Revised Guidelines regarding Centralisation of Cadre Management of CSS with the CS Division of DOP&T

Revised Guidelines regarding Centralisation of Cadre Management of CSS with the CS Division of DOP&T

No.21/20/2014-CS.I (P)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
(Department of Personnel & Training)

Lok Nayak Bhawan, New Delhi- 110003,
Dated 28th October 2014

Office Memorandum

Subject: Revised Guidelines regarding Centralisation of Cadre Management of CSS with the CS Division of DOP&T

After the first Cadre Restructuring of Central Secretariat Service (CSS) in the year 2003, cadre management of CSS was centralized in CS.I Division. Detailed instructions regarding carrying out of various cadre management functions were issued vide O.M. No. 21/01/2004-CS.I dated 20.04.2005.

Thereafter, there have been changes in the procedure followed in the cadre management activities necessitating revised guidelines to correctly reflect the extant position. Accordingly, in supersession of 0M dated 20.4.2005, revised instructions are issued as under:

2. (i) Direct Recruitment to Assistant Grade: CS.I Division, DoPT will be responsible for direct recruitment to the grade of Assistant. The Division will also maintain Post Based Reservation Roster for the purpose

(ii) Promotions: Promotions to all grades of CSS will be carried out by DoPT as under:

I. Assistant Grade:
(a) SQ promotion CS.ll, Division, DoPT will be responsible for SQ promotion to the grade of Assistant on the basis of All Secretariat Common Seniority List in the grade of UDC. CS.ll Division will issue the zone for promotion and the Ministries/ Departments concerned will conduct the DPC in terms of CSS Rules, 2009. CS.ll Division will issue the Select List on the recommendations of DPCs by Ministries/ Departments.
(b) Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LOCE) : CS.ll Division, DoPT will be responsible for promotion to Assistant Grade on the basis of LDCE CS.ll Division will maintain Post Based Reservation Roster for these purposes.
 
II. Section Officer
(a) SQ promotion CS.I, Division, DoPT will be responsible for SQ promotion to the grade of Section Officer on the basis of All Secretariat Common Seniority List in the grade of Assistant. CS.I Division will issue the zone for promotion and the Ministries/ Departments concerned will conduct the DPC in terms of CSS Rules, 2009. CS.I Division will issue the Select List on the recommendations of DPCs by Ministries/
Departments.

(b) Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE) : CS.I Division, DoPT will be responsible for promotion to Section Officer Grade on the basis of LDCE conducted by the UPSC.
CS.l Division will maintain Post Based Reservation Roster for these purposes.

III. Under Secretary:
The only mode of recruitment to this grade is promotion. CS.I Division will be responsible for bringing out Select List for regular promotion to this grade in consultation with UPSC. CS.I Division will also maintain Post Based Reservation Roster.

IV. DS/Dir :
Promotion is the only mode of recruitment to these grades CS.I Division will be responsible for bringing out Select List for regular promotion to these grades on the recommendations of DPC constituted for the purpose.

(iii) Transfers: Transfer of officers ¡n all the grades of CSS either on promotion or on rotational transfer or otherwise will be made by the CS.l Division.

(iv) Maintenance of APARs: ACRs/APARs of Under Secretaries, Deputy Secretaries and Directors of CSS will be maintained by CS.l Division. ACR/APAR dossier in respect of SOs and Assistants will continue to be maintained by the respective Ministries/ Departments. However, Ministries /Departments will scan and upload the ACRs/APARs of all the grades in the web based cadre management system.

(v) Deputation : Cadre clearance for deputation of CSS Officers of US and above grades will be granted by CS.l Division. Officers of these grades will report to CS.I Division on repatriation from deputation for further posting. In the grades of Assistant and SO, cadre clearance for deputation will be granted by the respective Ministries/Departments and offices of these grades will report to the same cadre units on expiry of deputation.

(vi) Long leave : Officers of US and above grades on expiry of long leave one year or more will report to CS.I Division for further posting. No substitute will be provided to Ministries / Departments in case of leave less than one year.

(vii) Private Foreign Visit: Permission for private visit abroad in respect of CSS Officers of all grades will be granted by the Ministries / Departments concerned subject to CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964 and any other instructions on the matter. Cadre Clearance by CS.I Division will not be required for this purpose. However, application for private foreign visit and permission granted should be captured in the web based cadre management system.

