“Forward ever, backward never: onwards with Breaking Through”

01/01/2015

31.12.2014
GRANT OF SAVING BANK ALLOWANCE TO POSTAL ASSISTANTS


30.12.2014
Declaration of assets by Public Servants under Lokpal: Removal of Difficulties Order Notification by DoPT

MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS
(Department of Personnel and Training)
ORDER
New Delhi, the 26th December, 2014

S.O. 3272(E).- Whereas the Central Government, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 62 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 (1 of 2014) (hereinafter referred to as the said Act), made the Lokpal and Lokayuktas (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2014 (hereinafter referred to as the said Order) with effect from the 15th February. 2014 for the purpose of carrying out modifications and amendments in all existing rules regulating the filing of property returns and making of declaration of assets by public servants so as to bring them in conformity with the provisions of the said Act. within a period not exceeding one hundred and eighty days from the date on which the provisions of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 came into force, i.e., the 16th January, 2014;


And whereas, the central Government initiated the process of modifications and amendments of all existing rules dealing with the subject matter of filing of annual returns and making of declaration of assets by public servants in consultation with various authorities, such as, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, the Election Commission, the Lok Sabha Secretariat, the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, the Ministry of Law and Justice (Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department), the Department of Financial Services, the Department of Public Enterprises and the State Governments;

And whereas, the comments and suggestions received from above said authorities had been under consideration of the Central Government and the completion of the procedure of finalising the rules under the said Act was likely to take some more time and the process of harmonisation of the existing rules with the provisions of the said Act and the rules made thereunder was taking time beyond the period notified under the said Order, and, therefore, the Central  Government amended the said Order on 14th July, 2014, extending the said period of one hundred and eighty days to a period of two hundred and seventy days;

And whereas, the Central Government, after consulting the Ministries/Departments. including the Department of Financial Services, the Department of Public Enterprises, the Ministry of Law and Justice and the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, made the Public Servants (Furnishing of Information and Annual Return of Assets and Liabilities and the Limits for Exemption of Assets in Filing Returns) Rules, 2014 (hereinafter referred to as the said rules), in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) read with clause (k) and clause (l) of sub-section (2) of section 59 read with section 44 and section 45 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, and notified the said rules on 14th July, 2014, prescribing therein the forms in which information and annual returns are to be filed by every public servant;

And whereas, the Central Government forwarded the Copies of the notification containing the said rules to all Ministries and Departments of the Central Government requesting them to take the follow-up action in terms of the said rules. and for ensuring compliance with the said rules by all officers and staff in the respective Ministries, Departments and organisations and public sector undertakings under their control;

And whereas. the Central Government also forwarded the copies of the notification containing the said rules to the Chief Secretaries of all State Governments and Union territories, requesting them to take the follow-up action in terms of the said rules requiring all officers of the All India Services working in connection with the affairs of the State Governments and the officers and staff working in various organisations and public sector undertakings under their control so as to ensure due compliance with the said rules by all of them;

And whereas, concerns and apprehensions were raised by some Ministries and Departments, Organisations and individuals about the posting of every information provided by the public servant on public domain and the complexities involved in posting such details in the prescribed formats and also about exacerbation of vulnerabilities of the public servants after filing such details. specifically of movable property and their publication on the websites of respective Ministries and Departments giving rise to the apprehension of the safety and security of the members particularly children of the public servant;

And whereas, keeping in view the genuine concerns and apprehensions aforesaid, the Central Government constituted a Committee on 28th August, 2014 to simplify the forms and the process in which public servants shall make declaration of assets and liabilities as required under the said Act and the rules made thereunder and the Committee was required to examine the forms prescribed under the said rules and suggest changes therein as may be considered necessary within a period of forty-five days;

And whereas, the exercise of reviewing the existing rules relating to various services and posts with the provisions of the said Act and the rules made thereunder, the process of completion of follow-up action by various Ministries and Departments of the Central Government and the State Governments and the exercise of simplification of forms and the process in which public servants shall make declarations of assets and liabilities, was likely to take time beyond the period of two hundred and seventy days as specified in the said Order (as amended by the Order, dated 14th July, 2014), it had become necessary to extend the said period of two hundred and seventy days and, accordingly, the Central Government amended the said Order on 8th September, 2014. extending the said period of two hundred and seventy days to a period of three hundred and sixty days for the purposes of section 44 of the said Act;

