Postal Department Starts Core Banking Services - AP Circle HYDERABAD: People holding accounts with a post office can now operate their accounts from any other post office and also online.  The department of posts, AP Circle, launched Core Banking Services (CBS) on Thursday, offering online banking, mobile banking and SMS alerts. ATMs will be opened in another six months. The services can be availed at 82 of the 95 Head Post Offices located in the sibling states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and the remaining 13 also will be shifted to the CBS platform by the first week of February. Inaugurating the Core Banking Services, BV Sudhakar, Chief Postmaster General, AP Circle, said that they would be enabling the CBS through 2,438 Sub Post Offices by June this year. ATMs will be opened in another six months. He said post offices would also offer cashless service. People can use debit cards of any bank to draw cash up to Rs 1,000 at 63 post offices. Areas where there are no banks or ATMs will be given priority to launch the service. NIRANTARA SEVA: To assist transportation of medicines from district headquarters to primary health centres in remote places in 13 districts of Andhra Pradesh, the department has provided 13 vehicles which will be kept at the disposal of the state’s health department. “We expect a revenue of Rs 2 crore a year from this service,” Sudhakar said. Initially, the vehicles will ply on around 15 routes in each district.   TTD TICKETS: Apart from selling special entry darshan tickets of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) at post offices, the department also intends to provide online booking of rooms and other services and the TTD is examining the proposal.  “Those wanting to book the darshan tickets have to be present in person at the post office while booking,” Sudhakar said. //copy//

Task Force on Improving Productivity in Railways Constituted - Posted: 09 Jan 2015 06:38 AM PST A 10-member Task Force headed by Executive Director, Mechanical Engineering (Infrastructure), Railway Board, has been constituted for giving suggestions to improve productivity in Railway Operations, Manufacturing and other Departments of Indian Railways. The other nine members of the Task Force are Executive Director, Mechanical Engineering (Freight), Mechanical Engineering (PU), Executive Director, Track (Modernisation), Executive Director, Electrical Engineering (Development), Executive Director, Traffic Commercial (Rates), Executive Director, Signal (Development), Executive Director (Industrial Relations), Executive Director, Railway Stores (General) and Executive Director, Finance (Store). PIB

Railway union toughened stands on scrapping of NPS and DA Merger-- Posted: 09 Jan 2015 06:37 AM PST Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s persuasive pitch to railway employees unions has cleared the decks for more FDI inflows and private capital in national transporter that may be reflected in the rail budget. After Modi’s statement that there would be no privatization of railways, the workers’ unions have softened their stand over several issues including FDI in the transport behemoth. However, the unions are sticking to demands relating to scrapping of new pension scheme (NPS) and DA mergers. The PM has said that he had a “deep connection” with the railways. “I love railways. My life is what it is because of railways,” Modi said. “The Government will not go in the direction of railway privatization .. People are spreading rumors about privatization of railways. It is not true,” Modi had said. The change of heart came after railway minister Suresh Prabhu’s ^ reassurance that FDI or public-private partnership (PPP) will not affect the ownership of railways. During the meeting of general managers last week where union representatives were also present, the minister argued that the government wants to attract private investment in cash-strapped railways and it was not for privatization of railways. After Modis categorical assurance, Prabhu’s persuasive skills worked in convincing the union leaders, said a senior railways official. The union representatives were also satisfied with the ministers’ assurance that the railways would not sell any piece of land but instead try to exploit the land commercially. Shiv Gopal Mishra of All India Railway men Federation said, “Our opposition is not politically I motivated. We demanded that there should not be privatization of railways and the ‘ issue of FDI must be discussed with full transparency.” At the same time, Mishra warned the minister and railways official that the transporter should not invite FDI or money from national resources which could harm the railways because of over capitalization or payment of interest on the borrowed capital.  However, the deadlock over the employees’ demands such as scrapping of NPS and DA merger continues. The unions have been demanding the restoration of old pension scheme as had been done in case of defence because the working conditions in the transporter are risky and large number of employees die on duty. The NPS is without social guarantee. The unions have also hinted at opposing any radical restructuring of the railway board. The union leaders admitted that there were problems, but blamed politicians at the helm of affairs for the mess. A leader said ministers did not raise passenger fares for years and announced ‘unviable projects which pushed the state- run transporter into bankruptcy. Source: http://www.airfindia.com/