Revision of Interest Rates for Small Savings Schemes with Effect from 1st April 2012

Based on the decisions taken by the Government on the recommendations of the Shyamala Gopinath Committee for Comprehensive Review of National Small Savings Fund (NSSF), the interest rates for small saving schemes are to be notified every financial year, before 1^st April of that year.  Accordingly, the rate of interest on various small savings schemes for the financial year 2012-13 effective from 1.4.2012, on the basis of the interest compounding/payment built-in in the schemes, shall be as under:

Scheme	Rate of Interest w.e.f. 1.12.2011	Rate of Interest w.e.f. 1.4.2012
Savings Deposit	4.0	4.0
1 year Time Deposit	7.7	8.2
2 year Time Deposit	7.8	8.3
3 year Time Deposit	8.0	8.4
5 year Time Deposit	8.3	8.5
5 year Recurring Deposit	8.0	8.4
5 year SCSS	9.0	9.3
5 year MIS	8.2	8.5
5 year NSC	8.4	8.6
10 year NSC	8.7	8.9
PPF	8.6	8.8

Necessary notifications, including those requiring amendments to rules of small savings schemes will be notified separately.

Download Office Memorandum dated 26.03.2012

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Frequently Asked Questions on SC/ST/OBC Reservation Policy

Frequently Asked Questions on SC/ST/OBC Reservation Policy

The Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT) New Delhi has issued the comprehensive F.A.Q. (Frequently Asked Questions) on the Reservation Policy for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes as follows :

Question 1. What is the policy of the Government on reservation for SCs, STs, and OBCs?

ANSWER : Reservation to the SCs, STs and OBCs in case of direct recruitment on all the India basis by open competition is given at the rate of 15% 7.5% and 27% respectively. In case of directrecruitment on all India basis otherwise than by open competition, reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs is 16.66% 7.5% and 25.84% respectively. In case of direct recruitment to Group C and D posts which normally attract candidates from a locality or a region, percentage of reservation for SCs/STs is generally fixed in proportion to the population of SCs and STs in the respective States/UTs. For OBCs it is fixed keeping in view the proportion of their population in the concerned State/UT and the fact that total reservation for SCs/STs/OBC is remains within the limit for 50% and reservation for OBCs remains within the limit of 27%.

Reservation in promotion by non-selection method is available to SCs and the STs in all groups of services viz. A, B, C and D at the rate of 15% and 7.5% respectively. In case of promotion by selection method reservation is available upto the lowest rung of Group ‘A’ at the same rates. In promotion by selection method reservation is available upto the lowest rung of Group ‘A’ at the same rates. In promotion by selection of posts within Group ‘A’ which carry an ultimate salary of Rs.18,300/- or less (in pre-revised scale) there is no reservation, but the Scheduled Caste / Scheduled Tribe Officers who are senior enough in the Zone of consideration for promotion so as to be within the number of vacancies for which the select list is to be drawn up, would be included in that list provided they are not considered unfit for promotion.

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ECHS Facilities to Ex-Servicemen

The Government has sanctioned 426 Polyclinics for Ex- Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS). 227 Polyclinics were sanctioned in the year 2002, all of which are functional. Due to increasing ESM population an additional 199 Polyclinics including 17 Mobile Clinics were sanctioned in October 2010, out of which 43 Polyclinics are operational, thus at present 270 Polyclinics are functioning. In addition the Government has sanctioned 15 new Regional Centers to strengthen the ECHS Services, out of which 6 Regional Centers are already functional. As on 1st March, 2012, there are 39,46,898 beneficiaries which include 12,34,069 ex-servicemen and 27,12,829 dependents.

The ECHS beneficiaries can avail treatment at state Government hospitals/Clinics. The cost of treatment at Government hospitals is reimbursed at the approved rates and 80% advance of the estimated cost of the treatment at Government hospitals/Clinics is admissible to the ECHS beneficiaries.

At present 1383 Private hospitals/Dental Clinics/Diagnostics Centers and Eye clinics throughout the country are empanelled with ECHS, where the ECHS beneficiaries can avail cashless treatment. In emergency cases, reimbursement is made at approved rates, even for treatment in non-empanelled hospitals.

This information was given by Minister of State for Defence Dr MM Pallam Raju in written reply to Shri Virender Kashyap and Shri Kuldeep Bishnoi in Lok Sabha today.

Source:pib

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The Pinta Island tortoise is the rarest animal in the world.

 

The Pinta Island tortoise is the rarest animal in the world. There is ONLY ONE LEFT on Earth. His name is "Lonesome George"

Lonesome George is the last member of the Pinta Island subspecies of Galapagos tortoises. He was discovered in 1972, and brought to the Charles Darwin research station on the island of Santa Cruz. He is roughly 90 to 100 years old..

Currently, researchers are trying to get George to mate. They haven't found a female Pinta Island tortoise (if you found one, the reward is $10,000). Instead, they're trying to get him to mate with some other Galapagos tortoises from a different subspecies. That way, even though the babies wouldn't be purebred Pinta Island turtles, at least some of George's genes would pass on..

