JCM raised strong objections against the ToR of 7th CPC, rejection of IR & DA Merger etc

JCM raised strong objections against the ToR of 7th CPC, rejection of IR & DA Merger etc

Com. Shiva Gopal Mishra GS/AIRF, Member Staff Side raised strong objections against the ToR of 7th Pay Commission 7th Pay Commission Notified.  Text of letter to DoPT from National Council (Staff Side) is reproduced below:-

NATIONAL COUNCIL (Staff Side)
Joint Consultative Machinery
for Central Government Employees
13-C, Ferozshah Road, New Delhi-110001

No.NC-JCM/2014/VII CPC

Dated: March 3, 2014

The Secretary,
Department of Personnel & Training,
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions,
North Block, New Delhi.

Dear Sir,

Sub: Terms of Reference of the 7th Central Pay Commission

It is reported that, the Union Cabinet in its meeting, held on 28th February, 2014, has approved the Terms of Reference of the 7th Central Pay Commission. We have gone through the same. We find that the Terms of Reference finalized by the Government is at variance in many respects to the Draft Terms of Reference the Staff Side had submitted to you on 25.10.2014 after holding in-house discussion on 24.10.2013.

At the conclusion of the meeting held on 24.10.2013, it was agreed that the Government would consider our suggestions in the matter and will convene another meeting with the presence of the Secretary (Expenditure) to iron out the differences, if any, and explore the possibilities of an agreement in the matter.

We regret to inform you that no such meeting was convened and no attempt was made by the Official Side to arrive at an agreed Terms of Reference. We find that the Government has rejected our suggestions for either taking a decision in the matter of Interim Relief, Merger of D.A., representation of labour nominee in the Commission itself, inclusion of the Grameen Dak Sewaks within the purview of the 7th CPC, bringing parity in pension between the past and present pensioners, covering the employees appointed on or after 01.01.2004 within the ambit of the Defined Benefit Pension Scheme, date of effect, settlement of the pending items in the National Anomaly Committee etc. or referring those issues to the Commission itself for an Interim Report.

During discussions on 24th October, 2013, the Staff Side had also pointed out that the proposals sent by various ministries, seeking approval for rectification in VI CPC anomalies, are pending with the Ministry of Finance, and requested that approval may be given to all such proposals before finalization of VII CPC Terms of Reference. It seems, no action has been taken on those proposals.

Besides, we are to state that the existing Productivity Linked Bonus(PLB) Scheme, being a bilateral agreement, cannot be subjected to scrutiny and examination by the 7th CPC.

We, therefore, request you to kindly convene a meeting of the Standing Committee of National Council (JCM) to discuss the issue, so as to make amendments to the Terms of Reference finalized by the Government arbitrarily.

Yours faithfully,
sd/-
(Shiva Gopal Mishra)
Member
Standing Committee National Council - JCM

Source: www.airf.com
[http://www.airfindia.com/AIRF%202014/Staff%20Side%20DO%20on%20ToR_03.03.14.pdf]

General Elections - 2014 Schedule of Elections Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies of AP, Odisha and Sikkim

General Elections - 2014 Schedule of Elections Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies of AP, Odisha and Sikkim

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Election Commission

05-March-2014 11:42 IST

General Elections - 2014 Schedule of Elections

General Elections to Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim.

SCHEDULE OF GENERAL ELECTIONS – 2014

66. The Highlights of the Schedules are indicated below:

POLL DAYS — GENERAL ELECTIONS, 2014
POLL DAY	DATE OF POLL	NUMBER OF STATES & UNION TERRITORIES	NUMBER OF PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCIES
1	07.04.2014	2	6
2	09.04.2014	5	7
3	10.04.2014	14	92
4	12.04.2014	3	5
5	17.04.2014	13	122
6	24.04.2014	12	117
7	30.04.2014	9	89
8	07.05.2014	7	64
9	12.05.2014	3	41
TOTAL PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCIES			543

 

TOTAL NUMBER OF POLL DAYS IN STATES AND UNION TERRITORIES
TOTAL NO. OF POLL DAYS	STATES AND UNION TERRITORIES
6	2
5	2
3	5
2	5
1	21

  

67. Counting will take place on 16.05.2014 (Friday) and is expected to be completed on the same day.

68.  The Commission has decided to forward its recommendations to the President of India, for issuing 10 Notifications calling upon the Parliamentary Constituencies covered on each Poll Day in the States and Union Territories concerned to elect members to the House of the People. With this, the campaign days for the Constituencies for each Poll Day have been kept to the possible minimum.

