VISIT OF 7th CPC STARTS

Visit Bengaluru between 25th to 27th August 2014

The commission has, in its first phase of interaction, been seeking the views of various stakeholders on its terms of reference. To this end, meetings have been held in Delhi with various organisations and heads of various agencies.

 

In its second phase of interaction, the Commission plans to hold meetings in different parts of the country to facilitate stakeholders staying in various areas to present their views personally before the Commission and ensure larger representation. This exercise is being undertaken to enable the Commission to get a firsthand impression about the functioning and the condition of service prevailing in different parts of the country.

 

Accordingly, the Commission, headed by its Chairman, Justice Shri A. K. Mathur, proposes to visit Bengaluru between 25th August and 27th August 2014. The Commission would like to invite various entities/associations/federations representing any/all categories of employees covered by the terms of Reference of the Commission to present their views.

 

Your request for a meeting with the Commission may be sent through e-mail to the Secretary, 7th Central Pay Commission at secy-7cpc@nic.in . The memorandum already submitted by the requesting entity may also be sent as an attachment with this e-mail. An early response in this regard would facilitate proper scheduling of the meetings.

 

source-http://7cpc.india.gov.in/index.html

Cautioning existing pensioners and those Central government employees appointed prior to January 1, 2004

CENTRE HAS NO LIABILITY SINCE FUND CREATED WILL BE ADMINISTERED BY PRIVATE INSURANCE FIRM

The New Pension Scheme (NPS) introduced under the New Pension Fund Development and Regulatory Authority (NPFDRA) Act passed by the United Progressive Alliance-II government with the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party will affect the existing pensioners as well as all those who joined the service prior to January 1, 2004, according to M. Krishnan, secretary-general of the Confederation of Central Government Employees (CCGE).

 

Speaking on ‘New Pension Scheme and its Impact’ on the second day of the two-day First Foundation All India Conference of the All India Postal & RMS Pensioners Association (AIPRPA) here on Sunday, Mr. Krishnan said that the NPS was introduced by the Centre based on the recommendations of the Bhattacharji Committee which stated that the financial position of the Central government employees would be far better at the time of their retirement since they were getting better wages while in service.

 

On these grounds the committee recommended the introduction of the contributory pension scheme (CPS). The committee also stated that the pensioners need not be paid any compensation for price rise except the increase in pension which they would get whenever there was a pay hike for the serving staff. Based on this, the then National Democratic Alliance government issued the order introducing the NPS and making it applicable only to those who joined service after January 1, 2004.
The UPA-I government did not cancel the order but gave a legal status to the NDA government’s order by bringing an Ordinance, which however could not be made into a law because of the opposition of the Left parties. But the subsequent UPA-II government passed the NPFDRA Act in Parliament with the support of the BJP.

 

With the passing of the Act, the employees who joined after January 1, 2004 suffered a 10% salary cut since this 10% went towards the New Pension Fund created under the Act. The General Provident Fund too was withdrawn for this category by the government which stated that the employees who were under the CPS would get 60% of their contribution as pension at the time of their retirement. Under the NPFDRA, the Central government had no pension liability since the Pension Fund created under the Act was to be administered by a private insurance company which would invest the fund in the share market, which only went to benefit the corporates.

“This virtually amounted to privatisation of pension,” he said.

 

Cautioning existing pensioners and those Central government employees appointed prior to January 1, 2004

 

  who were under the wrong impression that the NPS would not affect them, Mr. Krishnan pointed to a clause in the NPFDRA Act which states that the NPS could, by a notification of the Government of India, be extended to those who were appointed prior to January 1, 2004 too.

 

The Secretary General said that a committee constituted by the Central government to work out the projected liability for it if it were to make an initial contribution towards the Pension Fund to provide pension to those who joined before the cut-off date stated that the Centre would have to contribute Rs. 3,35,628 crores to provide pension for the next 30 years, which the Sixth Pay Commission said the government could not bear.

 

So the committee suggested that the government could consider segregating the liability into one for those below 40 years, and another for others. But such a fund too would be managed by a private agency which would invest it in the unpredictable share market.

 

“So, the Damocles’ sword of the NPS hung on the existing pensioners too”, he said, adding that the Central government employees and pensioners should fight a joint struggle against the NPS.

 

SOURCE-http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/new-pension-schemes-drawbacks-draw-flak/article6232760.ece

BSF Constable Sanjay Dhar dies &Constable Som Raj is critical as Pak violates truce

In another ceasefire violation, Pakistani Rangers on Wednesday opened heavy fire at Indian border outposts along the International Border in the Arnia area of the RS Pura sector in Jammu district, killing a BSF jawan and leaving three other BSF personnel injured.