So far, George has failed to produce any offspring. He lives with two females but the eggs they have been laying have been inviable and won't hatch..

Courtesy: My GK woRld

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Previous Year Question Paper for PO and RMS Accountants Examination - 2003 Part II

Previous year  Question paper for  PO and RMS accountants  Examination 2003 Part II 5           (a)       What are the conditiona when government servant shall not be entitiled to  HRA ?  (Marks  5) (b)   Fill in the blanks in the following in respect of remote locality allowance Pay Range                    Areas included  in  Part A Part B Part C Part D ( Rate of remote  locality allowance  ( Rupee per month) Below Rs  3000 300 ------------- 150 ---------- Rs  3000 to  Rs  4499 ------- 400 ------ 80 Rs  4500 to Rs 5999 700 -------- 450 120 Rs 6000 to Rs  8999 ------ 800 ---- 160 Rs  9000 pm and above 1300 -------- 750 -----                                                                                                         ( Marks 9 )  ©  Fill  in the blanks  in the  following  table Date from which  payable Rate  of dearness allowance per  month From 01-01.1999 From 01.07.1999 From 01.01.2000 From 01.07 .2000 From  01.01.2001 From 01.07.2001

( Marks 6)

Q6 What is the procedure for payment of children educational allowance , reimbursement of tuition fees and hostel subsidy ?                                                                     (Marks 5 )

( b)     Fill  in the blanks in the following : (1)     Delivery  and  conveyance allowance to GDS BPMs/GDS SPMs who have been entrusted the additional work of conveyance of mails and delivery               ----------------  PM     ( Per Month) (2)     Cycle allowance to GDS mail deliverer , if the distance covered is more than  10 KMS                                                                                                   ------------------------ PM    (  (3)     Office maintenance allowance to GDS BPMs/ GDS SPMs----------- PM (4)    Fixed stationery  charges to GDS BPMs/GDS SPMs -----------------PM (5)    TRCA payable to GDS BPM having workload of  more than 3 hours -----------PM (6)    TRCA payable to GDS BPM having workload of  more than 3 hours -------- PM (7)    DA payable on combained duty allowance to GDS MCs ------------------  PM (8)    TRCA payable to GDS SPMs  ------- PM (9)    House rent to be paid to the house owner of GDS BO/GDS SO  premises when work is being looked after by line overseer in the same premises on accountant of superannuation / put off duty  of GDS BPM /GDS SPM---------  PM (10) Maximum period up to which house rent in (IX) above  can be paid--------                                                                                                      ( Marks 10 )

BY-S.JAYCHANDRAN, MALVIKA DIV

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Revision of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Restructuring and Reorganisation of Teacher Education

Revision of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Restructuring and Reorganisation of Teacher Education

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved modifications of the existing scheme for Reorganization and Restructuring of Teacher Education in order to meet the exceptional challenges for the Teacher Education system arising from the massive spatial and numerical expansion of schooling facilities at the elementary and secondary levels, the corresponding increase in the demand for teachers and to fulfill the statutory obligations of the Government with regard to teacher preparation and teacher training under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009. Modification of the scheme is also critical in the context of the need for training requirements of teachers at the secondary level under the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan. 

It is estimated that an amount of Rs.6308.45 crore would be required, as Central share, as per the Plan allocation during the XII Plan.

The revision of the Scheme can be grouped in three broad categories, i.e.

i) Revision of existing norms:

a) Strengthening and up-gradation of State Councils for Educational Research and Training/State Institutes of Education

b) Strengthening of existing Institutes of Advanced Study in Education (lASEs) and up-gradation of Departments of Education of Universities into lASEs.

c) Strengthening of CTEs and establishment of new CTEs.

d) Strengthening of existing DIETs and extending their mandate for training of teachers at the secondary level.

ii) Inclusion of new components:

a) Establishment of Block institutes of Teacher Education (BITEs) in 196 identified SC/ST/Minority concentration districts for undertaking elementary pre-service teacher education programmes.

b) Professional Development of Teacher Educators

c) Technology in Teacher Education

d) Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in Teacher Education

e) Monitoring Mechanism

iii) Revision of fund sharing pattern between the Centre and the State - 75:25 ratio between Centre and States (90:10 for NER States including Sikkim) to ensure greater ownership by the States.

The scheme will be implemented through State Governments/UTs, who will submit their annual proposals for consideration and approval of the Teacher Education Approval Board (TEAB) constituted by the Department.

The implementation of the scheme would help to address non¬-availability of teachers; enhance the effectiveness of teachers through better training and ICT support. It will improve the quality of Teacher Education through involvement of Institutes of Higher Education.

Background:

The existing centrally sponsored scheme "Teacher Education" is being implemented through the State Governments and UTs since 1987 pursuant to the formulation of the National Policy on Education, 1986 which emphasized the significance and need for a decentralized system for the professional preparation of teachers. Subsequently, District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs), Colleges of Teacher Education (CTEs) and Institutes of Advanced Study in Education (lASEs) were established.

***

Source : PIB Release date 23/03/2012

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