Tuesday 21 August 2012

Utilization of Postal Network

Wage Disbursal Scheme under MGNREGS

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act was notified in the remaining 274 districts of India from 1st April, 2008. The Act is now effective in the entire rural areas of the country covering 638 districts and has been renamed “The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)”. The objective of the Act is to provide for the enhancement of livelihood security of the households in rural areas of the country by providing at least one hundred days of guaranteed wage employment in every financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
            
The scheme of disbursement of NREGS wages through post offices is operational in 19 postal Circles of the country (except Delhi, J&K and Tamilnadu Circles). Till 31st March, 2012, 5.59 crore MGNREGS accounts have been opened in post offices and wages amounting to Rs. 7,860 crore have been disbursed to MGNREGS beneficiaries during 2011-12 through 98,491 post offices across the country.
Main Features of Payment of Wages through Post Offices
·         Payment to be made through Savings Bank accounts of post offices (zero balance workers wage account).
·         Disbursement of wages within the prescribed time frame.
·         Provision for advance deposit of one month’s wage in the Head Post office of the District Headquarter.
·         Co-ordination meetings between Department and State Government authorities.
Data Collection for Rural Consumer Price Index
            A mechanism has been worked out to calculate and disseminate the consumer price index with the help of data being collected for 1,181 villages through selected post offices throughout the country. The first set of consumer price indices was brought out in February 2011. India Post is thus playing a crucial role in providing Infrastructural support to enable the concerned government departments to design and implement policies to improve the well being of all the citizens of India.
Mail Network Optimization Project
            Department of Post had initiated Mail Network Optimization Project in March 2010 with a view to streamline mail operations and to improve the quality of mail related services offered to the people. It involved optimization of the erstwhile mail network, standardization of processes and development of an effective performance monitoring system. As part of this project, the operational network for Speed Post and other categories of mail has been restructured leading to optimized network and simplified operations.
            Speed Post is a premium product offered by the Department with time bound delivery and tracking facility.  As part of the project, a major emphasis has been laid on providing complete tracking information for Speed Post items on the website (www.indiapost.gov.in) for the benefit of the people using Speed Post. As a result, in the last two years, the number of items having complete tracking information on the website has gone up from 63 lakhs to 2.78 Crores per month.  Speed Post transit has improved by more than a day on an average across the network.
            A comprehensive online monitoring system for Speed Post operations has been developed and performance of operational units is monitored in terms of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) on a day-to-day basis.
(PIB Features.)
*****
*Inputs from the Department of Posts.

5 PROMOTIONS in ones career: Let it be a reality

The NFPE raised in the National Secretariat of the Confederation of CG Employees demand for five promotions and the Confederation expanded its Charter of Demands into 15 Points by including the demand of Grant of 5 Promotions to all employees in their career on par with the Officers. This is a very important demand with far reaching implications in advancing the status of the Group C employees including the Postman and MTS. 

The demand attains much more importance in the background of cadre restructuring issues of lower cadres in the Department of Posts being relegated to back seat.  Some of the cadre restructuring proposals are under process since 1989.  As regards cadre restructuring of few other cadres, of late, only concept papers are circulated to invite opposition from one and all. 

Proper popularization of this new demand of 5 Promotions among all is absolutely essential to create necessary tempo. Postal Federations broke the stalemate in 1980s by strongly agitating for 2 Promotions. Let all those feeling the pinch embrace the demand of 5 Promotions and make it a reality soon. But everything depends on the rank and file organisation, which alone can succeed not only in popularising the new demand but also rousing the employees to agitate for the 15 Points charter of Confederation that focuses on 7th CPC, 50% merger of DA and grant of 5 Promotions etc. Time has come to end the discrimination between top officers and the bottom employees on number of promotions to advance the career prospects.

