Bank Unions wage increase demand irrational: IBA

Bank Unions wage increase demand irrational: IBA

Indian Banks’ Association said it is the only representative body of banks which acts on the mandate given by the banks for wage settlement, a statement issued here said.

It said IBA’s Negotiating Committee comprise of CMDs of Public Sector Banks as well as Private Sector Banks which are parties to the Bipartite a settlements has started the wage negotiation in justify earnest since October 2012.

It said 14 rounds of discussion have been held and two major issues, i.e., effective date of implementation and merger of DA have been clinched.

“In the past 7th and 8th Bipartite Settlements, the wage increase was between 10 percent and 13 percent. The 9th Bipartite Settlement was an exception as compared to earlier settlements and cannot be quoted as precedent.”

In the current wage settlement, a hike of 11 percent on salary and allowances has been offered based on the paying capacity of all the banks, lower profitability, higher requirements for provisions and further capital requirement under Basel-III, which translates into 12.5 percent on the balance sheet cost that too is unaffordable to some of the banks.

“The issues regarding wage negotiation deliberated in Negotiating Committee of IBA are further discussed in a larger forum, i.e., Managing Committee of IBA and the Chairmen of all the banks were unequivocal in saying that the demand of 23% increase of Unions/Associations is unaffordable, illogical, exorbitant and irrational.”

IBA appealed Unions/Associations to give up the agitational path and return with pragmatic approach to the negotiation table and to resolve the issue through bipartism.

“Despite the appeal made by IBA as well as Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) at the conciliation meetings not to resort to strike and resolve the issue through bipartism, the Unions/Associations went on one day strike on November 12, 14 followed by Zonal relay strikes from December 2 to December 5, 2014.

In the meantime, IBA has requested to all member banks to assess their paying capacity and advise IBA accordingly.

“It is, therefore, apparent that IBA is serious to settle the issue at the earliest and not adopting delayed tactics as alleged by the Unions/Association.”

Source : Rising Kashmir

Display of TTE/Conductor name and mobile numbers in the Trains

Display of TTE/Conductor name and mobile numbers in the Trains

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(RAILWAY BOARD)

No. 2014/TG-V/4/04

New Delhi, dated 17.12.2014
Chief Commercial Managers,
All Zonal Railways.

(COMMERCIAL CIRCULAR NO. 53 OF 2014)

Sub: Announcement regarding mobile number of TTE/Conductor in the trains.

Recently during the course of annual review meeting held with Central Vigilance Commission, it was inter-aha suggested that the name and mobile number of TTES/Conductors should be displayed on every compartment of the trains so that public can contact them in case of any need.

2. In this connection, attention is drawn to instructions issued vide this office letter no. 2012/TG-I/20/Pt. 1 dated 13:08.2012 (CC 110. 48 of 2012) wherein Zonal Railways were advised to print the name of the TTEs/Conductors manning the coaches on end-to-end basis on the reservation chart through the PRS. It was also informed that for all other trains, the names of the ticket checking staff deployed on the 1st leg should be printed on the chart at the train originating station. Compliance of these instructions may be ensured.

3. The suggestion of CVC as mentioned above was examined keeping in view the ground realities and it was not found practically feasible to implement the same. It is however, desired that in trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi & Duronto Express trains where the provision of announcement is there, the name of the Conductor/TIES manning the coaches earmarked to them and the coach in. which they are available should be announced during the run of the trains after every Commercial halt so that the passengers in need can contact them for assistance.

Necessary instructions may be issued to all concerned.

sd/-
(Vikram Singh)
Director Passenger Marketing
Railway Board

Source: http://www.indianrailways.gov.in

Amendment order to the Lokpal Removal of Difficulties Order, 2014

Amendment order to the Lokpal Removal of Difficulties Order, 2014

MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS
(Department of Personnel and Training)

ORDER

New Delhi, the 26th December, 2014

S.O. 3272(E).- Whereas the Central Government, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 62 of the Lospal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 (1 of 2014) (hereinafter referred to as the said Act), made the Lokpal and Lokayaktas (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2014 (hereinafter referred to as the said Order) with effect from the 15th February, 2014 for the purpose of carrying out modifications and amendments in all existing rules regulating the filing of property returns and making of declaration of assets by public servants so as to bring them in conformity with the provisions of the said Act, within a period not exceeding one hundred and eighty days from the date on which the provisions of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 came into force, i.e., the 16th January, 2014;

