Central Government employees - Withdrawal of Pension Facility

Central Government employees - Withdrawal of Pension Facility

Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions

Withdrawal of Pension Facility

03 JAN 2019

Information regarding the number of Central Government employees in the country is not maintained centrally in this Ministry. As per information provided by Department of Expenditure, the total number of Central Government civilian employees, as on 01.03.2016, was 32, 21,183
Total number of Central Government civil pensioners, as on 31.03.2018, is 37, 02,882.

Central Government employees (except Armed Forces personnel) appointed on or after 01.01.2004 are covered under the National Pension System (NPS) notified vide Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affair's) Notification No. 5/7/2003-ECB & PR dated 22.12.2003 and Section 20 of PFRDA Act, 2013. Such employees are, therefore, not covered by the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rule, 1972, which are allocable to Central Government civil employees appointed on or before 31.12.2003.

Under NPS a monthly contribution of 10 percent of basic pay plus dearness allowance is required to be made by the employees and a matching contribution is made by the Government. It has since been decided to increase the Government contribution to 14 percent of basic pay and dearness allowance.
On superannuation/retirement, at least 40% of the accumulated pension wealth of such subscriber is mandatorily utilized for purchase of annuity providing for a monthly or any other periodical pension and the balance of the accumulated pension wealth after such utilization is paid to the subscriber in lump sum.

In the event of death of a Government servant of his discharge from service on account of disability or invalidation on medical grounds, the benefit of Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972 are available to the Government employees of his family members.

Central Government employees covered under NPS are eligible for the benefit of retirement gratuity and death gratuity on the same terms and conditions as are applicable under Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972.

NPS employees are also eligible for other post-retirement benefits such as leave encashment, group insurance, medical facility, etc., as are applicable to employees appointed before 01.01.2014.
This information was provided by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh in written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.

PIB

5 Days Emergency Leave to GDS Employees

Five Days Emergency Leave to GDS

GDS: Maximum 5 Days Emergency Leave for Gramin Dak Sevaks

 

Department of Posts (Ministry of Communications) notified on 3rd January 2019 regarding the ‘Emergency Leave for a maximum of Five Days in a calendar year for all categories of Gramin Dak Sevkas (GDS).
Earlier, the Central Government approved and implemented the recommendations of Kamlesh Chandra Committee report to GDS Employees. Now, Central has decided to sanction the Emergency Leave to GDS Employees recommended by the Kamlesh Chandra Committee.
Consolidated instructions provided in the office memorandum and the benefit effective from 1.1.2019.
The Kamlesh Chandra Committee has recommended on Leave as follows…

• Provision of 26 weeks of Maternity Leave for women GDS has been recommended.
• The wages for the entire period of Maternity Leave is recommended to be paid from salary head from where wages of GDSs are paid.
• The Committee has also recommended one week of paternity leave.
• Leave accumulation and encashment facility up to 180 days has been introduced

DoPT: Appointment of Information Commissioners in the Central Information Commission.

DoPT: Appointment of Information Commissioners in the Central Information Commission.

F. NO. 4/16/2018-IR
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
(Department of Personnel and Training)

North Block,, New Delhi
Dated: 4th January, 2019

Subject: Appointment of Information Commissioners in the Central Information Commission. 

Under the Right to Information Act 2005, the Government of India has constituted the Central Information Commission which is located in New Delhi. The powers and functions of the Information Commissioner in the Central Information Commission are as per the RTI Act, 2005.

2. It is proposed to appoint four Information Commissioners in the Central Information Commission.

3. The Act provides that the Information Commissioner: -

(i) shall be a person of eminence in public life with wide knowledge and experience in law, science and technology, social service, management, journalism, mass-media or administration and governance.
(ii) shall not be a Member of Parliament or Member of the Legislature of any State or Union Territory, as the case may be, or hold any other office of profit or connected with any political party or carrying on any business or pursuing any profession. It is clarified that cessation/termination of holding of office of profit, pursuing any profession or carrying any business is a condition precedent to the appointment of a person as Information Commissioner.

4. Persons who have attained the age of 65 years shall not be eligible for appointment.

5. The salary, allowances and other terms and conditions of service of the Information Commissioner shall be as may be specified at the time of appointment of the selected candidate.