And whereas, the Committee constituted by the Central Government on 28th August, 2014 to simplify the farms and the process in which public servants shall make declaration of assets and liabilities as required under the said Act and the rules made thereunder, submitted its first Report to the Government on 1st October, 2014, wherein the Committee suggested simplification of form prescribed for submission of statement regarding movable assets and the form prescribed for submission of statement regarding debts and liabilities by public servants, under the aforesaid rules;

And whereas, the processing of necessary amendments to the aforesaid rules so as to incorporate the revised forms for filing statement regarding movable properties and the statement regarding debts and liabilities and the circulation of the revised formats, after their due notification in the Official Gazette, to all Ministries and Departments of the Central Government and the Chief Secretaries of all State Governments and Union territory administrations and the further process of follow-up action in terms of the said rules requiring all officers of the All India Services working in a connection with the affairs of the State Governments and the Offices and Staff working in various Organisations and Public Sector Undertakings under their control so as to ensure due compliance with the revised rules by all of them, is a time consuming process and as such the said process cannot be completed within the limit of three hundred and sixty days as contemplated in the principal order as amended by the order dated 8th September, 2014;

And whereas, Central Government has decided to amend the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, to address various deficiencies noticed in the said Act and, in that context, a need has also been felt to amend the provisions of section 44 of the said Act so as to harmonise the provisions of the said section with the relevant provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and rules framed thereunder, the All India Services Act, 1951 and rules framed thereunder, the rules framed by the Central Government in pursuance of article 148 and article 309 of the Constitution and also various statutes setting up autonomous bodies and Public Sector Undertakings and the rules framed thereunder; 

And whereas, the introduction of a Bill to amend the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, and its passing by Parliament and enforcement is also likely to take time; and hence it has become necessary to extend the said period of three hundred and sixty days to a period of eighteen months and the Central Government has accordingly decided to extend the period to complete this process;

New. therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 62 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 (l of 2014). the Central Government hereby makes the following amendment further to amend the Lokpal and Lokayuktas (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2014, namely-

In the said Order, in paragraph 2, in sub-paragraph (1), for the words within a period not exceeding three hundred and sixty days, the words within a period not exceeding eighteen months shall be substituted.

[R No. 407/ 12/2014-AVD-1V(B) l]
JlSHNU BARUA, Jt. Secy.

Note : The Lokpal and Lokayuktas (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2014 was published in the Gazette of India Extraordinary, vide notification number 8.0. 409(E), dated 15th February, 2014 and amended by Order, dated 14th July, 2014 published vide notification number 8.0. 1840(E) dated lSth July, 2014; and by Order dated 8th September. 2014 published vide notification number 8.0. 225605) dated 81h September, 2014.


Meeting with Sri. Ravi Shankar Prasadji,  Hon'ble Minister for Communications & IT


A delegation of FNPO leaders under the leadership of Sri. T V Chandramohan, Ex - MLA, Chairman FNPO Thrissur District Committee and Johnson Avokkaran, met the Hon'ble Minister at Guruvayur and submitted a memorandum regarding Circle Level and local Issues. The minister was  kind enough to have a fruitful discussion.
 
Demands consisted:

1)Protection of TRCA of GDS.
2)Filling up of vacant posts in all cadres including that of CPMG and DPS NR.
3)To effect relaxation recruitments in all cadres in the Circle without delay.
4)To keep in abeyance the hasty decision of the Circle administration to set up Post Shoppies in the Circle.
5)Allot funds for building Kunnamkulam HO Building.
6)Allot funds for repairs of Staff quarters at Poothole, Thrissur Division.

The delegation consisted V K Mohanan(D/S NUGDS) and C J Wilson(Divisional Vice president, P4). Minister agreed to do all possible help on the demands.

