Implementation of 7th CPC Recommendations to TamilNadu State Government Employees

Implementation of 7th CPC Recommendations to TamilNadu State Government Employees

Implementation of 7th CPC Recommendations to TN State Employees : The Tamil Nadu Government has decided to constitute a 5 Member Committee of Higher Officials to implement the recommendations of 7th Central Pay Commission. The committee will submit the report within four months (30th June).

Following the implementation of 7th Central Pay Commission to the employees working under Central Government, the Tamilnadu Chief Minister has today decided to constitute a 5 Member Secretary level committee formed to implement the recommendations of 7th CPC to State Govt Employees, Teachers and employees of Localbodies.

Recognised State Government Employees Unions are requested to send the proposal of pay structure and all other demands to the committee.

The committee will examine, review and recommend changes that are desirable and feasible regarding the principles that should govern the emoluments structure including pay, allowances, pension and other facilities/benefits.

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7th Pay Commission: Increased salaries attracting young India to apply for Government Jobs

7th Pay Commission: Increased salaries attracting young India to apply for Government Jobs
Increased salary prospects due to 7th Pay Commission is attracting young talent in India towards the Government Jobs

Government Jobs in India have long attracted people from every walk of life. While the basic call of a government job in India was the stability associated with it, many had chosen to walk the path of the treacherous private sector. The biggest call of the private sector was indeed the higher pay packages and the chances of a life style of many aspired for. That, however, is changing. All thanks to the 7th Pay Commission recommendations. The increased starting packages have over the past year increased the interest of young Indians towards Government Jobs. For the first time in India, Government Jobs mean more than just a stable job. It means increased salaries with benefits, suggests reports.

Numbers are evident. Only last year when Indian Railways released the notification for recruitment in the Non Technical Popular Category, a mind boggling 92 lakh people applied for 18000 jobs. Such was the increased numbers that Railway Recruitment Board had to introduce another level in the recruitment process to bring it down to considerate numbers. Around 3 lakh candidates had then appeared in the second stage of which results are expected anytime. Similar is the case in case of Banking. While Banking has always attracted a steady, it is thanks to the increased salaries for Clerks and Probationary Officers that more and more candidates are applying for the exam.

The trend continues. State Bank of India Probationary Exam was announced recently for 2,313 posts. Given the trend of last year, SBI is expecting applications from around 20 lakh candidates. With a starting salary that could go as high as 12 lakhs, the interests for the jobs are bound to be phenomenal.

The applications are still on and close on March 6, 2017. It is not just at the level of graduates though. For Staff Selection Commission, the number of candidates applying for CHSL or the Combined Higher Secondary Level has also seen a two fold increase.

The numbers are promising, if any. It can be simply argued that India constantly needs good talent and energetic work force to manage its increasing institutional pressure. A stable and high paying job is sure to retain the best of the country towards developing the national assets and human capital. Engineers, doctors and professionals from all spheres are required in the various governmental departments. The changing face of the work force, the stricter guidelines and the stronger applications all hint towards a better and reformed public sector. The 7th pay commission has seemed to help and provide an impetus towards the building of the nation.

Source: India

Seventh Pay Commission: Talks On Allowance Today, Report Likely Soon

Seventh Pay Commission: Talks On Allowance Today, Report Likely Soon

The government had in June accepted the recommendation of Justice AK Mathur-headed Seventh Pay Commission in respect of the hike in basic pay and pension but its suggestions relating to allowances were referred to the committee.

The panel headed by Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa to review Seventh Pay Commission allowances is expected to soon submit its report to the government. Shiv Gopal Mishra, the convenor of National Joint Council of Action (NJCA), a joint body of unions representing central government employees, said talks in this matter are in the final leg. The employee union body will be meeting the panel members today on the issue of Housing Rent Allowance or HRA related to Seventh Pay Commission.

