Unfortunate rumour-mongering about 7th Central Pay Commission’s visit to Ladakh

Unfortunate rumour-mongering about 7th Central Pay Commission’s visit to Ladakh

There were messages doing the rounds to the effect that Members of the 7th CPC are visiting Ladakh not for the purposes of analysing the conditions under which our men and women in uniform are deployed, but to enjoy a picnic at Pangong Tso lake at tax payers’ expense.

These messages are patently incorrect, malicious and unfortunate. Members of Pay Commission would, in fact, be visiting Siachen, Kargil, Mushkoh Valley, Chushul and Leh.

Similar whispers are at times heard about officers in the military hierarchy manning key positions related to pay, personnel and pensionary issues, including the pay commission cells of the three services. That too is demoralising.

Such rumours not only spread discontentment but also antagonize people who are working day and night for the betterment of serving personnel and veterans. Though change is the only constant and there is requirement of transformation of attitude at various ends, it can be said with great responsibility that the current military leadership and key appointments are extremely sensitised and sensitive towards the needs, requirements and aspirations of the military community and there is a consequent responsibility imposed on all of us to lend support to move towards the ultimate aim of betterment rather than creating an environment of negativity, that too based on a foundation of gossip.

Here is the official statement released by the Army on the subject of the visit of Members of 7th CPC to Ladakh:

We have noticed a number of malicious and ill informed comments being circulated on Social Media with regard to the visit of Justice Mathur, Chairman, 7th Central Pay Commission and other members of the Commission to Ladakh.
The Army wishes to clarify that Justice Mathur, Chairman, 7th Central Pay Commission and other members of the Commission are taking out very valuable time from their busy schedule to visit forward areas where our soldiers are serving in extremely difficult terrain, at our request.
Justice Mathur and members of the Commission would be visiting the Northern Glacier (Siachen), Kargil, Mushkoh Valley, Chushul apart from Leh, where they would be staying with various Army Detachments.

We are grateful to the 7 Pay Commission Team for personally experiencing the difficulties being faced by Army deployed in Ladakh.

On a lighter note though, I do feel we should not be so servile so as to thank Members of the Commission for “taking out very valuable time from their busy schedule”, since that my friends is their duty for what they are paid for and appointed, and not a favour extended to the society at large.

Source: www.indianmilitary.info

‘Facilitation Fee’ levied by authorised travel agents on air tickets booked on Government account — Withdrawal regarding.

‘Facilitation Fee’ levied by authorised travel agents on air tickets booked on Government account — Withdrawal regarding.

No. 19024/1/2012-E-IV
Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Expenditure

North Block, New Delhi.
Dated the 5th September, 2014.

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject:- ‘Facilitation Fee’ levied by authorised travel agents on air tickets booked on Government account — Withdrawal regarding.

Attention is invited to this Department’s O.M. of even number dated 10th October, 2013 wherein the authorised travel agents namely M/s Balmer Lawrie & Company Limited (BLCL), M/s Ashok Travels & Tours (ATT) and Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC), were allowed to levy ‘Facilitation Fee’ @ 100/- per ticket for domestic sector and .7300/- per ticket for international sector for air travel, wherein Government of India bears the cost of air passage.

2. The issue has been re-examined in consultation with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Department of Legal Affairs, in the light of provisions of the Aircrafts Rules, 1937, as amended from time to time, and it has been decided to withdraw this Department’s O.M. of even number dated 10th October. 2013 with immediate effect. Consequently, no fee/service charges (by whatever nomenclature), which are not included in the ‘tariff’ charged by Air India/Airlines, are required to be paid to the authorised travel agents.

3. Payment to the authorised travel agents for the Bills raised by them for air tickets procured/purchased till date, in respect of air travel already undertaken or due to be undertaken, would be regulated as per O.M. of even number dated 10.10.2013. It is reiterated that, as far as possible, air tickets on Government account may be obtained directly from Air India/Airlines (booking counters/offices/website) and if obtaining tickets directly from Air India/Airlines is not possible, should the services of authorised travel agents be availed of.