29/12/2014

Clarification regarding issue of medicines under CGHS 
No. 2-2/2014/CGHS(HQ)/PPTY / CGHS(P)
Government of India
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
Department of Health & Family Welfare
Nirman Bhawan, Maulana Azad Road
New Delhi 110 108
Dated: the 23rd December, 2014
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject: Clarification regarding issue of medicines under CGHS
With reference to the above mentioned subject the undersigned is directed to state that the situation arising out of issue of Office Memorandum No 2/2014/CGHS(HQ)/PPTY / CGHS(P) dated the 25th August ,2014 has been engaging the attention of Government for quite some time. Various representations about the difficulties being encountered have been received from different stakeholders i.e., beneficiaries and doctors, necessitating a review of the matter. It was accordingly considered by a Committee under the Chairmanship of AS&DG,CGHS. After careful review and keeping the recommendations of the Committee in mind, the following guidelines are issued to streamline the functioning of the Wellness Centres:
i. The medicines are to be issued as per the CGHS Formulary and guidelines issued by this Ministry in this behalf.
ii. In case the prescribed medicines are not available in CGHS formulary, but are essential for the treatment of the patient, they can be issued / indented by the doctors of the CGHS Wellness Centre on the basis of a valid prescription of the authorized specialist subject to the condition that such medicines are neither dietary supplements/ food items nor banned drugs. Instructions on this issue i.e., non-admissibility of food items etc. issued vide O.M .No. 39-3/2003-04/CGHS/MSD/RS dated 23rd July 2009 and 3rd August 2009 must be followed.
iii. In case of anti-cancer drugs and other life-saving drugs that are not approved by the DCG1 for use in India, each case should be considered by the Expert Committee under the Chairmanship of Special DG(DGHS).
iv. The technical Standing Committee constituted vide 2-2/2014/CGHS(HQ)/PPTY / CGHS(P) dated 27.08.2014 of this Ministry will review addition or deletion of drugs in the CGHS Formulary/ list of Treatment procedures / investigations / listed implants. The Technical Committee will meet once in three months or as per need, whichever is earlier. In the meantime reimbursement for unlisted procedures / implants will be made at the rates approved by AIIMS/GB Pant Hospital / actuals, whichever is less.
2. The O.M. of even number dated 25.08.2014 is superseded to the above extent while O.M. of even number dated 1.10.2014 is withdrawn.
Sd/-
(Bindu Tiwari)
Director, CGHS(P)
(Tel 2306 1831)
Change in date of birth/age of family pensioners for payment of additional pension
No. 1(11)/2009-D (Pen/Pol)
Government of India
Ministry of Defence
Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare
New Delhi 110011
Dated : 23rd December 2014
To
The Chief of the Army Staff
The Chief of the Naval Staff
The Chief of the Air Staff
Subject : Change in date of birth/age of family pensioners for payment of additional pension.
Sir,
In accordance with the instructions issued vide GOI, MOD letter no. 17(4)/2008(1)-D (Pen/Policy) dated 11.11.2008 and GOI, MOD letter No. 1(11)/2009-D (Pen/Policy) dated 18th Aug 2009, additional pension/ family pension is allowed on the basis of the date of birth/age recorded in the Pension Payment Order/Discharge Certificate or other office records. Only in cases where the details regarding date of birth/age are not available in the PPO/Discharge Certificate or Office records, additional pension/family pension to old pensioners/family pensioners has been allowed on the basis of following documents
a) PAN Card
b) Matriculation Certificate (containing information regarding date of birth)
c) Passport
d) ECHS Card
e) Driving License (if it contains date of birth)
f) Election ID Card
2. Some representations have been received in the MOD regarding the hardship being caused to old family pensioners in getting the additional pension on account of incorrect recording of the date of birth/age in the PPO. They have been requesting for allowing the change of date of birth in the PPO on the basis of the documents prescribed in Para 1 above. The matter has been examined in the Ministry and (after issue of Deptt. Of P & PW OM No. 1/23/2012 P&PW (E) dated 13.09.2012) following decisions have been taken :-
(i) Since the date of birth/age of the armed forces personnel is recorded in the PPO on the basis of service records and the date of discharge/retirement/superannuation etc is determined on the basis of this date of birth/age there would be no question of allowing change in the date of birth/age of the retired/deceased pensioner in the PPO. The matter has been examined further. Considering the difficulty in producing any of the above mentioned documents as proof of age by the old pensioners. It has now been decided that the Aadhaar Card issued by UIDAI may also be accepted as proof of date of birth/age for payment of additional pension/family pension on completion of 80 years of age or above.
(ii) The request for change of date of birth/age of the family pensioner (Parents and Spouse) in the PPO may be submitted by the armed forces pensioner/family pensioner, to the concerned Record Office in case of JCO/Ors and, service HQrs in case of Commissioned Officers along with at least one of the documents mentioned in Para I above/Aadhaar Card and declaration on a non-judicial stamp paper regarding the correct date of birth of the family pensioner. If the Head of the Department/Record Office is satisfied then the change in the date of birth of the family pensioner may be allowed provided a bona-fide mistake has been made in recording the date of birth in the PPO. As the entry in the PPO needs to be rectified, it would be carried out by PSA by issuing the Corr PPO on the advice of OIC Records/Head of Office.
(iii) No other document except as indicated in Para 1 above and Aadhaar Card issued by UIDAI will be accepted for change in date of birth/age of the family pensioner in the PPO.
3. In order to avoid any possibility of recording an incorrect date of birth in the PPO, in future the Armed Forces Personnel would be required to submit one of the documents indicated / in Para 1 above or Aadhaar Card issued by UIDAI as proof of date of birth of spouse or parents along with the details of family as indicated in service records of service officer / personnel. In the case of children, certificate of birth from the Municipal authorities or from the local Panchayat or from the head of a recognized school if he/she is studying in such a school or from a Board of Education may be accepted as proof of age.
4. This issues with the concurrence of Ministry of Defence (Finance) vide their ID No. 31(7)/09/FIN/PEN dated 21/11/2014.