(viii) Short Term Foreign Training: Ministries / Departments may nominate officers for short term foreign training, not exceeding three months. However, for foreign training beyond three months cadre clearance from CS.l Division will be required in case of US and above level officers of CSS. Details of foreign training should be entered in the web based cadre management system.

(ix) Domestic Training: Ministries/ Departments may nominate officers for domestic training not exceeding one year. In case of domestic training exceeding one year, cadre clearance from CS.l Division should be obtained for US and above level officers of CSS. Details of training should be entered in the web based cadre management system.

(x) Voluntary retirement: Approval of competent authority for voluntary retirement of CSS Officers of US and above levels will be conveyed by CS.I, DoPT. Requests for voluntary retirement should be forwarded to this Department with the approval of Secretary of the Department and after obtaining vigilance clearance from AVD, DoPT. Approval for voluntary retirement of Assistant and SO will, however, be granted by the concerned Ministry / Department with the approval of the Minister concerned. Requests for voluntary retirement and approval granted should be entered in the web based cadre management system.

(xi) Grant of study leave: Any request for grant of study leave to a CSS officer (of the grades of Under Secretary and above) would require prior approval of CS.I Division of DOP&T.

(xii) Commercial employment: Proposal for commercial employment after retirement of a CSS officer in the grades of Under Secretary and above will be processed by the Ministry/Department concerned with reference to provisions of CCS (Conduct) Rules and referred to CS.l Division for approval.

3. This issues with the approval of the Competent Authority.

sd/-
(Utkaarsh R Tiwaari)
Director

Source : www.persmin.nic.in
[http://ccis.nic.in/WriteReadData/CircularPortal/D2/D02csd/CM.pdf]

Regularization of Casual Labour with Temporary Status(CL-TS)-Proposals from Ministries/Departments

Regularization of Casual Labour with Temporary Status(CL-TS)-Proposals from Ministries/ Departments on -regarding

F.No.49014/3/2014- Estt(C)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
Department of Personnel & Training

North Block
Dated 16th October, 2014

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Regularization of Casual Labour with Temporary Status(CL-TS)-Proposals from Ministries/Departments on -regarding.

The undersigned is directed to say that Casual Labourers (Grant of Temporary Status & Regularisation), Scheme of Government of India, 1993, circulated vide DOPT OM No. 51016/2/90-Estt(C) dated 10.09.1993, stipulated conditions for grant of temporary status and regularization of services to the persons recruited on daily wage basis in the Central Government Offices as on 10.09.1993. It was held in the Mohan Pal Case SLP (Civil) No. 2224/2000 that the Scheme of 1-9-93 is not an ongoing Scheme and the temporary status can be conferred on the casual labourers under that Scheme only if they were in employment on the date of the commencement of the scheme and they should have rendered continuous service of at least one year i.e. at least 240 days in a year or 206 days (in case of offices having 5 days a week). The Scheme inter-alia provided for regularization of CL-TS against Group `D’ posts.

2. Following the acceptance of the recommendation of the 6th CPC, all Group D posts have been upgraded to Group C posts. Recruitment to erstwhile Group `D’ posts placed in Group ‘C’, PB-1, Grade Pay ‘1800/- (non technical as MT Staff) is now made only through Staff Selection Commission and minimum educational qualification for appointment is Matriculation or ITI pass. Regularisation of CL-TS therefore cannot be done by the Ministries/ Departments on their own and requires relaxation of para-8 of the Appendix to the O.M. dated 10.09.1993.

3. This Department vide O.M No. 49011/31/2008-Estt(C) dated 17th February,2009 had requested all Ministries/ Department to provide information relating to CL-TS on their rolls. Information relating to 231 CL-TS was received from 29 Ministries/Departments which were processed. Since then this Department has been receiving proposals piece-meal from different

4. Department of Expenditure have now advised this Department that in order to avoid piece- meal examination of such proposals, a consolidated proposal for regularization of all such remaining CL-TS who were on the rolls of the Ministries/Departments on 10.09.1993 and yet could not be regularized may be forwarded to them for further consideration/examination. Therefore, all Ministries/Departments are requested to review the position at their establishments and send a consolidated proposals for regularization of services of such remaining CL-TS on their rolls (including attached/subordinate and autonomous bodies), if any, latest by 30.11.2014 to this Department in the enclosed format. It may be ensured that complete information in respect of the Ministry/Department and its Attached/Subordinate Offices is sent. The information may also be sent by e-mail(in MS Word) at dse@nic.in.

