CGHS CLARIFICATION REGARDING TESTS INVESTIGATIONS AT PRIVATE HOSPITALS/DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORIES / IMAGING CENTRES

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT WILL GET PAY SCALE OF 5500-9000 W.E.F. 1-1-1996 TO 18—02-2003.

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT WILL GET PAY SCALE OF 5500-9000  W.E.F. 1-1-1996 TO 18—02-2003.  

ALL INDIA RAILWAY ACCOUNTS ASSOCIATION'S CASE OF ARREARS FROM 01-01-96 TO 18-02-2003 WAS DECIDED FAVORABLY BY ERNAKULAM CAT IS NOW UPHELD BY HONOURABLE SUPREME COURT. SUPREME COURT REJECTED GOVERNMENT SLP IN 3290/2012. THIS BENEFITS ALL WITH PAY ARREARS FROM 01-01-1996 TO 18-02-2003 IN THE PAY PARITY MATTER. 

IN THE LIGHT OF AFORESAID VERDICT BPEF IS LIKELY TO TAKE UP THE MATTER WITH POSTAL AUTHORITIES VERY SOON FOR EARLY PAYMENT OF ARREARS .    

ENHANCEMENT OF LIMIT FOR VERIFICATION OF WITHDRAWALS FROM SAVINGS ACCOUNTS MADE AT EXTRA DEPARTMENTAL SUB/BRANCH POST OFFICES AND SINGLE HANDED POST OFFICES- REGARDING .

SB ORDER No. 02/2013

                                                      No. 113-02/2001-SB

                                                            Govt. of India

                                              Ministry of Communications & I.T.

                                                       Department of Posts

                                                                                                Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg

                                                                                                New Delhi-110 0-01

                                                                                                Dated:  26-02-2013

                         

To

            All Heads of Circles

            Addl. Director General , APS, New Delhi

Sub: Enhancement of  limit for  verification of withdrawals from savings Accounts made at Extra Departmental Sub/Branch and Post offices single handed Post Offices- regarding .

Sir/Madam

            The undersigned is directed to say that as rule 85 POSB Manual  Vol.-I, withdrawal of Rs. 5000/- as above in Savings Accounts standing at EDSOs/BOs and single handed SOs are to be verified by the Sub Divisional Inspectors / ASPs or PRI (P) s by  contacting  the depositor in order to ensure that withdrawals are genuine. The limit of Rs. 5000/- was fixed vide this office SB order No. 02/2002 dated 11-02-2002. In the recent past various unions have requested to enhance this limit on the ground that rupee has devaluated since the year 2002 and limit of withdrawal by GDS BPM has been raised from  Rs. 2000/- to Rs. 5000/- due to which, number of such withdrawals have increased considerably .

2. The matter has been considered and it has been decided to enhance the present limit of Rs. 5000/- to Rs. 10,000/- w.e.f. 01-03-2013.

3. It is requested to circulate this order to All Heads of Post Offices and All Administrative offices for information and necessary guidance of staff.

4. This issues with the approval of Member (Technology).

                                                                                                            Yours faithfully,

                                                                                                            ( Kawal Jit Singh)

                                                                                                            Assistant Director (SB)          

                

CLARIFICATION ON CHANGE OF NOMINEE AND INSURANT NAME

REVISION OF PPO OF PRE-2006 PENSIONERS/FAMILY PENSIONERS - (I) EVEN IF AGE/DATE OF BIRTH OF SPOUSE IS NOT AVAILABLE, (II) MODEL ADVERTISEMENT FOR USE BY MINISTRIES/DEPARTMENTS

INCOME TAX: 7 MAIN EXPECTATION OF THE SALARIED CLASS FROM BUDGET 2013: NDTV

Budget 2013: 7 expectations of the salaried class

According to a survey by Assocham, a majority of salaried people want Finance Minister P. Chidambaram to raise the exemption limit on income-tax and increase deductions under variousallowances so that they are left with more purchasing power.

1.            Exemption limit on income-tax: Over 89 per cent of the respondents said that the slab of tax free income has not moved up in line with real inflation. The current basic exemption limit of Rs. 2 lakh should be increased to at least Rs. 3 lakh, while the limit for women should go up to Rs. 3.5 lakh. This will increase the purchasing power of individuals and stimulate demand.

2.            Medical re-imbursement limit: With increasing healthcare costs, the existing tax freelimit of Rs. 15,000 should be increased to Rs. 50,000, 89 per cent of the respondents said.