The government had in June accepted the recommendation of Justice AK Mathur-headed Seventh Pay Commission in respect of the hike in basic pay and pension but its suggestions relating to allowances were referred to the committee. The Seventh Pay Commission had examined a total of 196 existing allowances and, by way of rationalisation, recommended abolition of 51 allowances and subsuming of 37 allowances.
The committee on allowances was initially given a time of four months to submit its report to the finance minister. Till a final decision is taken, all existing allowances are being paid at the Sixth Pay Commission rates.
The Seventh Pay Commission had recommended that HRA be paid at the rate of 24 per cent, 16 per cent and 8 per cent of the new Basic Pay, depending on type of cities.

The Seventh Pay Commission had also recommended that the rate of HRA be revised to 27 per cent, 18 per cent and 9 per cent respectively when DA crosses 50 per cent, and further revised to 30 per cent, 20 per cent and 10 per cent when DA crosses 100 per cent.

Typically, in case of housing allowance, arrears are not paid.

Allowances form a significant chunk of government employees' salary. Some analysts had earlier said that implementation of the housing allowance portion of the Seventh Pay Commission as well as GST or Goods and Services Tax could push up average inflation.

"At worst, if the government is under pressure, this allowance can be pushed to the next year, as was done in the previous pay commissions. The housing allowance does not attract arrears," HSBC Securities had said in an earlier report.

The Cabinet had also decided to constitute two separate committees to suggest measures for streamlining the implementation of National Pension System (NPS) and to look into anomalies likely to arise out of implementation of the Commission's Report.

Source: NDTV

How to apply for granting family pension on the death of Government servant, pensioner, family pensioner

How to claim Family Pension with Form 14

How to apply for granting family pension on the death of Government servant/ pensioner/ family pensioner.

What should a family member (eligible for the grant of family pension) do to get the family Pension?

Normally, family pension to spouse is sanctioned and authorized at the time pension is authorized in favour of retiring government servant and indicated in the pension payment order and is to be drawn after the death of the pensioner. However, in cases where Govt. servant expired while in service, the widow or widower has to apply in Form 14 (of CCS Pension Rules) to the Head of Office concerned who will sanction and authorize the family pension through its Pay & Accounts Officer. Where the deceased Govt. servant is survived only by a child or children, the guardian (in case of minor child/children) or such child or children may submit a claim in Form 14 to the Head of 0ffice for sanction and authorization of family pension. For getting family pension, the deceased pensioner’s family should apply in Form no.14 along with a copy of the death certificate of the deceased Pensioner to:

(1) The pension disbursing authority if, the amount of family pension is already indicated in the Pension Payment 0rder.

(II) The Head of Office for sanction of family pension in all other cases.

lf the pensioner has Joint Account with the spouse on either or survivor basis the spouse has to submit the death certificate of the pensioner along with simple application only to activate the family pension.

Authority: www.cpao.nic.in

Introduction of SPARROW for CSS officers - completion of various tasks

Introduction of SPARROW for CSS officers - completion of various tasks

No. 22/10/2015/CS-I(APAR)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
Department of personnel & Training
CS-I(APAR)

2nd Floor, Loknayak Bhawan, Khan Market, New Delhi
Dated the 22nd February, 2017

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Introduction of SPARROW for CSS officers - completion of various tasks- reg .

The undersigned is directed to say that 'SPARROW' has been introduced for recording on-line APARs for Deputy Secretary and above level officers in CSS and equivalent levels in CSSS from the financial year 2015-16.

2. The time-limits for performing various activities on the 'SPARROW' system were extended vide this Department's Office memorandum of even number dated 27th May, 2016. The window for 'SPARROW' CSS was closed on 31st December, 2016. A number of Ministries/Departments requested for reopening of this window for completion of various tasks in the system. Therefore, the window for 'SPARROW' (CSS) has been re-opened on the request of these departments to facilitate the nodal officers to take action in the 'SPARROW' system as per the extended date-line.

3. However, it is clarified that the dates extended beyond 1 sl January,2017 are for taking necessary action for dealing with representations, disposal of representations and similar actions on the part of the nodal officers. Dates for recording of APARs would be same as contained in the Office Memorandum dated 27th May, 2016.