6. Persons fulfilling the criteria and interested for appointment to the post of Information Commissioner may send their particulars in the enclosed proforma only, by post, to Under Secretary (Rh), Department of Personnel and Training, North Block, New Delhi or through e-mail to usrti-dopt@nic.inso as to reach latest upto 25th January, 2019. Persons, who are serving under the State/Central Government or any other Organization, should send their particulars through proper channel (administrative Ministry/Department/State/UTs) only before the due date.

(Sanjay Kjmar)
Under Secretary (RTI)
Tel.2379 2759

Note: RTI Act, 2005 and Rules there under may be referred to by intending applicants for general familiarization, as could be appropriate.

Download the Proforma for sending particulars for consideration for the post of Information Commissioner in the Central Information Commission

Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises

Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises 

CRR for Employees of CPSE

04 JAN 2019

Counselling, Retraining & Redeployment (CRR) scheme is being implemented as a social safety net to provide opportunities to the Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) employees or their dependents under Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) / Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS).
The aim of retraining of the employees is to re-orient them through short duration skill training to adjust to the new environment and adopt new jobs after their retirement from CPSEs.
From the year 2016-17, CRR scheme is being implemented in collaboration with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE).

According to VRS/VSS guidelines, once an employee avails of voluntary retirement from a CPSE, the employee shall not take up employment in another CPSE.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, Babul Supriyo, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha yesterday.

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Railway Recruitment : Ministry of Railways announces recruitment for 13487 posts

Railway Recruitment : Ministry of Railways announces recruitment for 13487 posts

Ministry of Railways 

Ministry of Railways announces recruitment for 13487 posts of Junior Engineers (JE), Junior Engineers (IT), Depot Material Superintendent (DMS) & Chemical & Metallurgical Assistant (CMA)

The last date for applications for this 2 stage recruitment (1st stage- CBT, 2nd stage - Document Verification) is 31st January, 2019

04 JAN 2019

Ministry of Railways has announced recruitment for 13487 posts of Junior Engineers (JE), Junior Engineers (Information Technology), Depot Material Superintendent (DMS) & Chemical & Metallurgical Assistant (CMA). The scale of the posts is Rs 35,400- 112400/- (Level 6) as per 7th CPC. The notification for the posts has been issued on the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) website. The last date for applications for this 2 stage recruitment (1st stage- CBT, 2nd stage- Document Verification) is 31st January, 2019.

It is also to be noted that the notified 13487 vacancies are spread over different Railway Zones and States and candidates from all over India may apply against these pan India vacancies.
The qualifications to apply for Junior Engineers posts are three years Diploma in specified Disciplines or combination of various streams of the basic Engineering disciplines from a recognised Institution. For Depot Store Superintendent, three years Diploma in Engineering in any discipline from a recognized University/Institute. Degree in Engineering disciplines will also be acceptable in lieu of Diploma in Engineering. For Junior Engineer (IT), PGDCA/B.Sc. (Computer Science)/B.Tech (Computer Science)/DOEACC 'B' level course of three years duration or equivalent from recognised University/Institute is required qualifications for application. For Chemical & Metallurgical Assistant, Bachelor's Degree in Science with Physics & Chemistry with minimum of 45% marks from a recognised University/Institute is required qualification for application. The medical standards for various posts are A3, B1, B2, C1. Age criteria is 18-33 years (as on 01.01.2019)

Candidates are advised to refer to the following link for the updated information:
indianrailways.gov.in

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NFIR: Illegal withdrawal of Family Planning Allowance

No.1/5(g)/Part VI

Dated: 31/12/2018

The Secretary (E),
Railway Board
New Delhi

Dear Sir,

Sub: Illegal withdrawal of Family Planning Allowance - withdrawal of orders -urged.

Ref: (i) Railway Board's letter No.PC V/2008/A/O/2 (FPA) dated 14/10/2008 (RBE No.151/2008)
(ii) Railway Board's letter No. PC V/2017/A/FPA/1 dated 28/07/2017 (RBE No.77/2017).
(iii) NFIR's letter No. 1/5(g)/Part VI dated 04/09/2017.