EXPLANATORY NOTE ON STATEMENTS

The Statements appended to the Press Note contain various terms and abbreviations, which are explained
below:

Statement-A:

• Poll Days signify the number assigned to a particular day on which Polling is to take place, in the National Schedule for Lok Sabha elections. The first Poll Day of the nation is 7th April, 2014 (Monday) and the ninth (last) Poll Day is 12thMay, 2014 (Monday).
•     Every reference to a Poll Day in the Press Note invariably refers to the Poll Day of the National Schedule.
•     Each Poll Day has a corresponding single Schedule except Poll Day 3, which has two Schedules 3A and 3B, necessitated due to local holiday on 22ndMarch, 2014(Saturday) in Bihar State.

Statement-B:

•     State/UT-wise abstract of number of Parliamentary Constituencies (PCs) voting on different Poll Days and the corresponding Date and Day of the week for all the 543 PCs.
•     Abstract of State/UTs voting from a Single Poll Date to a maximum of Six Poll Dates.

Statement-C:
   Complete Schedule (with Poll Event-wise dates) for each PC with its Number, Name and Type and corresponding Schedule Number (1 to 9) for all 35 States/UTs in their alphabetical order.

Statement-D

    Abstract of Poll Days and Corresponding Schedules for 3 State Legislative Assemblies viz. Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim.

Statements E, F and G:

    Complete Schedule (with Poll Event-wise dates) for each Assembly Constituency (AC) with its Number, Name and Type and applicable Schedule(s) Number for the States of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim respectively.

Statement-H:

Details of Bye-elections to fill up 23 casual vacancies in Legislative Assemblies of 8 States with AC
Number, Name and corresponding Date of Poll of the PC of which these ACs are a segment.

Source: http://pib.nic.in/archieve/others/2014/mar/d2014030501.pdf

Interest Rate @ 8.7% during the year 2014-15 for GPF and similar funds: FInmin Resolution

Interest Rate @ 8.7% during the year 2014-15 for GPF and similar funds: FInmin Resolution

Government of India
Ministry of Finance
(Department of Economic Affairs)

New Delhi, the 4th March, 2014

RESOLUTION

It is announced for general information that during the year 2014-2015, accumulations at the credit of subscribers to the General Provident Fund and other similar funds shall carry interest at the rate of 8.7% (Eight point seven per cent) per annum. This rate will be in force during the financial year beginning on 1.4.2014. The funds concerned are:—

1. The General Provident Fund (Central Services).
2. The Contributory Provident Fund (India).
3. The All India Services Provident Fund.
4. The State Railway Provident Fund.
5. The General Provident Fund (Defence Services).
6. The Indian Ordnance Department Provident Fund.
7. The Indian Ordnance Factories Workmen’s Provident Fund.
8. The Indian Naval Dockyard Workmen’s Provident Fund.
9. The Defence Services Officers Provident Fund.
10. The Armed Forces Personnel Provident Fund.

2. Ordered that the Resolution be published in Gazette of India.

sd/-
(Peeyush Kumar)
Director (Budget)

Source: www.finmin.nic.in
[http://finmin.nic.in/the_ministry/dept_eco_affairs/budge/resolution14.pdf]

Merger of DA, Interim Relief and Retirement Age to 62: Hopes faded

Merger of DA, Interim Relief and Retirement Age to 62: Hopes faded
Merger of DA, Interim Relief and Retirement Age to 62: Only today's date is in hand after that all these hopes have died down. The schedule for the Lok Sabha polls will be announced by the Election Commission on today as media reported. The schedule will be announced at a press conference by Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath along with Election Commissioners H.S. Brahma and S.N.A. Zaidi.

