PF Withdrawal Made Easier, 2 Crore Employees to Benefit: 10 Facts

PF Withdrawal Made Easier, 2 Crore Employees to Benefit: 10 Facts

Of late, the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has taken many steps to make provident fund (PF) accounts more user-friendly. Earlier this month, EPFO allowed its subscribers to file their PF withdrawal applications directly to the retirement fund body without employers’ attestation.

Here is a 10-Point Cheat-Sheet:

    1) This facility is applicable for subscribers, if details such as Aadhaar, PAN and bank account are linked to their Universal Account Number (UAN) and their know-your-customer (KYC) verification done by their employers.

    2) More than 2 crore subscribers whose KYC norms have been verified by the employers can avail this new withdrawal facility, EPFO said.

    3) However, the earlier norm of a waiting period of two months after leaving the previous job still applies for withdrawal purpose.

    4) The UAN facility was launched last year to facilitate PF transfers while subscribers change jobs. And all active subscribers have been allotted a number.

    5) The easier withdrawal facility will help subscribers who find it difficult to contact their previous employers, financial planners say.

    6) Under the earlier process, after leaving a job, employees were supposed to get their withdrawal forms attested through their employers for identification of their details.

    7) Withdrawal claims, however, have to be manually submitted by subscribers directly to the provident fund office.

    8) Subscribers filing their claims directly without employers’ attestation would have to use new forms that have been simplified for the new process.

    9) Subscribers who wish to take an advance from PF account can make partial withdrawal through the submission of Form-31. EPFO allows subscribers to take an advance in certain situations like house construction, repayment of housing loan and education of children and illness.

    10) Eventually, the EFPO plans to make the withdrawal process online to make it more subscriber-friendly. The retirement fund body plans to launch the online withdrawal facility this fiscal. (With Agency Inputs)

Source: profit.ndtv.com

Less than 12% OBCs in central government jobs out of 27% quota: RTI

Less than 12% OBCs in central government jobs out of 27% quota: RTI

Chennai: More than two decades after implementation of Mandal commission report, which mandates 27 percent reservation for OBCs in central government jobs, an RTI data shows that less than 12 percent of employees of central government ministries, departments and statutory bodies are from other backward classes (OBCs) as on January 1, 2015.

What’s more, 40 ministries, including social justice and 48 departments held back the information sought by Chennai based scientist E Muralidharan under the Right to Information Act. Among the departments that have not provided any information is ministry of human resources, which is a major employer of group A employees like professors in IITs and other central educational institutions.

Going by the data available, under the group A, B,C and D category of employees, out of 79,483 posts, there are only 9,040 OBC staff.

Surprisingly, data provided by the department of personnel and training, which was the recipient of the RTI appeal and is responsible for the appointments, itself fares poorly in this regard, with 12.91 percent Scheduled Castes (SC), 4 percent Scheduled Tribes (ST) and 6.67 percent OBC forming the pool of employees under the reservation laws. The total number of personnel in the department is 6,879.

This means that a significant number of posts which have been allocated for these communities are yet to be filled, which raises questions on the effective implementation of the Mandal committee recommendations, Muralidharan said.

A closer look at the data indicates that there is not a single OBC Grade A officer in the President’s secretariat; less than 9 percent of the 651 Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) staff is from the OBC category. The higher education department employs only 5 percent OBC in Grade A officers and 10 percent OBC staff. Out of 41 Grade A posts in the department of scientific and industrial research, there is only one OBC officer.

Muralidharan has repeatedly filed RTIs every year to check the performance of the central government in appointments under reserved categories. “The departments are supposed to release the data, but they have been found wanting,” he said.

In the RTI query, Muralidharan asked what action was initiated against ministries and departments which did not provide the data. The under-secretary of the department of personnel and training, Raju Saraswat replied that two reminders were sent to the departments concerned, but he failed to state if any action was taken.

Muralidharan said that it was mandatory for the departments and ministries to furnish these details to DoPT by January 1 every year as per an office memorandum (OM No. No.43011/10/2002-Estt (Res.), dated December 19, 2003.

He pointed out that the poor implementation of caste-based reservations would result in the wedge of inequality increasing. “Reservations should be time-bound and there must be a of the positions filled,” he said.

TNN

No more affidavits, interviews for central government jobs

No more affidavits, interviews for central government jobs

New Delhi: Path-breaking initiatives like discontinuation of affidavits for host of central government services and ending job interviews for various posts from January 1 among other initiatives kept the Ministry of Personnel in news during 2015.

“The most revolutionary and path-breaking decision is abolition of attestation of certificates by gazetted officers instead promoting self-attestation,” Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh told PTI.

He said the government took this decision as it was willing to trust citizens, more importantly it’s youth who will not give wrong information while submitting self-attested documents.

This decision has come as a big relief to common people, especially those living in rural areas, who had to take lot of pain in getting documents attested.

