Scheme for promotion of Adventure Sports and similar activities amongst Central Government Employees Continuation of Scheme during the year 2016-17 and inclusion of new Institutes

No.125/1/2015-16/CCSCSB
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
Department of Personnel & Training
******

Lok Nayak Bhawan, New Delhi
Dated 26th April, 2016.

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Sub: Scheme for promotion of Adventure Sports and similar activities amongst Central Government Employees Continuation of Scheme during the year 2016-17 and inclusion of new Institutes.

The undersigned is directed to refer to the Department of Personnel & Training Office Memorandum of even number dated 4th December, 2015 circulating therewith Scheme for promotion of Adventure Sports and similar activities amongst Central Government Employees and to say that it has been decided to continue the Scheme during the year 2016-17. Further, following Institutes/Organizations have also been included in the list of approved Institutes under the Scheme:

i. Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI), Darjeeling, West Bengal.
ii. Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering (JIM), Pahalgam, J&K.
iii. National Institute of Mountaineering & Allied Sports (NIMAS),
Dirang, Arunachal Pradesh.
iv. Youth Hostels Association of India (YHAI), Chankyapuri, New Delhi.

2. In view of the above, it is requested that the contents of the Scheme (copy enclosed) may please be disseminated amongst the employees who are eligible to avail the benefits of the Scheme and encourage them to participate in the Scheme.

(Abhay Jain)
Under Secretary to the Govt. of India.
Tel:24646961

To
Director/Deputy Secretary(Administration) of all Ministries/Deptt.

No.125/1/2015-16-CCSCSB
Department of Personnel & Training

New Delhi, the 26th April, 2016.

SCHEME FOR PROMOTION OF ADVENTURE SPORTS & SIMILAR ACTIVITIES AMONGST CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES

1. Background: The Department of Personnel and Training recognizes that welfare of employees is one of the prime tasks of personnel management and sports activities play an important role in improving their efficiency and morale. Participation by Central Government Employees in adventure sports and similar activities will give them a platform where they would learn lessons from nature and use the knowledge acquired for welfare of the society.

2. Vision: To foster spirit of risk-taking, cooperative team work, capacity of readiness, vital response to challenging situations, endurance and environmental awareness.

3. Mission: The Mission of the Scheme for promotion of adventure sports and similar activities is to encourage Central Government Employees working in the Ministries/Department of the Government of India to take part in these activities by giving financial assistance and other incentives. The Central Civil Services Cultural & Sports Board, a Society registered under the Society Registration Act, 1860, which is under the aegis and control of the Department of Personnel & Training will be the nodal agency for the Scheme.

4. Objectives:
(i) The Scheme would tackle the alarming situation of stress and impact of sedentary life on Government servants as highlighted in several studies conducted so far;
(ii) It would provide a creative outlet to Central Government Employees;
(iii) It would create and foster spirit of risk – taking, cooperative team work, capacity of readiness and vital response to challenging situations and of endurance;
(iv) Central Government Employees would be prepared for better Disaster Management; and
(v) Environmental awareness would be inculcated amongst the Central Government Employees.

5. Scope of the Scheme: The scope of the Scheme is limited to Central Government Employees working in the Ministries/Departments of Government of India. It will also be limited to the programme run by Institutes/Organizations approved by the Department of Personnel & Training.

6. Activities to be sponsored and Institutes: The Department of Personnel & Training will sponsor programmes of 5-7 days duration to be organized by the Institutes/Organizations listed at Annex-I.

The programme will have components of environmental awareness, disaster management, team spirit, capacity building, and Swachchh Bharat Campaign. The activities under the programme will be Trekking, Mountaineering, Rock-Climbing, Cycling in a difficult terrain, Skiing, Surfing, Boat Sailing, Snorkeling, Rafting, Para Sailing Ballooning, Para Gliding, Jungle Safari/Trekking, Desert Safari/Trekking, Beach Trekking and Environmental Awareness Camps etc. A Calendar of the programmes admissible under the Scheme will be circulated by the Department of Personnel & Training from time to time.