With the announcement of poll dates, the Model Code of Conduct for governments and political parties will come into force with immediate effect. The government will no longer be able to take or announce any major decisions which will be considered as sops to woo voters. This brings an end to all hopes of benefit to the government employees. Earlier there were lot of expectations from the central government employees that government will roll out sops. There were talks of DA merger, interim relief and hiking of retirement age to 62. Even various union leaders had expressed views that some of these may be implemented.

The employees especially at lower levels reeling under the impact of rise in prices of essential commodities had considered these demands as genuine and expected the government to do something. The only thing that the government did was announcement of the seventh pay commission. And, it is not only election gift this announcement also was in accordance to 13th Finance Commission's recommendations [click here to view] and demands from various employee union/federation.

All hopes are now going in the goal of newly constituted 7th CPC and employees have to wait its Interim Report as Govt approved terms of 7th CPC with condition to give interim reports if any.  However the recommendations of 7th CPC to be implement after Govt approval all these exercise will take more time and expectation for merger of DA/DR from 7th CPC in view of coming pay revision is also an illogical fact.  Then what about Interim Relief? The word "Interim Relief" is not mentioned in 7th CPC terms of reference approved by Govt.  Now 7th CPC have to invite Organisation/Employee Union for representation/discussion and merger of da and interim relief may be approved in this way.  Implementation of main recommendations of 7th CPC is not expected before 2016. As per media hype the government  has given another election rarity as announcement of 10% DA hike. All employees knows that this is only a procedure that will be automatically done once in 6 months and is based on inflation data.

Meanwhile the confederation have issued a circular expressing the dissatisfaction over the Cabinet approval of the Finance Ministry’s proposal on terms of reference of the 7th CPC.  Demonstrations are planned on March 7th across the country and indefinite strike after elections.

Source: http://karnmk.blogspot.in/2014/03/merger-of-da-interim-relief-and.html

Ex-post facto extension of due date extended to 31.03.2014 for filing TDS/TCS statements for FYs 2012-13 and 2013-14

Ex-post facto extension of due date extended to 31.03.2014 for filing TDS/TCS statements for FYs 2012-13 and 2013-14

Circular No. 07/2014

F. No. 275/27/2013-IT(B)
Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Revenue
Central Board of Direct Taxes

New Delhi, the 4th March, 2014

All Chief Commissioners of Income-tax
All Directors General of Income-tax

Sub: Ex-post facto extension of due date for filing TDS/TCS statements for FYs 2012-13 and 2013-14 – regarding


The Central Board of Direct Taxes (‘the Board’) has received several petitions from deductors/collectors, being an office of the Government (‘Government deductors’), regarding delay in filing of TDS/TCS statements due to late furnishing of the Book Identification Number (BIN) by the Principal Accounts Officers (PAO) / District Treasury Office (DTO) / Cheque Drawing and Disbursing Office (CDDO). This has resulted in consequential levy of fees under section 234E of the Income-Tax Act, 1961( ‘the Act’).

2. The matter has been examined. In case of Government deductors, if TDS/TCS is paid without production of challan, TDS/TCS quarterly statement is to be filed after obtaining the BIN from the PAOs / DTOs / CDDOs who are required to file Form 24G (TDS/TCS Book Adjustment Statement) and intimate the BIN generated to each of the Government deductors in respect of whom the sum deducted has been credited. The mandatory quoting of BIN in the TDS/TCS statements, in the case of Government deductors was applicable from 01-04-2010. However, the allotment of Accounts Officers Identification Numbers (AIN) to the PAOs/ DTOs/CDDOs (a pre-requisite for filing Form 24G and generation of BIN) was completed in F.Y. 2012-13. This has resulted in delay in filing of TDS/TCS statements by a large number of Government deductors.