4. It is also reiterated that as per instructions of this Department, APARs of CSS officers are required to be uploaded on CSCMS. Hard copy of the APARs generated on SPARROW will be kept in CS-I Division/CS-II Division. It would not be practicably possible for these Divisions to download all the APARs from 'SPARROW' and then keep them in the relevant APAR folders including their uploading in the CSCMS system.
5. It is, therefore, requested that Ministries/Departments may ensure following action at their end for efficient management of APARs generated in the 'SPARROW' system :

i) To complete the task required at their end in the SPARROW system before the aforesaid date.
ii) To download the APARs generated online on 'SPARROW' and to upload PDF files in CSCMS.
iii) The PDF files so downloaded from SPARROW may be sent to this Department for custody.

6. In addition the details of hard copies of APARs (other than on-line mode), giving justification for not recording the APAR through 'SPARROW' may be sent to this department.

(Chandra Shekhar)
Under Secretary to the Govt. of India

To
All Ministries/Departments for (CSS) & (CSSS)
Copy to DS (CS-II) for information.

Source: DoPT Order 2017

Central Government launches free anti-virus for PC, mobile phones

Central Government launches free anti-virus for PC, mobile phones

New Delhi: The IT Ministry today launched botnet cleaning and anti-malware analysis centre for Rs 90 crore to provide free anti-virus to computers and mobile phones for removing malicious softwares "I would like ISPs (Internet Service Provider) to encourage their consumers to come on board, there is a free service available. Come and use it in the event some malware has sneaked in to the system," IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said at the launch of Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre.

The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (Cert-In) will collect data of infected systems and send it to ISPs and banks. These ISPs and banks will identify the user and provide them the link of the centre, launched in name of Cyber Swachhta Kendra.

The user will be able to download anti-virus or anti-malware tools to disinfect their devices.

"The project has budget outlay of Rs 90 crore spread over period of 5 years," CertIn Director General Sanjay Bahl said.

As of now 58 ISPs and 13 banks have come on board to use this system.

The ministry also launched M-Kavach for security and anti-theft solution for mobile phones, USB Pratirodh to ensure only authorised person is able to access pen drive and AppSamvid for identifying genuine applications at the time of installations on computers.

The minister directed Cert-In to also set up National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC) by June.
The government has approved Rs 900 crore for NCCC which will monitor and handle cyber attacks on Indian internet space in real time.

"Safety and security is integral. As the Prime Minister said cyber threat is akin to bloodless war. I don’t have slightest doubt cyber security is not only going to be big area of Digital Swachh Bharat but also going to be big area of digital growth, digital employment and digital commerce," Prasad said.

To encourage startups in the field of cyber security, the minister announced that government has reduced testing fee for their product by half.

At present Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification (STQC), a division under the Ministry of Electronics and IT, charges testing fee in the range of Rs 8-10 lakh per case but startups in the field of cyber security will need to pay only around 4-5 lakhs.

To strengthen cyber security ecosystem in the country, Prasad said that CERTs will be set up at state level as well and 10 more STQC testing facilities will set up.

PTI

Anomalies arising out of the implementation of the seventh Central Pay Commissions recommendations

Anomalies arising out of the implementation of the seventh Central Pay Commission's recommendations

Centre expands ambit of panel examining 7th Pay Commission-related anomalies

New Delhi: The Centre has expanded the ambit of a panel looking into anomalies arising out of the implementation of the seventh Central Pay Commission's recommendations.

The work of the anomaly committee, which has representatives from both official and staff sides, is to act on representations received from the employees against the pay panel's recommendations.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has modified the definition of anomaly to include "Where the official side and the staff side are of the opinion that the vertical and horizontal relativities have been disturbed as a result of the 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC) to give rise to anomalous situation," as per the Office Memorandun No.11/2/2016-JCA dated 20th February, 2017.