7. Financial Assistance and other incentives:

7.1 The Department of Personnel & Training will provide financial assistance to the eligible Central Government Employees for the programme of approved activities and conducted by the Institutes
listed in Annex I .

7.2 Financial assistance will be in the form of reimbursement of Travel Expenses, programme fee and Hiring Charges of the equipments as per the terms and conditions specified in paragraph

7.3 and with a maximum ceiling of Rs.20,OOO/- (Rs. Twenty thousand only) per person per camp. The assistance will be limited to one activity in a block period of two year. Financial Assistance of 100% of programme fee would be provided in a calendar year to two officials of each Ministries/Departments who have been awarded by the Ministry/Department for excellence in service and nominated for the programme.

7.3 The following Heads are admissible for financial assistance under the Scheme:

i) To and fro travel expenses as per the entitlements under Leave Travel Concessions Rules with a maximum ceiling of Rs. 4,000/;
ii) Re-imbursement of Programme fee:
(a) 90% for Group ‘ C’ Central Government Employee;
(b) 80% for Group ‘ B’ Central Government Employee; and
(c) 75% for Group’ A’ Central Government Employee.
iii) Actual hiring charges if the necessary equipment are hired from any Government agency with adequate proof subject to maximum of Rs. 2000/-.

7.4 Special Casual Leave will be granted to eligible participants in
accordance with Department of Personnel & Training Office Memorandum No. 6/1/1985-Estt.(Pay-I) dated 16th July, 1985, No. 6/1/85-Estt(Pay-I) dated 7th November, 1988 and No.6/3/2015 – Estt(Pay-I) dated 29th February, 2016.

8. Procedure for availing benefits of the Scheme:

8.1 The Central Government Employee will register himself with the Institute/Organization for the approved programme and make payment for it. He/she will simultaneously also submit his/her application to Central Civil Services Cultural & Sports Board duly
forwarded by the Welfare Officer of their  respective Ministry/Department.

8.2 The Ministry/Department will forward nominations of officials who have been awarded by the Ministry/Department for excellence in service and eligible for Financial Assistance of 100% of programme fee.

8.3 The Welfare Officer of the Ministry/Department in each case will certify that the recommended official is a Central Government employee working in the main Ministry/Department and medically fit for the adventure activities opted by him.

8.4 The financial assistance will be given on successful completion of the programme and submission of participation certificate to the Central Civil Services Cultural and Sports Board.

9. Flexibility to expand the scope: The Department of Personnel & Training will reserve the rights to modify the scheme, addition or deletion of activities, Institutes/Organization, change in pattern of financial assistance and other conditions of the Scheme without any
prior notice.

ANNEX I

LIST OF APPROVED INSTITUTES/ORGANISATIONS FOR SCHEME FOR PROMOTION OF ADVENTURE SPORTS AND SIMILAR ACTIVITIES AMONGST GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES AS ON 13.04.2016

1. Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand.
(Recognized by Ministry of Defence and Government of Uttarakhand)
http://www.nimindia.net
2. Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, Manali, Himachal Pradesh. (Government of Himachal Pradesh)
http://www . adventureh i ma laya. org
3. Indian Institute of Skiing & Mountaineering, Department of Tourism, Gulmarg, Jammu & Kashmir. (Ministry of Tourism)
http: //www .iismgulmarg .in
4. National Institute of Water Sports, Vasco da Gama, Goa. (Ministry of Tourism) http://www.niws.nic.in
5. Swami Vivekanand Institute of Mountaineering, Mount Abu, Rajasthan.
(Government of Gujarat) http ://www.gujmount.com
6. Garhwal Mandai Vikas Nigam Ltd, Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
(Govern ment of Utta ra kha nd) http://www.gmvnl.com/newgmvn
7. Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI), Darjeeling, West Bengal. http://www.hmi-darjeeling .com
8. Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering (JIM), Pahalgam, J&K.
http://www.jawaharinstitutepahalgam.com
9. National Institute of Mountaineering & Allied Sports (NIMAS), Dirang, Arunachal Pradesh.
10. Youth Hostels Association of India (YHAI), Chankyapuri, New Delhi.
http://www.yhaindia .org

***

Original Order

Posting of regular Under Secretary and posting on promotion to the grade of Under Secretary on ad-hoc basis – seeking options

IMMEDIATE

No.5/3/2015-CS.I(U)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pension –
(Department of Personnel & Training)
*****

2nd Floor, LokNayakBhawan,
Khan Market, New Delhi-3
Dated the 26th April, 2016

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Posting of regular Under Secretary and posting on promotion to the grade of Under Secretary on ad-hoc basis – seeking options – regarding.