(J.A.Vaidyanathan)
Director(Estt.)
Telefax: 23093179

Source/View/Download: http://ccis.nic.in/WriteReadData/CircularPortal/D2/D02est/49014_3_2014-Estt.C-16102014.pdf

Casualty Pensionary Awards for Armed Forces Officers & POBR invalided out from 1.1.1996 – PCDA Circular No. 529

PCDA Circular No. 529 – Rationalization of casualty Pensionary Awards for the Armed Forces Officers and Personnel below Officer Rank (PBOR) invalided out from service prior to 1.1.1996: 

Extension of benefit of broad banding of percentage of disability/ war injury.

OFFICE OF THE PR. CONTROLLER OF DEFENCE ACCOUNTS (PENSIONS)
DRAUPADI GHAT, ALLAHABAD- 211014

IMPORTANT CIRCULAR
REGISTERED

Circular No. 529

Dated: 13.10.2014

Subject: Rationalization of casualty Pensionary Awards for the Armed Forces Officers and Personnel below Officer Rank (PBOR) invalided out from service prior to 1.1.1996: Extension of benefit of broad banding of percentage of disability/ war injury.

Reference: GOI, MOD letter No. 12(16)/2009/D(Pen/Policy) dated 15.09.2014 and this office Circular No. 429 dated 04.03.2010.

A copy of the Government of India, Ministry of Defence letter No. 12(16)/2009/D(Pen/Policy) dated 15/09/2014 is enclosed herewith for information and necessary action.

BACK GROUND

2. Consequent upon issue of letter No.1 (2)/97/D (Pen-C) dated 31.01.2001 the benefit of Broad Banding i.e. Rounding of Disability, 50% (for disability less than 50%) and 75% (for disability from 50% to 75%) and 100% (for disability from 76% to 100%) provision has been made for those pensioners who have been invalided out from the service on medical ground attributable to or aggravated by military service on or after 01.01.1996. The demand of this benefit for Pre-96 Defence pensioners was pending with the Govt. which had been considered by Cabinet Secretary Committee and recommended for extension of this benefit to Armed Forces Officers and PBORS who were invalided out of service prior to 01.01.1996 and were in receipt of disability/ war injury pension as on 01.07.2009. The Govt. had accepted the above said recommendations and issued order vide MOD letter No. 10(01)/D(Pen/Policy)/2009/Vol-ll dated 19.01.2010.


NEW PROVISION IN BROAD BANDING

3. Now in partial modification of above said GOI, MOD letter dated 19.01.2010, the Government vide MOD letter No. 12(16)/2009/D(Pen/Policy) dated 15.09.2014 has allowed the benefit of broad banding of percentage of disability/ war injury w.e.f. 01.01.1996 to Armed Forces Officers and PBOR pensioners who were invalided out of service prior to 1.1.1996 and were in receipt of disability element/ war injury element as on 1.1.1996. In such cases, where the pensioner was not in receipt of disability element as on 1.1.1996 but became entitled at a later stage due to reassessment of disability more than 20%, this benefit shall also be allowed from the same date i.e. from the date of reassessment.


AFFECTED CASES

4. With effect from 01.01.1996, the concept of broad banding of percentage of disability/ war injury, as provided in Para 7.2 of MOD letter dated 31.01.2001 quoted above, shall be extended to Armed Forces Officers and PBOR who were invalided out of service prior to 01.01.1996 and are in receipt of disability/ war injury pensions as on 01.01.1996. In such cases where the pensioner was not in receipt of disability element as on 01.01.1996, but became entitled at later stage due to re-assessment of disability more than 20%, this benefit shall be allowed from the same date i.e. from the date of reassessment.

5. Further, as per above GOI MOD letter, those cases where the pensioners were in receipt of disability element/ war injury element as on 1.1.1996 but the same was discontinued at a later stage due to reassessment of disability as less than 20%, the disability element/ war injury element shall be discontinued from the later date as hithertofore. However, in those Pre 1.1.1996 cases where the disability element/ war injury element was not allowed for disability being accepted as less than 20% at initial stage or subsequent stage on reassessment of disability, the same will continue to be disallowed and such cases will not be re-opened.