Post Office Time Deposit Scheme

Salient Features:

1 year, 2 year, 3 year and 5 year time deposits can be opened.
Interest payable annually but compounded quarterly:
PeriodRate of Interest
One Year8.2%
Two Years8.3%
Three Years8.4%
Five Years8.5%
Minimum amount of deposit is Rs 200/- and in multiples of Rs 200/- thereafter. No maximum limit.
Investment up to Rs 1,00,000/- per annum qualifies for Income Tax Rebate under section 80C of IT Act.
Interest income is taxable.
Facility of redeposit on maturity of an account.
In case of premature closure of 1 year, 2 Year, 3 Year or 5 Year account on or after 01.12.2011 between 6 months to one year from the date of deposit, simple interest at the rate applicable to from time to time to post office savings account shall be payable.
2 year, 3 year or 5 year accounts on or after 01.12.2011 if closed after one year, interest on such deposits shall be calculated at a discount of 1% on the rate specified for respective period as mentioned in the concerned table given under Rule 7 of Post office Time Deposit Rules.
Account can be pledged as security against a loan to banks/ Government institutions.
Any individual (a single adult or two adults jointly) can open an account.
Group Accounts, Institutional Accounts and Misc. account not permissible.
Trust, Regimental Fund or Welfare Fund not permissible to invest.

Senior Citizen's Savings Scheme (SCSS)

Salient Features:

Interest @ 9.3% per annum from the date of deposit on quarterly basis w.e.f. 01.04.2012
Minimum deposit is Rs 1000 and multiples thereof. Maximum limit of 15 lakhs.
Maturity period is 5 years and can be extended for a further period of 3 years.
Age should be 60 years or more, and 55 years or more but less than 60 years who has retired under a Voluntary Retirement Scheme or a Special Voluntary Retirement Scheme on the date of opening of the account within three months from the date of retirement.
No age limit for the retired personnel of Defence services provided they fulfill other specified conditions.
The account may be opened in individual capacity or jointly with spouse.
TDS is deducted at source on interest if the interest amount is more than Rs 10,000/- per annum.
Investment up to Rs 1,00,000/- per annum qualifies for Income Tax Rebate under section 80C of IT Act.
Interest can be automatically credited to savings account provided both the accounts stand in the same post office.
Premature closure is allowed after one year on deduction of 1.5% of the deposit and after 2 years on deduction of 1%.
No withdrawal permitted before the expiry of a period of 5 years from the date of opening of the account.
Non-resident Indians (NRIs) and Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) are not eligible to open an account.

Public Provident Fund (PPF)

Salient Features:

Interest rate of 8.8% per annum w.e.f. 01.04.2012.
Minimum deposit is 500/- per annum. Maximum deposit is Rs. 1,00,000/- per annum
The scheme is for 15 years.
Investment up to Rs 1,00,000/- per annum qualifies for Income Tax Rebate under section 80C of IT Act.
Interest is completely tax-free.
Deposits can be made in lumpsum or in 12 installments.
One deposit with a minimum amount of Rs 500/- is mandatory in each financial year.
Withdrawal is permissible from 6th financial year.
Loan facility available from 3rd financial year upto 5th financial year. The rate of interest charged on loan taken by the subscriber of a PPF account on or after 01.12.2011 shall be 2% p.a. However, the rate of interest of 1% p.a. shall continue to be charged on the loans already taken or taken up to 30.11.2011.
Free from court attachment.
Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) not eligible.
An individual cannot invest on behalf of HUF (Hindu Undivided Family) or Association of persons.
Ideal investment option for both salaried as well as self employed classes.

National Savings Certificate (NSC)

 Salient Features:

NSC VIII Issue (5 years) – Interest rate of 8.6% per annum w.e.f. 01.04.2012
NSC IX Issue (10 years) - Interest rate of 8.9% per annum w.e.f. 01.04.2012
Minimum investment Rs. 100/-. No maximum limit for investment.
No tax deduction at source.
Investment up to Rs 1,00,000/- per annum qualifies for Income Tax Rebate under NSC - section 80C of IT Act.
Certificates can be kept as collateral security to get loan from banks.
Trust and HUF cannot invest.
A single holder type certificate can be purchased by an adult for himself or on behalf of a minor or to a minor.
The interest accruing annually but deemed to be reinvested will also qualify for deduction under NSC - section 80C of IT Act.

Post Office Monthly Income Scheme (MIS)

Salient Features:

Interest rate of 8.5% per annum payable monthly w.e.f. 01.04.2012
Maturity period is 5 years.
No Bonus on Maturity w.e.f. 01.12.2011.
No tax deduction at source (TDS).
No tax rebate is applicable.
Minimum investment amount is Rs.1500/- or in multiple thereafter.
Maximum amount is Rs. 4.50 lakhs in a single account and Rs.9 lakhs in a joint account.
Auto credit facility of monthly interest to saving account if accounts are at the same post office.
Account can be opened by an individual, two/three adults jointly, and a minor through a guardian.
Non-Resident Indian / HUF cannot open an Account.
Facility of premature closure of account after 1 year but on or before 3 years @ 2.00% discount.
Deduction of 1% if account is closed prematurely at any time after three years.
Suitable scheme for retired employees / senior citizens and for those who need regular monthly income.

