A commemorative postage stamp released on completion of 50 years of Passport Act

24/06/2017

Cabinet to take final call on higher allowances, HRA on June 28.

The Union Cabinet is expected to take final call on proposals related to higher allowances, including HRA (House RentAllowance), under the 7th Pay Commission, on June 28. The central government employees are likely to get higher allowances as per the 7th Pay Commission from July. However, the central government employees have been demanding arrears on higher allowances, but the government is in no mood to accept this demand. While the salaries of central government employees have been hiked as per the 7th Pay Commission, revised higher allowances haven’t been paid since July last year.

On June 28, the Cabinet would take up the proposals made by the Empowered Committee of Secretaries (E-CoS), whichscreened the report of the Ashok Lavasa committee on higher allowances under 7th Pay Commission. If media reports are to be believed, the Ashok Lavasa led Committee on Allowances stuck with the 7th Pay Commission’s recommendations on higher allowances. It simply means, there could be no hike in higher allowances. The HRA under the 7thPay Commission is likely to be kept at 27 per cent of the basic pay.

Higher Allowances:

The central government employees should not expect any big announcement on higher allowances under the 7th Pay Commission because the Empowered Committee of Secretaries (E-CoS) hasn’t suggested any hike, according to reports. Sources in the Finance Ministry also said that the quantum of allowances may not vary from those proposed by the 7th Pay Commission and the government is not bound by the findings of the Empowered Committee of Secretaries. “The central government finally decided not to give any facility to central government employees better than the 7th Pay Commission recommendations. Accordingly, the government stuck withthe 7th Pay Commission recommendations on pay scales and advances and its implementation have been made forcefully,” sources in the Finance Ministry were quoted as saying.

HRA:

The E-CoS has suggested to keep the HRA rate at 24 percent, 16 percent and 8 percent of the Basic Pay for Class X, Y and Z cities respectively, as recommended by the 7th Pay Commission. The central government employees, however, demanded to retain HRA rate at 30 percent, 20 percent and 10 percent of Basic pay (pay in the pay band plus grade pay). A Financial Express report said the HRA in cities with population above 5 million could be 27 per cent of the basic pay. Shiv Gopal Mishra, chief of the National Joint Council of Action (NJCA), leadingthe 7th Pay Commission negotiations with the government, also said that there is a possibility of higher HRA than that recommended by the 7th Pay Commission.

Arrears:

The central government employees have demanded arrears on higher allowances as well, but the government neither accepted, nor rejected their demand. Shiv Gopal Mishra was unsure whether their demands about arrears on higher allowances under the 7th Pay Commission will be accepted.

Source : India.com

A commemorative postage stamp released on completion of 50 years of Passport Act

Press Information Bureau 

Government of India

Ministry of Communications & Information Technology 

23-June-2017 14:51 IST

A commemorative postage stamp released on completion of 50 years of Passport Act.

The Minister for Communications Shri Manoj Sinha said that the Passport Seva Project (PSP) has been a watershed in the history of passport issuance in India with its successful implementation in the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode. The entire process of citizen service delivery has been re-engineered, standardized and automated. Speaking after releasing a commemorative postage stamp on completion of 50 years of “The Passports Act, 1967”, he said that services are delivered through a country-wide networked environment - integrating all Passport Issuing Authorities, around 91 Passport Seva Kendras, as well as providing access to a number of external stakeholders viz. Immigration, Police, India Post, India Security Press and Embassies/ Consulates abroad.

Shri Sinha said that 24th June 1967 marked an important milestone in the history of passport issuance in India as it was on this day that the President gave assent to the Passports Act 1967. The Passports Act provided a robust legal framework for the issue of passports and travel documents and regulation of the departure from India of Indian citizens. 

The Minister said that in order to extend passport services to our citizens on a larger scale and to ensure wider area coverage, the Ministry of External Affairs and the Department of Posts (DOP) have agreed to utilize the Head Post Offices in the country as Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) for delivering passport related services to the citizens of our country. The pilot projects for this joint venture between MEA and DOP were inaugurated on 25 January, 2017 at Mysuru in Karnataka and at Dahod in Gujarat. Shri Sinha said, applicants, who apply for their passports online through the passport portal, can now schedule an appointment and then visit the designated POPSK to complete the formalities similar to those at the PSK necessary prior to the issue of the passport. 

It has been decided to set up 235 POPSK in two phases – 86 in Phase-I and 149 in Phase-II. 52 POPSK of Phase-I have been operationalized.

23/06/2017

Applications from willing officials from the cadre of PA/SA to work in CSI Command and Control Team at Centre for Excellence in Postal Technology (CEPT), Mysore - 

7th CPC Pension Revision: Restoration of full pension of absorbee pensioners in view of the order dated 01.09.2016 - 

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22/06/2017

VERIFICATION OF MEMBERSHIP FOR RECOGNITION OF SERVICE ASSOCIATIONS REPRESENTING GRAMIN DAK SEVAKS (GDSs) (EARLIER CALLED AS EXTRA DEPARTMENTAL AGENTS) UNDER EDA (RA) RULES,1965-PROCEDURE REGARDING - 

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Appeal to all FNPO affiliated Union Circle Secretaries - 

All FNPO affiliated Union  Circle Secretaries are requested to follow the agitation programmes regarding Departmental issues.  Also, issue suitable advice to the  Divisional Secretaries to organise lunch hour demonstration at the Divisional level on 27.06.2017.

PROGRAMMES BY FNPO.

Phase- I :      Lunch hour Demonstration in front of all Divisional offices.   

Date  -   27.06.2017.  

Phase -II:       Lunch hour Demonstration in front of  Circle Office. Date - 11.07.2017. 

Phase-III:       Lunch hour Demonstration in front of Postal Directorate, Dak Bhawan, New Delhi.  
Date –  28.07.2017.  

Phase- IV:      One-day nationwide strike The date will be decided later. 

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Constitution of the Committee to review the Cadre Restructuring orders of Postal Group 'C' employees - 

Implementation of 6th Cadre Review orders - creation of SAG/JAG Posts in Circles - 

Govt asks banks to deposit junked notes at RBI by July 20 - 

New Delhi, June 21: 

The Finance Ministry has asked banks and post offices to deposit junked Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes with the Reserve Bank of India by July 20.

This is the second window the government has provided to banks, post offices and cooperative banks for depositing the junked notes with RBI. "Such specified bank notes may be deposited by such Bank, Post Office or District Central Cooperative Bank, as the case may be, in any office of the Reserve Bank, within a period of 30 days from the commencement of these rules,” said a recent notification by the Department of Economic Affairs.

The earlier window was open till December 31, a day after the 50-day period of demonetisation of high value currency.

The deposits will be accepted by the RBI subject to valid “reasons for non-deposit of the specified bank notes”. RBI will accept deposits collected by any bank or post office by December 30, 2016 or by any District Central Cooperative Bank from November 10-14, 2016 should be deposited within 30 days, the notification said.

Source : http://www.thehindubusinessline.com