Commemorative Postage Stamp on "Alagumuthu Kone"

Commemorative Postage Stamp on "Alagumuthu Kone"

A Commemorative Postage Stamp on "Alagumuthu Kone" has been released by Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Hon'ble Minister for Communications and IT at Madurai on 26/12/2015

Sh. Ravi Shankar Prasad Today Announced That India Post Would Be Launching Payment Banking By March 2017

Press Information Bureau 

Government of India

Ministry of Communications & Information Technology

28-December-2015 18:47 IS

Sh. Ravi Shankar Prasad

Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad Inaugurates Good Governance Week Celebration

23 New Products Launched
Payment Bank to Begin from March 2017

 A week-long celebration of Good Governance Week was organized by Department of Electronics and Information Technology starting from 25^th December 2015. A National event on Good Governance was inaugurated on 28th December 2015 by Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, the Hon’ble Minister of Communications & Information Technology (MoCIT) in India Habitat Centre at New Delhi. This event involved active participation from Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY), Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Department of Posts (DoP) and their agencies.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad reiterated the commitment of the Government towards the successful implementation of ‘Digital India’ which would help to transform India into a truly digitally empowered society and knowledge economy in the 21st century. He said the government is aiming at empowering people of India through digitalization. Millions of citizens have already joined in this initiative and invited others to do so. He said e-services should reach more people at the earliest and sought cooperation from State Governments, industry and acadmecia in the early achievement of this objective.

Sh. Ravi Shankar Prasad also announced that India Post would be launching Payment Banking by March 2017. He said after the successful turn around of BSNL, new initiatives have been taken for improving performance of MTNL. He also announced launch of free incoming all over the Country by MTNL from New Year.

The event saw the launch / inauguration of new 23 products / eServices.

The key launches are as follows:

Department of Telecommunications ·         Inauguration of Wi-Fi hotspots at Har ki Pauri, Haridwar and Dargah Sharif, Ajmer. ·         Announcement of Pan India Free Incoming Roaming Facility for MTNL Customers.	Department of Posts ·         Launch of Post-Terminals (Rural ICT - RICT) – handing over Post Terminals to rural Post Masters.
Department of Electronics and Information Technology
·         Launch of National Centre of Geo-Informatics ·         Launch of e-Payment Portal ·         Launch of Olabs for Schools ·         Launch of Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) Phase-II ·         All India BPO Promotion Scheme	·         North East Business Process Outsourcing Promotion Scheme ·         Transfer of Technology for “ICT Centre on Tactile Graphics” at IIT Delhi ·         Announcement of Setting up of NIC Data Centre at Bhubaneswar

* The detail on each of 23 new products / eservices is available at the Digital India Portal (www.digitalindia.gov.in).

The awards for best performing States/Districts during the Digital India Week event (1^st July – 7^th July, 2015) were given to:

a.       State level – Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh and Meghalaya.

b.      District level – 77 Districts across 29 States/UTs.

EDITORIAL POSTAL CRUSADER: JANUARY-2016

MINIMUM WAGE STILL A DREAM FOR WORKERS

            68 years have passed after independence of India. But the need based minimum wage still appears a dream for working class. After reaching a tripartite agreement in 15^th Indian Labour Conference in 1957 a scientific formula called as Dr. Akroid formula based on minimum needs of a workers to survive and work, was accepted. Based on this formula all Central trade unions and independent federations are struggling since long to achieve the demand of minimum wage.

            This time also National council JCM demanded Rs. 26000 as minimum wage to a lowest class employees based on Dr. Akroid formula as on 01.01.2014 taking the commodity prices as Rs. 11344. The rates were taken as an average price of actual market from various cities throughout the India and actual receipts obtained from the shops and consumer stores were also produced as evidence. After adding component of housing, children education and social obligations it comes to 26000.

            But the pay commission has recommended Rs. 18000 as minimum wage taking 12 monthly average of commodity prices quoted by Labour bureau Shimla which is totally contrary to Dr. Akroid Formula and the figures are imaginary not realistic.

            The pay commission has also reduced the component of expenses on social obligation and children education as 15% contrary to the Supreme Court judgment of 25% on the plea that the employees are paid children Education allowance separately. The Children Education allowance is not fully reimbursed and expenses on education have increased heavily after liberalization of the education sector. The housing component has also been reduce by the pay commission stating that employees are paid HRA separately. House Rent Allowance is not full compensation of expenditure incurred on rent of accommodation obtained by an employee Earlier 3^rd Pay commission has given 7.5% as the factor for housing.