APPLICATION TO BE SUBMITTED

6. For this purpose, each affected Armed Forces pensioner who were invalided out of service prior to 1.1.1996 and were in receipt of disability element/ war injury element on 1.1.1996 or thereafter, shall submit an application in the format enclosed as Annexure to this letter to the PSAs concerned through their Pension Disbursing Agencies and Record Offices thereof in the case of PBOR and through Pension Disbursing Agencies in the case of Commissioned Officers to PSAs concerned for revision of disability element/ war injury element.

7. For the grant of LTA of deceased invalided out of service prior to 01.01.1996 and who were in receipt of disability element/ war injury element as on 01.01.1996 or thereafter, a certificate is to be submitted by the Family Pensioner/ his heir in the format enclosed as CERTIFICATE FOR THE PAYMENT OF LTA to this circular. However, the Part-II & Part-III of ANNEXURE will also be filled up with CERTIFICATE FOR THE PAYMENT OF LTA.


ACTION ON THE PART OF THE PDA

8. Pension Disbursing Authorities are requested that the affected cases of disability/war injury element where Armed Forces Officers and PBOR who were invalided out from service prior 01.01.1996 and were in receipt of disability element/ war injury element as on 1.1.1996 may be reviewed and application obtained in triplicate from them may be endorsed and submitted to the concerned Record Office in the cases of PBOR and directly to the PSA in the cases of Commissioned Officer so that the necessary Corr. PPO for Broad Banding may be issued by the PSA concerned.

9. If a pensioner, to whom benefit accrues under the provisions of this letter, had already died on or after 01.01.1996 but before date of issue of this letter (i.e. 15.09.2014), the application for revision shall be submitted by the family pensioners or by his/ her heir, as the case may be. Payment of LTA shall, however, be regulated as per the extant Government orders on the subject matter.

10. PDA to ensure that format enclosed in cases for ‘CERTIFICATE FOR THE PAYMENT OF LTA’ is properly filled along with Part-ll of Annexure and the same is verified by them.


ACTION ON THE PART OF THE RECORD OFFICE

11. ROs are requested that on receipt of the ANNEXURE for Broad Banding from the individual or CERTIFICATE FOR THE PAYMENT OF LTA from the family pensioner/ his/her heir duly filled by the PDAs the same may please be forwarded to concerned PSAs duly verified along with completed

LPC-Cum-Data Sheet, photo copy of original and latest D/ DE PPOs for issue of necessary Corr PPO. The following documents may invariably be forwarded along with the claim-

(i) CTC of Sheet Rolls’ page indicating clause of discharge.
(ii) Discharge Part-ll order showing the clause of discharge and where Part-II order is not available, a certificate, certifying that the individual had been invalided out/ deemed to be invalided out duly showing the clause of discharge.
(iii) A certificate to the effect may also be enclosed that “no claim on this account has earlier been initiated” to avoid recurrence of double PPO for the same claim.

 12. ROs are also requested to review all such cases where Broad Banding benefit has already been notified by concerned Pension Sanctioning Authorities wef 01.07.2009 and where disability was assessed as for life before 01.01.1996.

A list of such cases indicating individual’s details i.e. Name, Regt. Number, Original PPO Number, Corrigendum (Broad Banding) PPO No. and Current PDA details may be forwarded to concerned PSA for further necessary action.

13. This may please be given wide publicity.

14. This circular has been uploaded on PCDA (P) website www.pcdapension.nic.in for dissemination across the Defence pensioners and PDAs.

sd/-
(A.K. NIGAM)
Asstt. Controller (P)
Gts/Tech/05/LXXII Dated: 13.10.2014

Holding of National Convention of the National Council (JCM)(Staff Side)

National Convention of the National Council (JCM Staff Side) to be held on 11.12.2014.

Shiva Gopal Mishra
Secretary

Ph: 23382286
National Council (Staff Side)
Joint Consultative Machinery for Central government Employees
13-C, Ferozshah Road, New Delhi – 110001
E Mail : nc.jcm.np@ gmail .com

Ref. No.NC-JCM/2014/SC

Dated: October 25, 2014

All Constituent Organisations,
National Council(JCM)
Dear Comrades,

Sub: Holding of National Convention of the National Council (JCM) (Staff Side)

As you are aware, the Staff Side, JCM National Council had, as desired by the 7th CPC, submitted a separate memorandum on Interim Relief and Merger of DA, copy of which had also been sent to the Finance Ministry. During the Informal Discussions the Staff Side had with the Pay Commission, they had assured us to take up the issue with the Government seeking amendment to the Terms of Reference to enable them to act upon our memorandum.

