CPMG WB is holding additional charge of CPMG Bihar.

Read More

SALIENT FEATURES OF EXISTING TATKAL SCHEME

SALIENT FEATURES OF EXISTING TATKAL SCHEME

a. Tatkal booking opens at 10 AM on the previous day of journey excluding date of journey from the train originating station.
b. The reservation under this scheme is available only upto the time of preparation of charts.  . 
c. The facility of change of name is not permitted on the bookings made under Tatkal scheme. 
d. No duplicate Tatkal tickets are issued except in exceptional cases on payment of full fare including Tatkal charges. 
e. The reservation under this scheme can be sought by full fare paying passengers only and no passenger holding concessional ticket is allowed to avail reservation under this scheme. 

f. Tatkal tickets are issued only on production of one of the nine prescribed proofs of identity as mentioned below and passenger should carry the same proof of identity(in original) during the journey failing which all the passengers booked on that ticket are considered as travelling without ticket and charged accordingly:- 

i. Voter Photo Identity Card issued by Election Commission of India. 
ii. Passport 
iii. PAN Card issued by Income Tax Department 
iv. Driving Licence issued by RTO 
v. Photo Identity Card issued by Central /State Government 
vi.  Student Identity Card with photograph issued by recognized School/College for their Students 
vii. Nationalised Bank Passbook with photograph and  
viii. Credit Cards issued by Banks with laminated photograph. 
ix. Unique identification Card “Aadhar “.

g. The procedure for booking Tatkal ticket is as under:- 

(i) For booking Tatkal ticket, a self attested photo copy of any one of the proofs of identity mentioned above, of any one passenger, is to be attached to the requisition slip.   
(ii) The details of the identity proof is captured by the system and indicated on the reserved tickets as well on the reservation chart.  
(iii) It is not mandatory for the passenger(s) to go to the counter to book the Tatkal ticket, however, the proof is to be sent in the aforementioned manner.   
(iv) For internet booking of Tatkal tickets, the passenger shall enter the identity proof type and number, which is to be used for travel.  These details shall be printed on the ERS/indicated on the MRM/VRM as well as in the reservation chart. (v) During the journey, the passenger, whose identity card number has been indicated on the ticket, has to produce original proof of identity indicated on the ticket, failing which all the  passengers booked on the ticket are treated as travelling without ticket and charged accordingly. Indication comes on the ticket regarding carrying the same original proof of identity during the journey, as indicated on the ticket.  
(vi) If the passenger whose identity card number is indicated on the ticket is not travelling, all other passengers booked on that ticket, if found travelling in train, will be treated as travelling without ticket and charged accordingly.  
(vii) No refund is granted on the cancelation of confirmed Tatkal tickets. However, full refund of fare and  Tatkal charges is granted on the cancellation of confirmed Takal tickets booked under Tatkal scheme under certain circumstances like non-attachment of coach, cancellation of train, as mentioned in the scheme. 
(viii) Tatkal tickets are issued subject to the distance restriction on travel applicable to the train. 
(ix) Booking of maximum of only four  passengers per PNR for Tatkal tickets is permitted. 
(x) The web/web services agents of IRCTC have been permitted to book only one Tatkal ticket per train per day on the internet. 
(xi) Agents/RTSAs have been restricted from the booking Tatkal tickets at the counters as well as through internet between 1000 hours and 1200 hours. 

h. Tatkal charges have  been fixed as a percentage of fare at the rate of 10% of basic fare for second class and 30% of basic fare for all other classes subject to minimum and maximum as given in the table below:- 

Class of Travel	Minimum Tatkal Charges (in Rs.)	Maximum Tatkal Charges(in Rs.)
Reserved Second Sitting (2S)	10	15
Sleeper	75	150
AC Chair Car	75	150
AC-3 tier	200	300
AC-2 tier	200	300
Executive	200	300

i. Powers for earmarking of Tatkal accommodation in different classes have been delegated to Zonal Railways. Keeping in view the utilization pattern in the class of travel during the previous financial year and availability of accommodation, the Tatkal accommodation is earmarked in the  zonal Railways subject to maximum as under:- 

Classes	Maximum Tatkal accommodation which can be earmarked in a train
Executive Class	5 seats per coach
2 AC	10 Berths Per Coach
3 AC	16 Berths Per Coach
AC Chair Car	16 Seats Per Coach
SL	30% of the accommodation
Reserved Second Sitting (2S)	10% of the accommodation

j. At present this scheme is available in  around 2677 trains. Out of the total berth of around 11.57 lakhs berths/seats per day, on an average, around 1.71 lakhs seats/berths are available for booking under Tatkal every day i.e. approximately 14.75% of the total accommodation.

