IRS officers meet Dr Jitendra Singh, seek DoPT intervention

IRS officers meet Dr Jitendra Singh, seek DoPT intervention

A delegation of the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officers met the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh here today and sought intervention by Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) for the clearance of backlog in promotions.

In a memorandum submitted by the members of delegation, it was pointed out that around 450 posts of Joint Commissioner / JAG level are lying vacant, but there are no officers eligible to be promoted because Recruitment Rules prescribe minimum residency of 5 years at Deputy Secretary level as eligibility criteria. Officers up to 2007 batch have already been promoted and therefore, they requested for relaxation of 9 months for gaining eligibility for the officers of 2017 batch who have been left out. The members of delegation sought Dr Jitendra Singh’s intervention so that the DoPT could take a holistic view of circumstances and grant relaxation for promotion to JAG / JC-IT.

Prominent IRS officers who led the delegation included Shri Rajesh Menon from Mumbai, Shri Anantharaman Aiyer from Delhi, Shri C.K. Singh and Shri B.K. Singh.

Income Tax Department (ITD) launches Operation Clean Money

Income Tax Department (ITD) launches Operation Clean Money

Income Tax Department (ITD) has initiated Operation Clean Money, today. Initial phase of the operation involves e-verification of large cash deposits made during 9th November to 30th December 2016. Data analytics has been used for comparing the demonetisation data with information in ITD databases. In the first batch, around 18 lakh persons have been identified in whose case, cash transactions do not appear to be in line with the tax payer's profile.

ITD has enabled online verification of these transactions to reduce compliance cost for the taxpayers while optimising its resources. The information in respect of these cases is being made available in the e-filing window of the PAN holder (after log in) at the portal https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in. The PAN holder can view the information using the link “Cash Transactions 2016” under "Compliance" section of the portal. The taxpayer will be able to submit online explanation without any need to visit Income Tax office. 

Email and SMS will also be sent to the taxpayers for submitting online response on the e-filing portal. Taxpayers who are not yet registered on the e-filing portal (at https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in) should register by clicking on the ‘Register Yourself’ link. Registered taxpayers should verify and update their email address and mobile number on the e-filing portal to receive electronic communication.

A detailed user guide and quick reference guide is available on the portal to assist the taxpayer in submitting online response. In case of any difficulty in submitting on line response, help desk at 1800 4250 0025 may be contacted. 

Data analytics will be used to select cases for verification, based on approved risk criteria.  If the case is selected for verification, request for additional information and its response will also be communicated electronically. The information on the online portal will be dynamic getting updated on receipt of new information, response and data analytics.

The response of taxpayer will be assessed against available information. In case explanation of source of cash is found justified, the verification will be closed without any need to visit Income Tax Office. The verification will also be closed if the cash deposit is declared under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojna (PMGKY).

The taxpayers covered in this phase should submit their response on the portal within 10 days in order to avoid any notice from the ITD and enforcement actions under the Income-tax Act as also other applicable laws.

PIB

7th Pay Commission implementation to State Government Employees - Minister's reply in the Parliament

7th Pay Commission implementation to State Government Employees - Minister's reply in the Parliament

7th Pay Commission implementation - State Government employees are not covered within the terms of reference of the 7th central Pay Commission - Minister's reply in the Parliament

Smt.Nirmala Sitharaman in a written reply to a Member states that State Government employees are not covered within the terms of reference of the 7th central Pay Commission

While answering to a question in Parliament on 12th August 2014 regarding the employees working in State Government, Ministry of State for Finance Smt.Nirmala Sitharaman said that the State Government employees are not covered within the terms of reference of the 7th central Pay Commission.

She replied in written form to a question asked by a member that service conditions of State Government employees fall within the exclusive domain of respective State Governments. Therefore, State Government employees are not covered within the terms of reference of the 7th central Pay Commission.

Thus, the recommendations of Commission will not directly apply to State Government employees. Accordingly, it is not possible for the Central Government to indicate the financial burden on State Governments, if they decide to adopt the recommendation of the 7th Central Pay Commission in respect of their employees with or without modification.