4. All Ministries/Departments are advised to bring these instructions to the notice of all concerned for compliance.

sd/-
(Subhash Chand)
Director

Source: http://finmin.nic.in/the_ministry/dept_expenditure/notification/air_travel/facilitaionFee_AirTicket_withdrawal05092014.pdf

NC JCM Secretary writes to PM regarding the revision of ceiling of Bonus

Secretary of NC (Staff Side) JCM writes to Prime Minister about the ceiling of payment of minimum bonus should be revised to all eligible employees…

Shiva Gopal Mishra
Secretary

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

No.NC/JCM/2014

Dated: August 23, 2014

Shri Narendra Modi Ji,
Hon’ble Prime Minister,
Government of India,
New Delhi

Respected Sir,
Sub: Revision of ceiling for payment of Bonus in Bonus Act 1965

Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 was amended in the year 2007. This Act was called as Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Act, 2007.

In Section 12 of the Principal Act (1965), payment of minimum bonus was revised from Rs.2500 to Rs.3500 w.e.f. 1st April, 2006 through Payment of Bonus(Amendment) Ordinance 2007(8 of 2007) and subsequently passed by the Parliament through Bill No.89/2007.

The Central Trade Unions and also the Constituent Organizations of Joint Consultative Machinery for Central Government employees raised the issue of amendment to the Section 12 of the Bonus Act, 1965 to remove the Ceiling of Rs.3500, mentioned in the Section 12 of the Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Act 2007.

But so far the Government has not amended the Act to pay real wages to the workers as Bonus, which is causing lot of hardship to the workers due to high escalation of prices of all commodities after the enactment of the amendment to the Bonus Act 1965 in the year 2007.

You are, therefore, requested to consider the pleas made by the Central Trade Union Organizations and also the JCM Constituent Organizations for Central Government employees and amend the Section 12 of the Bonus Act, duly removing the ceiling mentioned in the Section 12 of the Payment of Bonus(Amendment) Act, 2007.

As Pooja Festival is fast approaching and orders for payment of Productivity Linked Bonus to Railway employees and Ex. gratia to other Central Government employees are likely to be issued shortly, you are further requested to propose to issue an ordinance with the approval of the President to amend Section 12 of the Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Act, 2007 so as to enable the Railwaymen and other Central Government employees to get real wages as Bonus.

sd/-

(Shiva Gopal Mishra)

Source: NC JCM STAFF SIDE

Centre May Drop Mandatory Police Verification for Government Jobs

Centre May Drop Mandatory Police Verification for Government Jobs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently sought minimum use of affidavits and a shift to self-certification, so as to benefit the common man.

Centre May Drop Mandatory Police Verification for Govt Jobs

NEW DELHI: The Centre is considering a move to drop mandatory police verification of candidates selected for government jobs and may accept self-attestation certificates from them.

The issue of omitting the need of police verification of people getting selected for government jobs and applying for passports is under consideration of the Ministry of Home Affairs, official sources said. The MHA is likely take a view of state governments and other stakeholders in the matter, they said.

A concept note on the matter by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions also favoured replacement of police verification in various works including for the purpose of issuance of passport and for government jobs.

It needs to be considered if this can be eliminated as

(i) the police check is only about any criminal cases for which the persons concerned do provide necessary declarations and remain liable for false declaration;
(ii) the police report is perfunctory as it covers the last place of residence only;
(iii) in any case, neighbours’ affirmation appears to have little meaning, the note says.

As part of its effort to reform the public service delivery system and bridging the governance deficit, the Centre is promoting self attestation in place of notarized affidavits for a big chunk of government-related work.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently sought minimum use of affidavits and a shift to self-certification, so as to benefit the common man.

“In a citizen-friendly initiative, all ministries and departments of the union government, and all state governments, have been asked to make provision for self-certification of documents in place of affidavits.
“The requirement of attestation by gazetted officer is also sought to be replaced by self-certification by the citizen,” the Prime Minister’s Office has said in a release.

The 12th report – ‘citizen centric administration-the heart of governance’ – of the second Administrative Reforms Commission has also suggested simplifying procedures for self-certification provision.