And whereas, the Central Government initiated the process of modifications and amendments of all existing rules dealing with the subject matter of filing of returns and making of declaration of assets by public servants in consultation with various authorities, such as, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, the Election Commission, the Lok Sabha Secretariat, the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, the Ministry of Law and Justice (Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department), the Department of Financial Services, the Department of Public Enterprises and the State Governments;

And whereas, the comments and suggestions received from above said authorities had been under consideration of the Central Government and the completion of the procedure of finalising the rules under the said Act was likely to take some more time and the process of harmonisation of the existing rules with the provisions of the said Act and the rules made thereunder was taking time beyond the period notified under the said Order, and, therefore, the Central Government amended the said Order on 14th July 2014, extending the said period of one hundred and eighty days to a period of two hundred and seventy days;
And whereas, the Central Government, after consulting the Ministries/Departments, including the Department of Financial Services, the Department of Public Enterprises, the Ministry of Law and Justice and the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, made the Public Servants (Furnishing of Information and Annual Return of Assets and Liabilities and the Limits for Exemption of Assets in Filling Returns) Rules, 2014 (hereinafter referred to as the said rules), in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) read with clause (k) and clause (l) of sub-section (2) of section 59 read with section 44 and section 45 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, and notified the said rules on 14th July, 2014, prescribing therein the forms in which information and annual returns are to be filed by every public servant;

And whereas, the Central Government forwarded the copies of the notification containing the said rules to all Ministries and Departments of the Central Government requesting them to take the follow-up action in terms of the said rules, and for ensuring compliance with the said rules by all officers and staff in the respective Ministries, Departments and organisations and public sector undertakings under their control;

And whereas, the Central Government also forwarded the copies of the notification containing the said rules to the Chief Secretaries of all State Governments and Union territories, requesting them to take the follow-up action in terms of the said rules requiring all officers of the All India Services working in connection with the affairs of the State Governments and the officers and staff working in various organisations and public sector undertakings under their control so as to ensure due compliance with the said rules by all of them;

And whereas, concerns and apprehensions were raised by some Ministries and Departments, Organisations and individuals about the posting of every information provided by the public servant on public domain and the complexities involved in posting such details, in the prescribed formats and also about exacerbation of vuinerbilities of the public servants after filing such details, specifically of movable property and their publication on the websites of respective Ministries and Departments giving rise to the apprehension of the safety and security of the members particularly children of the public servant;

And Whereas, keeping in view the genuine concerns and apprehensions aforesaid, the Central Government constituted a Committee on 28th August, 2014 to simplify the forms and the process in which public servants shall make declaration of assets and liabilities as required under the said Act and the rules made thereunder and the Committed was required to examine the forms prescribed under the said rules and suggest changes therein as may be considered necessary within a period of forty-five days;

And whereas, the exercise of reviewing the existing rules relating to various services and posts with the provisions of the said Act and the rules made thereunder, the process of completion of follow-up action by various Ministries and Departments of the Central Government and the State Governments and the exercise of simplification of forms and process in which public servants shall make declarations of assets and liabilities, was likely take time beyond the period of two hundred and seventy days as specified in the said Order (as amended by the Order, dated 14th July, 2014), it has become necessary to extend the said period of two hundred and seventy days and, accordingly, the Central Government amended the said Order on 8th September, 2014, extending the said period of two hundred and seventy days to a period of three hundred and sixty days for the purposes of section 44 of the said Act;

And whereas, the Committee constituted by the Central Government on 28th August, 2014 to simplify the forms and the process in which public servants shall make declaration of assets and liabilities as required under the said Act and the rules made thereunder, submitted its first Report to the Government on 1st October, 2014, wherein the Committee suggested simplification of form prescribed for submission of statement regarding movable assets and the form prescribed for submission of statement regarding debts and liabilities by public servants, under the aforesaid rules;