            Thus this 7^th CPC has drastically cut the minimum wage.

            The website of Agriculture Ministry also maintains the record of prices of commodities which are required to compute the minimum wage. Though these prices also vary from the real retail market. But if these prices had been taken by the pay commission as an all India average of the prices as on 01.07.2015. It will work out Rs. 10810. Thus the computation of minimum wage will arrive as Rs. 19880. After adding 25% for arriving at MTS scale it will come as Rs. 24850 and to convert it as on 01.01.2016 after adding 3% as suggested by 7^th CPC. The final computation will come as 25596 when rounded off it shall be Rs. 26000/-

            Without modification of minimum wage, no improvement is expected in the higher pay scales. Therefore it requires recomputation and revision. If it is revised consequently the fitment formula, multiplication factor and pay matrix will have to be revised.

            Thus it is the urgent need to revise the minimum wage.

            The NJCA, Confederation and NFPE have given charter of demands to the Government of India seeking modification in so many demands failing which all Central Government Employees will be compelled to go on indefinite strike from 1^st week of March-16.

            NFPE call upon the entirely of Postal, RMS and GDS employees to act as per the agitational programme given by the Confederation and NFPE and make the Government ready to accept the genuine demands of Central Government Employees

World Bank might support India Post's payments bank

World Bank might support India Post's payments bank

The World Bank has shown interest to financially support the proposed India Post Payment Bank, having approached the department of posts (DoP), say sources.

The Reserve Bank of India  (RBI) had in October approved the proposals of 11 applicants, including the DoP, to start a payments bank.

These entities may offer most of the services offered by commercial banks, except for loans and credit card products.

“The World Bank wants to part-finance the project. We are having discussions at the inter-departmental and ministry level and would come out with a final decision early next year,” said a senior official in the department to Business Standard.  

In October, the Bank had said the decision on the 11 new payments banks should expand penetration of banking in the rural areas, helping transform the rural remittances market.

The Bank is still seeking some clarity on the DoP issue, said its spokesperson. “There has been only one exploratory meeting with the postal service,” the person added.

According to officials in the ministry of communications, which oversees DoP, the latter is weighing options on the partners to choose for the project. It is also in the process of finalising a consultant for the project, the tender for which would be opened on January 6. And, waiting for Public Investment Board clearance from the finance ministry, expected next month.

“It’s only after the consultants do their research that we'd decide whom we want to partner with,” said a senior DoP official.

The department has 155,000 branches in the country. In the first phase, it plans to start payment banking services across 500 post offices.

The ministry has said as many as 17 banks and financial institutions — including Deutsche Bank, IDBI, Barclays, YES Bank, ICICI Prudential, and HDFC — are seeking an alliance with the proposed India Post Payment Bank.

“They want to use the postal network by entering into tie-ups for delivery of services such as loans, monthly instalments, collections, insurance, mutual funds and premiums, among other things,” added the official.

Recently, Hitachi had also said it was keen to partner DoP for payments bank solutions. In a meeting with communications minister Ravi Shankar Prasad this month, Yutaka Saito, president of Hitachi, had discussed the possibility.

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FIRMS

Seeking to partner India Post Payment Bank

• SBI
• IDBI
• UCO
• PNB
• Yes Bank
• Deutche Bank
• HDFC
• Axis
• Barclays
• HDFC Life
• ICICI Prudential
• Bajaj Alliance

http://www.business-standard.com/

FESTIVAL GREETINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . .

FESTIVAL GREETINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . .

NJCA CIRCULAR

Review of existing provisions for filling up of vacant GDS posts [Other than GDS BPM] - order date 17.12.2015. 

(Click the link  below for details)

http://www.indiapost.gov.in/dop/pdfbind.ashx?id=1740

Scheme for engagement of a dependent of deceased casual labourer engaged on or before 01.09.1993 on compassionate grounds to Gramin Dak Sevak Post. 