Source : www.deccanherald.com

Union Government may stop Cash and Jewellery details of Central Staff

Union Government may stop Cash and Jewellery details of Central Staff under Lokpal Act…

Govt may withhold cash, jewellery details of babus: Times of India

NEW DELHI: In what could bring relief to nearly five million Central government employees, the Narendra Modi government has decided to amend the Lokpal and the Lokayukta Act to give itself a statutory power to withhold certain information from the public.

All Central staff, as per the latest order of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), have to declare their assets and liabilities, both movable and immovable, as well as those of their spouses and dependents latest by September 15. All these information would then be put up by the respective ministries on their website accessible to everyone.

A number of representations received by the government from officials expressed fear that putting details of movable assets such as jewellery and cash in hand and bank would pose a security threat to them and their dependents, leave their children vulnerable to kidnapping and ransom demands. For instance, an official said he has put all savings in general provident fund which has accumulated to Rs 75 lakhs over a period of time. Putting this information in the public domain would leave him and his family members vulnerable.

Sources said the amendments proposed only gives the government the statutory power to withhold information related to officials’ movable assets only, such as his cash in hand or bank and jewellery owned by him or his family members. The government will not be empowered to hold back information on immovable assets: house or land owned by him.

The amendment also makes it clear that it will have no impact on the current asset declaration guidelines. The officials will have to continue declaring all their assets – movable and immovable as per the previous directive. Only difference the proposed amendment will make is to ensure certain information is not made public.

The DoPT is working on the proposed amendment and has already taken a view from the law ministry to bring in the required changes. Any fresh amendment will not impact the current declaration deadline of September 15 which is applicable for all employees.

Once these declarations are received by the government, it is for the respective ministries to put them up on its website accessible to all, except those related to the movable assets for which an amendment is required to implement it.

Source: Times of India

Income Tax Officers are not too happy with new promotion rule

Income Tax Officers are not too happy with new promotion rule

IT officers not too happy with new promotion rule:
 

The Hindu Business Line
New Delhi, September 4

Better days are ahead for income tax officials, as the Government will soon notify amendments in the recruitment rules. This will facilitate promotions and direct recruitment, as approved under the cadre restructuring plan.

However, the Gazetted Officers Association of the Income Tax Department is not happy, as it wants the new posts of assistant commissioners to be filled in one go, through promotions.

“The Department of Personnel and Training is expected to issue amendments in the recruitment rules very soon,” a senior Revenue Department official told BusinessLine.

On May 23, the Cabinet approved the proposal for creation of 20,751 additional posts in the Tax Department. This includes 1,349 posts in the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) cadre and 19,402 posts in the non-IRS cadre.

Due to some procedural issues, the Department is facing vacancies at various levels. When the Cabinet approved the creation of additional posts, it permitted, as a one-time measure, filling up these posts through promotions, without amendments in the recruitment rules.

Accordingly, among others, 26 officials were promoted to the newly created grade of ‘principal chief commissioners of income tax’.

Now, 17 out of these 26 officials have retired. To top it, there are already four vacancies for members at the board level (sanctioned strength of seven, including Chairman). These vacancies are affecting decision making in the Department. As on August 1, posts vacant at the level of the chief commissioners stood at 30, principal commissioners at 330, commissioner at 208 and additional/joint commissioners over 700.

But, the real issue is at the level of assistant commissioner of income tax (ACIT), the entry level for Group ‘A’ service. Two sets of people are appointed at this level – those in the IRS and income tax officers. The cadre restructuring exercise decided to create 166 additional regular posts and 620 additional reserve posts at this. Along with 563 vacancies arising out of promotions at a higher grade, a total of 1,349 additional posts were created.

While all other newly created posts are to be filled in one go, for the assistant commissioner level, the condition is that additional posts are to be filled over five years. Every year, half of the posts are to be filled by direct recruitment and the remaining through promotions.

“This will leave most of the newly created posts at assistant commissioner level vacant for the first four years,” said Ajay Goyal, President of the Income Tax Gazetted Officers Association.

He said nearly 600 officers were awaiting promotions since the past 14 years, and will now have to wait longer. In the last cadre restructuring in 2001, around 1,000 additional posts of assistant commissioner were filled through promotions, he added.

Source: The Hindu Business Line