Four civilians were also injured in the firing. The condition of one of the injured BSF guard is stated to be critical. This was the first casualty of any BSF jawan in Pak firing along the International Border in the Jammu region since Narendra Modi took over as the Prime Minister on May 26 this year. On June 12, a soldier was killed and a Major among seven other troopers were injured in two IED blasts in the Tarkundi area along the LoC in Poonch district. The IEDs were planted by Pak Army in tandem with 'rogue elements'. Caught off-guard by Pak firing, farmers sowing paddy in the fields had to run for cover.

In a retaliatory fire, the BSF says it has either killed or seriously injured a Pak Ranger. “Trouble started around 11.30 am when constable Som Raj on an observation tower in the Arnia area was hit by a sniper shot from across the border, probably fired by the Rangers. He sustained injuries on his right shoulder,” BSF Jammu Frontier DIG Dharmender Pareekh said. When two other BSF personnel — ASI Madan Lal and constable Sanjay Dhar went to evacuate constable Som Raj, the Rangers again opened fire injuring Lal and Dhar, the DIG said. Dhar, who was hit in the stomach, later died at Government Medical College and Hospital here. He belonged to West Bengal. Condition of Som Raj is stated to be critical, the DIG said. “We retaliated effectively and in the exchange of gunfire, we either killed or seriously injured a Ranger as we did saw him falling and then being carried away by his colleagues,” he said.

In the exchange of fire that continued till 1 pm, another BSF jawan and four civilians, including three migrant labourers from Bihar, and a local were injured, he said. The DIG said the Rangers used small arms and HMG fire. “We gave them a calibrated response. The situation is tense and we are on an alert,” he said.

Soon after the skirmish, BSF’s Jammu Frontier IG SS Tomar along with Pareekh and other senior officers rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation.

Pak firing comes a day after the two sides held a flag meeting at the Chamliyal border outpost in the Ramgarh area of the Samba sector yesterday to discuss removal of wild bushes along the Zero Line and adjoining areas to improve visibility during patrolling. This is the third ceasefire violation by Pakistan in July. An Intelligence source said: “Pak Rangers opened fire from their South Jarba and adjoining posts post on Pittal post of the BSF being manned by 192 battalion close to Pindi post around 11.15 am.” “There was a sudden burst of fire from across the border at 11.30 am and everything happened in a few seconds. My colleagues and I were hit,” said injured constable Som Raj (23).

Income Tax Structure 2014-15

There is no change in the income tax rate for the year 2014-15 (Assessment Year 2015-16)

(i) The rates of income-tax in the case of every individual (other than those mentioned in (ii) and (iii) below)

 

 

Upto Rs. 2,50,000
Rs. 2,50,001 to Rs. 5,00,000	10 per cent.
Rs. 5,00,001 to Rs. 10,00,000	20 per cent.
Above Rs. 10,00,000	30 per cent.

(ii)               For persons of Age between 60 Years to 80 Years

Upto Rs. 3,00,000
Rs. 3,00,001 to Rs. 5,00,000	10 per cent.
Rs. 5,00,001 to Rs. 10,00,000	20 per cent.
Above Rs. 10,00,000	30 per cent.

(iii)             For persons having Age of 80 Years or More

Upto Rs. 5,00,000
Rs. 5,00,001 to Rs. 10,00,000	20 per cent.
Above Rs. 10,00,000	30 per cent.

Other Budget 2014 highlights relating to Income tax 2014-15

• Personal tax exemption limit raised to Rs 2.5 lakh from current Rs 2 lakh for taxpayers below 60 years
• Senior citizens’ tax exemption limit hiked from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh No change in surcharge for corporates, individuals
• Education Cess to stay at current 3%
• Investment limit under Section 80C hiked to Rs 1.5 lakh from current Rs 1 lakh
• Exemption on housing loans interest on self-occupied property increased from Rs 1.5 lakh to 2 lakh

Dopt rejects 6-day week schedule amid protests from women

Dopt rejects 6-day week schedule amid protests from women

 

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) will soon inform Parliament that the government is not going back to a six-day week for its employees, even as a senior representative of the central government employees said that women employees were biggest opponents of any such change by the new government.

 

A senior DoPT official told ET on Tuesday that all individual ministries would be advised that before they ask employees to come to work on Saturdays, they were expected to first consult the Joint Consultative Machinery set up in each ministry which has representatives from the staff side before implementing the same. There was confusion among government ranks last week after the road ministry issued an order asking employees to report to work on all Saturdays except the second. The same was apparently withdrawn after women employees in the ministry took it up with transport minister Nitin Gadkari.

