Employees accused of sexual harassment can be transferred, says government

Department of Personnel and Training, government employees, Sexual harrasment Change against Government Employee, Government employee transfer policy, Government employee transfer, Transfer of Government employees, Indian government employees, latest news, India news, India To ensure fair inquiry in a sexual harassment case, ministries may also transfer the charged officer to another office to obviate any risk of the officer abusing authority of his office, said an order issued by the central government. (Source Thinkstock)

Employees accused of sexual harassment can be transferred to another office to prevent them from influencing victims and to ensure fair inquiry.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) also said a junior officer can probe charges against seniors accused of sexual harassment.

The move follows complaints of the accused trying to influence or threaten victims of sexual harassment in a few cases.

“To ensure fair inquiry, ministries or departments may also consider transferring the suspect officer or charged officer to another office to obviate any risk of that officer using the authority of his office to influence the proceedings of the complaints committee,” an order issued recently by DoPT to all central government departments said.

All complaints committees set up to inquire into charges of sexual harassment should be headed by a woman and at least half of its members should also be women.

In case a woman officer of sufficiently senior level is not available in a particular office, an officer from another office may be so appointed, as per existing norms.

It has been directed that to prevent the possibility of any undue pressure, the complaints committee should also involved a third party either Non-Government Organisation (NGO) or some other body which is familiar with the issue of sexual harassment.

“The issue of legality of a committee conducting inquiry against an officer against whom there are allegations of sexual harassment but where the chairperson happens to be junior in rank to the suspect officer has been examined.

“It is clarified that there is no bar either in the Central Civil Service (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules or under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 to the chairperson of the complaints committee being junior to the suspect officer or the charged officer,” the DoPT said, adding that “this also does not in any way cause any prejudice to the charged officer”.

Sexual harassment includes physical contact and advances, demand or request for sexual favours, sexually coloured remarks, showing any pornography and any other unwelcome physical, verbal and non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature.

Besides this, implied or explicit promise of preferential or detrimental treatment in employment; implied or explicit threat about her present or future employment status; interference with her work, creating an intimidating, offensive or hostile work environment for her; and humiliating treatment likely to affect her health or safety may also amount to sexual harassment.

Source : http://indianexpress.com

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Discontinuing the existing scheme of relaxation of standard in favour of SC/ST Group C officials including MTS in the limited Deptl competitive Exams .

Click here to view Postal Directorate letter no 4-13/2015 - SPB - I dated 08.04.2016 on the above subject matter.

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Central Employees submit charter of demand to Cabinet Secretary

 

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Promotion of Govt. Servants exonerated after retirement - Procedure and Guidelines to be followed - Regarding.

Promotion of Govt. Servants exonerated after retirement - Procedure and Guidelines to be followed - Regarding.

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List of Authorities empowered to issue caste/community certificates- Information on the complete list-reg.

Source : http://ccis.nic.in/WriteReadData/CircularPortal/D2/D02adm/36028-1-2014-Estt-Res.pdf

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Discontinuation of interview for Junior Level Posts in the Government

Discontinuation of interview for Junior Level Posts in the Government

Immediate

F. No.39020/09/2015-Estt(B)

Government of India

Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions

(Department of Personnel & Training)

New Delhi, the 27th October, 2015

To

The Chief Secretaries of all the State Governments/Administrators of the Union Territories.

(As per list attached).

Subject: One day workshop scheduled for 29.10.2015 at Civil Services Officers Institute (CSOI), New Delhi, to be conducted for the Principal Secretaries of GAD of States/UTs, in connection with discontinuation of interview for Junior Level Posts in the Government

Madam/Sir,

In continuation of this Department’s letters of even number dated 20.10.2015 and 23.10.2015 on the above subject, it is informed that due to unavoidable administrative reasons the One day workshop scheduled to be conducted on 29.10.2015 at Civil Services Officers Institute (CSOI), New Delhi, for the Principal Secretaries of GAD of States/UTs, in connection with discontinuation of interview for Junior Level Posts in the Government, has been postponed to 16.11.2015.