And whereas, the processing of necessary amendments to the aforesaid rules so as to incorporate the revised forms for filing statement regarding movable properties and statement regarding debts and liabilities and the circulation of the revised formats, after their due notification in the Official Gazette, to all Ministries and Departments of the central Government and the Chief Secretaries of all State Governments and Union territory administrations and the further process of follow-up action in terms of the said rules requiring all officers of the All India Services working in connection with the affairs of the State Governments and the Offices and Staff working in various Organisations and Public Sector Undertakings under their control so as to ensure due compliance with the revised rules by all of them, is a time consuming process and as such the said process cannot be completed within the limit of three hundred and sixty days as contemplated in the principal order as amended by the order dated 8th September, 2014;

And whereas, Central Government has decided to amend the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, to address various deficiencies noticed in the said Act and, in that context, a need has also been felt to amend the provisions of section 44 of the said Act so as to harmonise the provisions of the said section with the relevant provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and rules framed thereunder, the All India Services Act, 1951 and rules framed thereunder, the rules framed by the Central Government in pursuance of article 148 and article 309 of the Constitution and also various statutes setting up autonomous bodies and Public Sector Undertaking and the rules framed thereunder;

And Whereas, the introduction of a Bill to amend the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, and its passing by Parliament and enforcement is also likely to take time; and hence it has become necessary to extend the said period of three hundred and sixty days to a period of eighteen months, and the Central Government has accordingly decided to extend the period to complete this process;

Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 62 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act. 2013 (1 of 2014), the Central Government hereby makes the following amendment further to amend the Lokpal and Lokayuktas (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2014, namely:-

In the said Order, in paragraph 2, in sub-paragraph (1), for the words “within a period not exceeding three hundred and sixty days”, the words “within a period not exceeding eighteen months” shall be substituted.

[F. No. 407/12/2014-AVD-IV(B) 1]

JISHNU BARUA, Jt. Secy.

Note: The Lokpal and Lokayuktas (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2014 was published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, vide notification number S.O. 409(E), dated 15th February, 2014 and amended by Order, dated 14th July, 2014 published vide notification number S.O. 1840(E) dated 15th July, 2014; and by Order dated 8th September, 2014 published vide notification number S.O. 2256(E) dated 8th September, 2014.

Source-http://ccis.nic.in/WriteReadData/CircularPortal/D2/D02ser/removaldifficultyorder.pdf

Fixation of pay on appointment from one ex-cadre post to another ex-cadre post.

Fixation of pay on appointment from one ex-cadre post to another ex-cadre post.

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(RAILWAY BOARD)

No. E(P & A)-II/2004/PP-9

New Delhi, dated /11/2014.

The General Manager,
All Indian Railways/Production Units.

Sub.: Fixation of pay on appointment from one ex-cadre post to another ex-cadre post.

Ref.: PNM AIRF Item No. 8/2008.

National Federation of Indian Railwaymen have raised the issue regarding fixation of pay on appointment from one ex-cadre post to another ex-cadre post. The issue was discussed in the PNM Meeting and it has been decided to re-iterate the provisions of para 4 of Board’s letter No. E(P&A)II-85/PP-24 dated 31-12-1985 in this respect. Para 4 of Board’s letter No. E(P&A)-II-85/PP-24 dated 31/12/1985 states as follows:

“The matter has been carefully considered and the President is pleased to decide that on appointment to a second or subsequent ex-cadre post in a higher pay scale than that of the previous ex-cadre post, the pay may be fixed with reference to the pay drawn in the cadre post and if the pay so fixed happens to be less than the pay drawn in the previous ex-cadre post, the difference may be allowed as personal pay to be absorbed in future increases in pay. This is subject to the condition that on both the occasions the employee should have opted to draw pay in the scales of pay attached to the ex-cadre posts”.

Therefore, it is re-iterated that instructions contained in Board’s letter dated 31/12/1985 and as further clarified from one ex-cadre post to another ex-cadre post.

The above has consent of Finance Dte. of Railway Board.