(Based on information for the period from April 2011 to March 2012)

k. Extent of Tatkal accommodation earmarked in a specific train can be checked up from the computerised Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters or from website www.indianrail.gov.in

l. The earnings from Tatkal Scheme during the last few years has been as under:-

Financial Year	Earnings from Tatkal Scheme (in Rs. crores)
2005-06	126
2006-07	207
2007-08	396
2008-09	605
2009-10	672
2010-11	729
2011-12	847
2012-13 (till August 2012)	409

Source: www.indianrailways.gov.in

Courtesy : http://90paisa.blogspot.com/

Read More

FACILITIES EXTENDED TO HANDICAPPED PERSONS IN RESPECT OF RESERVATION IN TRAINS

FACILITIES EXTENDED TO HANDICAPPED PERSONS IN RESPECT OF RESERVATION IN TRAINS 

(i) A reservation quota of two sleeper class berths has been earmarked in all trains running on non- suburban sections for handicapped persons performing their journey on handicapped concessional ticket. The person accompanying the handicapped person as escort is also allotted the berth out of this quota.

(ii) Instructions have also been issued that in the tickets issued through Computerized Passenger Reservation System, to extent feasible, one lower berth should be allotted to the handicapped person and the person accompanying the handicapped person as escort should be allotted middle/upper berths near the handicapped person subject to availability of accommodation.

(iii)After departure of the train, if there are vacant lower berths available in the train, and if any physically handicapped person booked on the authority of handicapped concessional ticket, who has been allotted upper/middle berth, approaches for allotment of vacant lower berths, the Conductor/Train Ticket Examiner (TTE) has been authorized to allot the vacant lower berth to them making necessary entries in the chart.

(iv) Specially designed coaches known as SLRD coaches with wider entrance doors to allow a wheel chair to enter, wider aisles and modified toilet with 4 berths, the lower two for physically challenged persons and upper berths for attendants have been attached in almost all Mail/Express trains except Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Jan Shatabdi Express Trains and Duronto Express Trains.

(v) Instructions have been issued that in all Mail/Express Trains, the SLRD coaches should be treated as unreserved coaches earmarked for exclusive use of physically handicapped passengers. In case of Garib Rath Express Trains which are fully reserved trains, these coaches are treated as reserved for booking by handicapped persons travelling on handicapped concession on payment of full fare of 3 AC class of Garib Rath Express on first come first served basis.

(vi) Separate counters are earmarked at various Passenger Reservation System(PRS) centres for dealing with the reservation requisitions received from Physically handicapped persons, Senior Citizens, Ex. MPs, MLAs, accredited journalists and freedom fighters, if the average demand per shift not less than 120 tickets. 

In case there is no justification for earmarking of an exclusive counter for any of these categories of persons including handicapped persons, one or two counters depending upon 

the total demand are earmarked for dealing with the reservation requests for all these categories of persons.

2.  Additional Facility 

(a) For the convenience of the physically challenged persons, facilities like Wheel Chairs have been provided at all important stations on the Indian Railways.

(b) In allotment of STD/PCO booths operated from the Railway Stations, 25% booths have been reserved for physically handicapped persons (including blind disability 40% and above).

3.  Concession in Fares As per Railway rules, concession in Railway fares is admissible to the following categories of disabled persons and that too in extreme cases.