The Ministry also recently discontinued the practice of submission of affidavit by the family members of deceased government employees for the appointment on compassionate grounds.

Now people are required to submit self-declaration at the time of applying for compassionate appointment. All states and union territories have also been asked by the Centre to do away with practice of getting gazetted officer-signed affidavit and seek self-attestation.

Singh, a Lok Sabha member from Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur constituency, said soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement to end interviews from central government jobs, his Ministry has acted on it.

“We have decided that from January 1, next year, the process of interview for Group C and D recruitments will be abolished,” he said, adding that these are some steps which nobody thought of in past over 60 years after country’s independence.
Singh said the Ministry which is held by the Prime

Minister started several measures to increase transparency and simplify governance.

“We have started the process of simplification of various application forms being used in the government. We are converting multi-page application forms into one-page,” the Minister said.

Talking about other initiatives, he said a pension portal has been started. “Those who are getting superannuated can check the status of their pension online. They can also check pension payment orders online,” Singh said.

He said out of 6.5 lakh public grievances received by his ministry during the year, 4.8 lakh were disposed of.

“The ministry will continue to work towards simplifying governance,” Singh said.

In another novel initiative, the ministry started yoga camps for the central government employees and their dependents.

Besides, it exempted the parents of differently-abled children from the mandatory transfers so that they can take proper care of them.

The scheme of interaction of officers with school students has been launched in which the officers of government of India visit schools and share their experiences with the students.

As a pilot project, senior officers of Department of Personnel and Training have visited kendriya vidyalayas in Delhi and interacted with the students.

For the first time in the history of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the officers of 2013 batch were posted as assistant secretary in the Central Secretariat for a period of three months.

In order to crack a whip on non-performing bureaucrats, it has started assessing the performance of employees. The government has asked all its departments to identify such public servants and move proposals for their premature retirement.

The Personnel Ministry has formed rules to check unauthorised stay on foreign postings by IAS, IPS and IFS officers.

PTI

7th CPC recommends higher grade pay for Assistant Station Master (ASM) after upgradation of ASM to SM. ASM post to be abolished

7th Pay Commission has recommended higher grade pay for Asst Station Master after upgradation as Station Master.

Station Masters

The cadre of Station Masters, nearly 39,000 strong, is one of the visible faces of Indian Railways. They are connected with working of traffic, commercial duties like issue of tickets, goods handling, parcel handling, accounting of station earnings. They are also responsible for proper co-ordination between personnel of different departments posted at the station. Theirs is presently a three-tier structure:

Category	Grade Pay
Station Superintendent (SS)	4600
Station Master (SM)	4200
Assistant Station Master (ASM)	2800

Some major stations have posts of Station Superintendent (Gazetted).


Presently the mode of recruitment is as follows:

• SS–100 percent promotional
• SM–10 percent through  Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE), from serving non-ministerial graduates of Commercial and Traffic Departments; 15 percent+Shortfall against LDCE through Direct Recruitment from the open market; 75 percent through promotions from ASM
• ASM–25 percent through General Selection from specified serving matriculates in GP 1800, 1900, 2400 and 2800; 15 percent+Shortfall against General Selection through LDCE (from employees of specified categories of Commercial and Traffic Departments with qualification of graduation and a minimum service of 5 years for Group D staff); 60 percent+Shortfall against LDCE through Direct Recruitment from the open market.

There is a demand to upgrade ASMs from GP 2800 to GP 4200.

Analysis and Recommendations

The Commission notes that 7 percent of the entire cadre is presently in GP 2800, 53 percent in GP 4200 and 40 percent in GP 4600. Keeping in mind the identical educational qualifications required for the posts of ASM and SM, with practically no difference in the functions performed by them, and the historical importance of the post, it is recommended that the ASMs in GP 2800 should first be upgraded to GP 4200 and then fitted in the revised Pay Matrix. The cadre will then have 60 percent posts in Level 6 and 40 percent in Level 7.  The designation of ASM may be abolished. Separate recommendations have been made regarding Dress Allowance to Station Masters. Other demands like grant of Safety and Punctuality Allowance, Outturn Allowance are not justified.

From birth to death certificates, one-page form soon for all government services

From birth to death certificates, one-page form soon for all government services

 New Delhi: Applications for majority of services like birth or death certificates will soon be simplified and converted into one-page form format, the government announced today.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh also unveiled a single-page application form for pensioners on a day being observed as ‘good governance day’ which coincides with the birthday of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

“For different schemes you have voluminous forms. Today, we are releasing one-page application form for pensioners. We plan to convert all multi-page or voluminous forms to single-page within a year,” he told reporters during a press conference here.

Singh said the aim behind this initiative is to make the forms as simple and small as possible for the beneficiary. “There should be relevant and minimum information asked for in an application form for government services and not repetitive ones,” he said.