Federation invites kind attention of the Railway Board to its letter of even no. dated 04/09/2017 wherein it was requested to consider continuance of Family Planning Allowance to those Railway employees who were already in receipt of the said Allowance which was sanctioned in pursuance of Government's earlier policy decision. In its communication, the NFIR also suggested that in case the Railway Ministry (Railway Board) is not a position to allow the Allowance for want of clarification from DoP&T/MoF, the matter may be referred to DoP&T/MoF. Federation is however disappointed that though a period of more than 15 months passed no action seems to have been taken by the Board.

While enclosing copy of letter dated 04/09/2017, NFIR once again requests the Railway Board to consider for continuance of Family Planning Allowance to those Railway employees who were already in receipt of the same. In case the matter is referred to DoP&T/MoF, copy of the same may he sent to the Federation early.

Yours faithfully,

(Dr.M.Raghavaiah)
General Secretary

Source: NFIR

Scheme to partially reimburse employers for Maternity Benefits

Ministry of Labour & Employment

Scheme to partially reimburse employers for Maternity Benefits

02 JAN 2019

Government is working on an Incentive Scheme wherein seven weeks wages shall be reimbursed to employers who employ women workers and provide the maternity benefit of 26 weeks paid leave, as provided for in the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017.

To enable an entity to avail of the incentive, the women employees working in their entity should be a wage earner of less than Rs.15,000/- per month and a member of Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) for at least one year and not covered by Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).

A meeting of Stakeholders' Consultation with representatives of concerned Central Ministries, State Governments, Employers', Employees' etc. was held on 14.11.2018 to discuss the matter. The Scheme was supported by and large with the majority of stakeholders.

The scheme is proposed to be administered after obtaining the approval of the competent authorities. The Incentive is proposed to be funded from the budgetary allocations. Government has not made any allocation for the scheme during the current financial year.

This information was given by Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State (I/C) for Labour and Employment in written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.

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Payment to Contractual Labour through Cheque

Ministry of Labour & Employment

Payment to Contractual Labour through Cheque

02 JAN 2019

The Payment of Wages Act, 1936 has been amended by Payment of Wages (Amendment) Act, 2017 (effective from 28.12.2016) to enable the employers to pay wages to their employees by (a) cash or (b) cheque or (c) crediting to their bank account. The amendment in the Act also enables the appropriate Government to specify the industrial or other establishment, by notification in the Official Gazette, which shall pay to every person employed in such industrial or other establishment, the wages only by cheque or by crediting in his bank account.

Provision for making of payment only by cheque or by crediting in bank account of an employee, in respect of industrial or other establishment in the Central Sphere has been notified on 26.04.2017.
As per information received from the Government of Madhya Pradesh, contract labour are paid through Bank at thermal power station, Chachai in Amarkantak in the district Anuppur, Madhya Pradesh.

This information was given by Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State (I/C) for Labour and Employment in written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.

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Modernisation of Armed Forces

Ministry of Defence

Modernisation of Armed Forces

02 JAN 2019

Budget Estimates, Revised Estimates, Modified Appropriation and Actual Expenditure incurred under Capital Acquisition (Modernisation) Head under Defence Services Estimates (DSE) for the last five years and the current year are tabulated below:-

(Rs. in crore)

Year	Budget Estimates	Revised Estimates	Modified Appropriation	Expenditure
2013- 14	73,444.59	66,406.41	66,201.92	66,850.30
2014- 15	75,148.03	66,151.73	65,706.04	65,862.38
2015- 16	77,406.69	65,400.00	61,699.39	62,235.54
2016- 17#	69,898.51	62,619.36	64,853.86	69,280.16
2017- 18*	69,473.41	68,965.24	68,980.89	72,732.20
2018-19	74,115.99	Not yet finalised.	Not yet finalised.	54,230.94@

(# figure excludes MF, ECHS, DGQA, NCC, RR, DGOF and R&D)
(* figure excludes MF and ECHS)
(@Expenditure in r/o Financial Year 2018-19 is upto November, 2018)

The Final Appropriation has been fully and optimally utilized during the said period. Internal Audit and External Audit of the allocated amount is carried out by CGDA and C&AG respectively.
In May 2001, the Defence Industry sector, which was hitherto reserved for the public sector, was opened up to 100% for Indian private sector participation, with Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) up to 26% both subject to licensing.  Further, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industry has notified revised FDI policy under which FDI is allowed under automatic route upto 49% and beyond 49% through Government route wherever it is likely to result in access to modern technology or for other reasons to be recorded.