2. It is also informed that the venue for the Workshop i.e. CSOI, New Delhi, will remain same.

3. You are therefore requested to kindly depute the concerned officer to participate the Workshop. As requested earlier, the details of the Officer being deputed may be sent to this Department, on the following e-mail:

Jssv1-dopt@nic.in

4. Inconvenience caused is regretted.

Yours faithfully,

(Dr.Devesh Chaturvedi)

Joint Secretary to the Govt. of India

Authority: www.persmin.gov.in

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8 Small Saving Schemes to Reap Big Benefits

‘Save money and money will save you’ is the only shortcut mantra to build a strong financial future for you and your family. It’s not your salary that makes you rich, it’s your habit of saving that decides your path.

There are many options available that would help you increase your wealth. The Economic Times has collected some of the government schemes that you may find easy and safe to start with.

Let’s explore:

# Post Office Monthly Income Scheme: Post Office Monthly Income Scheme (POMIS) is one of the safest schemes to invest as it assures guaranteed return on your investment. This scheme is offered by the Indian postal service to help individuals to earn substantial returns with a short locking period.

Often urban investors are reluctant t o make investments under POMIS. The maturity period for this scheme is 5 years and it is offered with an interest rate of 8.4 percent. You can start opening your account with minimum of  1,500 to a maximum limit up to 4.5 lakh in a single account and  9 lakh in case of a joint account.

# Kisan Vikas Patra: The government of India has initiated Kisan Vikas Patra scheme for the investors who aspire to double their money. This scheme allows you to double your money in hundred months or 8 years and 4 month.

Kisan Vikas Patra can be a profitable option for people who fall in lower income status and who don’t get access to other regular financial products. It offers an attractive and secure interest rate of 8.7 percent and has a lock in period of 100 months.

# Public Provident Fund : Public Provident Fund or PPF is a long term debt scheme introduced by the Indian government. You can get tax benefits if you invest in PPF account. An investment in PPF will offer you 8.7 percent of the interest rate.

In PPF your returns are compounded. This means you can not only earn returns on the money you invested but you can even earn interest on the interest earned. This is an additional advantage of this scheme which makes its special than others.

# 10 Year National Savings Certificate: The 10 Years National Savings Certificate is a popular and a safe small savings instrument. It is issued by the post offices in India. It offers assured benefits and tax returns. 

This scheme offers a risk free saving option to the investors. The interest rate of NSC is 8.8 percent and it has a maturity period of 10 years. You can start with a minimum deposit of  100. There is no maximum limit to invest in NSC.

# Senior Citizens Savings Scheme: Senior Citizens Savings Scheme offers higher returns to the investors. The rate of interest earned in this scheme is 9.3 percent.

The scheme comes with a maturity period of five years. The most interesting thing in this scheme is the interest is paid out every quarterly during the tenure. This small saving scheme offers secure returns with an investment limit of  1,000.

# 5 Year National Savings Certificate: 5 Year National Savings Certificate offers 8.5 percent of a rate of interest to the investors. Under the Section 80 C, NSC scheme allows you to claim for tax deduction benefits up to  1.5 lakh.

With 5 years of lock in period, this scheme proves to be one of the safest and easiest investment option for the individuals who want to make benefit s within a short span of time.

# Sukanya Samridhi Yojna: The Sukanya Samridhi Yojna was initiated by the Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi with an aim to promote girl child education and her marriage expenses. This small deposit scheme for a girl child fetches a rate of interest of 9.2 percent ( Every year it may vary) . Interest will earn upto 21 years from the Date of opening of account.

The account can be opened at any time from the birth of the baby girl till she attains the age of 10 years. This scheme encourages parents to send their daughters to study and brighten their future.

# 5 Year Post Office Time Deposits: 5 Year Post Office Time Deposits is a scheme offered in the post offices in India. This scheme offers 8.5 percent of the rate of interest with a lock in period of five years.

An investor can open an account with a minimum investment of  200. It has no maximum limit instead investments done should be in the multiples of  200.

With all of the above saving options, the government aims to encourage people to contribute a small amount of their incomings towards savings, to make a healthy and wealthy India. Let’s come together and join hands in this endeavor to make more money for a better and secured future.

