10 central trade unions stick to plan for 1-day nation-wide strike on September 2

NEW Delhi: As many as 10 central trade unions have decided to go ahead with their call for a 1-day pan-India strike on September 2, with no positive response from the government on their 12-point charter of demand.

“The 10 central trade unions have decided to go on strike on September 2, 2016, in a meeting of the coordination committee held yesterday,” All India Trade Union Congress Secretary D L Sachdev said.
“The mandatory 2-week notice in the case of essential services like transport and power has already been served by the local units of our unions earlier this week. We are expecting over 10 crore people to participate in the strike.”

However, RSS-affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh is not part of this joint declaration as the next meeting with ministerial panel on labour issues headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on August 22 is awaited.
The exclusive meeting between Jaitley-led ministerial panel and BMS representatives to discuss its demand remained “inconclusive” earlier this week on August 16. The other trade unions were not called for the meeting.

It was the first meeting of the ministerial panel with a central trade union over the 12-point charter of demands in almost a year. It had met trade unions on August 26-27, 2015.

PTI

Central Secretariat employees seek pay parity

Central Secretariat employees seek pay parity

A delegation of the Central Secretariat Stenographers' Service (CSSS) Association, called on the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh here today and sought his intervention for parity in pay fixation and related issues.

The delegation led by Shri Raj Kishore Singh submitted a memorandum listing details of their long pending issues and suggesting options to resolve the same. According to the memorandum, while applying Rule 8 of CCS (RP) Rules 2008, the pay of direct recruits and new entrants is fixed at higher stage, when compared to the existing employees who were promoted in the same grade. This leads to discrimination in the fixation of pay of Personal Assistants of one category vis-à-vis the other category.

The memorandum also stated that the issue has been lingering on in the National Anomaly Committee for the last four years, but it has not been addressed. It pleaded that the mechanism of grant of “stepping up” to certain employees should be provided only in exceptional cases and not resorted to as a routine matter to sort out discrepancies which may affect a large number of employees.

Members of the delegation suggested that their issue can be addressed by incorporating a new provision in the Rules wherein if a promotee’s pay is getting fixed at a stage lower than that of a direct recruit, then the pay of the promotee should be fixed at the same stage as that of a direct recruit / new entrant. The other option suggested by them was to amend the CCS (RP) Rules so as to appropriately fix the pay in the Pay Band for a particular post carrying a specific Grade Pay.

Dr Jitendra Singh gave a sympathetic hearing to the members of delegation and assured them that DoPT will try to sort out their issue to the maximum extent possible.

PIB

Enhancement of Pension for Freedom Fighters under the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme

Enhancement of Pension for Freedom Fighters under the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme

The existing pension scheme for Central freedom fighter pensioners and their eligible dependents has been restructured as per the table below:

Sl. No.	Category of freedom fighters	Present amount of pension (per month)	Enhanced amount of pension(per month)
1.	Ex-Andaman Political Prisoners/ spouses	Rs.24,775/-	Rs.30,000/-
2.	Freedom fighters who suffered outside British India/spouses	Rs.23,085/-	Rs.28,000/-
3.	Other Freedom Fighters/ spouses including INA	Rs.21,395/-	Rs.26,000/-
4.	Dependent parents/ eligible daughters (maximum 3 daughters at any point of time)Rs.3,380/- (dependent parents)	Rs.5,070/- (daughters)	50% of the sum that would have been admissible to the Freedom Fighter i.e. in the range of Rs.13,000/- to Rs. 15,000/-

The revised scale shall take effect from 15.08.2016.

The existing Dearness Relief system based on All India Consumer Price Index for Industrial workers, which was hitherto applied to freedom fighter pensioners on annual basis, is being discontinued and replaced by the Dearness Allowance system applicable to Central Government employees twice a year.