Yours faithfully,
(Prem Prakash)
Under Secretary to the Government of India




27-12-2014
Minutes of the JCM, Departmental Council (DC) Meeting held on 16/12/2014
Click here to view details

Declaration of Assets and Liabilities.











26/12/2014


Snapdeal ties up with India Post

Online marketplace Snapdeal has partnered India Post to jointly work on bringing thousands of weavers and artisans from Varanasi through its website.
Snapdeal has launched a pilot with India Post to set up facilitation desks at Varanasi post offices to enable local weavers to sell on its platform. “This is an endeavour by Snapdeal and India Post to empower local artisans, small and medium entrepreneurs to sustain their livelihood by providing a platform to popularise their indigenous products,” Snapdeal CEO and co-founder Kunal Bahl told PTI. Through this association, weavers will be able to access the national audience by listing their products on Snapdeal at negligible cost, he added. — PTI
 


Lokpal: Babus get four more months to file info on assets

Central government employees have got four more months, till April next year, to file details of their assets and liabilities under the Lokpal rules.

The forms for providing such declarations are also being revised by the Centre.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) today extended the date, from this month-end, to April 30, 2015 for filing the property returns.

The formats for submission of statement regarding movable properties and for submission of statement regarding debts and liabilities are also being revised and will be notified, it said in an order.

The move comes following concerns raised by some bureaucrats regarding putting details of their assets and liabilities, including that of their family members, in public domain.

The DoPT has also formed a committee to look into the babus' concerns. The committee has submitted its first report, recommending simplified formats for declaration of movable property, debts and other liabilities.

The DoPT had in September notified the Public Servants (Furnishing of Information and Annual Return of Assets and Liabilities and the Limits for Exemption of Assets in Filing Returns) Amendment Rules, 2014, extending the date for the filing of returns to December 31.

As per the rules, every public servant shall file the returns of his assets and liabilities, including that of his spouse and dependent family members, on March 31 every year on or before July 31 of that year.

For the current year, the last date for filing these returns was September 15, which was later extended to December-end and now till April 30, 2015.

The declarations under the Lokpal Act are in addition to similar ones filed by the employees under various services rules.

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.

The existing form for filing this return has fields for mentioning details of cash in hand, bank deposits, investment in bonds, debentures, shares and units in companies or mutual funds, insurance policies, provident fund, personal loans and advance given to any person or entity, among others.

The employees need to declare motor vehicles, aircraft, yachts or ships, gold and silver jewellery and bullion possessed by them, their spouses and dependent children.

The DoPT has asked all central government ministries, departments and cadre controlling authorities to issue necessary order for their respective employees to ensure compliance of its order
 
25.12.2014
INCENTIVE TO THE STAFF PERFORMING IMTS TRANSACTIONS IN POST OFFICES.



24/12/2014
1. Give “New Year Gift” to citizens by permitting and publicising the use of ordinary Postal Stamps for payment of RTI fee: CIC’s recommendation to Department of Personnel and Training 

Central Information Commissioner Prof. M. Sridhar Acharyulu has strongly recommended the use of postal stamps as RTI application fee. While disposing off a petition, he observed, “The Commission strongly recommends Department of Personnel and Training to adopt the one year old proposal of the Department of Posts, which is very user-friendly and avail the opportunity of giving New Year Gift to the citizen by permitting and publicising the use of ordinary Postal Stamps for payment of RTI fee, as this would go a long way in setting out the practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access to information.  Accepting postal stamps for RTI fee would resolve many difficulties in payment, besides preventing wastage of public money in returning or rejecting the IPOs or spending much larger amounts than Rs 10, for realizing Rs 10, and avoidable litigation.”