Source : http://www.siliconindia.com/ ,  BENGALURU

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Can't recover excess salary paid to Class-III, IV Staff : Supreme Court

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.

"We are therefore satisfied in concluding, that such recovery from employees belonging to the lower rungs (i.e., Class-III and Class-IV - sometimes denoted as Group 'C' and Group 'D') of service, should not be subjected to the ordeal of any recovery, even though they were beneficiaries of receiving higher emoluments, than were due to them. Such recovery would be iniquitous and arbitrary and therefore would also breach the mandate contained in Article 14 of the Constitution," Justice Khehar, who wrote the judgment said. 

It said that the employer's right to recover has to compared, with the effect of the recovery on the concerned employee and if the effect of the recovery from the employee would be, more unfair, more wrongful, more improper, and more unwarranted, than the corresponding right of the employer, which would then make it iniquitous and arbitrary, to effect the recovery. 

"In such a situation, the employee's right would outbalance, and therefore eclipse, the right of the employer to recover," the bench said. 

The bench passed the order on a petition filed by Punjab government challenging Punjab and Haryana high court order restraining it to recover the excess amount paid by mistake to numerous employees over the years. 

It said we may, as a ready reference, summarize the following few situations, wherein recoveries by the employers, would be impermissible in law: 

(i) Recovery from employees belonging to Class-III and Class-IV service (or Group 'C' and Group 'D' service). 

(ii) Recovery from retired employees, or employees who are due to retire within one year, of the order of recovery. 

(iii) Recovery from employees, when the excess payment has been made for a period in excess of five years, before the order of recovery is issued. 

(iv) Recovery in cases where an employee has wrongfully been required to discharge duties of a higher post, and has been paid accordingly, even though he should have rightfully been required to work against an inferior post. 

(v) In any other case, where the Court arrives at the conclusion, that recovery if made from the employee, would be iniquitous or harsh or arbitrary to such an extent, as would far outweigh the equitable balance of the employer's right to recover. 

The court said a government employee is primarily dependent on his wages, and such deduction from salary should not be allowed which would make it difficult for the employee to provide for the needs of his family and any recovery must be done within five years. 

In this case, the employees were given monetary benefits in excess of their entitlement due to a mistake committed by a concerned competent authority, in determining the emoluments payable to them.

Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

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Government launches special deposit scheme ( Sukanya Samriddhi Account ) for Girl child

NEW DELHI: The government has notified 'Sukanya Samriddhi Account', a new small savings instrument for the girl child that could be operated by her after the age of 10. 

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had announced the scheme in his budget speech in July. 

The account can be opened and operated by the natural or legal guardian of a girl child till she attains the age of 10, after which she can herself operate it but deposits in the account may be made by the guardian or any other person or authority. 

The account could be opened in a post office or a public sector bank. A depositor may open and operate only one account in the name of a girl child under these rules after furnishing birth certificate of the girl child along with other documents relating to identity and residence proof of the depositor. 

Natural or legal guardian of a girl child will be allowed to open accounts for two girl children only except if the depositor has twin girls as second birth or if the first birth itself results into three girl children. 

The government will notify interest rate on this scheme every year. The account may be opened with an initial deposit of Rs 1,000 and the reafter any amount in multiples of Rs 100 may be deposited, subject to the condition that a minimum ofRs 1,000 will be deposited in a financial year but the total money deposited in an account on a single occasion or on multiple occasions shall not exceed Rs 150,000 in a financial year. 

Deposits may be made till completion of 14 years from the date of opening of the account, the notification said. The account shall mature on completion of 21 years from the date of opening of the account or if the girl gets married before that. 

Withdrawals up to 50% will be allowed prior to maturity for high education and marriage

Source : http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/government-launches-special-deposit-scheme-for-girl-child/articleshow/45376486.cms

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Central govt employees to file assets details by December 31: Govt

New Delhi: All central government employees have to file the details of their assets and liabilities along with that of their spouses and dependent children as mandated under the Lokpal Act by December 31, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

As per the rules notified under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act in July this year, every public servant who has filed declarations, information and annual returns of property under the provisions of the rules applicable to such public servants shall file the revised declarations as on August 1 to the competent authority on or before September 15.

