"We have arrived at the figure of 100 SMSs after a lot of consultation process," TOI quotes a TRAI official as saying. While the order would not have an adverse impact on the ordinary phone users, the official added, "Our analysis shows that on an average, a person sends two SMSes a day and 47 in a month. The limit we have prescribed is much beyond this."

"These SMS packs and tariff plans are being misused by unregistered telemarketers to send promotional SMSes to consumers. To prevent unregistered telemarketers from misusing such SMS packs or tariff plans for sending bulk promotional SMSes, a price restraint has been placed," Trai added.

Moreover, TRAI has asked telecom operators to set up web-and email-based mechanisms to enable subscribers to register complaints. "Whenever a new customer is enrolled for service, the access provider is required to take an undertaking from such customer in the Customer Acquisition Form that he shall not use the connection for telemarketing purpose and in case he does so, such connection shall be liable to be disconnected," TRAI said in a statement.

TRAI's fresh bid to curb unwanted text messages comes months after the regulator imposed a 200 SMS cap per day per SIM – which was later removed by the Delhi high court. The menace of pesky messages has continued to trouble the regular customers despite the stricter guidelines laid by the government bodies.

With spam messages ranging from new apartments to hair-fall therapies, the government needs to come up with a foolproof mechanism to stop the menace, and without troubling the common man. Even as the regulator believes a person sends only 47 SMS per month, there's quite a huge population that extensively uses SMSes for the communication, especially the youth.

Do you think pesky messages will finally end by allowing only 100 SMSes a day at low rates? Let us know in the comments section below:

Source: TOI

NFPE CIRCULAR

No. PF-01(e)/2012                                                                                       DATED 02.11.2012

To,

 All General Secretaries, All office bearers NFPE,

            All Circle /Divisional & Branch Secretaries    

12.12.12  =  ALL INDIA STRIKE

Dear Comrades,

*           COMPLETE THE STRIKE CAMPAIGN IN NOVEMBER ITSELF.

*           EACH AND EVERY EMPLOYEE SHOULD BE CONTACTED PERSONALLY.

*           PRINT AND DISTRIBUTE NOTICES /PAMPLETS/POSTERS EXPLAINING THE 15 POINT CHARTER OF DEMANDS.

*           CONDUCT OFFICE TO OFFICE SQUAD WORK, GENERAL BODY MEETINGS, CONVENTIONS AND GROUP MEETINGS.

STRIKE NOTICE WILL BE SERVED ON 19.11.2012

*           CONDUCT DEMONSTRATIONS IN FRONT OF ALL OFFICES ON 19.11.2012

*           CONDUCT MASS EVENING DHARNAS ON ALL IMPORTANT PLACES ON 20^th,21^{st, 22nd}   AND 23^rd   NOVEMBER 2012.

*           CONDUCT CAMPAIGN JATHAS, PUBLIC MEETINGS, RALLIES, DEMONSTRATIONS & PRESS MEETINGS.

GET READY FOR THE BIGGEST STRIKE OF ENTIRE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES

We Demand:

1.         Appoint Seventh Pay Commission for revision of wages of Central Government Employees including Gramin Dak Sevaks from 01.01.2011.

2.         Grant merger of 50% DA to all including Gramin Dak Sevaks from 01.01.2011.

3.         Remove restrictions on Compassionate appointments.

4.         Departmentalization of GDS and grant them all benefits of regular employees. Revise cash handling norms; withdraw open market recruitment in Postmen/MTS, Grant full protection of TRCA. Grant Time bound promotions. Implement Medical reimbursement Scheme etc.

5.         End Bonus discrimination and enhance the bonus ceiling of GDS to 3500/-

6.         Regularize the Casual, Part-time, contingent employees and grant revise pro-rata wages from 1.1.2006.

7.         Revise Overtime allowance and Night Duty allowance.       

8.         Stop downsizing, outsourcing, Contractorisation and privatization.

9.         Grant Five promotions to all.

10.       Implement all Arbitration awards.

11.       Ensure prompt functioning of JCM at all levels.

12.       Withdraw PFRDA Bill.

13.       Stop price rise and strengthen public distribution system.

14.       Withdraw all trade union victimization.

15.       Enact laws to grant Right to Strike to Government employees.

Yours fraternally,

{M. KRISHNAN}

Secretary General

Don't kill the RTI - The Times of India

Don't kill the RTI - The Times of India

Editorial of  Times Of India October 27

Unjustified judicial intervention could compromise the good the right to information is doing

Perhaps the biggest contribution of our Parliament towards promoting greater accountability in independent India is the enactment of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005. If, as they say, information is power, then the RTI Act has been a veritable 'Brahmastra' in the hands of the Indian public. It has been extremely successful in empowering people with information held by public authorities.

