Minimum pension of Rs. 1,000/- per month in perpetuity to Pensioners of Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995

Minimum pension of Rs. 1,000/- per month in perpetuity to Pensioners of Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today gave its approval for continuation of the minimum pension of Rs. 1,000/- per month to the pensioners of Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995 (EPS) beyond the financial year 2014-15 on perpetual basis. Currently, it is effective only upto March, 2015. The Cabinet also approved corresponding grant of continuous annual budgetary support for implementing the minimum pension which will be to the tune of Rs. 850 crore per year on a tapering basis.

Providing a minimum pension of Rs. 1000/- per month is an effort to provide meaningful subsistence to pensioners who have served in the organized sector. The present proposal is likely to benefit approximately 20 lakh pensioners under EPS, 1995.

Background:

A large number of member pensioners under the EPS, 1995 receive low pensions which is not commensurate with the growing cost of living. The primary reason behind a meager pension is that it is calculated on the basis of pensionable service and average of last sixty months’ wages. If either of them is low, the pension amount will also be low. This is largely seen in cases of employees of seasonal industries. Further, pensioners who were earlier members of the erstwhile Family Pension Scheme, 1971 have been given past service benefits for determining pension as per Para 12 of the Employees’ Pension Scheme. This has resulted in fixation of low pension for these pensioners.

The Union Cabinet has in its meeting in February, 2014 accorded approval to the proposal for ensuring a minimum pension of Rs. 1,000/- per month for the pensioners of EPS for the financial year 2014-15 by way of providing budgetary support of Rs. 1217.03 crore. Based on the approval of the Union Cabinet, the Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995 (EPS) was amended on 19.08.2014 to incorporate the provision for providing a minimum pension of Rs. 1,000/- per month for the financial year 2014-15.

After the issue of the Gazette Notification dated 19.08.2014 (with effect from 01-09-2014), the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has commenced disbursing the revised pension from the month of September, 2014. The number of pensioners who have been benefited by the minimum pension provision, which has been compiled from the actual disbursement of pension made by the offices of EPFO after the implementation of the notification, is according to the table below:

Month	Number of Pensioners affected	Amount as per original pension (Rs. Crore)	Amount paid after Minimum Pension Notification (Rs. Crore)	GOI support
September 2014	19,19,756	104.17	165.98	61.81
October 2014	19,32,515	104.14	166.99	62.84
November 2014	19,42,476	104.69	168.18	63.49
December 2014	19,47,750	106.73	170.68	63.95
January 2015	15,13,827	94.72	148.75	54.03
February 2015	16,80,533	103.00	160.15	57.15
March 2015	17,65,307	99.25	158.39	59.13

Source: PIB News

NATIONAL JOINT COUNCIL OF ACTION DECLARES NATIONWIDE INDEFINITE STRIKE FROM 23RD NOVEMBER 2015

MASSIVE AND IMPRESSIVE RALLY AND PARLIAMENT MARCH OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES – 28.04.2015

NATIONAL JOINT COUNCIL OF ACTION DECLARES NATIONWIDE INDEFINITE STRIKE FROM 23RD NOVEMBER 2015

PRESS STATEMENT

We send herewith a copy of the resolution adopted by the massive rally of the Central Government employees held today 28.4.2015 at Jantar Mantar. New Delhi declaring that if no settlement is brought about on the ten points charter of demands, the Central Government employees in all the De-departments of the Government of India will go on indefinite strike action from 23.11.2015.

The rally was held under the chairmanship of Shri M. Raghavaiah, General Secretary, National Federation of Indian Railwaymen. Shri Shiv Gopal Mishra convenor of the NJCA conducted the proceedings. The resolution was moved by Com. K.K.N. Kutty, President, Confederation of Central Government employees and workers, New Delhi. Besides, the Chairman and Convenor of the NJCA, the other who spoke at the rally include S/Shri Rakal Dasgupta, President, All India Railwaymen Federation, Guman Singh and Bhatnagar of the National Federation of Indian Railwaymen, Shri M. Krishnan, Secretary General, Confederation of Central Government employees and workers, R.N. Parashar, Secretary General, National Federation of Postal Employees, Shri D. Theagarjan, Federation of National Postal organisations, Shri Sreekumar and Pahak of All India Defence Employees Federation, Srinivasan of the Indian National Defence Workers Federation, Harbhajan Singh Sidhu, General Secretary, HMS and many others. It was decided that the Railway and Defence Federation will take the strike ballot in the month of October, 2015. More than a lakh of workers participated in the rally. The copies of the resolution were handed over to the honourable Speaker, Lok Sabha and the Honourable Prime Minister by a delegation of the National Joint Council of Action We shall be grateful for favour of coverage of the decision in your esteemed daily/Newspaper /weekly.