3. In exercise of the powers conferred under section 119 of the Act, the Board has decided to, ex-post facto, extend the due date of filing of the TDS/TCS statement prescribed under subsection (3) of section 200 /proviso to sub-section (3) of section 206C of the Act read with rule 31A/31AA of the Income-tax Rules, 1962. The due date is hereby extended to 31.03.2014 for a Government deductor and mapped to a valid AIN for -

(i) FY 2012-13 - 2nd to 4th Quarter
(ii) FY 2013-14 - 1st to 3rd Quarter

4. However, any fee under section 234E of the Act already paid by a Government deductor shall not be refunded.

5. Timely filing of TDS/TCS statements is essential to ensure timely reconciliation of Government accounts and for providing tax credit to the assessees while processing their Income-tax Returns. Therefore, it is clarified that the above extension is a one time exception in view of the special circumstances referred to above. Since the Government deductor and the associated PAO/ DTO/ CDDO belong to the same administrative setup that regulates the clearance of expenditure, the deductors/collectors may be advised to co-ordinate with the respective PAO/DTO/CDDO to ensure timely receipt of BIN/filing of TDS/TCS statements.

6. This circular may be brought to the notice of all officers for compliance.

7. Hindi version shall follow.

sd/-
(Sandeep Singh)
Under Secretary to Government of India

Source: http://law.incometaxindia.gov.in/DIT/Circulars.aspx
(http://law.incometaxindia.gov.in/DIT/Circulars.aspx)

Madhya pradesh government 100 percent dearness allowance order-2014

 Madhya pradesh government 100 percent dearness allowance order-2014

100 percent DA to employees

To be payable from January 1, 2014
Orders issued

Bhopal : Tuesday, March 4, 2014, 19:42 IST

State government has sanctioned 100 percent dearness allowance on salary and grade pay in pay band to its employees. It will be payable from January 1, 2014. State government has issued orders to this effect. Earlier, 90 percent DA was being given. Following this order, additional 10 percent DA will be provided. These orders will apply to employees drawing salary in UGC and AICTE pay scales as well as work-charged and those getting salary from contingency fund.


Adhyapak cadre and Panchayat Secretaries

Adhyapak cadre employed by Panchayati Raj Institutions and local bodies and Panchayat Secretaries will be given 100 percent dearness allowance on salary and grade pay in pay band. This allowance will also be payable from January 1, 2014.

Durgesh Raikwar

Download DA order
Source: www.7thpaycommissionnews.com

Deployment of Ayurvedic/Homeopathic Medical Practitioners under Staff Benefit Fund Scheme — Age of retirement thereof

 Deployment of Ayurvedic/Homeopathic Medical Practitioners under Staff Benefit Fund Scheme — Age of retirement thereof

A.I.R.F.
All India Railwaymen's Federation

4, State Entry Road,
New Delhi-110055
INDIA

No.AIRF/101(121)

 Dated: February 25, 2014

The Member Staff,
Railway Board,
New Delhi

Dear Sir,

Sub: Deployment of Ayurvedic/Homeopathic Medical Practitioners under Staff Benefit Fund Scheme — Age of retirement thereof

Ref: Railway Board’s letter No.E(W)2003/WE-1/3 dated 02.07.2003

Ayurvedic and Homeopathic Medical Practitioners of repute are engaged in the Railways under Staff Benefit Fund Scheme, and all the expenses incurred on this account are met from the relevant head of this fund.


These Medical Practitioners are, obviously, not regular employees of the Railways and are engaged on Honorarium basis, as such fixing their age of superannuation on par with regular railway employees, i.e. 60 years, is not logical as stipulated in Railway Board’s letter referred to above.

The Board are, therefore, requested to issue necessary amendments, fixing upper age limit for Ayurvedic/Homeopathic Practitioners engaged under Staff Benefit Fund Scheme 65 years, so that Railwaymen are able to enjoy benefit of getting treatment from the experienced medical practitioners of these fields.

Yours faithfully.