(K. Shankar)
Director, E(P&A),
Railway Board

Source: AIRF

ASSETS AND LIABILITIES UNDER LOKPAL – REVISED FORMAT NOTIFIED

ASSETS AND LIABILITIES UNDER LOKPAL – REVISED FORMAT NOTIFIED

MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS

(Department of Personnel and Training)

NOTIFICATION

New Delhi, the 26th December, 2014.

G.S.R. 918(E).-In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) read with clause (k) and clause (1) of sub-section (2) of section 59, section 44 and section 45 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 (1 of 2014), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Public Servants (Furnishing of Information and Annual Return of Assets and Liabilities and the Limits for Exemption of Assets in Filing Return) Rules, 2014, namely:-

1. (1) These rules may be called Public Servants (Furnishing of Information and Annual Return of Assets and Liabilities and the Limits for Exemption of Assets in Filing Returns) Second Amendment Rules, 2014.

(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in of the Official Gazette.

2. In the Public Servants (Furnishing of information and Annual Return of Assets and Liabilities and the Limits for Exemption of Assets in Filing Returns) Rules, 2014 (hereinafter referred to as the principal rules), in rule 3, in the proviso to sub-rule (2), for the words “on or before the 31st day of December, 2014”,the words “on or before the 30th day of April, 2015” shall be substituted.

3. In the principal rules, in Appendix II, –
(a) for Form No. II, the following Form shall be substituted, namely:–

“FORM No. II

Statement of movable property on first appointment or as on the 31st March, 20…

(Use separate sheets for self, spouse and each dependent child.)

Name of public servant/spouse/dependent child:_________________________________

S. No.	Description	Remarks, if any
(i)*	Cash and bank balance:
(ii)**	Insurance (premia paid):
	Fixed/Recurring Deposit(s):
	Shares/Bonds :
	Mutual Funds(s):
	Pension Scheme/Provident Fund
	Other investments, if any :
(iii)	Personal loans/advance givenTo any person or entityIncluding firm, company, trust,etc. and other receivables from debtors and the amount (exceeding two months basic Pay or Rupees one lakh, As the case may be):
(iv)	Motor Vehicles(Details of Make, registrationNumber, year of purchaseAnd amount paid):
(v)	Jewellery[Give details of approximate weight(plus or minus 10 gms. In respect ofGold and precious stones; plus or minus 100 gms. In respect of silver).]
	Gold:
	Silver:
	Precious metals and precious stones:
	Composite items:(indicate approximate value)***
(vi)	Any other assets [Give details of movable assets not covered in (i) to (v) above](a)    Furniture(b)   Fixtures(c)    Antiques (d)   Paintings (e)   Electronic equipments (f)     Others [Indicate the details of an asset, only if the total current value of any particular asset in any particular category (e.g. furniture, fixtures, electronic equipments, etc.) exceeds two months’ basic pay or Rs. 1.00 lakh, as the case may be.]

Date ……………….

Signature …………………………………….

*Details of deposits in the foreign Bank(s) to be given separately.
**Investments above Rs. Rs. 2 lakhs  to be reported individually. Investments below Rs. 2 lakhs may be reported together.
***Value indicated in the first return need not be revised in subsequent returns as long as no new composite item had been acquired or no existing items had been disposed of, during the relevant year.”;
(a) for Form No. IV, the following Form shall be substituted, namely:-

• for Form No. IV, the following Form shall be substituted, namely:-

“FORM No. IV

Statement of Debts and Other Liabilities on first appointment or as on 31^st March, 20….

Sl. No	Debtor (Self/Spouse orDependent children)	Name and address of Creditor	Nature of debt/liability and amount	Remarks
1	2	3	4	5

Date ……………………

Signature ……………………………….

Note 1: Individual items of loans not exceeding two months basic pay (where applicable) and Rs. 1.00 lakh in other cases need not be included.

Note 2: The statement should include various loans and advances (exceeding the value Note 1) taken from banks, companies, financial institutions, Central/State Government and from individuals.”.
[F. No. 407/12/2014-AVD-IV(B)]

JISHNU BARUA, Jt. Secy.

Note.—The principal rules were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, vide notification number G.S.R. 501(E), dated the 14th July, 2014 and amended vide notification No. G.S.R. 638(E) published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, dated 8th September, 2014.