All freedom fighters and spouses and dependent parents/eligible daughter pensioners of deceased freedom fighters drawing pension under the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme, 1980 would be benefitted by the decision. So far, total 1,71,605 freedom fighters and their eligible dependents have been sanctioned pension under the scheme. At present 37,981 freedom fighters and their eligible dependent pensioners are covered under the scheme. Of these, 11,690 are freedom fighters themselves, 24,792 are spouses(widows/widowers) and 1,499 are daughter pensioners.

In 1969, Government of India introduced the ‘Ex-Andaman Political Prisoners Pension Scheme’ to honour the freedom fighters who had been incarcerated in the Cellular Jail at Port Blair. In 1972, to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of our Independence, a regular scheme for grant of freedom fighters’ pension was introduced. Thereafter, with effect from 01.08.1980, a liberalized scheme, namely the ‘Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme’ is being implemented. Besides the freedom fighters, spouses (widows/widowers), unmarried and unemployed daughters (upto maximum three at any point of time) and parents of deceased freedom fighters are eligible for pension under the scheme.

PIB

OROP panel hearing ex-servicemen issues: Govt tells High Court

OROP panel hearing ex-servicemen issues: Govt tells High Court

New Delhi: The Centre today told the Delhi High Court that it has extended by six months the term of the one-member judicial commission on OROP which has commenced public hearings on grievances of ex-servicemen from yesterday.

The submission was made by the government before a bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Ashutosh Kumar which was hearing a PIL for public hearing of ex-servicemen’s grievances as well as extension of the term of the commission, headed by Justice (retired) L Narasimha Reddy.

Central government standing counsel Anurag Ahluwalia told the court that the first public hearing was held at Chandigarh yesterday and would be held at various other places across the country, ending on September 21.

He said the hearing in Delhi would be held on August 19, after which the petitioner’s lawyer, Satya Ranjan Swain, said details of the time and venue of the hearing have not been disclosed.

Pursuant to the submission by the petitioner’s lawyer, the court directed the government to provide the time and venue details of the public hearing in Delhi to the petitioner today itself and listed the matter for hearing on August 24.

After the hearing and order by the court, Swain said he received an email from the government stating that the public hearing in Delhi would be held on August 19 at 11 AM at Vasundhra Vatika, Raj Rif Centre, Delhi Cantonment here.

The petitioner, S P Singh, who is an ex-serviceman, has sought directions to the Ministry of Defence and the commission “to give an effective public hearing to those affected or aggrieved by implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP)”.

According to the petition, as per a Ministry letter dated April 13, “Defence Forces pensioners/family pensioners, Defence Pensioners’ Associations can submit their suggestions/ views on the revised pension as notified, to the MoD, through post or by email within 15 days i.e. by April 29, 2016″.

The petitioner has contended that this information was not published in the newspapers and, therefore, people were not informed and added that even the time limit given to forward the representations was “very short”.

The Centre today told the court that the date for forwarding suggestions and representations was later extended to May 15.

It also told the court that the commission which was set up in December last year and had to give its report by June this year, can now do so by December.

PTI

7th Pay Commission: Salary arrears to Central government employees estimated at Rs. 34,600 crore

7th Pay Commission: Salary arrears to Central govt employees estimated at Rs. 34,600 crore

The outgo on account of salary arrears and payments for August for Central government employees has been pegged at Rs. 34,600 crore by ratings agency India Ratings.

The 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC) recommendations implemented by the Central government will entail a payment of Rs. 34,600 crore towards salary arrears for seven months and August wages to employees, according to a ratings agency.

The hike in the salary component as recommended by the 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC) was accepted with retrospective effect from January 1, 2016.

“The combined outgo for the center on account of arrears for January to July and payments for August will total to Rs. 346 bn (Rs. 34,600 crore),” India Ratings and Research Pvt Ltd. (Ind-Ra) said in a statement on Wednesday.

On the flip side, this is likely to result in a “go slow” approach by the Narendra Modi government, according to the agency.