3.            Transportation allowance: Currently, this is tax-free to the extent of Rs. 800 per month. This limit was fixed more than a decade ago, and definitely needs to be revised upwards to at least Rs. 3,000 per month, given the rising commuting costs across the country, according to the survey.

4.            Interest on home loan: The deduction limit for payment of interest (on self-occupied property) has remained constant at Rs. 1.5 lakh since 2001. Since then, property prices have gone through the roof, increasing the quantum of home loan. An increase in the exemption limit to Rs. 2.5 lakh will be a welcome change, the survey found.

5.            Investments under Section 80C: This IT Act provides a deduction of Rs. 1 lakh for certain investments. The provision helps people in making forced savings that helps them in the future. A common man expects this limit to be increased to Rs. 2 lakh with a sub-limit of Rs. 50,000 exclusively for insurance and pension.

6.            Infrastructure bonds: Over 82 per cent respondents favoured the restoration of infrastructure bonds, considering that the government needs massive funds for the development of the infrastructure sector and also the lock-in period should be restricted to five years.

7.            Pension: Over 71 per cent of the respondents demanded that the national pension system (NPS) be brought under the EEE (exempt-exempt-exempt) as against EET (exempt-exempt-tax) at present. This means that investors get a tax exemption at all the three stages of investment, appreciation and withdrawal.

CGHS : AFTER ANGIOPLASTY COST CUT, NOW STENT PRICES REDUCED TO LESS THAN HALF

After sharp cut in angioplasty operation costs under Central Government Health Scheme (CHGS), the government government has again hit by capping price on stents from Rs 65,000 to Rs25,000 each for its employees.

Stents are tiny medical devices used to clear blockages in arteries, thereby preventing heart attacks via angioplasty operation. A medical stent costs almost Rs 1 lakh. Recently, the government slashed the package for an entire angioplasty operation to Rs 50,000 from Rs 1.25 lakh, making it almost impossible for the hospitals under CGHS to do the procedure with the amount. Now the government will only provide Rs 25,000 for drug-eluting stents whether they are local or international make. The entitlement for bare metal stents will be Rs 10,000 each, which was 50,000 in 1997 and reduced to 20,000 in 2011. Moreover, government employees and their relatives cannot seek more than two drug-eluting stents. The revised  cap on stents means an angioplasty plus stents cannot overshoot Rs 1 lakh for serving and retired government servants.

For the CGHS hospitals, where they were eligible for Rs 1,92,500 for an angioplasty procedure, the new limit will be Rs. 75,000.

The government claims that it will not only save tax-payers’ money but will also make the angioplasty more affordable for people who are not insured. Apart from bringing down the cost of the procedure, this move will also give the Indian stent manufacturers a level playing field with the multinational equipment manufacturers.

So ultimately the government is forcing the employees to go for most-lowly priced stents, that are locally made and don't go through the rigorous certification process that foreign ones do. And definitly this will be a push for private health insurance companies

Also read (CGHS : Angioplasty cost reduction - Patients to be deprived treatment? )

COMING SOON, POST BANK OF INDIA

The postal department plans to enter the banking business with the Reserve Bank of India deciding to grant new bank licences to entities with credible track-record.

Consultant appointed

Sources said the Department of Posts, which has a strong foot print in rural areas, has appointed Ernst and Young (E&Y) as the consultant for the proposed ‘Post Bank’

“Ernst and Young is expected to submit a detailed project report by April, after which all the necessary measures will be taken up to apply for banking licence,” a source at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology told PTI.

The sources added that the Department of Post (DoP) might need Cabinet approval for setting up Post Bank of India.

Of the 1.55 lakh post offices in the country, around 24,000 district offices may be ready to offer banking services in the next two years.

The DoP is in process of setting up 1,000 ATMs.

“Post Bank shall not only take care of the banking needs of the rural poor but shall also converge with micro-insurance and micro-remittance services of the DoP,” the source said.

As per data shared with Parliament, there were over 26 crore operational small savings accounts in post offices as on March 31, 2012, having deposits worth Rs.1.9 lakh crore.

Courtesy – The Hindu, 23^rd Feb, 2013

CLARIFICATION BY CBDT ON FIXATION OF PAY OF DIRECT RECRUIT VS PROMOTEE CONSEQUENT UPON 6TH PAY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION IN CADRES OF INSPECTOR/P.A.'S

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, MINISTRY OF FINANCE

CENTRAL BOARD OF DIRECT TAXES

DIRECTORATE OF INCOME TAX

(HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT)

ICADR Building. Plot No. 6, Vasant Kunj Institutional Area Phase-II

F. No, HRD/CMD/I75/9/2010-11/3740

Dt. 20/22-2-2013

To

All the Chief Commissioners of income Tax (CCA)/DGITs

Madam/Sir.