SB Order 10/2012 - Change in text of column no.2 printed in the Standardized Uniform Savings Bank Passbook from Page No.2 to 24


Change in text of column no.2 printed in the Standardized Uniform Savings Bank Passbook from Page No.2 to 24

FOR ORDERS CLICK HERE

SLP filed in Hon. Supreme Court against Karnataka High Court decision on fixation of pay on promotion to PO & RMS Accountants dismissed

Despite our request not to file any SLP on the High Court Karnataka decision on fixation of pay of PO & RMS accountants on promotion, the Department has filed SLP in the Supreme Court as per the opinion of the Ministry of Finance. Now the supreme court has dismissed the SLP. Now the Department has no option except implement the Karnataka CAT and High Court decision. The Department should come forward to implement the decision to all the similarly situated persons.

Kudos to Karnataka Comrades.

The Supreme Court has fined Rs. 50000/- to Department

A remarkable and marvelous decision.

ITEM NO.9                   COURT NO.5                 SECTION IVA

S U P R E M E   C O U R T   O F    I N D I A
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

Petition(s) for Special Leave to Appeal (Civil)....../2012 CC 10080/2012

(From the judgement and order dated 18/11/2010 in WP No.7593/2003, of The HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BANGALORE)

CHIEF POST MASTER GEN.KARNATAKA CIR.& ORS                            Petitioner(s)

                   VERSUS

S. MOHAN KUMAR                                                                                         Respondent(s)
(With appln(s) for c/delay in filing SLP)

Date: 05/07/2012    This Petition was called on for hearing today.

CORAM :

          HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE G.S. SINGHVI
          HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SUDHANSU JYOTI MUKHOPADHAYA

For Petitioner(s)         Mr.   R.P. Bhatt, Sr. Adv.
                          Mr.   Ashok K. Srivastava, Adv.
                          Ms.   B Sunita Rao, Adv.
                          Mr.   B. Krishna Prasad,Adv.(Not present)

For Respondent(s)

            UPON hearing counsel the Court made the following
                                O R D E R

              This petition filed for setting aside order dated 18.11.2010 passed by the Division Bench of the Karnataka High Court is accompanied by an application for condonation of 445 days delay.

            We have heard Shri. R. P. Bhatt, learned senior counsel representing the petitioners and carefully perused the averments contained  in the application filed under Section 5 of the Limitation Act and are convinced that there is no valid ground to accept the explanation offered by the petitioners for delayed filing of the special leave petition.

         We are further of the view that the Bangalore Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal did not commit any error by quashing the action taken by the petitioners to re-fix the respondent's pay on the recommendations of the Vth Pay Commission and the High Court rightly declined to entertain the petitioners' challenge to the order of the Tribunal.

         Learned senior counsel appearing for the petitioners could not put forward any tangible argument to support re-fixation of the respondent's pay in the light of the recommendations of the Vth Pay Commission. Therefore, we do not find any valid ground to interfere with the impugned order.

         The special leave petition is accordingly dismissed on the ground of delay and also on merits.

         For filing a frivolous petition like the present one, the petitioners are saddled with costs of rupees fifty thousand which shall be deposited by them with the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee within a period of eight weeks from today. It will be open to the Central Government to recover the amount of costs from the officers responsible for taking wholly arbitrary and unjustified action for re-fixing the respondent's pay.



(Parveen Kr.Chawla)                                                                                    
Court Master                                                                                           

(Phoolan Wati Arora)             
Court Master

Sh Kapil Sibal Dedicates Automated mail Processing Centre, Delhi to the Nation

AMPC Capable of Sorting 10 lakh Mail Per Day
OCR System Recognizes the Pincode and Address for Taking Sorting Decision 
Sh Kapil Sibal, the Union Minister for Communication and Information Technology, dedicated Automated Mail Processing Centre (AMPC) Delhi to the nation here this morning. Speaking on the occasion Shri Sibal said that Department of Posts has to gear up to the challenges of 21st century in a comprehensive manner. These efforts will go a long way in making DoP a more efficient, reliable and trustworthy organization.