The undersigned is directed to say that one Under Secretary who has returned from long leave is to be given posting. Further, it is also proposed to promote 8 Section Officers to the grade of Under Secretary from the approved panel.

2. The vacancies proposed to be filled up and the officers who are to be considered for posting are given in the Annexures to this OM. The vacancies include vacancies on account of existing vacancies and the retirement / deputation vacancies arising on 30.04.2016. Ministries/ Departments are requested to verify the vacancy position and in case of any discrepancy the same may be brought to the notice of this Department immediately.

3. The officers are requested to exercise option by 5.30 PM on 27.04.2016. The options may be submitted at the e-mail address given below as per enclosed proforma. Posting of officers will be decided in terms of Rotational Transfer Policy.

4. Web Based Cadre Management System: The officers concerned should also ensure that their data is complete in all respects in the web based cadre management system at cscms.nic.in If the data is not complete it should be first got updated through the nodal officer of the Ministry/ Department / CS.I Division before submitting the option . If the data is not complete in the web based system, the officer concerned will not be considered for promotional posting.

(Raju Saraswat)
Under Secretary to the Government of India
Tele: 24629412
Telefax: 24629414
Email: r.saraswat@nic.in

To: Officers concerned (through website of this Department)

Source: Persmin

Policy Towards World War II Veterans Pensioners

Policy Towards World War II Veterans Pensioners

Ministry of Defence

The pension of World War-II pensioners was granted as per provisions of Pension Regulation for the Army in India (Part-I & Part-II) 1940, prevalent at that time. As per these Pension Regulations, there were provisions of Retiring pension, Ordinary pension, Special pension Family, Disability pension, Children Allowance and Gratuity, which were governed on the basis of different eligibility conditions like rank last held in different arms, qualifying service rendered, attributability / non attributability and aggravation etc. In addition, there was provision of ‘Jangi Inam’ for World War-I & II veteran pensioners which was payable for two lives and one life respectively. At present, the rate of monetary allowance on account of Jangi Inam is Rs.500/- per month.

The number of surviving World War-II pensioners and Family pensioners is dynamic and therefore, keeps on changing due to natural wastage. As regards actual number of World War-II pensioners, no separate data-base has been maintained to distinguish World War-II veteran pensioners vis-a-vis other pensioners.
This information was given by Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh in a written reply to Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar in Rajya Sabha today.

PIB

Defence: Steps Taken on Dhirendra Singh Committee Report

Steps Taken on Dhirendra Singh Committee Report

Ministry of Defence 

The Dhirendra Singh Committee submitted its Report to the Government in July, 2015. The Committee made 43 recommendations, out of which, 16 recommendations were regarding Make-in-India and 27 recommendations were regarding Defence Procurement Policy.

The Dhirendra Singh Committee recommendations have been examined by the Government and suitably factored into the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) 2016, which focuses on a boost to the Make-in-India initiative of the Government of India, by promoting indigenous design, development and manufacturing of defence equipment, platforms and systems.

This information was given by Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar in a written reply to Shri Harivansh in Rajya Sabha today.

PIB

Prepare for strike we are sure the of getting better wage hike.

Prepare for strike we are sure the of getting better wage hike.

Comrades,

The flash strike against the recent PF Rules, 2016 of the Central Government (i.e., Centre’s new rule on Provident Fund withdrawal) by large section of Garment Factory Workers and other Industrial Workers of Karnataka State on 18th and 19th April 2016 received immense response and there was a massive protest which resulted in road blocks for hours together, thereby the entire traffic of Bengaluru City was paralyzed. The traffic was also severely affected on Mysore, Tumkur and Hosur roads.