We have received reply from the Finance Ministry, which is indicative of a refusal of both the demands. The NDA Government has adopted the same plea made by the UPA II Government to reject our demands. The 7th CPC have so far not communicated to us, the decision they have taken on our memorandum.

From the steps so far taken by the BJP Government, it is unambiguous that they would be pursuing the neo-liberal economic policies with much more intensity than even the UPA Government. Having got a clear majority in the Parliament, they would be able to push through necessary legislations to pursue reforms. The outsourcing of Railway functions, privatization of Defence manufacturing Units, increased FDI inflow in various core sectors of economy, dismantling of the administrative price mechanism, de-nationalization efforts in the Banking, Insurance and Coal Sectors and above all the adherence to New Contributory Pension Scheme are some of the bold anti worker steps taken by the new Government.

The matter of fact approach and urgency which was visible in the initial days of the 7th CPC appears to have vanished. It is a matter of pride for all of us that we could submit our final memorandum on common issues to the Commission within the stipulated time frame. We are also happy to note that almost all service organizations of Central Government employees have endorsed our formulations on the wage structure and other service benefits. It is also a fact that all these organizations have submitted their memoranda on department-specific issues before 31st July, 2014. Despite having received such large number of memoranda, the 7thCPC has so far not commenced taking oral evidence giving an indubitable impression that the Commission might not be able to submit its report within the stipulated time of 18 months.

All these issues came up for the consideration of the members of the Staff side when they met a few days back. The unanimous opinion was to pursue the issues through organizational methods. Accordingly, it was decided to hold a National Convention, eliciting the participation of the representatives of all Service organizations participating in the JCM to discuss the emerging situation and decide upon future course of action. Incidentally, we must mention that the JCM conceived as a negotiating forum has been made
ineffective by the Government over the years by not convening its meetings periodically.

The National Convention will be held at MPCU Shah Auditorium, Sree Gurjarathi Samaj, Raj Niwas Road, Civil Lines(Opposite Civil Lines Metro Station), Delhi, on 11th December, 2014. The Convention will commence at 12 Noon and will be concluded by 4.00 PM. 740 delegates will participate in the convention, of which 370 shall be Railwaymen(AIRF and NFIR), 150 will be Defence Civilian employees (AIDEF and INDWF) and the rest 220 will be represented by other Central Government employees (Confederation of Central Government employees and workers). The participating organizations will issue separate circular letter indicating the number of delegates of each Branch/Unit, Divisions/Zones, Circles/States, and affiliates may deploy to the Convention.

The Staff side will meet again to finalize the draft declaration to be placed before the Convention for discussion and adoption. The date and venue of the meeting will be intimated in due course.

With greetings,
Comradely yours,

sd/-
(Shiva Gopal Mishra)

Source: http://confederationhq.blogspot.in/

Tags: DA Merger, Interim Relief, NC JCM Staff Side, National Council JCM Staff Side, Central Government Employees news, 

Ministry of Tourism launches Android Mobile Application of its official online travel planner

Android Mobile Application of Incredible India’s official trip planning

Ministry of Tourism launches Android Mobile Application of its official online travel planner

The Android Mobile Application of Incredible India’s official trip planning and destination discovery App Tripigator.com was today launched by the Ministry of Tourism. Being the first and only instant travel planning engine Tripigator.com, the App creates personalized itineraries matching user preferences. It has integrated maps and geo-location based discovery of details which further improves travelers’ in-destination experience. Being a first of its kind personalized traveler planning engine, Tripigator.com instantly generates personalized travel itinerary on fewer inputs and significantly reduces user’s effort by replacing 10 tabs to 1 tab. The website www.tripigator.com is already an official travel planner of Ministry of Tourism and is available on Incredible India’s website.

Tripigator helps both domestic and international travelers in planning their trips seamlessly by asking basic inputs such as timeline, budget, areas of interest (adventure, romantic, nature etc.) and destinations of choice. The technology creates a range of travel itineraries in no time and ranks them as per users’ experience.

Tripigator offers a seamless user experience and visually appealing user interface, which complements the core technology. Tripigator aggregates the information from all over the web to create structured travel data and applies decision science and remarkable technology to create personalized holiday itineraries with live prices.

It not only creates personalized itineraries, but also helps users to share them with their travel companions, enabling greater collaboration in travel planning process.

During the launch Mr. Parvez Dewan, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism said that the Android Application offers travelers a unique planning experience, and travelling to and within India will be at the tourists’ fingertips. The price sensitivity feature offered in the software will help people to plan holidays as per their budget, he said.