Sd/-
(Shiva Gopal Mishra)
General Secretary

Source:http://www.airfindia.com/AIRF%202014/Ayurvedic%20Doctors_03.03.2014.pdf

Working Hours of KV Teachers - KVS Order

Working Hours of KV Teachers - KVS Order

Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan
18, Institutional Area,
Shaheed Jeet Singh Marg,
New Delhi-110016

F.No.110333/1/2011-KVSHQ(Acad)

Date: 04th March 2014

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

 

Board Of Governors, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, in its 91st meeting held on 19th January, 2012 decided that working hours of teachers will be seven and half hours per day (45 hours per week) in line with the provisions of Right to Education Act., 2009. The additional one hour 20 minutes, after school hours was to be used for activities such as planning, preparation, evaluation, etc. This was to be done in the school itself.

In the 97th meeting of Board of Governors, Kendriya Vidyaiaya Sangathan, held on 27th February, 2014, the above decision has been reviewed and it has been decided that in line with the provisions of RTE Act, 2009, working hours of teachers will still remain 45 hours per week. However, additional one hour 20 minutes which the teachers are expected to devote in addition to school hours will be utilized for preparation and other follow up works. This time may be spent by the teachers preferably in the school. The work done during this additional one hour 20 minutes will be monitored by the Principal/Nice-Principal/HM.

The above arrangement comes into effect from the date of issue of this order.

sd/-
(V. Vijayalakshmi)
Joint Commissioner (Acad)

Source: www.kvsangathan.nic.in
[http://www.kvsangathan.nic.in/GeneralDocuments/ANN-04-03-14%281%29.PDF]

Details of discussion between IBA and UFBU on 03.03.2014

Details of discussion between IBA and UFBU on 03.03.2014

 The circular detailing the bipartite negotiation held on 03.03.2014 is reproduced below for the bank employees. The circular of National Union of Bank employees has been mailed to us by Mr Sankaran Srinivasan.

Circular No.2/2014

Date: 03.03.2014

10TH BIPARTITE DISCUSSIONS

MEETING OF IBA WITH ELEVEN (11) NEGOTIATING UNIONS ON 03/03/2014
IBA’s ADAMANT ATTITTUDE CONTINUES
NO IMPROVEMENTS IN TODAY’S  TALKS

Dear Comrades,
IBA's Negotiating Committee headed by Shri.T.M.Bhasin met the Eleven (11) negotiating unions on 03-03-2014 at IBA office in Mumbai.  From the NUBE, the undersigned participated.

In the wake of the of the Union Cabinet recently  raising  dearness allowance to 100% from 90%, DA/DR at the rate of 100 per cent of the basic with effect from January 1, 2014, benefiting 50 lac Government  employees and 30 lac pensioners which has combined impact on exchequer of  Rs 11,074.80 crore every year and further clearance  for merger of 50% DA with basic pay by approving it among the terms of reference of the 7th Pay Commission, Bank Employees were rightly and justifiably  expecting similar overtures  from  the Government , especially announcement of adequate improvements in the present offer in the 10th bipartite ongoing  negotiations.

Belying the expectations of over 10 lac bank employees IBA said they will reply after meeting the Finance Ministry on 5th March 2014 to our core issue of adequate improvements and justifiable hike in wage load. The Chairman stated that there was unanimous decision amongst CMD’s and Committee members of IBA that Banks are not in a position to even give 10% wage rise in pay slip components.  To this the undersigned sought clarification with regard to “volte-face” in IBA’s stand as confirmed through reliable sources that the IBA offered further 0.5%  increase over above 10%  in payslips  during the conciliations with the Unions before the CLC.
 
We further categorically stated that never in the annals of the bipartite negotiations with the Undersigned being the signatory to 5 consecutive Bipartite settlements so far, has not experienced this sort of attitude from IBA. To put in nutshell, IBA has set the clock backwards which in essence is retrograde. IBA replied that under the circumstances that when all Banks are struggling hard to keep their respective balance sheet upright and  is constrained that it cannot offer anything over and above of the present offer of 10% increase in payslip components.