The provision of the said rules has subsequently been amended by which the time limit for furnishing of such information or return by public servants has been extended till December 31, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh said in a written reply.

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 lakh employees in these three categories, as per latest government data.

The Personnel Ministry has also issued new forms for filing these returns which have 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.

PTI 
Source : http://zeenews.india.com/

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Inclusion of Aadhaar (Unique Identification) number in Service Book of Government servants

No.Z-20025/9/2014-Estt.(AL)

Government of India

Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions

Department of Personnel & Training

Block-IV, Old JNU Campus,

New Delhi, November 3rd 2014

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Inclusion of Aadhaar (Unique Identification) number in Service Book of Government servants -

The undersigned is directed to invite attention to the provisions of the Supplementary Rules which relate to maintaining records of service of a Government employee. As per provisions of SR 199 every step in a Government servants’ official life must be recorded in his Service Book and each entry attested by the Head Of Office. As per SR 202, Heads of Offices are to obtain the signatures of the Government servants in token of their having inspected their Service Books annually. Further Rule 32 of the CCS (Pension) Rules 1972 provides for issuing a communication on completion of 18 years of service, as part of preparatory work for sanctioning pensionary benefits. The Service Books at present contains details of bio data, posting details, qualifying service, security details, HBA, CGHS, CGEGIS, LTC, etc.

2. It has been decided to include the respective Aadhaar numbers also of all Government servants in their Service Books. The e-Service Book format already provides fields forAadhaar number of the Government servant.

3. All Ministries / Departments of the Government of India are requested to ensure that the Service Books of all employees have an entry  of  the employees’  Aadhaar number. Theattached and subordinate offices under their control may also be suitably instructed for compliance,

(Mukul Ratra)

Director

Download DOPT Office Memorandum No.Z-20025/9/2014-Estt.(AL) dated 03.11.2014

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Relaxation of Upper Age Limit for Recruitment to Central Civil Services and posts) Amendment Rules,2014.

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Grant of extension / re-employment to Central Government servants beyond the age of superannuation.

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Soon, attendance of govt staff to be tracked online through attendance.gov.in

In what could be a revolutionary step towards monitoring and tracking the work of government officials, the NDA government has launched an “attendance website” to serve as a centralised database for all central government employees.

Though the website, attendance.gov.in, is still in the process of being developed, officials said it is expected to be modelled on the lines of similar websites of the Jharkhand government and the Department of Electronics and Information Technology.

To illustrate, the home page of the Jharkhand government’s attendance website gives the total number of employees present on the given day, along with graphical representations of “real-time attendance” and statistics on the percentage of people logging into office during different time slots, giving an idea of how many officials come to office during the designated timings. Further, a search for any registered employee yields complete details, along with the employee’s attendance/leave status.

Officials said the Centre’s website is likely to emulate most of these features and is expected to be as open to the public. “This level of open tracking takes transparency to another level, a key focus of this government,” said an official.

The Narendra Modi government had recently directed all central government offices to introduce Aadhaar-based biometric attendance systems. Officials said this website is the next step in that direction. The attendance record entered on the biometric devices in government offices will feed the data to this website, which will act as a centralised management information system (MIS) for attendance.

The database for all central government staff will be maintained centrally with a unique six digit ID provided for each employee, based on either the last six or first six digits of the Aadhaar number. Currently, the website has over 16,000 registered users, spread across 113 organisations. The maximum number of officials registered currently are from the Planning Commission. There are no active users or active devices yet.

For an organisation/ department to be registered, the nodal officers of that department will have to login to the website and create a master list of locations of their offices, designation of their offices and divisions/ units/ groups within their organisation. Following this, each employee can start registering online by submitting the relevant details along with Aadhaar numbers.

Source: http://indianexpress.com

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Promotions and Allotments in the cadre of Accounts Officer

Directorate has ordered the following Promotions/Transfers/Postings in the grade of Accounts Officer Accounts & Finance Service Group B.