The COC Karnataka extended moral support and sympathy for this Labour Movement. The February 10th notification was under attack from trade unions from the beginning. The notification was published in the gazette on February 26 and created technical problems.

The violence in Bengaluru prompted the Labour Ministry, Govt. of India to cancel the February 10 notification which put restrictions on 100% withdrawal from the PF account.

Within few hours of protest in Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka state , the Hon’ble Minsiter for Labour, Shri.Bandaru Dattatreya acted upon and withdrawn the notification issued on February 10th and informed that the old system will continue. This is a victory for the workers of the country.

This clearly shows that the Government of India does not want to antagonize the workers. If the Central Government employees also participate in trade union action against the retrograde recommendations of the VII CPC similar to the Garment Workers of Karnataka, we too can get similar results and hope for a better wage revision and a decent wage hike.

This Labour movement of the Garment Workers of Karnataka state is an eye-opener for all other working class in the entire country, Comrades if one state and one particular working class movement can bring changes to the policy of the Central Government, if the entire the entire country the Central Government employees agitate against the retrograde recommendations of the 7th CPC (where only 14 % wage hike was provided against the staff side demand of 80% wage hike and also reducing the number of allowances and reduction in HRA rates) then the Central Government shall provide the decent wage hike by settling the issue of wage hike with the staff side NJCA like the PF issue being settled.

Comrades it is high time to prepare for 11th July strike of Central Government employees under the banner of NJCA. We shall get good results and Central Government shall grant better wage hike than the 7th CPC recommendations. Better we prepare for 11th July strike better wage hike we get.

Comradely yours

(P.S.Prasad)
General Secretary

Source:http://karnatakacoc.blogspot.in/2016/04/prepare-for-strike-we-are-sure-of.html

Over two lakh new central government jobs by 2017

Over two lakh new central government jobs by 2017

In a good news for people seeking government jobs, over two lakh posts are estimated to be created by the Central government in its various departments.

The Central government has projected in the budget estimates for 2016-17 an increase of about 2.18 lakh in the existing workforce of 33.05 lakh, as in 2015, by 2017.

The Home Ministry will add 5,635 new jobs to take its strength to 22,006 in 2017. Similarly, there will be 47,264 new posts in police departments to take its total to 10,75, 341 in 2017 from 10,28,077 (its strength in 2015), it said.

There will be increase of 10,894 in staff strength of the Defence Ministry to take the manpower count to 51,084 in 2017, according to the budget estimates presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh today said the projection has been made after due consideration and keeping in mind the futuristic vision of the government.

“The government, wherever required, takes into consideration creation of new posts. The budget estimates on the strength of Central government establishments will help provide good governance,” he told PTI.
The Civil Aviation Ministry will have 1,080 more posts to reach a total of 2,140 by 2017. The Ministry’s staff strength as in 2015 is 1,060, according to the budget estimates.

Similarly, the Department of Atomic Energy will add 6,353 new jobs to take the total of manpower to 38,025. There will be an estimated increase of 2,072 posts in 2017 in the External Affairs Ministry as against the actual strength of 8,913 in 2015, it said.

Mines Ministry will have 4399 new jobs by 2017. The staff strength of the ministry is 8,503, as in 2015. Similarly, the Personnel Ministry will see a jump of 1,796 new posts from 8,568 in 2015, as per the budget estimates.

The Cabinet Secretariat has already asked all ministries to mention “employment generation potential” in each scheme while seeking approval of the Union Cabinet and its Committees.

Similarly, all proposals seeking approval of appraisal bodies like Foreign Investment Promotion Board and Core Group on Disinvestment need to mandatorily mention employment generation potential, the Cabinet Secretariat has said.