“The government is likely to go slow on spending as it gears up to meet lumpy payments (other than regular payments),” Ind-Ra said in its statement.

However, the impact won’t be much on the government’s finances. “The outgo due to a hike in salaries and pensions, in line with the Seventh Central Pay Commission’s (7CPC) recommendations, is unlikely to cause significant systemic liquidity disruptions,” the ratings agency said.

The salary hike announced by the Modi government in accordance with the recommendations of the 7th CPC covers about 1 crore employees and pensioners. There are about 53 lakh pensioners and 47 lakh Central government employees, of which 14 lakh employees and 18 lakh pensioners are from the defence forces.

A decision on increasing allowances will be taken approximately by November, according to an official statement by the government in June.

“Given the significant changes in the existing provisions for Allowances which may have wide ranging implications, the Cabinet decided to constitute a Committee headed by Finance Secretary for further examination of the recommendations of 7th CPC on Allowances. The Committee will complete its work in a time bound manner and submit its reports within a period of 4 months. Till a final decision, all existing Allowances will continue to be paid at the existing rates,” the June 29 statement said.

The pay commission had recommended abolition of 51 allowances and subsuming 37 others after examining 196 allowances.

Source : ibtimes

Not Revising HRA as per 7th CPC Recommendation is a big disappointment

Not Revising HRA as per 7th CPC Recommendation is a big disappointment…!

7th Pay Commission submitted its Recommendation in November 2016. House Rent Allowance is one of the very important recommendation expected by CG Employees among the most expected recommendations.

A Govt servant is spending one third of his salary for paying House Rent. Considering these expenses of CG Employees those who are living in big cities, Sixth CPC has recommended 10, 20 and 30% of the Basic pay as HRA. Accordingly, HRA has been paid for the past Eight Years and the Federation Demanded to increase this rates in 7th Pay Commission.

But the Commission in its recommendation reduced these rates to 8,16 and 24%. Though it has been justified with various reasons by 7th CPC, it disappointed the CG employees. Since CG Employees felt that only these reduced rates will be paid for next ten years, their demand to restore the old rates started gaining big support. As a result of this, all the Staff associations and Federations pressurized the Government to increase the rate of HRA and it was included in charter of 7th CPC demands.

Already the Government had wasted six months in the name of Empowered Committee to examine the 7th CPC Recommendations. Until now the report of this committee is not published.

The Cabinet gave its approval for the implementation of 7th CPC recommendations on 29th June 2016. It has been stated in that report that, a committee headed by Secretary, Finance will be Constituted to examine the Allowances and committee is given four-month time to submit its report. Till then the HRA will be paid as per Sixth CPC rates.

Meanwhile, Group of Ministers invited NJCA for a meeting to with draw the Indefinite Strike proposed to commence from 11th July, In that meeting, Increasing the percentage of HRA also discussed. The Government agreed to form a committee to examine the Allowances. It has been described as Government indirectly agreed to increase the HRA.

Implementation of 7th CPC recommendation was ensured by Gazette Notification issued on 25th July 2016. But there was no Change in the recommendation of HRA.

Till now the Central Government employees are wondering that why the Committee has been given four Months’ Time to examine the HRA. As well as the decision to continue the HRA in Sixth CPC is considered as big disappointment.

HRA plays a Major Role in pay hike. So the CG Staff feel that HRA would have been paid in Revised rates from this month onwards. Thereafter paying arrears for the Increased amount in HRA will become inevitable. Because there is no assurance that Revised rates of HRA will be given retrospective effect.

Creation of the posts of Driver-cum- Technician in the Track Machine organization on Indian Railways

Creation of the posts of Driver-cum- Technician in the Track Machine organization on Indian Railways

NFIR
National Federation of Indian Railwaymen
3, CHELMSFORD ROAD, NEW DELHI – 110055
Affiliated to :
Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC)
International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF)

No. II/34/Part 15

Dated: 12/08/2016

The Secretary (E),
Railway Board,
New Delhi

Dear Sir,

Sub: Creation of the posts of Driver-cum- Technician in the Track Machine organization on Indian Railways-reg.