The Complainant, Shri Raghubir Singh is a senior citizen of 75-years old and a law teacher who is associated with the making of the  RTI Act before its enactment by the Government.  The Commission heard him on the telephone as desired by him.

The complainant complained that the Directorate of Education has harassed him by raising meaningless technical issues.  They had returned the Indian Postal Order of Rs.10/- saying that it is not properly drawn, when he claims to have rightly drawn in favour of the Accounts Officer.  The Complainant objected to the returning of the Postal Order by PIO by speed post, for which he had to spend more than Rs.25/-.  He complained that the Directorate has not updated its web-site and appropriate address against whom the Postal Order should be drawn or fee to be paid was not given.

The complaint was filed against the Directorate of Education had demanded information on 2 points: i) Which of the Government Secondary Schools in Delhi under the Directorate of Education,  have introduced Punjabi teaching as a third language for the first time afresh in class VI in the academic year 2010-2014; ii) the number of such students enrolled in Class VI, School-wise.

The Commission hence directed the PIOs to check up whether every school has properly replied to the RTI application, if not fulfil the deficiencies.  The Commisison also directed them to contact the Complainant on the telephone number given by him, and provide the complete information within 15 days from the date of receipt of this order.
The Commission referred to its earlier decision in S.C. Aggarwal vs. Ministry of Home Affairs wherein it had issued several directions. It had directed that, “no instrument shall be returned by any officer of the public authority on the ground that it has not been drawn in the name of a particular officer. So long as the instrument has been drawn in favour of the Accounts Officer, it shall be accepted in all circumstances” among several others.
These directions were mandatory and the Commission observed that non-compliance would lead to penalty proceedings. It observed, “The Commission finds it is a misuse of the power of PIO to reject to receive RTI application and the fee amounting to harassment of the applicant. It is also a kind of denial of information. Any kind of delay in furnishing of information on such grounds, violates the letter and spirit of RTI Act on several counts.”
In another second appeal by Mr. R.K. Jain as decided on 5th December, the CPIO of Department of Posts told the Commission that their department has given a proposal to DoPT vide letter dated 31.1.2014 suggesting that ordinary postal stamps could be used for payment of RTI fee.
The respondents, their PIOs and incharge officers were directed to update their official website immediately and send a compliance reprt to the Commission with a copy to the Complainant within 10 days from the date of receipt of the order. All the PIOs of
Directorate of Education and all other officers concerned were directed to accept the IPO without raising technical objections and follow all the directions issued by the full bench order of CIC.
They were asked to submit separate reports to the Commission explaining how many IPOs they have rejected so far and what are the grounds of rejection, from January 2014 to December 10, 2014, within 15 days from the date of reciept of the order.
A show cause notice was issued to the PIO who refused and returned the IPO of appellant as to why maximum penalty cannot be imposed against him for acting against the spirit of RTI and harassing the applicant and for not updating the official website.