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,

Shiv Gopal Mishra
Convenor

NATIONAL JOINT COUNCIL OF ACTION OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES
4, STATE ENTRY ROAD,
NEW DELHI

RESOLUTION ADOPTED AT THE MASSIVE RALLY AT JANTAR MANTAR (PARLIAMENT STREET) ON 28 APRIL 2015

The massive congregation of the representatives of Central Govt Employees who have come from various parts of the country held at Jantar Mantar before the Indian Parliament on 28-04-2015 decided to commence the indefinite strike action from 23rd November 2015 from 6 AM having failed to elicit any positive response from the Government in settlement of the 10 point Charter of Demands submitted months back. It was also decided that the Railways and Defence organizations will conduct the strike Ballot as per the provision of the Industrial Disputes Act and Recognition Rules before commencing the strike from 23-11-2015.

The massive gathering adopted the resolution unanimously exhorting the central Govt. Employees to prepare for the eventual strike action in all earnestness and make it a historic one.

The meeting congratulates the employees for forging exemplary unity and carrying out various programmes chalked out by the National Joint Council of Action (NJCA) after the national convention on 11th December 2014. Even though the Govt. was compelled to set up the 7th CPC on account of the sanctions generated through the action programmes, Govt. has refused to grant Interim Relief and merger of DA and excluded the Gramin Dak Sewaks of the Postal Department from the ambit of the 7th CPC.

It is a matter of regret that in spite of public admission of non-privatisation of Indian Railways by Prime Minister of India and assurance of Minister of Railways on various occasions, including Parliament, Dr. Deb Roy Committee had submitted a report which is a clear roadmap for privatisation of IR.

The meeting noted that the Government has purposely ensured the closure of Joint Consultative Machinery, the negotiating forum set up in 1966 for Central Government Employees to discuss and bring about settlement of their demands.
The meeting chaired by Secretary (Personnel) on 25th February 2015 did not bring about settlement on any single issue of the Charter of Demands.

The meeting unanimously decided to demand before the Government to convene the meeting of National Council, JCM immediately and settle the following charter of demands, if at all it wants to avoid confrontation with its own employees.

CHARTER OF DEMANDS:

1. Effect wage revision of the Central Government Employees from 01.01.2014, accepting the memorandum of the Staff Side JCM; ensure 5-year wage revision in future; grant Interim Relief and Merger of 100% of DA. Ensure submission of the 7th CPC report within the stipulated time frame of 18 months; include the Grameen Dak Sewaks within the ambit of the 7th CPC. Settle all anomalies of the 6th CPC.
2. No privatisation, PPP or FDI in Railways and Defence Establishments and no corporatisation of postal services.
3. No Ban on recruitment/creation of post.
4. Scrap PFRDA Act and re-introduce the defined benefit statutory pension scheme.
5. No outsourcing; contractorisation, privatisation of governmental functions; withdraw the proposed move to close down the Printing Presses; the publication, form store and stationery departments and Medical Stores Depots; regularise the existing daily rated/casual and contract workers and absorption of trained apprentices.
6. Revive the JCM functioning at all levels as an effective negotiating forum for settlement of the demands of the CGEs.
7. Remove the arbitrary ceiling on compassionate appointments.
8. No labour reforms which are inimical to the interest of the workers.
9. Remove the ceiling on payment of Bonus.
10. Ensure five promotions in the service career.

The meeting authorized the National JCA to take appropriate and necessary steps needed to make the indefinite strike beginning from 23rd November 2015 an unprecedented and grand success.

(Shiva Gopal Mishra)
Convenor
28.04.2015 National Joint Council of Action

Source: Confederation

FAQ on Children Education Allowance, OTA / NDA, Honorarium/Fee, Leave – Dopt Order April 2015

FAQ on Children Education Allowance, OTA / NDA, Honorarium/Fee, Leave – Dopt Order April 2015