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Grant of Honorarium to Inquiry Officers (IO)/Presenting Officers (PO) - Clarification on yearly ceiling

it is clarified that the honorarium payable to IO / Presenting Officer for conducting inquiry in departmental proceedings would be outside the purview of the general delegation under FR 46 B which means the maximum amount of Rs. 5,000 payable as honorarium to an individual in a financial year is not applicable to honorarium paid for IO/PO cases.

Click here to view DoPT OM No. 142/15/2010-AVD.I dated 23/6/2014.

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Revision of Forms under the General Provident Fund (Central Services) Rules, 1960 and Contributory Provident Fund Rules (India), 1962

Revision of Forms under the General Provident Fund (Central Services) Rules, 1960 and Contributory Provident Fund Rules (India), 1962 - regarding Pensioner Portal Order:-

No. 20/4/2014-P&PW(F)

Government of India

Ministry of Personnel, P.G. & Pensions

Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare

Lok Nayak Bhawan,

Khan Market, New Delhi

June 19, 2014

Office Memorandum

Sub: Revision of Forms under the General Provident Fund (Central Services) Rules, 1960 and Contributory Provident Fund Rules (India), 1962 - regarding.

The undersigned is directed to state that the Department of Pension &PW has been in the process of reviewing Forms for Pensionary/retirement benefits and Nominations under the various Rules administered by this Department for some time. 

2. The Forms under the CCS (Pension) Rules, CCS (Commutation of Pension) Rules and Payment of Arrears of Pension (Nomination) Rules have been amended and notified in the Gazette of India (Extraordinary), which are available on this department’s website www.persmin.nic.in.

3. The Forms under the General Provident Fund Rules and Contributory Provident Fund Rules have been looked into and the revised Forms are enclosed hereto.

4. It is re-emphasized that there is no provision under the rules for an application by the employee for payment of final Payment/transfer of balance on retirement or discharge or dismissal or permanent transfer outside the Govt. The Head of Office shall take necessary action in Form 1 in such cases without asking the Government servant to apply for the same.

In all other cases of withdrawal from the General/Contributory Provident Fund, the subscriber shall apply in Form 4. Head of Office will also ensure that such payment/transfers be made on time. There should be no additional liability on the Government on account of interest payment.

5. The Forms have been re-designed so that the Drawing and Disbursing Officer, the Head of Office and any other authority concerned in terms of the rules may record their remarks on the Forms and no separate noting in the note sheet is required, except in special cases warranting an examination of the facts of the case etc.

6. All Ministries/Departments are requested to give wide publicity to these Forms and instruct the authorities concerned to use these forms henceforth.

sd/-

(Tripti P.Ghosh)

Director

FORM 1
Form to be used by Head of Office for Final Payment/transfer of balances in the
General/Contributory Provident Fund Account to Autonomous Bodies/Other Governments

Form 2
Form of application for final payment of balance in the Provident Fund Account
on death of a Subscriber
Part - I Page-1

Form 2
Form of application for final payment of balance in the Provident Fund Account
on death of a Subscriber
Part - I Page-2

Form 2
Form of application for final payment of balance in the Provident Fund Account
on death of a Subscriber
Part - II

Form 3
Form for Application for Advance from General Provident Fund/Contributory Provident Fund

Part-I Page-1

Form 3
Form for Application for Advance from General Provident Fund/Contributory Provident Fund

Part-I Page-2

Form 3
Form for Application for Advance from General Provident Fund/Contributory Provident Fund Page

Part-II

Form 3 A
Pro forma for sanction of advance from Provident Funds

Form 4
Pro forma for application for withdrawal from General Provident Fund/Contributory Provident Fund

Form 4
Pro forma for application for withdrawal from General Provident Fund/Contributory Provident Fund

Part-II

Form 4 A
Pro forma for sanctioning withdrawals from Provident Funds

Form 5
Pro Forma of Application for conversion of an advance into a final withdrawal

Form 5-A
ORDER

Source: http://ccis.nic.in/WriteReadData/CircularPortal/D3/D03ppw/PPWF_240614.pdf

Courtesy : http://karnmk.blogspot.in/

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