AMPC Delhi is an important milestone for the Department of Posts in its attempt to provide a reliable, efficient, safe and cost effective postal service to the nation. AMPC Delhi has been set up with the aim of modernizing mail processing in India Post. A Letter Sorting machine (LSM) and one Mixed Mail Sorter (MMS) has been installed at AMPC Delhi at a cost of about Rs 42 crores. These sorting machines utilize state-of-the-art Optical Character Recognition (OCR)- Video Coding System (VCS) that can read the address written on the mail pieces and sort them to the correct destination. The LSM has a sorting speed of 35,000 letters per hour and MMS can process 20,000 ordinary as well as Registered and Speed Post letters, packets and small parcels per hour. 

The LSM can sort letters/postcards/Inland letter Cards from 3 gms to 20 gms. As the letter enters into the LSM, a very high speed camera takes a picture of the address written on it and sends it to the OCR server for digitization and recognition. The OCR system recognizes the pincode as well as the address elements in the written address and takes a sorting decision on the basis of inputs received from the written address and the address database which has been created for the sorting systems. In case the OCR is not able to take a sorting decision then the image is sent to the Video coder who just sees the image on his/her computer screen and then types the pincode or the city/town name to sort the article to the correct destination. This entire process takes few seconds to get completed while the letter is still moving inside the LSM.

The MMS is an open conveyor based system which can sort any kind of letter, flat, packet or small parcels (from 5 gms to 5 kgs) and utilizes the same OCR-VCS system for sorting. Both the machines share the common OCR-VCS servers. MMS has the ability to the read the tracking barcode pasted/printed on the article and generate a manifest along with a unique bag label for the sorted mail so that track and trace for each individual article processed on the MMS is available on the internet.

As compared to the old style mail centres, setting up of AMPC has enabled the Department to consolidate the mail operations in a big city like Delhi. The entire first class and speed post mail of Delhi which was earlier handled at more than 12 smaller mail sorting centres is now consolidated at AMPC because of its ability to process almost 1 million mail pieces per day. Mail operations at AMPC not only enhance the speed of mail processing but also lead to a better efficiency and improved quality. State-of-the-art facilities have also been provided to the staff working at AMPC Delhi in order to improve their efficiency and motivation level. The LSM requires only 7 Clerks (SA) and 5 Multi-Skilled Staff (MTS) per shift (8 hours) to operate and produces an output of over 3 lakh mail pieces; the same work requires at least 30 clerks and 10 MTS. Similarly, the MMS requires almost 10 clerks (SA) and 18 MTS per shift to process almost 1 lakh speed post articles; the same work would require 25 clerks and 30 MTS in a manual environment.

The maximum advantage of using the machines is in the area of quality control as missort rate can be brought considerably down in good address quality mail. In case of MMS, multiple handling is also reduced as the tracking barcode of the speed post articles are automatically scanned by the machines while they are being sorted. Also, the entire mail gets sorted in one run as the number of sorting selections in LSM (304 selections) and MMS (152 selections) are enough to sort all the mail pieces in one sort program. This is in contrast to the manual sorting where the sorting cases have only 48 or 72 pigeon holes and some destinations have to be sorted in the second stage.

At AMPC there is a separate area for processing mail pieces which are not of machinable standards. The work flow of AMPC Delhi has been designed like an assembly line where-in the un-processed mail enters the facility from one end and gets dispatched from the other end after getting processed manually or on the automated systems.

The AMPC building has been constructed by DIAL in lieu of the old AMPC building which was acquired for laying the metro line. The construction started in October 2010 and was completed in October 2011. The building has been built on a plot of almost 10,000 sq mts size and the built up area is about 7000 sq mts on ground and first floor. The building has a 24 hour power back-up and a security system with state-of-the-art IP camera based CCTV system. Almost 500 staff, including about 60 ladies are working in AMPC in three shifts.

A similar facility has also been set up in Kolkata which shall also be inaugurated in a few weeks time. The sorting machines of AMPC Delhi are the new generation machines as compared to the Letter Sorting Machines installed at AMPC Mumbai in 1993 and at AMPC Chennai in 1996 which did not have the automatic address reading ability and were dependent on the coders to code all the mail pieces for sending them to their destinations.

Senior officers of the Department of Posts and the MLA of the area were also present on the occasion. 