Sub: Fixation of Pay consequent upon 6th Pay commission Recommendations in cadres ofInspectors/P.A's Administrative Officers. reg.

Sir,

 Kindly refer to the above Subject.

2. The matter was referred to Department of Expenditure who have now conveyed their final advice as under-

"Accordingly, Department of Revenue is informed that the fixation of pay as on 1.1.2006 is to be done only with reference to the actual pay scale of Rs. 6500-10500 and pay in the pay band so fixed will be the revised pay and thereafter, the Grade pay of Rs. 4600/.now admissible in the revised structure will he paid. In case there is anomaly whereby a senior promote officer draws less pay than the Minimum Entry pay of DRs who has joined after 01.01.2006, then the stepping up of pay senior promote may be considered at par with the pay of the junior DR appointed on or after 01.01.2006, subject to the following conditions:-

a  Stepping up of the pay of seniors can be claimed only if in these cadres there is an element of direct recruitment and in cases where a direct recruited junior appointed on or after 01.01.2006 is actually drawing more basic pay than the seniors. In such cases, the basic pay of the seniors will be stepped up with reference to the pay of the directly recruited junior provided they belong to the same seniority list for all purposes.

b. Government servants cannot claim stepping up of their revised basic pay with reference to the entry pay in the revised structure for direct recruits appointed or after 01.01,2006, as lain down in section 11 of part A of the first schedule to the 

CCS (RP) Rules, 2008, if their cadre does not have in element of direct recruitment or in cases where no junior is drawing basic pay higher than them.

c. Stepping up of pay of the seniors shall not be applicable in cases where direct recruits have been granted advance increments at the time of recruitment.

Overpayment over and above this will have to be recovered in an administratively suitably way."

3. In pursuance to the final advice given by Department of Expenditure it is directed that pay fixation of the Inspectors/PAs/AOs in the Sixth CPC revised pay scales should be done w.r.t. the pre revised scales of Rs.6500-10500 along with Grade Pay of Rs.4600 with stepping up being resorted to whenever applicable as advised by DOE.

4. In so far as the issue of recovery of excess payments already made in deserving cases, it is clarified that such excess payments already made can be waived as per provision of Rule 17 of the DFPRs. Under certain specific circumstances all the CCIT(CCAs) may accordingly a analyse all the cases in which recoveries are to be made and refer the deserving cases for further necessary action under Rule V of the DFPRs to the Board. The cases should be referred to the DIT(B&E) under DIGIT (Logistics) as separate budget will need to be provided for the proposed remissions and the matter will need to be taken up first with the IFU before it is sent to the DOE.

5. This issues with the approval of the Chairperson, CBDT.

Yours faithfully,

Sd/-

(Sanjar Gosain)

Deputy Director of Income Tax(HRD)

Clarification on grant of MACP benefits

Withholding of 10% gratuity from the retiring Government servants - clarification regarding

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL BMS/BPEF MEMBERS AND WELL WISHERS

THE FEDERATION EXTENDS ITS HEARTIEST CONGRATULATION TO ALL MEMBERS FOR PARTICIPATING VERY ACTIVELY ON THE FIRST DAY OF STRIKE AND MAKING 20 TH FEBRUARY A  SUCCESSFUL DAY IN THE HISTORY OF BPEF. 

KERALA MAHARASTRA UTTAR PRADESH ANDHRA PRADESH BIHAR DELHI ORISSA ASSAM WEST BENGAL MADYA PRADESH GUJRAT CIRCLES HAVE 100% STRIKE WHEREAS HARYANA TAMILNADU KARNATAKA JHARKHAND CHHATISHGARH PUNJAB RAJASTHAN HAVE SHOWN LESS THAN 50% STRIKE.

REPORTS HAVE REACHED TO US THAT OUR MEMBERS TOOK THE FLAG OF STRUGGLE WERE OTHER UNION FAILED .

WE ARE EXPECTING ENHANCED PERFORMANCE ON NEXT DAY ALSO.

                                                                                                    

                                                                                                                                                                            

SANTOSH SINGH                                                  

Organising Secretary,BPEF

 S.K.MISHRA  

     Secretary General, BPEF.

Rates of interest on advances and loans to Govt. employees, for construction/purchase of houses/flats

TIMELY INTIMATION ABOUT PAYMENT OF ADDITIONAL FEE UNDER RTI ACT 2005.