The inclusion of term "disturbance of vertical and horizontal relativities" (referred to as gaps in pay among various group of employees/officer working at the same level) will help in expanding the approach of the anomaly committee, a senior DoPT official said.

Now the anomaly will include cases where the official side and the staff side are of the opinion that any recommendation is in contravention of the principle or the policy enunciated by the seventh CPC itself without the Commission assigning any reason.

"It will also include cases where the maximum of the level in the pay matrix corresponding to the applicable grade pay in the pay band under the pre-revised structure is less than the amount an employee is entitled to be fixed at," the order said.

The DoPT had in August last year asked all central government departments to set up committees to look into various pay-related anomalies arising out of the pay panel’s recommendations.

The Centre has accepted most of the recommendations of the seventh CPC being implemented from January 1, 2016.

PTI

Minutes of the meeting of the Sub - Committee-III to suggest measures for streamlining implementation of the National Pension System (NPS) held on 10.02.2017

Minutes of the meeting of the Sub - Committee-III to suggest measures for streamlining implementation of the National Pension System (NPS) held on 10.02.2017

Airfindia has published the Minutes of the meeting of the Sub - Committee-III

No. 57/1/2016-P&PW(B)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, P.G. and Pensions
Department of Pension & Pensioners' Welfare

3rd Floor, Lok Nayak Bhavan
New Delhi, dated the 16th February, 2017

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Minutes of the meeting of the Sub - Committee-III to suggest measures for streamlining implementation of the National Pension System (NPS) held on 10.02.2017 -reg.

The minutes of the meeting of the Sub- Committee-III to suggest measures for streamlining implementation of the National Pension System (NPS) held under the Chairmanship of Additional Secretary (Pension) with Staff side of JCM on 10.02.2017 at Lok Nayak Bhawan, New Delhi is hereby forwarded for information and further necessary action.

(S. Chakrabarti)
Under Secretary to the Government of India

Minutes of the meeting of the Sub-Committee-III to suggest measures for streamlining implementation of the National Pension System with employees

Associations held on 10.02.2017 at Lok Nayak Bhawan, New Delhi

A meeting of the Sub-Committee-III to suggest measures for streamlining the implementation of the National Pension System (NPS) was held under the Chairmanship of Ms. Vandana Sharma, Additional Secretary (Pension) with Staff Side of JCM on 10.02.2017 at 3.00 p.m.,at Lok Nayak Bhawan, New Delhi. The following were present:

Official Side

1. Shri Harjit Singh, Director, Deptt. Of Pension & Pensioners Welfare.

2. Shri Sanjiv Kumar, Deputy Secretary, Department of Personnel & Training,

3. Shri Vivek Ashish, Under Secretary, Department of Expenditure,JCM (Staff Side)

4. Shri Shiva Gopal Mishra, Secretary, Staff Side (JCM),

5. Shri M.S. Raja, Member, National Council (JCM), All India Audit & Accounts Association

6. Shri C. Srikumar, General Secretary/HIDEF, Member National Council, JCM

7. Shri Guinan Singh, President, NFIR

8. Shri M. Raghavaiah, Leader(JCM Staff Side) & General Secretary, NFIR

9. Shri K.K. N. Kutty, President, Confederation of CG employees & Workers.

2. Additional Secretary (Pension) welcomed all the participants and briefed the Staff Side of JCM about the various issues allocated to the Sub-Committee-III. She invited suggestions from the participants on these issues.

3. The Staff Side handed over a communication dated 10.2.2017 containing their views on the various issues allocated to the Sub Committees. The Staff Side agreed that there is an urgent need to frame rules on the service matters of the NPS employees. Additional Secretary (Pension) assured the staff side that their views would be duly considered while framing rules in this regard.

4. Staff Side of the JCM emphasized that the Government employees should be excluded from the purview of NPS. In case, it was not possible to exempt the Government employees from the NPS, a minimum pension @ 50% of the last pay drawn or average emoluments of the last 10 months, whichever is more beneficial to the employees (along with dearness relief) may be ensured to all NPS employees on their retirement.