 

Employees in many other ministries have also been asked informally to report to work on Saturdays in case senior officials or the respective minister is in office. ET has learnt that DoPT will soon inform Parliament that the government would continue to work 5-days-a-week to end all speculation on this as it has received questions on the same from MPs.

 

Shiva Gopal Mishra, Secretary (staff side) of the National Council, JCM, told ET that “no government ministry can enforce six-day week on employees without the concurrence of the DoPT.”Not just DoPT’s concurrence, the government also needs to consult employees on the same through the JCM mechanism.

 

There will be no use of going back to a six-day week system as it will only raise electricity costs of the government. Also, women employees form a sizeable proportion of the workforce and they are strongly against any move to resort to a six-day week,” Mishra, who is also general secretary, All India Railwaymen’s Federation, told ET.

Most women employees use the weekend for pending household chores. The JCM, chaired by the Cabinet Secretary, is a joint group of various staff unions of central government employees supposed to act as a platform for constructive dialogue between the representatives of the staff side and the official side for peaceful resolution of all disputes.

source-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Department-of-personnel-and-training-rejects-6-day-week-schedule-amid-protests-from-women/articleshow/38063908.cms

BUDGET 2014-15 WHAT IS CHEAPER/DEARER

Indian Railways proposes to introduce 58 new trains during 2014-15

NEW TRAINS 
Jansadharan Trains
i) Ahmedabad–Darbhanga Jansadharan Express via Surat
Ii  Jaynagar–Mumbai Jansadharan Express
ii) Mumbai–Gorakhpur Jansadharan Express
iv) Saharasa–Anand Vihar Jansadharan Express via Motihari
v)  Saharasa–Amritsar Jansadharan Express

Premium Trains
i)   Mumbai Central–New Delhi Premium AC Express
ii)  Shalimar–Chennai Premium AC Express
iii) Secunderabad-­ Hazrat Nizamuddin Premium AC Express
iv)  Jaipur–Madurai Premium Express
v)   Kamakhya–Bengaluru Premium Express

AC Express Trains
i)    Vijayawada­NewDelhiAPExpress(Daily)
ii)   LokmanyaTilak(T)–Lucknow(Weekly)
iii)  Nagpur–Pune(Weekly)
iv)  Nagpur–Amritsar(Weekly)
v)   Naharlagun–NewDelhi(Weekly)
vi)  Nizamuddin–Pune(Weekly)

 Express Trains
i) Ahmedabad–Patna Express(Weekly)via Varanasi
ii) Ahmedabad­ Chennai Express(Bi­weekly)via Vasai Road
iii) Bengaluru –Mangalore Express(Daily)
iv) Bengaluru –Shimoga Express(Bi­weekly)
v)  Bandra(T)–Jaipur Express(Weekly)Via Nagda,Kota
vi) Bidar–Mumbai Express(Weekly)
vii) Chhapra–Lucknow Express (Tri­ weekly)viaBallia,Ghazipur,Varanasi
viii) Ferozpur–Chandigarh Express(6 days a week)
ix)  Guwahati–Naharlagun Intercity Express(Daily)
x)   Guwahati–Murkongselek Intercity Express(Daily)
xi)  Gorakhpur–Anand Vihar Express(Weekly)
xii) Hapa–Bilaspur Express(Weekly)via Nagpur
xiii) Hazur Saheb Nanded–Bikaner Express(Weekly)
xiv) Indore–Jammu Tawi Express(Weekly)
xv)  Kamakhya–Katra Express(Weekly)via Darbhanga
xvi) Kanpur–Jammu Tawi Express(Bi­weekly)
xvii) Lokmanya Tilak(T)–Azamgarh Express(Weekly)
xviii) Mumbai_Kazipeth Express(Weekly)via Balharshah
xix)  Mumbai–Palitana Express(Weekly)
xx)   New Delhi ­Bhatinda Shatabdi Express(Bi­weekly)
xxi)  New Delhi–Varanasi Express(Daily)
xxii) Paradeep–Howrah Express(Weekly)
xxiii) Paradeep–Visakhapatnam Express(Weekly)
xxiv) Rajkot–Rewa Express(Weekly)
xxv) Ramnagar–Agra Express(Weekly)
xxvi) Tatanagar Baiyyappanahali  (Bengaluru) Express(Weekly)
xxvii) Visakhapatnam–Chennai Express(Weekly)

Passenger Trains
 i)  Bikaner–Rewari Passenger(Daily)
ii) Dharwad–Dandeli Passenger(Daily)via Alnavar
iii)  Gorakhpur–Nautanwa Passenger(Daily)
iv) Guwahati–Mendipathar Passenger(Daily)
v)   Hatia–Rourkela Passenger
vi)  Byndoor–Kasaragod Passenger(Daily)
vii) Rangapara North–Rangiya Passenger(Daily)
viii)  Yesvantpur–Tumkur Passenger(Daily)