The Track machine Organization on the Indian Railways is responsible for maintenance of P. Way Tracks to the expected standards.

2. For quite some time, Federation has been receiving grievances from JEs/SSEs working in TM organization that they are being compelled to drive Track Machines besides working on machines to perform various jobs on railway tracks. The SSEs/JEs of Track Machine Organization are Diploma/Graduate engineers. They are inducted to perform duties of P. Way maintenance with machines. They feel humiliated when they are compelled to drive Track Machines as driving the track machines is the job of trained driver or driver-cum-technician.

3. The Railway Board vide letter No. 2014/Track III/TK/3 dated 14/08/2015 Para 2.9 (2.9.1 & 2.9.2) has directed the-Zonal Railways to create posts of Driver-cum-Technician in GP 1900/- in order to reduce the burden of JEs/SSEs (TM). For the said purpose, Railway Board has outlined following procedure:-

• For performing the duties of shifting/shunting of Track Machines, post of Driver-cum- Technician similar to ALP in GP 1900/- be created.

• These posts are to be filled from amongst erstwhile Group ‘D’ staff working in GP 1800/- who possess the qualification of Xth Pass with ITI similar to ALP.

• Staff selected as Driver-cum-Technician should be imparted mandatory training similar to ALP.

• All such selected staff should be assigned the responsibility of driving & shunting the Track Machines.

• For providing career opportunities to Driver-cum-Technicians their names should be interpolated in the respective seniority list of Technicians Gr. ill (GP 1900) of the Track Machine Organization.

4. Vide communication dated 14/08/2015, the Railway Board has desired the Zonal Railways to examine in detail the relevant issues and submit suggestions to the Northern Railway/Railway Board in consultation with Personnel Department of each Zone. Reports however reveal that though a period of one year has passed, action on the instructions of Railway Board is yet to be taken by Zonal Railways, consequently, the JEs/SSEs of Track Machine Organization continued to face hardships as their status is being relegated to “driver-cum-technician”.

NFIR, therefore, requests the Railway Board to consider the above facts and issue instructions to the Zonal Railways to create the posts of Driver-cum-Technician in GP 1900/- without delay for driving and shunting the Track Machines.

Action taken in the matter may be advised to the Federation early.

Yours faithfully,

Sd/-
(Dr. M. Raghavaiah)
General Secretary

Source : NFIR

Increasing Promotion Quota percentages to the posts of Technician III in Diesel/Electric Loco/EMU Sheds on Indian Railways

Increasing Promotion Quota percentages to the posts of Technician III in Diesel/Electric Loco/EMU Sheds on Indian Railways

NFIR
National Federation of Indian Railwaymen
3, CHELMSFORD ROAD, NEW DELHI – 110055
Affiliated to :
Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC)
International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF)

No. II/2/Part VII

Dated: 12/08/2016

The Secretary (E),
Railway Board,
New Delhi

Dear Sir,

Sub: Increasing Promotion Quota percentages to the posts of Technician III in Diesel/Electric Loco/EMU Sheds on Indian Railways -reg.

Ref: i) NFIR’s PNM item No. 5/2014.
ii) Railway Board’s letter No. E(NG)I-2014/PM7/1 dated 18/12/2015.
iii) NFIR’s letter No. II/2/Part VII dated 28/12/2015.
iv) Corrigendum issued by Railway Board vide letter No. E(NG)I-2014/PM7/1 dated 14/0112016 (ACS No. 231) IREM Vol-I (First Re-print Edition 2009).
v) NFIR’s letter No. II/2/Part VII dated 20/01/2016 & 18/04/2016.

Kind attention is invited to NFIR’s PNM Item No. 5/2014 and Federation’s letter dated 18/04/2016 addressed to Railway Board, copy endorsed to AM (Staff) etc.

