Tuesday 26 February 2013

EPF Interest rate for 2012-13 hiked to 8.5%

Retirement fund body EPFO on Monday decided to pay 8.5 per cent interest rate to its over 5 crore subscribers on their PF deposits for 2012-13, higher than 8.25 per cent provided in the previous fiscal.

The decision was taken at the meeting of the Central Board of Trustees (CBT), the highest decision making body of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO).“A decision has been taken to pay 8.5 per cent interest on PF deposits ... but we have expressed our reservations as we wanted higher interest rate,” said D L Sachdev, secretary All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) after the CBT meeting.


Earlier, a note prepared by EPFO for consideration of the February 15 meeting of the Finance and Investment Committee (FIC) had said, “... 8.5 per cent rate of interest for the year 2012-13 is feasible.”
According to the EPFO’s estimates, payment of 8.6 per cent interest rate would result in a deficit of Rs 240.49 crore whereas 8.5 per cent interest rate on PF deposits for current fiscal would leave a surplus of Rs 4.13 crore.
In FIC meeting held on February 15, union leaders refused to discuss the issue regarding payment of interest in the current fiscal because the agenda note for the issue was not provided well in advance to them, sources said, adding the note was tabled during the meeting.
They had said the EPFO’s estimates would now be directly tabled before CBT meeting held today, for final approval.
The notification on interest rate is issued by the government after concurrence with the Finance Ministry.
Usually, EPFO announces interest rate at the beginning of the year, but there has been a delay this time. Trade unions have been pressing for an early meeting of the CBT to decide on the interest rate for the current fiscal.
EPFO had paid 8.25 per cent interest to its subscribers for 2011-12, lower than the 9.5 per cent disbursed in 2010-11.

Source : The Hindu

Monday 18 February 2013

PM Manmohan Singh appeals to unions to call off strike.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday appealed to protesting central trade unions to withdraw their proposed two-day strike from February 20 saying it would cause loss to economy besides inconvenience to people and offered talks.
Protesting against government’s “inaction” on price rise and alleged violation of labour laws, 11 central trade unions and a workers federation have called for a two-day nationwide strike starting from February 20.
“I appeal to the central trade unions to withdraw their call for countrywide general strike on February 20 and 21. Such a strike would lead to avoidable loss to our economy and inconvenience to the public through disruption of services,” the Prime Minster said in his message.
Dr. Singh also pointed out that some of the issues raised by the unions are “already being acted upon” and others are at “various stages of consideration”.
While issuing the appeal to the unions to withdraw their strike call, the Prime Minister said that he has requested his senior cabinet colleagues A.K. Antony, Sharad Pawar, P. Chidambaram and Mallikarjun Kharge to hold discussions with them.
“I am confident that these discussions would result in a course of action that is acceptable both to the trade unions and the government,” he said.
AITUC general secretary Gurudas Dasgupta had on Saturday said that it was for the first time all trade unions have come together for the two-day strike as “government has not taken any action to look into the problems of sky rise inflation, disinvestment in public sector units and non-implementation of labour laws“.
The strike has been called jointly by the Bhartiya Majdoor Sangh (BMS), All India Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC) and other such organisations.
The Independent Federation of Workers and Employees too have joined the protest.

Friday 15 February 2013

REPLY FROM THE DEPARTMENT ON TWO DAY'S STRIKE NOTICE BY JCA



No.8-4/2013/SR
Government of India
Ministry of Communications & IT
Department of Posts

Dak Bhawan , Sansad Marg ,
New Delhi-110001
Dated 13.02.2013
To
Sh. M. Krishnan,
Secretary General, NFPE
Sh. D. Theagarajan,
Secretary General, FNPO

Subject: Notice of two days strike on 20th & 21st February, 2013.