(Click the link  below for details)

 http://www.indiapost.gov.in/dop/pdfbind.ashx?id=1739

Scheme for engagement of a dependent of deceased GDS on compassionate grounds - review of existing point based system of assessing indigence - order dated 17.12.2015.(Click the link  below for details)

http://www.indiapost.gov.in/dop/pdfbind.ashx?id=1738

CONSTITUTION OF A GDS COMMITTEE - ORDER DATED 21.12.2015 

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

INDEFINITE STRIKE FROM 1st WEEK OF MARCH 2016

Hold demonstrations on 30.12.2015 in front of all offices and Submit copy of the Charter of Demands to Head of offices for onward transmission to Cabinet Secretary.

Conduct three days Dharna at all state capitals and Industrial Centres/Establishments on 19^th, 20^th & 21^st January 2016.

NJCA will meet on 8^th February 2016 to decide the date of commencement of indefinite strike.

(M. Krishnan)
Secretry General
Confederation

Click here to view NJCA Circular

PAYMENT OF SEVERANCE MOUNT TO GDS -CLARIFICATION by NPS SDBS AIPEU GDS (NFPE) extends its heartful thanks to the Circle Union, AIPEU GrC, Tamil Nadu Circle for taken up the issue with the administration, caused this clarification from the authorities of NPS - SDBS to dispose the pending cases in connection with sanction of  SEVERANCE AMOUNT to GDS from Jan 2014. Clarifications on settlement of severance amount to all discharged/ promoted / resigned / voluntarily retired and expired GDS - Reg. Office of the General Manager, Postal Accounts & Finance Tamilnadu Circle, Chennai-600 008 No.                  /SDBS/Genl.                                                                                         Dt.7.12.2015 To The Senior Supdt./Supdt. Of Post offices, RMS & Airmail sorting Divisions,Tamilnadu circle Sub: Clarifications  on settlement of severance amount to all discharged/promoted/resigned / voluntarily retired and expired GDS-Reg. Ref  : This office letter  No.3527 to 3576/SDBS/Genl.   Dt.26.11.2015 Following this office letter referred to above, some of the Divisions have raised doubts on some of the  key issues over phone . In order to clear some more doubts that may  arise in settlement  of  severance amount to all exit cases in  SDBS ,the following clarifications are issued for the guidance of  all Divisional Heads and  DDOs. S.No. Doubts raised Reply 1 Divisions have to issue sanctions for settlement of severance amount accrued against the discharged/ promoted/ resigned/voluntarily retired/ expired GDS and instruct the DDOs to draw NIL bills.   How the amount is proposed to be paid to the concerned GDS?             a)    On submission of Nil bills by the DDOs for severance amount,the amount shall be uploaded into the CRA system against PRANs of respective  GDS.       b)    The funds for such uploads shall be remitted to the Trustee bank by this office as being followed in monthly contribution uploads.      c)    All claim forms submitted (in Form-501,502 and 503 ) along with the KYC documents by  the GDS through the NL-CCs shall be forwarded to the NSDL  for further processing.     d)    On getting the approval from the NPS trust, the Trustee bank shall transfer the entitled amount to the subscriber’s bank accounts after apportioning the amount for investments in annuities as per the rules extant.      Hence ,No direct cash payment should be made by the DDOs under any circumstance 2 How the sanctions proposed to be issued by the Divisions should be? Sanctions proposed to be issued by the Divisional Heads for settlement of severance for SDBS subscribers  is unique in way that while  all other payments sanctions would normally read as                 “ sanction is accorded  for the payment of …………”  followed with cash payments  where as the proposed sanction for severance amount  shall read as “ sanction is accorded  for  drawal of  Nil  bill for the following GDS …………” and  does not involve any  cash payment by the DDO. In addition, the proposed sanction for settlement of severance amount for GDS enrolled under SDBS  would have an explicit alert to the DDOs as “No cash payment should be made from this sanction” besides stating that  “No severance amount has been authorised /paid for those GDS so far”  to whom the sanction is being issued. 3 For settling the severance amount as per severance amount, sanctions are being issued by the Divisions quoting the relevant ruling provisions. What ruling provisions have to be quoted in the proposed sanctions for settlement of severance amount to the GDS enrolled under SDBS on their exit? All decisions on SDBS are  arrived only on the basis of the Directorate orders No.6-11/ 2009-PE.II  dated 1.4.2011. Severance amount accrued  upto 31.3.2011 for the GDS enrolled under SDBS who were subsequently promoted should be settled as per Para- 5  of the Directorate orders ibid while the same has to be settled to all other exit cases as per Para-27  (b)  of the Directorate orders ibid . 