The app can be downloaded from:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.worthyourholidays.tripigator

Launched in partnership with Incredible India of Ministry of Tourism in May this year, www.tripigator.com has so far assisted 1 lakh users from over 40 countries to plan holidays in India.

Source: PIB News

Double DA for 3 ex-defence officers, lokayukta alerted

Double DA for 3 ex-defence officers, lokayukta alerted
By Chetan R, Bangalore Mirror Bureau

Three top ranking retired armed forces commissioned officers - a wing commander, a lieutenant colonel, and a major - currently occupying the posts of joint director and deputy directors with state's sainik welfare and resettlement department, are accused of drawing dearness allowance or relief from two sources, the state government as well as the defence forces, since several years.

A complaint was filed by Raju N R, a military veteran, on October 20 with the Lokayukta on the irregularity, which is said to have caused the state exchequer a loss of several lakhs. The officials concerned are Wg Cdr (rtd) Eshwar Kodolli, Maj (rtd) Shivaji M Tukkar and Lt Col (rtd) Geetha M Shetty.

Kodolli is currently serving as joint director (i/c), Tukkar is deputy director (Bagalkot and Koppal), and Shetty, deputy director (Shimoga and Davangere). The allegations levelled against them include giving false declaration to the pension disbursing authorities of armed forces to get dearness relief on their defence pension. Once employed by state government (where they draw salary with DA), they are not entitled to DA on defence pension.


"Defence services officers are selected for re-employment in the Karnataka state department of sainik welfare & resettlement (DSWR), and so, state government employees," Raju told Bangalore Mirror. "Every retired defence services officer is required to render an annual certificate to the Defence Pension Disbursing Authority (PDA) for drawing defence pension. In this certificate, they declare that they are, or are not, re-employed in a government job. Based upon their declaration, the PDA pays DA on their defence pension. The PDA has no means to check the veracity of this declaration, and the defence services officer is honour-bound to make a truthful declaration. A false declaration for personal gain is an act of moral turpitude, which attracts disciplinary action."

Tukkar has been re-employed with the department of sainik welfare and resettlement since Nov 9, 2009, Shetty since June 13, 2011 and Kodolli since October 20, 2011, as per records available with Raju. But they have continued to draw DR - which is currently 100% on the pension - and DA, Raju said. This despite an armed forces tribunal order in June 2013 in a similar case pertaining to two other officers - Maj (rtd) R S Vishwanath and Col (rtd) CM Uthaiah - to refund the Dearness Relief drawn for the period of their re-employment.

Source: Bangalore Mirror

91-yr-old ex-railway employee awaits revision in pension

91-yr-old ex-railway employee awaits revision in pension

HT Correspondent:, Hindustan Times  Ludhiana, October 27, 2014

Madan Mohan Lal Sobti, 91, has been awaiting a revision of his pension since the past three decades. Since his retirement on August 31, 1981, as the deputy chief controller from Moradabad Division for Northern Railway, Sobiti has been living on a paltry pension of Rs8,000, which includes his dearness allowance, fixed according the government pay scales at the time of his retirement, despite three revisions in the scales since.

Three pay commissions-of 1987, 1994 and 2006-instituted since he retired have revised government pay scales. While a CAT judgment ordered the Fifth Pay Commission to bring the pre-1986 and post-1986 retirees under the complete parity and the Sixth Pay Commission to bring the pre-2006 and post-2006 retirees under the modified parity scheme, his pension remained unchanged despite 14 written requests to the railway department. Sobti has even written to the railway board chairman and successive railway ministers, only to come a cropper.

"Moradabad divisional railway manager have harassed me for the past four years. They say that my service record file is either lost or misplaced and is thus in not available," he said.


He added that no search memo was issued to settlement section to trace out the file nor was an FIR was lodged with the GRP Moradabad in this regard despite several applications demanding it since 1991.
"The pay grades and pensions have increased by manifolds by the pay commissions. I could live a dignified life and could even bear my medical expenses if my pension were revised," said Sobti, who currently lives with his son at Sunder Nagar, Rahon Road.

MS Gill, the president of the All Indian Railway Retirees Federation said the case highlights the Railways' apathy. "Sobti has been suffering from several chronic diseases and has been advised not to leave the city. The Railways has not forced him to fight for his rights," he said, demanding a solution to the problem soon.