The Indian RTI experiment has proved that right to information is a powerful tool that serves to bridge the democratic deficit created by increasing inequality and differences in access to opportunities. Countless Indians are now able to check the status of their ration cards, below poverty line (BPL) cards, passports, application for public schemes etc. The RTI has made the state machinery more accessible and easier to manage, especially for the poor and vulnerable sections of society. An important reason why this has been so is because the Act has an effective and reasonably efficient implementation machinery consisting of the state and central chief information commissioners (CICs) who have the power to give effect to the provisions of this Act.

This success story of the RTI Act has, however, encountered a significant reversal in the recent judgment of the Supreme Court in Namit Sharma's case. In this case, a public interest litigation was filed challenging the constitutionality of Ss 12 and 15 of the RTI Act, 2005, dealing with appointment of the information commissioners. In a single stroke, the court completely upset the established RTI machinery with disastrous consequences for the public at large.

The court held that the commission is a "judicial tribunal" having the "trappings of a court". Given this, it reached some surprising conclusions. It held that the information commissioners "shall henceforth work in benches of two each...one of them being a 'judicial member', while the other being an 'expert member'." The appointment authorities were directed to "prefer a person who is or has been a judge of the high court" for appointment as information commissioners. It was also held that the CICs "shall only be a person who is or has been a chief justice of the high court or a judge of the Supreme Court of India".

There are a number of flaws in the reasoning. First, equating the information commissions with a "judicial tribunal" is clearly erroneous. The only issue to be decided before the commission is whether information, which is already available with the autho-rities, should be disclosed or not. The commission does not therefore dispense justice (like a court), it merely deals with disclosure of information.

Second, the Act already provides certain qualifications for appointments to the post of information commissioners ("persons of eminence" and "knowledge and experience" in particular fields). However, the court has completely rewritten the provisions of the Act by insisting on qualifications that go beyond what has been prescribed by the Act, and further, by specifically laying down the requirement of two-person benches, having at least one judicial member. This is a clear case of judicial overreach where the court has virtually legislated provisions of law.

More importantly, there are important practical concerns that flow from this judgment, and which the court has unfortunately glossed over. A huge fallout by way of immediate effect of this judgment would be the cessation of the acti-vities of all the information commissions until members with judicial background are appointed. The position of the current incumbents to the post of CICs becomes precarious as they cannot continue to work as per the SC decision. It is completely unclear whether they would resign or be removed — and if so, under what provision?

CAT rejects pension claim of second wife married during lifetime of first wife

The Madras bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) on Wednesday upheld Kolkata-based Ordnance Factory Board's order rejecting the claim for family pension by the 'second wife' of an OFB employee. 

The bench of judicial member Justice G Shanthappa and administrative member R Satapathy said the decision taken by the respondents, including OFB, in rejecting the claim of R Devaki, 'second wife' of M Subramaniam, for family pension was right. 

The department of pension and pensioners' welfare, the order said, had clarified that the 'second wife' would not be entitled to family pension as such a marriage cannot be legally solemnised when either party has a spouse living at the time. The respondents include OFB chairman and director-general and general manager of Cordite Factory in The Nilgiris. "The petitioner (Devika) cannot ask for inclusion of her name for family pension of M Subramaniam, who died on March 6, 2012, since she is his illegitimate wife and not entitled for the relief as prayed for," said Justice Shanthappa. 

An employee of the Cordite Factory, Subramaniam 'married' Devika in 1977 when his first wife was alive. When he applied for pension, he claimed only a single pension. However, after his first wife's death, Subramaniam made a representation on September 10, 2010 requesting the authorities to include Devika in his pension payment order as wife by enclosing the true extract of the Hindu Marriage Register kept by the marriage registrar office in Coonoor. 

The authorities rejected it saying his 'second marriage' happened during the life time of his first wife and such a marriage was invalid. Devika challenged this order before the CAT bench. "Any second marriage by a Hindu male after the commencement of 1955 Act during the lifetime of his first wife will be null and have no legal effect. The applicant has not proved her case," said Justice Shanthappa and dismissed the petition.