Sir,
With reference to letter No. JCA 2013 dated 22nd January, 2013 from Postal Joint Council of Action stating that all the Postal/RMS/MMS/Administrative and Postal Accounts Employees and all the Gramin Dak Sevaks will go on two days strike on 20th & 21st Feb, 2013 in support of Charter of Demands enclosed with the letter referred to above. Part-I of The Charter of Demands relates to the entire Government of India and perhaps will be examined by Department of Personnel and Training. Part-II of the Charter of Demands relating to the Department of Posts is being examined by us. The progress in respect of these demands will be intimated to you shortly.

2. As you are aware the Department of Posts has a well established system to resolve the demands of the employees through discussions across the table. In the recent past, periodical meetings granted by Secretary (Posts),JCM Standing Committee Meeting and JCM Departmental Council Meetings were held where a number of issues have been discussed in detail and the minutes has been issued to all concerned for solving staff matters. It is felt that no fruitful purpose is served by agitation especially when the problems can be mutually discussed and resolved. Such disruptions also hamper our business and goodwill.

3. In view of the above, it is requested that both the federations and its affiliated Unions may call off the strike so that the Postal Services are not hampered and public is not put to any avoidable inconvenience.

Yours faithfully,
Sd/-
(Anil Kumar)
Dy. Director General (Establishment)



National E-Governance Award 2012-13 to MNOP

Mail Network Optimization Project (MNOP)" has been selected for National E-Governance Award 2012-13 under the category "Outstanding performance in citizen-centric service delivery" by Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievance, Government of India.
National E-Governance Awards are given every year to "recognize and promote excellence in implementation of e-governance initiatives" by Government of India. The Department of Posts had applied for the awards sometime back, and after several rounds of scrutiny, MNOP has been selected for this prestigious award.
The awards would be given on 11th February, 2013 during 16th National E-Governance Conference at Jaipur (Rajasthan). Details of projects selected for awards may be seen in the attached file.

Thursday 7 February 2013

Departmental Examination - Question Bank

A set of questions for various departmental Examination - Question Bank


Act under british rule
Banking sector
Chapater I  Postal Volume V
Computer  terms
Confusing words  in English
Indian  constitution
Indian  constitution
Consumer Protection Act
CRPC 
Important  Dates   in  indian constitution
Who invented /discovered
Famous Indian  leaders born on
General  English  rare words
General  Knowledge
General  Knowledge
General  Knowledge
General  Knowledge
General  Knowledge
General  Knowledge
Government Services
FHB Question no  1 -175
Indian  constitution
Law and  Constitution
Indian  Constitution
PO  Guide
Philately
Basic  Information  Postal  department
General  Knowledge
FHB   Question  197 -211
RTI  Act 
Questions  related with space
The  great birth  and  death
Who is  who 
Indian  Postal  service  turning  points
 

Monday 4 February 2013

8% Hike in the Dearness Allowance (DA)

In a major development, the Union Cabinet on Friday approved 8% hike in the Dearness Allowance (DA) for central government employees and pensioners. This decision is likely to bring some relief to nearly 50 lakh central government employees trying to cope up with spiraling inflation and price hike.

Friday 1 February 2013

NEWS ON GDS BONUS FROM NFPE

REGARDING ENHANCEMENT OF GDS BONUS CEILING THE DEPARTMENT OF POSTS HAS SUBMITTED A REVISED PROPOSAL TO FINANCE MINISTRY FOR APPROVAL. IN THE 12th DECEMBER STRIKE CONDUCTED BY NFPE AND ALSO IN THE STRIKE NOTICE FOR THE FEBRUARY 20 & 21 TWO DAYS STRIKE SERVED BY NFPE & FNPO ON 22.01.2013 THIS IS ONE OF THE MAIN DEMAND. THE CENTRAL JCA IS MAKING ALL OUT EFFORTS TO GET THE PROPOSAL APPROVED BY THE FINANCE MINISTRY 
----- M. KRISHNAN, SECRETARY GENERAL, NFPE

WE ARE NOT GOING TO SURRENDER

WE ARE NOT GOING TO SURRENDER.
JOIN THE TWO DAYS STRIKE ON FEBRUARY 20 & 21
               We, the Postal employees, have a proud and inspiring history of participating in the freedom struggle of our country against the British imperialism and in the post-independent India against the onslaughts of the retrograde policies of the Government of India.  Many of our leaders and comrades have sacrificed their life for the cause of the coming generation.  Job security, wages, pension and other service benefits are all the outcome of the struggle and sacrifice of hundreds and thousands of such comrades.  They faced dismissal, removal, suspension, increment cut, transfer to remote places, break-in-service and other severe victimisations.  Dies-non was not at all a punishment for them.  They never complained about wage-cut due to dies-non.  Not even  a single benefit was given by the Government without struggle and consequent heavy victimisations.  1st to 6th Pay Commissions were appointed by the Government only after the united struggle of the employees, each time.
               Now we are facing a very crucial and critical situation.  The ill-effects of the neo-liberal economic policies of the Central Government has become the greatest threat to the survival of the entire working class, especially Central Government employees including five and a half lakhs Postal, R M S and Gramin Dak Sevaks.  The question before us is -Are we able to protect our job security and hard-earned benefits?  Are we ready to fight or are we going to surrender before this attack?  The answer is - No. We are not going to surrender.  We will continue our fight till the imperialist globalisation policies are thrown to winds, just as we have thrown the British imperialism out of our country.   We are not alone, crores and crores of workers and employees are with us in this fight.  We are ready for sacrifice.   We are not going to run away from  our responsibilities.  We shall face the challenge and continue our fight to change the system in our favour.  Ultimate victory will be ours.
               It is this uncompromising spirit and the readiness for sacrifice, that made National Federation of Postal Employees (NFPE) to join the two-days historic strike of the working class on 2013 February 20, 21.  The strike is being organised by the entire trade unions including INTUC, BMS and the left trade unions.  In the Postal, the strike is organised by Central JCA, including NFPE and the INTUC affiliated FNPO.  This is the first time in the history of India a cent per cent united strike of 48 hours by all the Unions and Federtions is taking place.  More than ten crores workers will participate in the strike.  The working class of India, in one voice, demand the UPA Government to change the imperialist globalisation policies.
               Central Government employees are the first victims of the neo-liberal economic policies pursued by the Central Government from 1991 onwards.  During the last twenty years about eight lakhs posts are abolished.  Still five lakhs posts are lying vacant in various departments.  Many departments are closed or privatised.  More and more casual and contract workers are engaged.  Social security schemes, including statutory Pension scheme are given a go-bye.  Instead, share market oriented contributory Pension scheme is introduced.  Three lakhs Gramin Dak Sevaks of the Postal department are denied of their legitimate rights.  Casual, Part-time, contingent employees are not given their due wage revision.  Even compassionate appointments are denied imposing arbitrary restrictions.  Bonus ceiling not raised.  Further the Government has declared the National Postal Policy 2012 which is nothing but a road-map to privatisation of Postal Services by granting licences to the multi-national courier services. 
               The demand for appointment of 7th Pay Commission is not yet accepted, inspite of the thundering success of the 12th December 2012 strike organised by Confederation of Central Govt. Employees & Workers.  As an impact of the strike, all the Central Trade Unions have submitted a memorandum to the Finance Minister to announce constitution of 7th CPC in the February 2013 budget itself.  Still the Government is silent on Pay Commission and merger of 50% DA.  February 20, 21 strike is a continuation of 12th December strike.
               The steep rise in prices of essential commodities, disbanding of the public distribution system, deregulation of petrol and diesel prices , disinvestment of public sector, rise in unemployment, shrinking of employment opportunities, proposed move to amend the labour laws in favour of the employers, attack on social security, denial of assured pension for all, introduction of contract and casual labour system in all sectors, denial of minimum wage of Rs.10,000/- to industrial workers, refusal to remove bonus and PF ceilings etc. are all due to this neo-liberal economic policies.
               The attack is all round.  To save the Postal, to save the Central Govt. departments, to save the public sector, to save the common people and workers of our country including Postal employees the only way out is to fight back these policies.  Let us wholeheartedly join this struggle and make it a historic success.