PTI

Providing option of more Life Cycle Funds to the NPS subscribers

Annexure B -For Public and Stakeholders Comments 

Subject: Providing option of more Life Cycle Funds to the NPS subscribers

A. Launch of NPS and Current scenario

1. The National Pension System (NPS) was introduced in 2003 for all Central Government employees (except armed forces) who joined the service on or after 01.01.2004. The NPS marked a paradigm shift from the Defined Benefit Pension Scheme to Defined Contribution Scheme, thereby easing the escalating fiscal stress on the Government on account of rising pension liabilities. In 2009 different Schemes under the flagship of National Pension System regulated by PFRDA under the private sector and unorganised sector.

2. The National Pension System (NPS) has been arguably hailed as one of the best designed pension products domestically with its several unique features like full portability across jobs and geographical jurisdictions, choice of investment options to suit different risk appetites, option to choose from among several fund managers, no entry or exit loads, and perhaps the lowest fund management charges in the world. It is also regulated by a dedicated regulator.

3. The passage of the PFRDA Act in September 2013 followed by notification of the Act on 1st February 2014 marks an important milestone in the history of the Pension Sector reforms as the Act provides an overarching mandate to the PFRDA for promotion and development of old age security in India. In light of the paradigm shift in the pension landscape in the country, it is imperative to review the progress of NPS so far and realign the existing policy framework for Pension Funds within the mandate of the Act.

4. The NPS adopted a direct selling model to keep the costs low and to avoid the urge to mis-sell due to the embedded commissions. This distributor-free and agent-free model was designed to protect the individual and to maximise the pension wealth. It was adopted even at the risk of a slow start. The NPS architecture has been designed to create an enabling environment for the citizens to save for retirement.

5. Additionally, NPS also provides flexibility to subscribers where they can switch their pension funds among three options, i.e. equity, corporate bonds and government securities. They can also change their fund managers if they are not satisfied with the performance of Pension Funds.

B. Need of Revamping
• It is more than 12 years under NPS Govt. Sector and 6 (six) ) year since NPS was introduced in the market to cater to the retirement needs of Private Sector/Unorganised Sector subscribers.
• The NPS has made noticeable progress from the time of its inception, on boarding about 1 Crore subscribers with a total AUM exceeding 100000 crores by Dec 2015, with only 12% of the workforce covered by any kind of old age security in India, there is thus a huge untapped potential for NPS to expand. However, this would require multipronged approach with co¬operation of multiple stakeholders including Central Government, State Governments, Autonomous bodies, trade bodies, Regulators and many more.

• Besides the expansion in coverage, the provision of old age income security also entails working towards adequacy of income post working life, which can be done by optimizing returns through appropriate investment guidelines. While devising the investment guidelines, the interest of the subscriber is to be kept paramount, balancing the security aspect with adequacy of returns. While returns on investment under DC scheme cannot be guaranteed, it is important to frame guidelines, which enable the pension funds to deliver good real rate of returns to the subscriber for meaningful old age income security, which cannot be done with overload of fixed income securities. Hence, an enabling environment is required to be created for the Subscriber to maximize his/her returns depending upon his/her risk appetite.

• The fiscal stimulus being provided by the Government each year through its budget announcements are a major boost to the NPS , propelling the built up of a pensioned society.

• The experience gained since last more than decade this has been quite obvious that the NPS system has a well laid out architecture, it has been able to draw enough attention from the individual subscribers by very little marketing and publicity. It is also perceptible that investor awareness towards the various financial products has grown to the extant where subscribers can decide about the mix of asset class and Pension Fund and change the same as per its discretion.

PROVIDING OPTION OF MORE LIFE CYCLE FUNDS TO THE NPS
SUBSCRIBERS

1. The Expert Committee headed by Shri G. N. Bajpai was constituted in September 2014 to review investment guidelines for NPS in Private Sector with various terms of reference. One of the TORs was to reviewing the default scheme viz Life Cycle Fund.

2. The recommendations of EXPERT COMMITTEE TO REVIEW INVESTMENT GUIDELINES FOR NPS SCHEMES IN PRIVATE SECTOR handed over its report to PFRDA. The committee has given following deliberation on the said TOR as below:

“On the road to Prudent investor regime, the Regulator may, in the interim allow introduction of a few new schemes to test the risk appetite of the subscribers and build their confidence in asset classes perceived to be riskier viz Equity through the life Cycle fund approach. While the existing life cycle Fund shall continue to be the one with maximum investment in equity pegged at 50% (option LC50), more life cycle funds (at least two more to begin with) may be introduced keeping the core principle of “decreasing risk appetite with increasing age” intact with lower and higher ceilings in Equity to cater to both conservative subscriber and subscriber with a higher risk appetite.”