Source : PIB, August 21, 2012

Employment News Weekly : Authorization has not given to anybody to publish the contents of the website of Employment News.

Employment News has not authorised any person / persons or Institutions / Institutions to copy its content on their website. Some miscreants have launched website pretending to be the authorised website of Employment News Weekly. They have been copying contents from the Employment News Weekly on their website unauthorisedly, to misguide Public, Subscribers / Readers, i\Institutions and Schools / Universities etc., Unauthorised uploading or publication of Employment News contents is violation of Copy Right Act and will be dealt as per provisions of the law / laws.

The notice has been published by the Department of Publication Division on its official website, we are publishing the content of the notice here for your information purpose only

Employment News 
Publications Division 
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, 
Govt. of India

NOTICE

It has come to the notice of Employment News that some miscreants have launched website pretending to be the authorised website of Employment News, and have been copying the contents of Employment News on their website unauthorisedly, to misguide public, subscribers/readers institutions. schools/universities etc.

Employment News has not authorised any person/persons or institution/institutions to copy its content on their website. All the content of Employment News and its layout design are the property of Govt. of India (Employment News).

Copy rights of all published content, including articles/information, current as well as old in Employment News published by the Publication Division. Min. of l&B, Govt. of India belongs to Employment News. Accordingly, no published matter or thereof should be reproduced in any form. Unauthorized uploading or publication of Employment News content is violation of Copy Right Act and will be dealt as per provisions of the law/laws. All concerned are requested not to be lured/guided by such information made by any individual/ individuals/websites.

The official website of Employment News is 
http:/www.rojgarsamachar.gov.in (Hindi) and 
http:/www.employmentnews.gov.in (English)

Information available on the official website on Employment News Only may be accepted as authentic information.

Source: www.employmentnews.gov.in

Our India - Country Profile



·                     Official name : Republic of India
·                     Capital : New Delhi

·                     Area : 3,287,263 sq km
·                                                                     9.56% covered by water
·                     Population : 1,210,193,422
·                                                                     Male : 623724248 (51.53%)
·                                                                     Female : 586489174 (48.47%)
·                     Population Density : 382 per sq km
·                     Sex-Ratio : 940 females/1000 males
·                     Child Sex-Ratio (0-6) : 914 girls/1000 boys
·                     Literacy Rate : 74.04%
·                                                                     Male : 82.14%
·                                                                     Female : 65.46%
·                     Independence from the UK
·                                                                     Declared : 15 August 1947
·                                                                     Republic : 26 January 1950
·                     Motto : "Satyameva Jayate" (Truth Alone Triumphs)
·                     National Anthem : "Jana Gana Mana" (Thou art the ruler of the minds of all people)
·                     National Song : "Vande Mataram" (I bow to thee, Mother)
·                     No of States : 28
·                     No of Union Territories : 7
·                     Largest City : Mumbai
·                     Official Languages : Hindi, English
·                     Demonym : Indian
·                     Government : Federal, Parliamentary Constitutional Republic
·                     Legislature : Parliament of India (Bharat ki Sansad)
·                     Upper House : Rajya Sabha (Council of States)
·                     Lower House : Lok Sabha (House of the People)
·                     Members of Rajya Sabha : 245
·                     Members of Lok Sabha: 545
·                     Currency : Rupee [INR] (INR)
·                     Time Zone : Indian Standard Time (IST) 
·                     Coordinated Universal Time (UCT) +5:30
·                     Date Format : dd/mm/yyyy
·                     Drives on : Left
·                     Internet TLD (Top Level Domain) : .in
·                     Calling Code : +91


National Symbols
 


·                     Flag : Tricolour
·                     Emblem : Sarnath Lion Capital of Asokha
·                     Calendar Saka
·                     Game Hockey
·                     Flower Lotus
·                     Fruit Mango
·                     Tree : Banyan
·                     Bird Indian Peafowl
·                     Land Animal Royal Bengal Tiger
·                     Aquatic Animal : River Dolphin
·                     River : Ganges 


·                      President : Pranab Mukharjee
·                     Vice-President (Speaker of Rajya Sabha) : Mohammad Hamid Ansari 
·                     Prime Minister : Dr Manmohan Singh 
·                     Speaker of Rajya Sabha : Mohammad Hamid Ansari 
·                     Speaker of Lok Sabha : Meira Kumar 
·                     Chief Justice : SH Kapadia 

Source : http://wikipedia.org