16/01/2015
DKS
Chauhan committee Recommendations--
1.Review of
approved categories of Gramin Dak Sevaks - Filling up of vacant posts of GDS
Mailman.
2.Consideration
of Married Son as dependent family member for the purpose of compassionate
engagement to GDS posts
3.Review of
merit points under compassionate Engagement Scheme, under attribute ‘own
agricultural land and house’
4.Revised
selection process for engagement to all approved categories of GDS Posts.
5. Review of Penalties specified in Rule 9 of GDS
(Conduct and Engagement) Rules, 2011.
6.Revised
eligibility criteria for engagement to GDS posts.
7.Preference to
casual laborers in the matter of engagement as Gramin Dak Sevaks – review
thereof.
The above recommendations are accepted and orders issued by the Department.
Introduction of postal stamps as RTI
fee/cost – seeking comments from public regarding
No.1/3/2014-IR
Government
of India
Ministry
of Personnel, Public Grievance and Pensions
Department
of Personnel and Training
(IR
Division)
North
Block, New Delhi
Dated 14th
January, 2015
Circular
Subject: Introduction of postal
stamps as RTI fee/cost – seeking comments from public regarding
RTI Rules, 2012 prescribe payment of
RTI application fee/Cost through four Modes i.e. IPO, Demand Draft, Bankers
Cheque and Cash against receipt. Apart from regular modes of payments,
Information seekers can use the facility of e-IPO and also use Debit/Credit
Card for filing online RTI
application.
2. CIC in its full bench decision in
the case No. CIC/BS/C/2013/000149/LS dated 27.08.2013 had inter-alia urged DoPT
to consider acceptance of RTI stamps as a mode of payment of RTI Fee and Costs.
The issue was examined in consultation with Department of Posts and the latter
expressed its inability to print exclusive RTI stamps. Subsequently, Department
of Posts recommended use of definitive series of postal stamps which are
ubiquitously available in the Post Offices across the country in different
denominations. It further added that, the RTI applicants would also need to
affix the said stamp(s) on the RTI application. The RTI applicant(s) by putting
his signature or thumb impression shall cancel the said postage stamp(s) to
prevent it from misuse/re-use.
3. It was decided with the approval
of the then MoS (PP) that acceptance of postal stamps as mode of payment of RTI
fee and cost would require amendment in the RTI Rules notified on 31.7.2012
only, the recommendations of CIC may be noted and considered as and when
amendment to RTI Rules are considered.
4. The CIC in its recent decision
dated 12.12.2014 in File No.CIC/SA/C/2014/000038 has again recommended to DoPT
to adopt the proposal of the Deptt. of Posts of use of ordinary Postal Stamps
for payment of RTI fee.
5. Introduction of Stamps as one of
modes of payment for RTI application fee would require amendment to the RTI
Rules, 2012. In addition, the following issues need to be sorted out before
taking any decision.
i. Use of ordinary postal stamps for
the purpose of RTI may lead to accounting problem, as it would not be possible
to account amount collected for RTI through ordinary stamps. Section 25(3)(e)
of the RTI Act lays down that each public authority is required to communicate
to CIC/SIC, as the case may be, the amount of charges collected under this Act
for incorporation in their Annual Report.
ii. There is apprehension of misuse
of ordinary stamps for the purpose of RTI, in the absence of specific procedure
for crossing such stamps.
iii. Whether postal stamps may be
considered for initial RTI fees only or for payment of additional fee also.
6. A Committee has been formed to
look into the above and other related issues. It has been decided to invite
views/suggestions from the citizens in the subject matter, for the
consideration of the Committee. The views/suggestions, preferably not exceeding
more than one page, may be sent latest by 7.2.2015 through email only to Shri
R.K. Girdhar, Under Secretary (RTI), North Block at usrti-doptOmic. in.
sd/-
(Sandeep
Jain)
Director –
IR
Tele. No.
011-23092755
Central government employees may be exempted from filing
details of their assets and liabilities twice
Central government employees may be
exempted from filing details of their assets and liabilities twice -- as
mandated under Lokpal Act and other service rules governing them -- as the
Centre has suggested a way out.
As per the Lokpal Act, every public
servant shall file the returns of his assets and liabilities, including that of
his spouse and dependent family members. These returns are in addition to the
similar ones filed by the employees under various services rules.
"The requirement of filing
returns regarding assets and liabilities under the Lokpal Act is in addition
to, and not in derogation or suppression of the requirement of filing of
property returns under the existing conduct rules.
"In view of this, the
requirement of filing of property returns under the existing conduct rules is
an independent requirement under the applicable rules and the same can be
dispensed with, only by amending those rules," the Department of Personnel
and Training (DoPT) said.
In other words, the requirement of
filing returns of assets and liabilities under the applicable conduct rules has
to continue, till such time as the provisions of those rules are harmonised
with the relevant provisions of the Lokpal Act and the rules framed there under
by carrying out appropriate amendments in them, it said in an order issued
yesterday.
All ministries, departments and
cadre controlling authorities have been asked to ensure that necessary
follow-up action for harmonising the provisions of the relevant service rules
is completed before 15 July, the DoPT said.
The Centre had in an order issued
last month revised the time limit of bringing in changes to the the relevant
service rules to 18 months from the date of Lokpal Act coming into force, i.e
16 January 2014.
Till, the rules are not harmonised,
all public servants have been asked to file their annual property returns as
per the existing service rules and Lokpal Act.
The last date for filing the assets
details under the Lokpal Act is till April this year.
As per the Lokpal Act, every public
servant shall file the returns of his assets and liabilities, including that of
his spouse and dependent family members, on 31 March every year on or before 31
July of that year.
For the current year, the last date
for filing these returns was 15 September, which was later extended to
December-end and now till 30 April 2015.
All Group A, B, and C employees are
supposed to file a declaration under the new rules. There are about 26,29, 913
employees in these three categories, as per the government's latest data.