Singh, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, said he is coordinating with state governments and Union territories to replicate the same process.

“Every month we will be holding meetings with at least two central government departments and reviewing forms available for different services under them. Efforts will be to simplify the whole procedure and we hope to achieve the target of single-page form for all government services within a year’s time,” the minister said.
At present, one has to fill lengthy forms for getting birth, death and other certificates.

Secretary in Personnel Ministry Sanjay Kothari said the government plans to integrated Aadhaar number with government services so that people do not have to fill out whole details.

“We will be integrating Aadhaar data base for the services. But this will be possible only when all the people have Aadhaar numbers. It will further benefit people as they will not be required to fill out basic details like their residential address, among other things,” he said.

Singh said the government has been taking steps to ensure that the tax payers’ money, which is being spent through various schemes for benefit of the deserving segments, reaches them easily in required shape and measure in time.

“There is a need to have a critical look at the current procedures and forms in use in various departments and ministries in the government. There is a need to eliminate layers of decision making for adding speed to the disposal mechanism.

“There is a need to specify one-page forms seeking essential information for upholding the dignity of our citizens,” the minister said.

Singh said workshops have already been conducted with the National Social Assistance Programme of the Ministry of Rural Development, Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) and Directorate General, Labour Welfare of the Ministry of Labour and Employment for simplification of the application forms.

Good Governance Day is observed on December 25, since the last year, coinciding with the birthday of Vajpayee.

PTI

7th CPC recommends higher grade pay for Sub Inspectors and Inspectors of CBI

7th Pay Commission has recommended higher grade pay for Sub Inspectors and Inspectors of CBI

Upgradation of pay of Sub Inspectors and Inspectors of CBI

The CBI has demanded upgradation of pay of Sub Inspectors and Inspectors working in CBI on the grounds that present pay scales are leading to high attrition at these levels. This has resulted in 33 percent vacancies in the SI cadre and 30 percent vacancy in the Inspector cadre. It has also been mentioned that there has been historical parity with the executive cadre of Intelligence Bureau.

Analysis and Recommendations

In the VI CPC report it has been mentioned that there is historical parity between the executive cadre of IB and CBI and that such a parity has to be maintained. Since this Commission has approved upgradation of pay of ACIO I and ACIO II in IB, the pay of  corresponding ranks in CBI  viz., Sub Inspector and Inspector are also recommended to be upgraded similarly. The upgradation has also been recommended keeping in mind the nature of duties performed by these ranks in the organisation. Accordingly the pay of Sub Inspector is upgraded from GP 4200 to GP 4600 and that of Inspector from GP 4600 to GP 4800.

Railway Minister announced Concession in Rail ticket for unemployed youth

Railway Minister announced Concession in Rail ticket for unemployed youth

Concession in Train Tickets to Unemployed Youth

Railways grant full concession in second class and 50% concession in sleeper class in the basic fares of Mail/Express trains to unemployed youths up to 35 years to appear in interviews for selection to Central/State Government jobs. Besides above, 50% concession in the basic fares of Mail/express trains in Second and sleeper class is also admissible to unemployed youths appearing in interview for selection to other public sector organisations.

This Press release is based on the information given in the written reply by the Minister of State for Railways Shri Manoj Sinha in Lok Sabha today(25.12.2015).

Press Release

Railway Tatkal booking charges revised

Railway Tatkal booking charges revised

Indian Railways has increased Tatkal charges from Rs.10 to Rs.100. The maximum reservation charges for A.C. Third Class, has been increased from Rs.350 to Rs.400. The minimum charges have been increased from Rs.250 to Rs.300.

Indian Railways increases Tatkal charges  – Increased by Rs 10 – Rs.100  for various classes.

Indian Railways has announced increase in Taktal ticket charges from the minimum train passenger fare will go up from Rs 10 (in the reserved second sitting) to Rs 100 (in the highest executive category).

The maximum reservation charges for A.C. Third Class, has been increased from Rs.350 to Rs.400. The minimum charges have been increased from Rs.250 to Rs.300. For the Second Class A.C., the maximum Tatkal reservation charges have been increased to Rs.500. The minimum charges have been increased to Rs.400. There are no changes of rates for the Second Class Seating coaches.

The revised rates will be applicable from December 25, 2015.

Class of Travel	Minimum Tatkal Charges (in Rs)	Maximum Tatkal Charges (in Rs)
Second (sitting)Sleeper	Earlier 90Earlier 175	Revised 100Revised 200
AC Chair Car	Earlier 100Earlier 200	Revised 125Revised 225
AC 3 Tier	Earlier 250Earlier 350	Revised 300Revised 400
AC 2 Tier	Earlier 300Earlier 400	Revised 400Revised 500
Executive	Earlier 300Earlier 400	Revised 400Revised 500

Source : India Today