MEMU services
i)          Bengaluru –Ramanagaram 6 days a week(3Pairs)
ii)        Palwal–Delhi–Aligarh

DEMU services 
i)         Bengaluru –Neelmangala (Daily)
ii)        Chhapra–Manduadih (6days a week)via Ballia
iii)       Baramula–Banihal (Daily)
iv)       Sambalpur–Rourkela (6 days a week)
v)        Yesvantpur ­Hosur (6 days a week)

EXTENSION OF EXISTING TRAINS 
i)          22409/22410 Anand Vihar Sasaram Garib Rath Express to Gaya
ii)        12455/12456 Delhi Sarai Rohilla Sriganganagar Express to Bikaner
iii)       15231/15232 Gondia Muzaffarpur Express to Barauni
iv)       12001/12002 New DelhiBhopal Shatabdi Express to Habibganj
v)        54602 Ludhiana–Hissar Passenger to Sadulpur
vi)       55007/55008 Sonpur–Kaptanganj Passenger  to   Gorakhpur
vii)      55072/55073 Gorakhpur–Thawe Passenger toSiwan
viii)     63237/63238Buxar–Mughalsarai MEMU toVaranasi
ix)       63208/63211Jhajha–PatnaMEMUtoJasidih
x)        64221/64222LucknowHardoi MEMU to Shahjahan pur
xi)       68002/68007Howrah–Belda MEMU to Jaleswar

National JCM demanded hefty hike in pay for central employees

Memorandum submitted to seventh pay commission.

Salient features of Memorandum to VII_CPC submitted by the National JCM on common issues.
Pay Band & Grade Pay:

Staff side decided to demand reversal of the PB & GP System to distinct pay scale system.

Highest Salary
It is suggested that this ratio should be 1 : 8.

Proposed Pay Structure
See Below (at the end of this article)

Rate of Increment
Demanded the rate of annual increment at 5%.


Fitment Formula
Demanded a uniform multiplication factor (26000/ 7000 = 3.7) to be applied uniformly in all the cases to arrive at the revised pay in the new scale of pay. 

Fixation of Pay on promotion
The benefit on promotion should be “Two increments in the feeder cadre with a stipulation that the amount of benefit so arrived at must not be less than the difference of the minimum of the scale of pay of the feeder cadre and the minimum of the scale of the cadre to which one is promoted

Date of effect.
1. To implement the recommendations of VII CPC with effect from 1.1.2014 especially in the background that the desirable tenure of the earlier Commission’s recommendations expired on 1.1.2011.

2. To merge DA and treat the same as pay for all purposes and ad when the DA entitlement reaches 50%

3. To set up the next wage revision body or Pay Commission sufficiently before the expiry of five years.

Dearness allowance.
The existing formula of computation of DA and its payment with effect from 1st January, and 1st July, may continue. 

House Rent allowance.
X classified cities:60% :                     
Y classified towns:40% ;                    
Z classified places:20%

Compensatory City allowance.

Pay  Range                                X classified city                Other places

Pay upto Rs. 50,000                           10% of pay              5% of pay

Pay of more than Rs. 50000                  6% of pay              3% of pay



Transport allowance.

Pay  Range                        X classified city                              Y classified towns.

Pay upto Rs75,000           Rs. 7500 + DA                           Rs. 3750 +DA

Above Rs. 75,000           Rs. 6500 +DA                             Rs. 3500+ DA

Classification of Posts.

All cadres, which were characterised as “Gazetted” may be placed in the Group of Executive and the rest in non-executive.
Pay scale 

Number PB  PB No GP Pay+GP

S.1 5200-20200 1 1800 7330 26000

S-2 5200-20200 1 2000 8060 33000

S-3 5200-20200 1 2800 11170 46000

S-4 9300-34800 2 4200 14430 56000

S-5 9300-34800 2 4800 18750 74000

S-6 9300-34800 2 5400 20280  78000

S-7 15600-39100 3 5400 22140 88000

S-8 15600-39100 3 6600 26410 102000

S-9 15600-39100 3 7600 29920 120000

S-10 37400-67000 4 8900 48590  148000

S-11 37400-67000 4 10000 54700 162000

S-12 75500-80000 HAG & HAG + 0 75500 193000

S-13 80000( Fixed ) Apex Scale 0 80000 213000

S-14 90000  (Fixed) Cab Secy 0 90000 240000
[Above table is arranged as Pay Band, PB 1/2/3/4, Grade Pay, Minimum in existing scale and Proposed Initial Pay(in bold)]