23/12/2014

How to Join CGHS after Retirement


        The central Government Employees those who are on the verge of Retirement are having many doubts about joining CGHS after retirement. Many queries have been raised by our viewers about registering with CGHS and availing the CGHS facility after retirement. Hence the details of joining CGHS and entitlement for availing treatments and its benefits, list of empanelled Hospitals are compiled and given under for viewer’s reference.
Medical Benefits for Retirees
All Central Government pensioners/family pensioners who were eligible for taking treatment under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) while in service are eligible for availing CGHS facilities after retirement, irrespective of whether they were or were not availing CGHS facilities while in service. Further, it is not necessary that these pensioners / family pensioners should be living in the areas covered under the CGHS.
Presently the CGHS facilities are available in the following cities:
Allahabad, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Chennai, New Delhi, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jabalpur, Kanpur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Meerut, Mumbai, Nagpur, Noida, Patna, Pune, Shillong, Thiruvananthapuram.
The Central Govt. Health Scheme provides comprehensive health care to the CGHS Beneficiaries in India. The medical facilities are provided through Wellness Centres (previously referred to as CGHS Dispensaries) /polyclinics under Allopathic, Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Sidha and Homeopathic systems of medicines.
a. 273 allopathic dispensaries, 19 polyclinics, 85 Ayush dispensary/ units
b. 3 Yoga Centres
c. 73 Laboratories
d. 17 Dental Units
           The pensioners / family pensioners have to get their names registered with any of the CGHS dispensaries after submitting an application in the prescribed proforma for the issue of a CGHS identity card.
Procedure to Register with CGHS
1. One can get a CGHS card made from the office of AD / JD of the City.
2. Forms can be downloaded from CGHS Website or can be taken from office of AD / JD of city.
3. Documents required
i. Application in prescribed format
ii. Proof of Residenceroof of Stay of dependents
iii. Proof of age of son
iv. Disability certificate, if any in case of sons aged 25 & above, who would otherwise cease to be a beneficiary.
v. Photos of eligible family members
vi. Surrender Certificate of CGHS Card while in service ( only in those cases where CGHS Card was issued while in service)
vii. Attested copies of PPO & Last Pay Certificate
viii. Draft for required amount towards CGHS contribution – in the name of ‘P.A.O., CGHS New Delhi’ in Delhi-and in the name of ‘AD, CGHS of the city’.
ix. In case PPO is not ready for any reason there is option to get a provisional card on the basis of Last Pay Certificate.
x. The data is entered through computers and entered in data base and a printout is issued same day for immediate use. Plastic cards are subsequently sent to the residence of the card holder by post
22/12/2014
BEDU : Not Recognized - No Trade Union Facilities - Department clarified to our RTI.


Can’t recover excess salary paid to class III, IV staff: SC


Supreme Court
y.
NEW DELHI: Recovery of excess amount paid to Class-III and Class-IV employees due to employer's mistake is not permissible in law, the Supreme Court has ruled saying that it would cause extremely harsh consequences to them who are totally dependent on their wages to run their family.

The apex court said employees of lower rung service spend their entire earning in the upkeep and welfare of their family, and if such excess payment is allowed to be recovered from them, it would cause them far more hardship, than the reciprocal gains to the employer.

A bench of JS Khehar and Arun Mishra also directed that an employer cannot recover excess amount in case of a retired employee or one who is to retire within one year and where recovery process is initiated five years after excess payment.



.



Hold discussions with the Staff side

National Council (Staff Side)
Joint Consultative Machinery
For Central Government Employees
13-c, Ferozshah Road, New Delhi – 110 001
Shiva Gopal Mishra
Secretary
No.NC/JCM/2014
Dated: December 16, 2014
The Cabinet Secretary,
(Government of India),
Cabinet Secretariat,
Rashtrapati Bhawan,
New Delhi
Dear Sir,
Sub: Functioning of Joint Consultative Machinery
Since assuming charge of Secretary(Staff Side), National Council(JCM), I have repeatedly demanded to convene a meeting of the National Council(JCM). It is, however, regretful to point out that, despite all out efforts made by me and requesting you in person to hold the meeting, no meeting of the NC/JCM has been convened till date.
It may be appreciated the Joint Consultative Machinery(JCM) at the National level, conceived as an effective Negotiating Forum, has virtually become defunct as no meeting of this forum has been held during the last four years, with the result that, a number of major grievances of the Central Government employees continue to remain unresolved, because of which they are badly agitated.
The procrastinated discussions in the National Anomaly Committee did not proceed to settle any tangible anomaly item. Even after reaching agreement, the government has refused to issue orders on some issues. This apart, the demands raised by the Staff Side for grant of Interim Relief and Merger of DA with Pay have been refused by the government. One of the vital segments of the Central Government Employees, i.e. Grameen Dak Sewaks of the Postal Department, are kept outside the ambit of the 7th CPC. Unilateral decisions were taken to induct FDI in the Railways, Privatize the Railway and Defence Production Units; closure of the Printing Presses, Publication and Stationery Departments; contractorise the medical store functions; corporatize the Postal Organization and outsource various governmental functions.
Under these circumstances, all the constituents of the National Council(JCM)(Staff Side) had to hold a “National Convention” on 11th December, 2014 in New Delhi, wherein after detailed deliberations and taking stock of the situation, a detailed programme of struggle has been chalked-out. In case there is no positive response from the Official Side, it will ultimately lead to indefinite strike.
A copy of the Declaration of the above-mentioned Convention is enclosed herewith, which is self-explanatory.
We do fervently hope that negotiation is possible even at this late stage and would therefore urge upon you to take concrete steps in that direction. We also hope that you will be able to appreciate that any decision of the government which affects the job security of the employees adversely need to be discussed and agreement reached at the JCM Forum.
I would, therefore, request you to personally intervene in the matter, being the Chairman of the National Council(JCM), so as to avoid serious unrest and disturbance to industrial peace in the Central Government Services and hold discussions with the Staff Side, NC/JCM on these vital issues at your earliest.
Sd/-
Charging higher fares in Premium Tatkal tickets
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-3119
ANSWERED ON-19.12.2014
Premium Tatkal tickets
3119 . SHRI SANJAY RAUT
(a) whether under the new policy and rules of Government, train passengers are being looted by charging higher fares in the name of premium Tatkal tickets, whereas several trains are running with vacant seats; and
(b) if so, the reasons for such kind of injustice with passengers?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