She also added, the Central Government had sought the views of the State Governments and till the date of the constitution of the 7th Central Pay Commission on 28.2.2014, only 14 States had responded. These State Governments generally mentioned, inter-alia, that adoption of the recommendations of a Central Pay Commission by them in case of State Government employees adds to substantial financial burden
Since the decision to adopt the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission in case of the State Government employees will exclusively concern respective State Government, the question of any assistance by the Central Government will not arise. However, the Terms of Reference of the 7th Central Pay Commission provide, inter-alia, that while making its recommendations, the Commission will also keep in view the likely impact of the recommendations on the finances of the State Governments, which usually adopt the recommendations with some modifications.

India Post Payments Bank will be a game changer for financial inclusion -Manoj Sinha

Press Information Bureau,
Government of India
Ministry of Communications & Information Technology

30-January, 2017 18:27 IST

India Post Payments Bank will be a game changer for financial inclusion -Manoj Sinha
IPPB branches launched in Ranchi & Raipur

Finance Minister, Shri Arun Jaitley and Minister of Communications Shri Manoj Sinha launched the operations of the India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) here today as two pilot branches at Raipur and Ranchi through video conferencing from Delhi.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Jaitley said that about 650 IPPB branches will be opened by September this year and that will have a multiplier impact as far as banking in India is concerned. He said with IPPB, banking at the doorstep will no longer remain a mere slogan, but will become a reality due to huge postal network in the country. He said that financial Inclusion is critical for the socio-economic development of the country, but there are significant gaps in this area and a large proportion of country’s population remain unbanked or underbanked. IPPB will effectively leverage the ubiquitous post office network with its pan-India physical presence, long experience in cash handling and savings mobilization, backed by the ongoing project of IT-enablement, to bridge this gap in Financial Inclusion.

In his address, Minister of Communications Shri Manoj Sinha has commended the hard work done by the Department of Posts in setting up the India Post Payments Bank and hoped that both organizations will work in tandem to take the benefits of government schemes and financial services that are not easily available in rural areas to customers across the country and to the marginalized population in urban and rural areas alike. He said, the objective of IPPB will be public service rather than promoting commercial interests.

Secretary, Department of Posts, Shri B.V.Sudhakar said that the IPPB is widely expected to be a game changer for financial inclusion in the country as the USP of this initiative is doorstep banking, particularly in the rural areas.

As mandated by the RBI, the India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) would focus on providing basic financial services such as all kinds of payments; including social security payments, utility bill payments, person to person remittances (both domestic and cross-border), current and savings accounts up to a balance of Rs 1 lac, distribution of insurance, mutual funds, pension products and acting as business correspondent to other banks for credit products especially in rural areas and among the underserved segments of the society.

Set up us a 100% Government of India owned Public Limited Company under the Department of Posts, it will open around 650 branches in district HQ locations. All 1.55 lacs post offices including the 1.39 lac of the rural post offices will be mapped to the IPPB branch at the district headquarter and function as access points for IPPB. IPPB will usher in state of the art internet and mobile banking platforms, digital wallets and use innovative and emerging technologies to catalyse the shift from a cash dominant to a less cash economy.

While many other banks and financial institutions are working on the same theme, the USP of IPPB will be its ability to ease access and handhold the adoption of new age banking and payments instruments among citizen of all walks of life through the delivery by postmen and Grameen Dak sevaks, savings agents and other franchisees who will take banking to door steps. IPPB thus aspires to the most accessible, affordable and trusted bank for the common man with the motto - "No customer is too small, no transaction too insignificant, and no deposit too little".

Given 'in principle' approval by the RBI along with 10 other aspirants on 19th Aug 2015, IPPB received the cabinet’s approval on 1st June, 2016 and was incorporated as on 17th Sept, 2106. Today it became the second payments bank to launch its operations. Having got its final banking license from the RBI on the 20th Jan 2017 it has commenced operations in record time of 10 days in partnership with the Punjab National Bank, after obtaining all necessary approvals and registrations from the RBI, NPCI etc.

A commemorative stamp and a logo of the new bank were also launched on the occasion.