(Click HERE FOR for details)

Master Circular on Product design and Exit from National Pension System (NPS)

DOUBLING OF HPCA/PCA ALLOWANCE FOR NONMINISTERIAL EMPLOYEES

Z.28015/119/2012-HGovernment of IndiaMinistry of Health and Family Welfare(Hospital Section)Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi,Dated 17th December, 2012OFFICE MEMORANDUMSubject : Doubling of existing rate of Payment of Hospital Patient Care Allowances / Patient Care Allowances to eligible Group 'C' and 'D' (Non-Ministerial) employees working in Hospitals Dispensaries and Organizations w.e.f.1.9.2008.The undersigned is directed to convey the approval of the Union Cabinet for doubling the existing rate of payment of HPCA / PCA to all eligible Group 'C' and 'D' employees working in Hospitals, Dispensaries and Organizations in the Central Government from the period w.e.f. 1.9.2008. The amount of HPCA/PCA would be automatically raised by 25% every time the Dearness Allowance on the revised pay structure goes up by 50%. This is subject to the following terms and conditions :-
(i) HPCA/PCA may be admissible in case the individual proceeds on leave/training for less than one calender month.(ii) HPCA / PCA may not be admissible in case the individual proceeds on leave/training for more than one calender month.(iii) HPCA / PCA should not be admissible in case of unauthorized leave.This issues with the approval of Department of Personnel and training vide their D.O. No.21012/01/2010-Estt.(AL) dated 18th October, 2012 and U.O. of even number dated 11th December, 2012.sd/-(Sanjay Pant)Under Secretary to the Govt. of India 

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CAT Order: Regarding stepping up of pay only not the pay scale at par with junior

All India Postal Accounts Employees & other vs Union of India & others orders on 1st February, 2013 regarding grant of stepping up pay of all Senior Accountants on par with Senior Accountantswho are junior to the former in the cadre of Sr. Accountant

Introductory first two paras of Order:

The applicants have sought the following relief:-

(a) Direction from this Hon ble Tribunal to Respondents for grant of stepping up pay of all Senior Accountants on par with Senior Accountants who are junior to the former in the cadre of Sr. Accountant. (b) Direction to the Respondents to pay compound interest on the arrears, compounded every months, as the respondents caused serious prejudice to the Applicants every months when the Applicants were not granted the financial upgradations by stepping up their pay. (c) Direction from Hon ble Tribunal to declare the CLAUSE 8 of the condition for grant of BENEFIT UNDER THE ACP SCHEME being uptra vires beyond the statute which provide The financial upgradation under the ACP Scheme shall be purely personal to the employee and shall have no relevance to his seniority position. As such, there, shall be no additional financial upgradation for the senior employee on the ground that the junior employee in the grade has got higher pay scale under the ACP Scheme. (d) Direction to the respondents to pay cost of litigation to the Applicants as the Applicants have been dragged to the Tribunal by the respondents.

(e) Any other order as this Hon ble Tribunal may deem fit under the present facts and circumstances of the case.

2. Briefly undisputed facts of the case are that the applicants joined the Department of Posts as LDCs and were promoted as Junior Accountant. Subsequently, on restructuring of the Accounts Cadre, 80% of the Accountants were designated as Senior Accountants and were placed in the pay scale of Rs.1400-2600 (revised Pay Scale Rs.5500-9000) w.e.f. 01.04.1987. Government of India promulgated an Assured Career Progression (ACP) Scheme for Central Government Civilian Employees vide their O.M. No. 35034/1/97-Estt(D) dated 09.08.1999 which provided for two financial upgradations to employees who had completed 12 and 24 years of service but had not found regular promotion in their department. Financial upgradation under the Scheme was to be given to the next higher grade in accordance with the existing hierarchy in a cadre. Clause-8 of the Scheme by which the applicants are aggrieved reads as follows:- The financial upgradation under the ACP Scheme shall be purely personal to the employee and shall have no relevance to his seniority position. As such, there shall be no additional financial upgradation for the senior employee on the ground that the junior employee in the grade has got higher pay-scale under the ACP Scheme.

Conclusion para of Order (Order given by Hon'ble CAT):

9. In our opinion, the case of the applicants is covered by the aforesaid order of the Tribunal, hence they are also entitled to the same benefits. Accordingly, the present O.A. is allowed. Respondents are directed that the pay of the applicants be stepped up in terms of Para-9 of the aforesaid judgment. This shall be done within a period of three months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. There shall be no order as to costs.

See full details of Court Case: