Cabinet approves Continuation of sub-schemes under Umbrella Scheme "Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)" for the period till November, 2018

Cabinet approves Continuation of sub-schemes under Umbrella Scheme "Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)" for the period till November, 2018

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for continuation of Anganwadi Services, Scheme for Adolescent Girls, Child Protection Services and National Crèche Scheme from 1.4.2017 to 30.11.2018 with an outlay of over Rs.41,000 crore. These are the sub-schemes under Umbrella Scheme "Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)"

Features:

. The approved Schemes include:

i. Anganwadi Services
ii. Scheme for Adolescent Girls
iii. Child Protection Services
iv. National Crèche Scheme

. The Cabinet has also approved:

i. implementation of Scheme for Adolescent Girls for out of school girls in the age group of 11-14 years, its phased expansion
ii. phasing out of the on–going Kishori Shakti Yojana for out of school girls in the age group of 11-14 years.

. The decision also provides for conversion of National Creche Scheme from Central Sector to Centrally Sponsored Scheme with the revised cost sharing between Centre and States as 60:40 for all States and UTs with legislature, 90:10 for NER and Himalayan States and 100% for UTs without legislature and implementation of the Scheme through States/UTs instead of existing implementation agencies.

Impact:
The sub-schemes listed above are not new schemes but are continuing from the XII Five Year Plan. The programme through targeted interventions will strive to reduce the level of malnutrition, anaemia and low birth weight babies, ensure empowerment of adolescent girls, provide protection to the children who are in conflict with law, provide safe place for day-care to the children of working mothers, create synergy, ensure better monitoring, issue negative alerts for timely action, encourage States/UTs to perform, guide and supervise the line Ministries and States/UTs to achieve the targeted goals and bring more transparency.

Beneficiaries:
More than 11 crore children, pregnant women & Lactating Mothers and the Adolescent Girls will be benefited through this scheme.

Financial Outlay:
The details of expenditure for the period from 01.04.2017 to 30.11.2018 for various sub-schemes are as follows:

(Rupees in crore)

Name of the sub-scheme	Amount approved
Anganwadi Services	34441.34
National Nutrition Mission (proposed)	4241.33
Scheme for Adolescent Girls	1238.37
Child Protection Services	1083.33
National Crèche Scheme	349.33
Total	41353.70

Implementation Strategy and Targets:
Anganwadi Services (ICDS) and Child Protection Services are already in operation in the entire country. The Scheme for Adolescent Girls will be expanded in a phased manner. National Creche Scheme will continue to be implemented in 23,555 creches. Approval for National Nutrition Mission shall be obtained separately.

States/districts covered:
Anganwadi Services (ICDS) and Child Protection Services are already in operation in the entire country. National Nutrition Mission will be rolled out in a phased manner. Similarly, Scheme for Adolescent Girls will be expanded in a phased manner.

Background:
The ongoing schemes have been rationalized by the Government in financial year 2016-17 and have been brought under Umbrella ICDS as its sub-schemes. These sub-schemes need to be continued for delivering the child related services to the intended beneficiaries. The aims of these schemes are as under:

a. Anganwadi Services (ICDS) aims at holistic development of children under the age of six years and its beneficiaries are children of this age group and Pregnant Women & Lactating Mothers.

b. The objective of the Scheme for Adolescent Girls is to facilitate, educate and empower Adolescent Girls so as to enable them to become self-reliant and aware citizens through improved nutrition and health status, promoting awareness about health, hygiene, nutrition, mainstreaming out of school AGs into formal/non formal education and providing information/guidance about existing public services.

c. The objectives of Child Protection Services are to provide safe and secure environment for children in conflict with law and children in need of care and protection, reduce vulnerabilities through a wide range of social protection measures, prevent actions that lead to abuse, neglect, exploitation, abandonment and separation of children from families etc., bring focus on non-institutional care, develop a platform for partnership between Government & Civil Society and establish convergence of child related social protection services.

d. National Creche Scheme aims at providing a safe place for mothers to leave their children while they are at work, and thus, is a measure for empowering women as it enables them to take up employment. At the same time, it is also an intervention towards protection and development of children in the age group of 6 months to 6 years.

PIB

Cabinet approves the increase in the carpet area of houses eligible for interest subsidy under the Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme for the Middle Income Group under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana

Cabinet approves the increase in the carpet area of houses eligible for interest subsidy under the Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme for the Middle Income Group under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana 

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the increase in the carpet area of houses eligible for interest subsidy under the Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) for the Middle Income Group (MIG) under Pradhan MantriAwasYojana (Urban).

To further enhance the scope, coverage and outreach of the Scheme, the Cabinet has approved the following:

i. increasing the carpet area in the MIG I category of CLSS from the existing 90 square metre to "up to 120 square metre" and increasing the carpet area in respect of MIG II category of CLSS from the existing 110 square metre to "up to 150 square metre"; and

ii. making the above change effective from 01.01.2017 i.e. the date the CLSS for MIG had become effective.

The CLSS for MIG is a pro-active step in meeting the challenges of urban housing shortage. It also is a pioneering step to enable the Middle Income Group to access the benefits of an interest subsidy scheme.

The CLSS for MIG covers two income segments in the MIG viz. Rs.6,00,001 to Rs.12,00,000 (MIG-I) and Rs.12,00,001 to Rs.18,00,000 (MIG-II) per annum. In the MIG-1, an interest subsidy of 4% has been provided for loan amounts up to Rs.9 lakh while in MIG-2, an interest subsidy of 3% has been provided for loan amount of Rs.12 lakh. The interest subsidy will be calculated at 9% NPV over a maximum loan tenure of 20 years or the actual tenure, whichever is lesser. Housing loans above 9 lakh and 12 lakh will be at non-subsidized rates.

The CLSS for MIG is currently effective up to 31.03.2019.

Impact

· The limit of 120 sq m. and 150 sq m. is seen as a reasonable enhancement and would cater to the market generally scouted by the MIG belonging to the two income categories specified in the scheme.
· The increase in carpet area will enable the Ml category of individuals to have a wider choice in Developers' projects.
· The increased carpet area will also give a boost to the sale of ready built flats in the affordable housing segment.

Background:
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is implementing the Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme for Middle Income Group (CLSS for MIG) under the Pradhan MantriAwasYojana (Urban) since 1.01.2017 pursuant to Hon'ble Prime Minister's address to the Nation on 31.12.2016 announcing increased benefits for poor people availing housing loans, and a new interest subsidy scheme for housing loans for the Middle Income Group (MIG).

PIB

7th Pay Commission: New pay hike from April 2018

7th Pay Commission: New pay hike from April 2018

A top Finance Ministry official, who did not wish to be named told on Tuesday said that new pay hike for central government employees would come into effect from 1 April 2018.

He said that National Anomaly Committee (NAC) is likely to submit report on new pay hike by December.

The new pay hike will come into effect by April next year at the latest, he added.

Earlier, the government gave nod the 7th Pay Commission proposal of minimum basic pay from Rs 7,000 to Rs 18,000 per month while the maximum basic pay from Rs 80,000 to Rs 2.5 lakh with a fitment factor of 2.57 times uniformly of sixth pay commission's basic pay.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission, various central government employees' unions had threatened to go on an indefinite strike from 11 July, 2016.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was under pressure to assure to hike minimum pay for the central government employees day after the cabinet approval of the 7th Pay Commission's recommendations, June 30, 2016, when he had met representatives of several central government employees' unions in home minister's house with other two cabinet ministers - Rajnath Singh and Suresh Prabhu.

The assurance had prevented several central government employees' unions to go ahead with the indefinite strike starting July 11, 2016.

The Unions had asked the government to set up a committee to look into issues raised by them in relation to pay hike.

Jaitley promised the Union leaders that the pay hike issue raised by them would be considered by a High Level Committee. Accordingly, he has formed National Anomaly Committee (NAC) in September, 2016 to look into pay anomalies arising out of the implementation of the 7th Pay Commission's recommendations.

The unions had said the government approved pay hike was the lowest in the last 70 years. They had also accused the government of announcing the awards "unilaterally" without any consultation with them.

The unions had also warned to make employees minimum pay Rs 18,000 to Rs 26,000 and asked to raising fitment factor 3.68 times from 2.57 times.

"The government may come out with a decision in next financial year in this regard on the recommendations of the National Anomaly Committee," he said.

"The government is likely to go ahead for hike in minimum pay Rs 21,000 from Rs 18,000 with fitment factor 3.00. The fitment formula with 3.00 times from 2.57 times, which will be gone up he salary and pension in general for all segments of employees" the official confirmed.

TST

Government can not accommodate employee in lower pay scale because of disability: High Court

Government can not accommodate employee in lower pay scale because of disability: High Court

The Allahabad High Court has held that the government cannot accommodate an employee in a post with a lower pay scale just because he or she acquired some disability during service and became unfit for the current post.

A bench comprising justices Bharati Sapru and Siddharth passed the order while dismissing a petition filed by the Ministry of Railways.

The court directed the ministry to pay S Q Ahmed (accommodated on a post with lower pay scale because he acquired some disability) his dues according to higher pay grade with 7 per cent interest from the due date.

It also imposed a cost of Rs 50,000 on railways for not giving its employee his legitimate dues and for dragging him into litigation for no fault on his part.

In its petition, the Centre challenged an order passed by the Central Administrative Tribunal directing the Ministry of Railways to pay Ahmad his salary and other dues according to his original pay scale.
The tribunal had held that Ahmad was discriminated by the ministry and was wrongly accommodated in the post of lower pay scale on the ground that he became medically unfit for the job he was doing then.

The Railways contention was that if an employee becomes medically unfit he is only entitled for alternative employment in such category under which he is found fit, on the basis of available vacancies.

Therefore, Ahmad was appointed on a post according to his fitness and vacancy and there was nothing wrong in his appointment at a lower pay scale.

However, Ahmads counsel relied on the master circular of the railways ministry which says that during absorption of medically unfit employees, in alternative employment, railways should ensure that the interest of the staff should not be adversely affected as far as possible.

The bench was of the view that such a reduction in pay scale of an employee is discriminatory and in violation of section 47 of The Persons With Disabilities (Equal Opportunity, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995.

The section provides that no establishment shall dispense with, or reduce in rank, an employee who acquires a disability during his service and in case, an employee, after acquiring disability is not suitable for the post he was holding, he could be shifted to some other post with the same pay scale and service benefits.

The bench while dismissing the petition observed, "It must be remembered that a person does not acquire or suffer disability by choice.

"An employee, who acquires disability during his service, is sought to be protected. Such employee, acquiring disability, if not protected, would not only suffer himself, but possibly all those who depend on him would also suffer."

PTI

Government considering report on age limit for civil service exams

Government considering report on age limit for civil service exams

Nearly eight months after its submission, the report of Baswan committee that suggested changes in civil service exam pattern and age limit is under examination, the government has said.
The committee had submitted its report to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on 9 August 2016.

"The Baswan Committee's report along with UPSC's recommendations on it has been received on 20 March 2017 and the same is under examination," the department of personnel and training (DoPT) said in response to an RTI query filed by a PTI correspondent.

Thousands of aspirants appear in the civil service exam conducted annually by the UPSC in three stages - preliminary, mains and interview - to select officers for Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS), among others.

The UPSC had constituted the expert committee under the chairmanship of former human resource development secretary and retired IAS officer B S Baswan to review the scheme of civil service examination in August 2015.

The committee is understood to have recommended reduction in upper age limit of 32 years to appear in the civil service exam, officials said.

"The recommendations made by the committee including on pattern of civil service examination and age limit are presently under consideration of the UPSC," minister of state for personnel Jitendra Singh had told Rajya Sabha in a written reply in November last year.

In a related development, the UPSC has fixed a seven-day time frame for candidates to report mistakes or discrepancies in questions asked in the various examinations conducted by it.

PTI

Cabinet approves appointment of Second National Judicial Pay Commission for Subordinate Judiciary in the country

Cabinet approves appointment of Second National Judicial Pay Commission for Subordinate Judiciary in the country

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved appointment of Second National Judicial Pay Commission (SNJPC) for Subordinate Judiciary in the country.
The Commission is to be headed by Shri Justice (Retd.J P.Venkatrama Reddi, former Judge of Supreme Court of India. Shri R. Basant, a former Judge of the Kerala High Court is the Member of the Commission.

The Commission will make its recommendations to the State Governments preferably within a period of 18 months.

It will examine the present structure of emoluments and conditions of service of Judicial Officers in the States and UTs. The Commission aims to evolve the principles which would govern pay structure and other emoluments of Judicial Officers belonging to the Subordinate Judiciary of the country. It will examine the work methods and work environment as also the variety of allowance and benefits in kind that are available to Judicial Officers in addition to pay and to suggest rationalization and simplification thereof.

The Commission will devise its own procedures and formulate modalities necessary for accomplishing the task. The Commission also aims at making the pay scales and conditions of service of Judicial Officers uniform throughout the country.

The recommendations of the Commission will help in promoting efficiency in Judicial Administration, optimizing the size of judiciary etc. and to remove anomalies created in implementation of earlier recommendations.

NFPE: Non Settlements of long pending demands call of agitational programs

NFPE: Non Settlements of long pending demands - call of agitational programs

National Federation of Postal Employees
1st Floor North Avenue Post Office Building, New Delhi-110 001

e-mail: nfpehq@gmail.com
website: http://www.nfpe.blogspot.com

Phone: 011.23092771
Mob: 9868819295/9810853981
No.PF-01(a)/2017

Dated: 10th November, 2017

To
Shri A.N Nanda
Secretary, Department of Post
Dak Bhawan
New Delhi -110001

Subject: Non Settlements of long pending demands- call of agitational  programs  - regarding

Sir,
The Federal Secretariat meeting of NFPE with available General Secretaries and NFPE office bearers held at NFPE office North Avenue Post Office, Building New Delhi has reviewed the whole situation arisen out of so many policy offensive and attacks unleashed by the Government of India by the way of authorizing  nationalized banks and private banks for doing business of National small savings schemes, making  the IPPB (India Post Payment Bank) as a corporate entity, proposal of closure of A.P.S, appointment of out sourced Postal Delivery  agents, cancellation of G.D.S membership verification, Delay in implementation of  GDS Committee  Report, Amendment in Rectt. rules of P.A. Non filling up of vacant posts in all cadres, non implementation of  cadre restructuring  proposals for other categories and non declaration of result of regular membership verification and so many other issues.

After a detailed and threadbare discussion the Federal Secretariat  has reached to a conclusion that it is the need of hour to resist all these policy offensives and attacks by way of struggles and serious agitational  programmes culminating in to indefinite strike.

The federal secretariat has decided the following programme of action to achieve the demands as mentioned in charter of demands.

1. Two days Relay hunger fast in front of all Divisional offices on 28th and 29th November 2017 (All Employees will wear Black Badges containing demands and will send resolution addressed to Prime - Minister).

2. Mass Dharna in front of All C.P.M.G offices on 20th December 2017

3. 5 Days Relay Dharna in front of Parliament from 12th to 16th February 2018. (All Circles will participates in Dharna day wise).

4. After that Indefinite Strike will be declared

CHARTER OF DEMANDS

1. Implementation of positive recommendations of Kamlesh Chandra Committee Report for GDS

2.Membership verification of GDS and declaration of result of regular membership verification.

3.Filling up of all vacant posts in all Cadres of Deptt of Post i.e P.A.S.A, Postmen, Mail guard, mailmen, MTS,MMS Drivers and artisans, P.A CO. P.A SBCO, Postal Actts and GDS. Drop the move of amendment in P.A. S.A., P.A.CO & P.A. SBCO Recruitment Rules.

4.Implement CSI, and RICT only after providing all required infrastructure including band width and stop harassment , victimization in the name of new schemes , technology induction, under contributory negligence factor and trade union victimization.

5.Stop out sourcing privatization and Corporatization.

6.Payment of revised wages and arrears to the casual, part time, contingent and daily rated mazdoors as per 6th & 7th CPC and settle other issues of Casual Laboures.

7.Implement cadre restructuring for left out categories i.e. RMS, MMS, PACO, PASBCO Postmaster Cadre, Postal Actts etc and accept the modifications suggested by federation before implementation of cadre restructuring in Postal Group ‘C’.

8.Withdraw N.P.S (contributory Pension Scheme) Guarantee 50% of last pay drawn as minimum pension.

9.Implement 5 days week in Postal Operative offices.

10.Stop move of diversion of business of P.O SB Schemes to Banks (Nationalized and Private)

11.Stop move of closure of Army Postal Service.

12.Grant OSA and OTA to RMS staff and special allowances for P.O & R.M.S Accounts.

13.Finalization of Recruitment Rules of AAOS IN Postal Accounts with 40% S.C.F quota as approved by DOPT.

14.Status of Audit to SBCO.

15.Benefit of SDBS to retried GDS employees.

Yours Comradely,
S/d,
(R N Parashar)
Secretary General

Source : NFPE