S. No.	CATEGORY OF PERSONS	PERCENTAGE OF CONCESSION*
1	Disabled Passengers
1	Orthopedically Handicapped/ Paraplegic persons who cannot travel without escort — for any purpose	• 75% in second, Sleeper, First, AC chair Car and AC 3 tier  • 50% in First Class and AC 2 tier,  • 25% in AC 3-tier & AC Chair Car of Rajdhani/Shatabdi trains  • 50% in Monthly Season Ticket & Quarterly Season ticket  • One escort is also eligible for same element of concession
2	Mentally retarded persons who cannot travel without escort - for any purpose
3	Blind persons travelling alone or with an escort - for any purpose
4	Deaf & Dumb persons (both afflictions together in the same person) travelling alone or with an escort - for any purpose.	• 50% in Second, Sleeper and First Class • 50% in Monthly Season Ticket & Quarterly Season ticket  • One escort is also eligible for same element of concession

Read More

Amendment in Provident Fund Rules – Notification issued by Ministry of Labour and Employment

MINISTRY OF LAROUR AND EMPLOYMENT
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 5th October, 2012

G.S.R. 744(E).— In exercise of the powers conferred by section 5, read with sub-section (1) of section of the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 (19 of 1952). the Central Government hereby makes the following Scheme further to amend the Employees’ Provident Funds Scheme, 1952, namely:

1. (I) This Scheme may be called the Employees’ Provident Funds (Fourth Amendment) Scheme, 2012.

(2) It shall come into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.

2. In the Employees’ Provident Funds Scheme, 1952 (hereinafter, referred to as the principal Scheme), under paragraph 83 relating to special provisions in respect of International/Workers.

(a) in paragraph 69 of the principal Scheme" as modified by para 6 of aforesaid paragraph 83, for sub-paragraph (4). the following sub-paragraph shall be substituted, namely:“

(4) In respect of a member covered under social security agreement entered into between Government of India and any other country, on ceasing to be an employee in an establishment covered under the Act.”;

(b) in paragraph 72 of the principal Scheme, as modified by para 7 of aforesaid paragraph 83, for sub-paragraph (2), the following sub-paragraph shall be substituted, namely:“

(2) The due amount in respect of the member shall be payable in the payees bank account directly or through the employer”.

[IF, No. S-35025/09/2011-SS-ll]
RAVI MATHUR.Addl. Secy.

Foot Note : The Employees’ Provident Funds Scheme, 1952 was published in e Gazette of India, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i), vide number S.RO. 1509, dated the 2nd September, 1952 and lastly amended vide number G.S.R. 382(E), dated the 24th May, 2012.

THE GAZTTE OF INDIA: EXTRAORDINARY
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 5th October, 2012

G.S.R. 745(E) :- In exercise of the powers conferred by section 6A. read with sub section (I) of section 7 of the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 (19 of 1952). the Central Government hereby makes the following Scheme further to amend the Emp1oyees Pension Scheme. 1995, namely:

1. (I) This Scheme may be called the Employees Pension (Amendment) Scheme. 2012.

(2) It shall come into force on the daze of its publication in the Official Gazette.

2. In the Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995 (hereinafter referred to as the principal Scheme) under paragraph 43A relating to special provisions in respect of International Workers:-

(a) in paragraph 2 of the principal Scheme, as modified by sub-pars (2) of aforesaid paragraph 43A, clause (xv) shall be omitted,

(b) after sub-pars (4) of aforesaid paragraph 43A, the following sub-para shall be inserted, namely:

(4A) For paragraph 9 of the principal Scheme, the following paragraph shall be substituted, namely:.

“9. Determination of eligible service in respect of International Workers. – The eligible service shall be determined as follows:

(1) in the case of the existing member” or the “new entrant”, the “actual service” shall be treated as eligible service.

(ii) in the case of the member covered by a social security agreement, the period of coverage under relevant social security programme in mother country shall be added to actual service and the aggregate thereof shall be treated as eligible service as may be provided in the social security agreement” ‘;

(e) in paragraph 10 of the principal Scheme, as modified by sub-pars (5) of the aforesaid paragraph 43A, sub-paragraph (I) shall be omitted.

[F No. S-35025/09/2011SS-II]
RAVI MATTUR. Addl. Secy.

Foot Note : The Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995 was published in the Gazette of India, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i), vide number 748E, dated the 16th November. 1995 and the Scheme was last amended vide number S.O. 1809(E), dated 5-8-2011.

Source : www.epfindia.com

Read More

Don't kill the RTI.......