Unions also raised other issues like 5 day’s banking , ( which was rejected by Government and IBA  in the earlier meetings ) regulated working hours for officers  , improvements in pension related issues  including switch over from NPS to old pension scheme housing and hospitalization, etc.  IBA once again informed that these matters will be discussed in their core committee and thereafter hold negotiations within 10 days.  However, the issue of companionate appointments IBA indicated positive view of the Government.

NUBE has made it clear that the inordinate delay in finding mutually agreeable increase in wage hike   has caused simmering discontent and dissatisfaction   among 10 lac bank employees.  Any further delay will transgress their limits of endurance and will have deleterious effect in their motivation levels and compel them to direct actions and consequent industrial unrest and urged the IBA to consider adequate increase in the offer in a time frame and at the earliest.

Comrades, should the stalemate continue, once again we remind you that the future at hand may soon loom red before us and we must brace ourselves to cope up with the trails and problems of 10th bipartite negotiations demanding justifiable increase in wage with our assurance of our ever growing strength and unity. We should do as union of good will. We should do with bold heart and good conscience. Get organized and be   prepared for continuous and arduous struggles ahead.
With Revolutionary Greetings,

Yours Comradely,
L.BALASUBRAMANIAN
GENERAL SECRETARY

Courtesy : www.paycommissionupdate.blogspot.in

Private hospitals to stop CGHS cashless scheme from March 7

Private hospitals to stop CGHS cashless scheme from March 7

In a blow to government employees, including those who have retired, the Central Government Health Service has announced withdrawal of cashless medical service in private hospitals empanelled with the CGHS scheme from March 7. Patients will henceforth have to cough up hospital charges and later claim the amount from the government, according to the new rule.

The move will affect 50 lakh serving employees and over 30 lakh pensioners, as well as their family members. At a conservative estimate, the total number of persons affected could well be over two crore.

The move was necessary, said the Association of Healthcare Providers India (or AHPI, the nodal body of private empanelled hospitals) for a number of reasons, the main ones being CGHS owes these hospitals around Rs 200 crore in unpaid services as well as "unreasonably low" CGHS tariffs that haven't been revised for the last four years. A doctor's consultation fee, for example, remains Rs 58.

Also, AHPI says CGHS makes "illegal" deductions of 10% on all payments leading to losses for member hospitals. AHPI claims the amount runs up to Rs 180 crore.


In Karnataka, 20 hospitals, all in Bangalore, are empanelled with AHPI. HCG, Apollo hospitals, MS Ramaiah Memorial Hospital and Bangalore Baptist Hospital, among others, will not provide the cashless health scheme from March 7.

"When we were empanelled with the government, it was agreed upon that we will get 10% rebate on treatment charges if the government pays within seven days. But now, this deduction has been made applicable even when the amount is unpaid for years. That's illegal. This has led to huge losses for member hospitals amounting to over Rs 180 crore over the past three years," says Dr Alexander Thomas, CEO, Bangalore Baptist hospital, who represents AHPI in Bangalore.

Some hospitals have put up a public notice to this effect, reading, "CGHS tariffs are unreasonably low and not been revised for the last four years, threatening the very existence of the medical service providers."

Dr Naresh Shetty of AHPI said, "The empanelled hospitals have been providing services under most difficult circumstances. They had to deal with steep hikes in electricity and water tariff, consumables, wages, taxes. We've been requesting a revision since June 2013 but there's been no response."

Officialspeak
The dues are just one issue. The bigger issue is that a doctor's consultation charge of Rs 58 is appalling. The fees for several procedures are abysmally low. We don't want to let down our beneficiaries but we have no choice. We ask the CGHS to consider the rates of the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers. We've suggested that if at all CGHS were to take tender route, let CGHS decide the rates based on lowest bid received from NABH-accredited hospitals. Adopting rates like this would be logical and rational. Treating a patient can't be made similar to selling onions and potatoes. —Giridhar K Gyani | director general, AHPI, New Delhi

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/