Source: Hindustan Times

Absence of own specialists troubles CGHS patients

Absence of own specialists troubles CGHS patients

NAGPUR : The Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) beneficiaries are suffering due to prolonged absence of specialists in the OPD (out patient department) clinics. They have to shuttle between CGHS clinics and the other government hospitals to consult with the specialists and yet do not get the prescribed medicines for varied reasons. The additional director general (ADG) of CGHS in city Dr D O Tikas, however, says the issue will be resolved soon as the various regulations are still evolving.

CGHS clinics in city only have specialists of medicine, eye, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology and skin. For treatment of all other specialities like neuroscience, psychiatry, orthopaedics, nephrology etc the CGHS clinics refer patients to either the corporation hospitals or any other government hospital including medical colleges. Unfortunately, when they come back with the medicines prescribed by them to CGHS dispensaries, patients are mostly told either drugs are not available or they are not as per combinations and formulae permitted under CGHS scheme. They are also refused medicines on the pretext that they are expensive imported medicines or are not generic formula and so not included in the CGHS list.


Whatever the reason, the patients, majority of whom are senior citizens, have to run from pillar to post for no fault of theirs. "I have a dependent daughter who has been suffering from neurological problem for many years. She is referred to the NMC OPD clinic in Sadar but the medicines prescribed by the psychiatrists and neuro-physicians are never available in Shankar Nagar CGHS dispensary. I cannot afford to buy them from private shops," a patient's father told TOI.

Dr Tikas, not denying the problem exists, assured that things would soon be streamlined. This year, the union ministry of health and family welfare issued an order on August 25 that changed the entire process of procurement, inclusion, exclusion of drugs for CGHS beneficiaries, investigations, treatment procedures, implants that has caused a lot of confusion across the country. When VIP beneficiaries in the capital protested the changes, certain drugs, especially those for chronic diseases like diabetes, blood pressure, heart diseases, that were earlier deleted were hastily included back on August 27. The present list includes 1447 generic and 622 branded medicines.

"The August 27 order is also under modification. Suggestions and lists of medicines most commonly prescribed from various cities are being compiled. A lot of medicines relating to neuro and psychiatry, cardiovascular, diabetics, gastrointestinal, analgesics and rheumatoid, vaccines, kidney diseases, ENT, eye, paediatric, antidiuretic, skin etc have been included," Dr Tikas said. Nagpur CGHS has also sent a huge list to the Centre. We hope all these will be included and in near future patients will start getting all medicines except the imported ones whose Indian versions are available, he added.

    WHAT HAS CHANGED

* Restrictions brought by order dated August 25, 2014

* CGHS only supplies medicines included in its formulary. Those outside can be substituted by identical formulations or those with same therapeutic effect

* Imported anti-cancer and other drugs are to be given on case to case basis. Only medicines approved by Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) are to be issued. A cheaper Indian version, if available, will be supplied

* Only the listed investigations, treatment procedures, implants and devices with prescribed rates will be allowed in CGHS empanelled diagnostic centres and hospitals

* ADG, CGHS of city can take decisions for unlisted investigations, procedures, reimbursement etc

* In case any unlisted device or implant is installed, the reimbursement should be only as per CGHS rates

* Every CGHS beneficiary has to register his mobile number to guard against misuse of CGHS card

TIMELINE

August 27- A technical committee constituted to update mechanism and listing of medicine, inclusion and exclusion of drugs, investigations, treatment procedures etc.

Sept 9- CGHS allows ESIS, ECHS formularies to be adopted while its own is revised. Many antihypertensive drugs, lipid lowering agents, hormonal preparations prescribed by obstetric and gynaecological doctors, bronchodilators, anti-worming, eye preparations, antiviral, anti-Parkinson's, nephrology, anti-psychiatry, gliptins and insulin analogues included in the list

September 19- Cancer and kidney treatment drugs and liver and kidney transplant drugs stopped under August 25 order allowed on case to case basis

October 1- Formulary still under revision. Drugs under ex-servicemen contributory health scheme (ECHS), Employees State Insurance Corporation still not covered under the schemes will be issued provided if the prescription is for not more than seven days and cost is less than Rs1500 per week. Otherwise, permission of local ADG of CGHS is necessary

October 21- Medicines that were restricted to one month now allowed for three months and patients going abroad can avail medicines for six months

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Absence-of-own-specialists-troubles-CGHS-patients/articleshow/44942899.cms