5. The Staff side was informed that in the event of invalidation / disability or death of the NPS employee, Pension / Family Pension as per the rates applicable under CCS (Pension) Rules is available to the NPS employees / their families. As regards the minimum guaranteed pension on retirement of the NPS employees, the views of the Staff Side of JCM would be conveyed to the Committee set up for streamlining implementation of the National Pension System.

6. The meeting ended with a vote of thanks to the chair.

7th Pay Commission : Committee on Allowances likely to submit report today - HRA Revision expected

7th Pay Commission : Committee on Allowances likely to submit report today - HRA Revision expected

After much debate and protest by government employees on some of recommendations made by the 7th Pay Commission on allowances, the government had formed a committee to review the same.

Government employees have been waiting to hear from the central government on allowances since the cabinet cleared the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission in June last year.

The Committee on Allowances, headed by Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa, is expected to present its review report to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today.

The 7th pay commission had recommended reducing the house rent allowance (HRA) to 24 per cent of basic pay as against the 30 per cent of basic pay employees were drawing under the Sixth Pay Commission.
According to some reports, the Committee on Allowances has recommended the current HRA slab, which is 30 per cent of basic pay, for metros. An announcement on the same is expected soon.

Allowances form a significant chunk of government employees’ salary, and therefore when the pay commission recommended slashing some while merging others, protests erupted.

The 7th Pay Commission recommended abolishing 53 of the current 196 allowances meant for employees while merging a few others.

The pay commission’s recommendation of a 14.27 per cent hike in basic pay is the lowest in 70 years. A further reduction in allowances meant earning the ire of nearly 50 lakh Central government employees.
Though the report may be submitted today, “A decision is likely to be announced after the State assembly elections get over,” said a senior official. The entire exercise of State polls will get completed by March 11.
Sources indicated that the committee has recommended higher house rent allowance could be increased to offset the higher cost of living.

However, the revised structure for allowances is likely to be implemented from April 1, to ensure that it does not have any impact on the government's finances this fiscal.

An official said the impact of the higher allowances has already been factored in the Union Budget 2017-18, which has increased the allocation for allowances (other than travel expenses) by seven per cent.

Source: India Today

Setting up of Anomaly Committee to settle the anomalies arising out of the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations

Modification in the definition of anomaly - DoPT Orders 
Setting up of Anomaly Committee to settle the anomalies arising out of the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commissions recommendations.

No.11/2/2016-JCA

Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Department of Personnel & Training
Establishment JCA Section

North Block, New Delhi
Dated the 20th February, 2017

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Setting up of Anomaly Committee to settle the anomalies arising out of the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission's recommendations.

The undersigned is directed to refer to DoPT’s OM of even number dated 16/8/2016 and to incorporate the following modification in the definition of anomaly:

"Where the Official Side and the Staff Side are of the opinion that the vertical and horizontal relativities have been disturbed as a result of the 7th Central Pay Commission to give rise to anomalous situation."

2. With the incorporation of the above para in the O.M., the definition of anomaly will read as follows:
(1) Definition of Anomaly
Anomaly will include the following cases;

a) Where the Official Side and the Staff Side are of the opinion that any recommendation is in contravention of the principle or the policy enunciated by the Sixth Central Pay Commission itself without the Commission assigning any reason;

b) Where the maximum of the Level in the Pay Matrix corresponding to the applicable Grade Pay in the Pay Band under the pre-revised structure as notified vide CCS(RP Rules 2016, is less than the amount an employee is entitled to be fixed at, as per the formula for fixation of pay contained in the said Rules;

c) Where the Official side and the Staff Side are of the opinion that the vertical and horizontal relativities have been disturbed as a result of the 7th Central Pay Commission to give rise to anomalous situation.

3. The rest of the content of the O.M. dated 16.08.2016 shall remain unchanged.

sd/-
(D.K.Sengupta)
Deputy Secretary (JCA)

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Authority: http://dopt.gov.in/