The General Secretary, NFIR met MM on 27th July 2016 and explained the case in detail and the necessity to grant revised percentage ratio of DR, LDCE and Promotion Quota at 25%, 25% & 50% respectively for providing relief to the helpers working in Diesel/Electric Loco/EMU Sheds in the Railways as their entry qualification is Matriculation or Matriculation + ITI or Apprenticeship. After discussions, the MM suggested that the concerned Directorate may put up the file to him for decision.

NFIR, therefore, requests the Board (EDE/N) to put up the case to MM duly highlighting. the points brought out by NFIR in its agenda to facilitate the Board (MM) to grant parity in promotion opportunities to the helpers of Diesel/Electric Loco Sheds/EMU Car Sheds etc., considering the fact that in almost all other Technical Departments the promotion quota is 50%from helper to Technician Gr.III.

Yours faithfully,

Sd/-
(Dr. M. Raghavaiah)
General Secretary

Source : NFIR

Extension of CGHS facility to retired BSNL employees

Extension of CGHS facility to retired BSNL employees

BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED
(A Govt. of India Enterprise)

Admn. Section, Corportate Office
Bharat Sanchar Bhawan, New Delhi

No. BSNL/Admn.I/14-15/09(pt)

Dated: July 29, 2016

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Sub: Extension of CGHS facility to retired BSNL employees.

The decision of extension of CGHS facilities to the retired BSNL employees was conveyed vide letter No. 4-12(11)/2012-PAT dated 20.2.14. The letter also mentioned that BSNL employees who opt for CGHS would have to pay the requisite fee to CGHS as applicable to Government retirees. The facility was not being extended to BSNL employees due to different pay scales applicable to BSNL employees. Now CGHS authorities have requested DOT to indicate equivalent basic pay and Grade Pay as per the Central Pay Scales on the Pension Payment Order (PPO) which will facilitate evaluation of subscription and room rent of the beneficiary. Retired employees intend to avail CGHS facility may approach DOT and get the equivalent basic pay and Grade Pay indicated on their PPOs for availing CGHS facility.

Management Committee has approved reimbursement of onetime payment of CGHS subscription paid by the BSNL employees. Retired employees who intend to avail CGHS facility, will surrender BSNLMRS facility and subscribe for CGHS facility. While surrendering BSNLMRS facility, they will indicate their desire to avail CGHS facility. On payment of subscription, they will submit a final claim from BSNL by furnishing the proof of payment indicating the amount.

The information be widely circulated. Record of retired employees migrating from BSNLMRS to CGHS facility may be maintained and intimated to Corporate Office on quarterly basis.

sd/-

(Raj Kumar)
Assistant General Manager (Admn.IV)

Source: http://www.bdpa.in/

Transfer policy causing difficulties to Group C staff

Transfer policy causing difficulties to Group ‘C’ staff 

NFIR
National Federation of Indian Railwaymen
3, CHELMSFORD ROAD, NEW DELHI – 110055
Affiliated to :
Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC)
International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF)

No.II/14/Part.VII

The Secretary (E),
Railway Board,
New Delhi

Dated: 16/08/2016

Dear Sir,

Sub: Transfer policy causing difficulties to Group ‘C’ staff – Review urged-reg.

Ref: NFIR’s PNM Item No. 18/2016.

Railway Board’s letter No. E(O)1I1/2014/PL/05 dated 31/08/2015.

During separate meeting with the EDE (N) on 28/06/2016 to discuss left over PNM Items of NFIR (including item No. 18/2016), Federation requested for separate meeting at the level of Member Staff. A period of more than a month has passed, meeting of the Federation at the level of MS has not yet been fixed.

NFIR, therefore, requests the Railway Board to kindly arrange to fix Federation’s meeting with the MS on the subject matter, soon.

Yours faithfully,

Sd/-
(Dr. M. Raghavaiah)
General Secretary

Source : NFIR