During the last three years and current year (upto October, 2018) out of total 188 contracts, 121 contracts have been signed with Indian vendors for procurement of defence equipment for Armed Forces such as Helicopters, Survey vessel, Radar, Ballistic Helmets, Artillery Guns, Simulators, Missiles, Bullet Proof Jackets, Electronic Fuzzes and ammunition.

Government is taking measures for modernization of the Armed Forces, through procurement of new equipment and upgrading of existing equipment and systems. The modernization projects are being progressed as per the approved Capital Acquisition Plans and in terms of the extant Defence Procurement Procedure.

Since the launch of  'Make in  India' in September 2014, several measures have been taken by the Government to promote indigenous design, development and manufacture of defence & aerospace equipment in the country under  'Make in India' by harnessing the capabilities of the public and private sector.

Government has also promulgated the policy of Strategic Partnership in the Defence Sector which encourages participation of the private sector in manufacture of major defence platforms and equipment in four selected segments viz. Submarines, Fighter Aircraft, Helicopters and Armoured Fighting vehicles / Tanks.

This information was given by Raksha Rajya Mantri Dr.Subhash Bhamre in a written reply to Shri Rameswar Teli and others in Lok Sabha today.

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DoPT: Submission of Immovable Property Return (IPR) for the year 2018 (as on 31.12.2018) by the Officers of Central Secretariat Services (CSS)

DoPT: Submission of Immovable Property Return (IPR) for the year 2018 (as on 31.12.2018) by the Officers of Central Secretariat Services (CSS)

F.No.26/01/2018-CS.I (PR/CMS)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions,
Department of Personnel & Training

2nd Floor, Lok Nayak Bhawan
Khan Market, New Delhi
Dated December 31st 2018

Office Memorandum

Subject:- Submission of Immovable Property Return (IPR) for the year 2018 (as on 31.12.2018) by the Officers of Central Secretariat Services (CSS) reg.

In terms of Rule 18 of CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964, the Immovable Property Return is required to be furnished by the CSS Officers in the grade of Under Secretary and above, latest by 31.01.2019. IPR should be submitted by all the CSS Officers through Web Based Cadre Management System which is hosted at cscms.nic.in . A copy of the print out (IPR submitted online) duly signed, should also be submitted to CS.I (PR/CMS) Section, which is the custodian of Immovable Property Return (IPR) of these Officers. Assistant Section Officers and Section Officers of CSS will also submit the print out (IPR) duly signed, to their respective Admin/Vigilance Division .

2. Ministries/Departments are therefore, requested that the contents of this O.M. may be widely circulated to the notice of all CSS Officers/Officials working under their respective control. They should also ensure that the IPR for the year 2018 (as on 31.12.2018) is submitted within the stipulated time by all the CSS Officers. The officers are also informed that non-submission of IPR within the stipulated date, would invite the denial of vigilance clearance for empanelment, deputation and applying to sensitive posts and assignment to training programme (except mandatory training) as the IPR status needs to be checked for the said purpose(s).

3. It is, therefore, requested that all the CSS Officers may be directed to file their Immovable Property Return (IPR) for the year 2018 (as on 31.12.2018) well in time, latest by 31.01.2019, through Web Based Cadre Management System only. IPRs received beyond the stipulated date, shall not be regarded as conforming to the extant guidelines. It is also stated that the date of filing of IPR will start from 01st January, 2019 and the “Immovable Property Returns” window shall be opened/provided at cscms.nic.in. automatically from that date only.

4. In case of any doubt/difficulty about filing the IPR, Shri Krishnandan Kumar, Assistant Section Officer (PR/CMS)/Shri Anuj Pratap Singh (CSCMS Engineer), may be contacted at Telephone No. 24629890/24629414.

sd/-
(Chandra Shekhar)
Under Secretary to the Government of India

Source: https://dopt.gov.in