Unjustified judicial intervention could compromise the good the right to information is doing

Perhaps the biggest contribution of our Parliament towards promoting greater accountability in independent India is the enactment of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005. If, as they say, information is power, then the RTI Act has been a veritable 'Brahmastra' in the hands of the Indian public. It has been extremely successful in empowering people with information held by public authorities.

The Indian RTI experiment has proved that right to information is a powerful tool that serves to bridge the democratic deficit created by increasing inequality and differences in access to opportunities. Countless Indians are now able to check the status of their ration cards, below poverty line (BPL) cards, passports, application for public schemes etc. The RTI has made the state machinery more accessible and easier to manage, especially for the poor and vulnerable sections of society. An important reason why this has been so is because the Act has an effective and reasonably efficient implementation machinery consisting of the state and central chief information commissioners (CICs) who have the power to give effect to the provisions of this Act.

This success story of the RTI Act has, however, encountered a significant reversal in the recent judgment of the Supreme Court in Namit Sharma's case. In this case, a public interest litigation was filed challenging the constitutionality of Ss 12 and 15 of the RTI Act, 2005, dealing with appointment of the information commissioners. In a single stroke, the court completely upset the established RTI machinery with disastrous consequences for the public at large.

The court held that the commission is a "judicial tribunal" having the "trappings of a court". Given this, it reached some surprising conclusions. It held that the information commissioners "shall henceforth work in benches of two each...one of them being a 'judicial member', while the other being an 'expert member'." The appointment authorities were directed to "prefer a person who is or has been a judge of the high court" for appointment as information commissioners. It was also held that the CICs "shall only be a person who is or has been a chief justice of the high court or a judge of the Supreme Court of India".

There are a number of flaws in the reasoning. First, equating the information commissions with a "judicial tribunal" is clearly erroneous. The only issue to be decided before the commission is whether information, which is already available with the autho-rities, should be disclosed or not. The commission does not therefore dispense justice (like a court), it merely deals with disclosure of information.

Second, the Act already provides certain qualifications for appointments to the post of information commissioners ("persons of eminence" and "knowledge and experience" in particular fields). However, the court has completely rewritten the provisions of the Act by insisting on qualifications that go beyond what has been prescribed by the Act, and further, by specifically laying down the requirement of two-person benches, having at least one judicial member. This is a clear case of judicial overreach where the court has virtually legislated provisions of law.

More importantly, there are important practical concerns that flow from this judgment, and which the court has unfortunately glossed over. A huge fallout by way of immediate effect of this judgment would be the cessation of the acti-vities of all the information commissions until members with judicial background are appointed. The position of the current incumbents to the post of CICs becomes precarious as they cannot continue to work as per the SC decision. It is completely unclear whether they would resign or be removed — and if so, under what provision?

Till the time the judicial experts are appointed, the number of second appeals pending with the information commission would rise by a huge number. The central information commission now has 11 posts, none of which is held by a member with a judicial background. Three posts are vacant. For the commission to work in benches of two, it has to have at least 12 members. Of the 12, six have to be judicial members, which means a minimum of two of the existing members have to be replaced.

But there are two problems here. All the members do not retire at the same time. Besides, it is nearly impossible under the RTI Act to remove an incumbent commissioner. If the ruling can come into effect only after the members retire, it is unclear what will happen in the interim. Even when judicial members join, the bench of two members in a team is likely to slow down the disposal rate because there will only be half the outlets dealing with complaints, not to mention the increased time taken when two members deliberate.

There is no doubt that reforms are necessary in the process of appointments of information commissioners to make it more transparent; at present, mostly bureaucrats are appointed to these posts. The information commissions should not become a retiree's club. But the result of the SC's judgment is far worse. Information commissions are not manned by judges in any other country.

Namit Sharma is a regressive decision that only hampers the working of the information commissions by making it more legalistic and complex. It creates more problems while solving none. A review of the decision is pending before the SC, and it is hoped that the court takes into account these genuine concerns while relooking at this issue.

-  By Ajit Prakash Shah ( The writer is former chief justice of the Delhi high court.)

Courtesy : The Times of India, Oct 27, 2012

Read More