G.I., Dep. of Pers. & Trg., O.M.No.I-11020/1/2014-Estt.(AL), dated 28.4.2015

Establishment (Allowance) Section
SI.No.	Question	Answer
Children Education Allowance
1.	Whether reimbursement of Children Education Allowance is admissible for the.
(a)	Nursery/LKG/UKG as there is no provision of recognition of these classes in most of the States/UTs;	Reimbursement is permissible only if the child is studying in a recognised educational institution.
(b)	Third child if either of the first two children is disabled to the extent that he/she cannot go to school;	Reimbursement is allowed to only the two eldest surviving children of the Government servant except when the 2nd child birth results in multiple births or the 3`d child is born due to failure of sterilization operation.
(c)	The children borne out of second marriage or the children of second wife/husband in additions to children from first marriage;	Reimbursement is allowed to only the two eldest surviving children of the Government servant.
(d)	Entitlement of number of Note Books.	Reimbursement is permissible for any number of note books as may be prescribed by the recognised educational institution.
OTA/NDA
2.	The reasons for not enhancing rates of OTA/NDA	The 5th and the 6th Central pay Commission did not recommend enhancement of rates of OTA/NDA.
Honorarium/Fee
3.	Whether honorarium is payable to the Chairperson/Members of the DPC and also such other Departmental Committees, viz., Committee on Sexual Harassments at work place, etc.?	In terms of the provisions of FR 46 (b), the Central Government may grant or permit a Government servant to receive an honorarium as remuneration for work performed which is occasional or intermittent in character and either so laborious or of such special merit as to justify a special reward. Except when special reasons, which should be  recorded in writing, exist for a departure from this provision, sanction to the grant or acceptance of an honorarium should not be given unless the work has been undertaken with the prior consent of the Central Government and its account has been settled in advance.Guidelines for payment of Honorarium under FR 46 (b) have already been laid down inter alia vide this Department’s OM No.17011/9/85- Estt. (AL), dated 23.12.1985 and OM No. 17020/1/91- Estt. (AL), dated 18.11 .1991. It has also been clarified that no honorarium should be granted for temporary increases in work.
4	Whether retention of “Fee” for delivering lectures in Government/private bodies is permissible?	As per para 6 of DoP&T’s O.M.No. I 6013/1/79-Estt.(AL) dated 11th February, 1980, payments received by Government servants as income from books, articles, papers and lectures on literary, cultural, artistic, technological and scientific subjects including management sciences; will not be subject to crediting one-third of the amount to the general revenues.
Establishment (Leave) Section:
5.	Whether male Government servant, who is single parent, can be allowed Child Care Leave?	No. CCL can be granted to female employees only.
6.	Whether Bond on Study Leave can be transferred from Central Government to State Government?	No. Bond executed by the Government servant while proceeding on study leave cannot be transferred on his/her appointment in State Government/PSU/Autonomous bodies.
7.	What is the limit of leave encashment while availing LTC by dependents or spouse within the same block year?	The Government Servants governed by the CSS (Leave) Rules, 1972 and entitled to avail LTC may en-cash earned leave up to 10 days at the time of availing both types of LTCs., i.e., `Hometown’ and `Anywhere in India’. However, when the one and the same LTC is being availed of by the Government Servant and his family members separately in a block year, encashment of leave would be restricted to one occasion only.

Click to view the original order issued by DoPT on 28.4.2015 regarding Children Education Allowance…

Authority: www.persmin.gov.in

Non-implementation of One Rank One Pension: Parlimentary panel slams government

Parlimentary panel slams govt for non-implementation of OROP in Armed forces

Taking the government to task on the issue of implementation of One Rank, One Pension (OROP) scheme for the personnel retiring from the Armed forces, a parliamentary panel today asked the Centre to work out an amicable solution “within stringent timeframe at the earliest”.

The Standing Committee on Defence, in its report submitted in the both Houses of Parliament, regretted that even after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made a commitment and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had provided Rs 1,000 crore in the General Budget, the OROP has not been implemented.

“It is beyond the understanding of the Committee as to what reasons are preventing the government from making necessary decisions and arriving at a solution,” the Committee wondered, adding that it was utmost important that requisite modalities were sorted out and an amicable solution brought with regard to OROP within stringent timeframe at the earliest.

The Committee asked the government to apprise it about the progress made in this regard.

Source: WebIndia123

Women Personnel in CAPF

Women Personnel in CAPF

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Home Affairs

28-April-2015 16:27 IST

Women Personnel in CAPF

In compliance of recommendations given by Parliamentary Committee on Empowerment of Women in its sixth report, directions have been issued to all CAPFs to bring percentage of women in the forces to 5%. To enhance the strength of women in CAPFs, Government is taking continuous steps. Some of these steps are as follows:-

• In the ongoing recruitment of Constables/General Duty, out of total vacancies of 62390, 8533 (about 14%) are earmarked for women.
• Government has approved recruitment of 2772 Mahila personnel (21 Companies) during the year 2014-15 to 2017-18 in Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).
• Government has approved raising of 02 Mahila (women) Battalions in place of 02 General Duty Battalions in Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to be raised in the year 2015-16 and 2016-17.

There is no proposal to increase the percentage of women personnel in CAPF upto 33 percent.
Women personnel of General Duty cadre in CAPFs are deployed for performing combat duties like:-

(i) Gate management, Checking and Frisking
(ii) Patrolling duties
(iii) Interrogation and escorting of female apprehendees
(iv) Law & Order duties
(v) Static guard duties at some of vital installations and also deployed during Shri Amarnathji Yatra
(vi) Also deployed in Maoist affected states for anti-naxal operations

This was stated by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju in a written reply to a question by Shri Ramdas C.Tadas, Dr. P.Venugopal, Shri Keshav Prasad Maurya and Shri Narasimham Thota in the Lok Sabha today.