3. Further, one of the measure suggested by the said committee is to shift away from the fixed income fixated investment pattern and allowing more play to pension fund managers in equity, as a part of first phase to move to Prudential investor regime:-

“Allowing floating of life cycle funds with equity cap at 75%”.

4. Presently, NPS provides Life Cycle Fund option to the NPS subscriber with equity allocation up to 35 years is 50%. The agewise allocation of the Fund in these two Life Cycle Fund across the asset class `E’ , ‘C’ and `G’ is as under:-

Table:-1

38 years	44%	27%	29%
39 years	42%	26%	32%
40 years	40%	25%	35%
41 years	38%	24%	38%
42 years	36%	23%	41%
43 years	34%	22%	44%
44 years	32%	21%	47%
45 years	30%	20%	50%
46 years	28%	19%	53%
47 years	26%	18%	56%
48 years	24%	17%	59%
49 years	22%	16%	62%
50 years	20%	15%	65%
51 years	18%	14%	68%
52 years	16%	13%	71%
53 years	14%	12%	74%
54 years	12%	11%	77%
55 years	10%	10%	80%

1. In view of the para 2 & para 3 above, we have designed two more Life Cycle Fund may be called as “Aggressive Life Cycle Fund” with equity allocation of 75% at the age of 35 years and “Conservative Life Cycle Fund” with equity allocation of 25% at the age of 35 years. The proposed agewise allocation of the Fund in these two Life Cycle Fund across the asset class ‘E’ , ‘C’ and ‘G’ is as under:-

Table:-2

Aggressive Life Cycle Fund
Age	Asset Class E	Asset Class C	Asset Class G
Up to 35 years	75%	10%	15%
36 years	71%	11%	18%
37 years	67%	12%	21%

38 years	63%	13%	24%
39 years	59%	14%	27%
40 years	55%	15%	30%
41 years	51%	16%	33%
42 years	47%	17%	36%
43 years	43%	18%	39%
44 years	39%	19%	42%
45 years	35%	20%	45%
46 years	32%	20%	48%
47 years	29%	20%	51%
48 years	26%	20%	54%
49 years	23%	20%	57%
50 years	20%	20%	60%
51 years	19%	18%	63%
52 years	18%	16%	66%
53 years	17%	14%	69%
54 years	16%	12%	72%
55 years	15%	10%	75%

Table:-3

Conservative Life Cycle Fund
Age	Asset Class E	Asset Class C	Asset Class G
Up to 35 years	25%	45%	30%
36 years	24%	43%	33%
37 years	23%	41%	36%
38 years	22%	39%	39%
39 years	21%	37%	42%
40 years	20%	35%	45%
41 years	19%	33%	48%

42 years	18%	31%	51%
43 years	17%	29%	54%
44 years	16%	27%	57%
45 years	15%	25%	60%
46 years	14%	23%	63%
47 years	13%	21%	66%
48 years	12%	19%	69%
49 years	11%	17%	72%
50 years	10%	15%	75%
51 years	9%	13%	78%
52 years	8%	11%	81%
53 years	7%	9%	84%
54 years	6%	7%	87%
55 years	5%	5%	90%

• Further, the existing Default Life Cycle ( LC 50 ) can be made more dynamic , reviewing the ECG pattern as per the market conditions.

• Another Life Cycle fund with Alternative asset class with a cap of 5 % can also be introduced.

Note: Comments may be offered vide e-mail on sumeet.kapoor@pfrda.org.in or in hard copy to the below address-

To,
Ms. Sumeet Kaur Kapoor
Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority 1st Floor, Chatrapati Shivaji Bhawan
B-14/A, Qutub Institutional Area
New Delhi-110016