4 Is it enough to submit severance amount calculation sheets only for those GDS whose claim papers have already been sent to the GM’s office? Severance amount calculation sheets should be submitted for all  exit cases as two lists one for those exit cases from 1.4.2011 to 30.11.2015 and another list for  those GDS who are going to be discharged from 1.12.2015 to 31.3.2016  without any linkage to the submission of claim forms by the GDS . Hence all Divisional Heads should issue sanctions for all exit cases without waiting for the submission of claim forms by the GDS. 5 It was instructed to issue sanctions and prepare Nil bills 3 months in advance before the actual discharge of the GDS. Does this 3 months mean  3 calendar months or 3 months before the actual date of discharge It may be reckoned as 3 months before the actual date of discharge. Since the CRA system does not accept any upload after the date of discharge of the GDS, the Directorate has arranged for one time acceptance of severance uploads against all past discharged GDS besides instructing to stop drawal  and upload of contributions for the last three months preceding the date of discharge, the Divisional Heads are advised to initiate the proceedings to issue sanctions much before that so as the DDOs draw Nil bill and submit to this office 3 months in advance before the date of discharge of the GDS. The modalities for the payment of the amount equivalent to the  Govt. contributions  for the last 3 months preceding the date of discharge shall be  intimated on receipt of further orders from the Directorate in this regard. 6  Are the promoted / Resigned / voluntarily retired / nominees of expired GDS who have completed only 10 years of service or less eligible for severance amount? As per para- 3 (a) (iv) (1) and (iv) (2)  of  the Directorate orders No.6-11/ 2009-PE.II  dated 1.4.2011,severance amount  has to be calculated  for every completed year and month from the date of commencement of continuous of regular engagement till the time of enrolment under SDBS that is upto 31.3.2011 or 30.9.2013 depending upon the date of enrolment of the GDS under SDBS. The minimum/ maximum ceiling limit of time/ amount applicable for the severance amount scheme cannot be extended for SDBS. Hence all GDS enrolled under  SDBS who have been promoted / resigned / voluntarily retired / expired after 1.4.2011 are entitled for severance amount in proportion to the completed period of service  as per the extant orders. 7 How to calculate the severance amount from 1.4.2011 onwards? It may be noted that SDBS is a replacement scheme for the existing severance amount scheme and drawal and upload of monthly Govt .contributions is equivalent to the payment of severance amount to the GDS on a month to month basis. All GDS who have been regularly appointed and enrolled under SDBS on 1.4.2011( on completion 1 year of regular service ) are eligible for severance amount upto 31.3.2011 only. Those GDS who were regularly appointed  before 1.1.2011 ,who have not opted for enrolment  on 1.4.2011 but opted later for enrolment from 1.10.2013 under  SDBS following one more opportunity  given  by the  Department  are eligible for severance amount upto  30.9.2013 only. Those GDS who were regularly appointed  on or  after 1.1.2011 are not eligible for any severance amount. 8 Whether the names of those GDS who are put-off duty now can be included in the severance amount calculation sheets in case their date of discharge is nearing in three months ? Yes, the names of those GDS who are put-off duty now can be included in the severance amount calculation sheets  in case their date of discharge is nearing in three months . In case an administrative decision is taken to remove such GDS, the entire accumulations in SDBS PRAs including severance amount can be refunded into the Govt. account. Action may be taken to speed up the administrative decision on such pending put-off duty cases under intimation to this office. 9 Are the removed GDS   eligible for any severance amount?  and can the names of such removed GDS also be included in the sanction ? No. The removed GDS are not eligible for any severance amount. The names of such removed GDS should not be included in the sanction. The list of removed GDS has been called for by this office so as to deactivate their PRANs after getting the refund of entire accumulations in their SDBS PRAs .                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Senior Accounts Officer                                                                                                        NPS-SDBS No.                  /SDBS/Genl.                                                                Dt. 7.12.2015 Copy to 1.    The  Chief Postmasters/Senior Postmasters/Postmasters and Head Record officers ,Tamilnadu circle for information and guidance. 2. The Senior Accounts Officer (Budget) O/O The Chief Postmaster Postmaster General , Tamilnadu circle,Chennai-600 002 . 3.The Senior Accounts Officers, O/O Postmasters General ,Chennai City,Central,Southern and Western Regions for information.                                                                                                                                                                                            Senior Accounts Officer                                                                                                              NPS-SDBS