(SHRI MANOJ SINHA)
(a)&(b): In order to improve the earnings from passenger services, w.e.f. 01.10.2014, in some of the selected trains by Zonal Railways which are most in demand, 50% of the existing accommodation under Tatkal Quota has been earmarked as Premium Tatkal Quota and is being booked on dynamic pricing.
This is a distance-slab based fare scheme where the fare increases by 20% after each slab of 10% berths are sold subject to a cap (maximum fare chargeable).
Tatkal is a facility over and above the normal booking of reserved seats/berths.









 20/12/2014
Alteration of date of birth of Government Employees – Instructions issued by DOPT
F.No.19017/1/2014-Estt (A-IV)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Department of Personnel and Training
North Block, New Delhi-110 001
Dated : 16th December, 2014
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject : Alteration of date of birth of a Government Servant — reiteration of the instructions.
Rule 56 of Fundamental Rules states that except as otherwise provided in the rule, every Government servant will retire from service on the afternoon of the last day of the month in which he attains the age of sixty years.
Provided that a Government servant whose date of birth is the first of a month shall retire from service on the afternoon of the last day of the preceding month on attaining the age of sixty years.
2.  As per Note 6 below the aforesaid Rule, the date of on which a Government servant attains the age of fifty-eight years or sixty years, as the case may be, shall be determined with reference to the date of birth declared by the Government servant at the time of appointment and accepted by the Appropriate Authority on production, as far as possible, of confirmatory documentary evidence such as High School or Higher Secondary or Secondary School Certificate or extracts from Birth Register. The date of birth so declared by the Government servant and accepted by the Appropriate Authority shall not be subject to any alteration except as specified in this note. An alteration of date of birth of a Government servant can be made, with the sanction of a Ministry or Department of the Central Government, or the Comptroller and Auditor-General in regard to persons serving in the Indian Audit and Accounts Department, or an Administrator of a Union Territory under which the Government servant is serving, if —
(a) a request in this regard is made within five years of his entry into Government service;
(b) it is clearly established that a genuine bona fide mistake has occurred; and
(c) the date of birth so altered would not make him ineligible to appear in any School or University of Union Public Service Commission examination in which he had appeared, or for entry into Government service on the date on which he first appeared at such examination or on the date on which he entered Government service.
3. The Supreme Court of India in Civil Appeal No.502 of 1993 — Union of India Vs. Harnam Singh — Judgement dated 9th February, 1993 had observed that :
“Inordinate and unexplained delay or laches on the part of the respondent to seek the necessary correction would in any case have justified the refusal of relief to him. His inaction for all this period of about thirty five years from the date of joining service, therefore precludes him from showing that the entry of his date of birth in service record was not correct”.
The observations of the Apex Court was also circulated to all Ministries and Departments of the Government of India vide OM No.19017/2/92-Estt.(A) dated 19-5-1993.
4. All the Ministries and Departments are requested to keep the above in view while processing cases of requests for changes of date of birth.
5. Hindi version follows.
sd/-
(B.Bandyopadhyay)
Under Secretary to the Government of India