Government of India Published the Gazette Notification for Seventh Central Pay Commission

Ministry Of Finance
(Department of Expenditure)

RESOLUTION

New Delhi, the 28th Febraury,2014

No.1/1/2013-E.III(A)— The Government of India have decided to appoint the Seventh Central Pay Commission comprsing the fallowing

1.Chairman – Justice Shri Ashok kumar Mathur
2.Member – Shri Vivek Rae
3.Member – Dr. Rathin Roy
4.Secretary – Smt. Meena Agarwal

2.The terms of reference of the commission will be as fallows

a) To examine, review, evolve and recommend changes that are desirable and feasible regarding the principles that should govern the emoluments structure including pay, allowances and other facilities/benefits, in cash or kind, having regard to rationalization and simplification therein as well as the specialized needs of various Departments, agencies and services, in respect of the following categories of employees:-

i. Central Government employees-industrial and non-industrial;
ii. Personnel belonging to the All India Services;
iii. Personnel of the Union Territories;
iv. Officers and employees of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department;
v. Members of regulatory bodies (excluding the Reserve Bank of India) set up under Acts of Parliament; and
vi. Officers and employees of the Supreme Court.
b) To examine, review, evolve and recommend changes that are desirable and feasible regarding principles that should govern the emoluments structure, concessions and facilities/benefits, in cash or kind, as well as retirement benefits of personnel belonging to the Defence Forces, having regard to historical and traditional parities, with due emphasis on aspects unique to these personnel.

c) To work out the framework for an emoluments structure linked with the need to attract the most suitable talent to Government service, promote efficiency, accountability and responsibility in the work culture, and foster excellence in the public governance system to respond to complex challenges of modern administration and rapid political, social, economic and technological changes, with due regard to expectations of stakeholders, and to recommend appropriate training and capacity building through a competency based framework.

d) To examine the existing schemes of payment of bonus, keeping in view, among other things, its bearing upon performance and productivity and make recommendations on the general principles, financial parameters and conditions for an appropriate incentive scheme to reward excellence in productivity, performance and integrity.

e) To review the variety of existing allowances presently available to employees in addition to pay and suggest their rationalization and simplification, with a view to ensuring that the pay structure is so designed as to take these into account.

f) To examine the principles which should govern the structure of pension and other retirement benefits, including revision of pension in the case of employees who have retired prior to the date of effect of these recommendations, keeping in view that retirement benefits of all Central Government employees appointed on and after 01.01.2004 are covered by the New Pension Scheme (NPS).

g) To make recommendations on the above, keeping in view:

i. the economic conditions in the country and need for fiscal prudence;
ii. the need to ensure that adequate resources are available for developmental expenditures and welfare measures;
iii. the likely impact of the recommendations on the finances of the State Governments, which usually adopt the recommendations with some modifications;
iv. the prevailing emolument structure and retirement benefits available to employees of Central Public Sector Undertakings; and
v. the best global practices and their adaptability and relevance in Indian conditions.
h) To recommend the date of effect of its recommendations on all the above.

3.The Commission will devise its own procedure and may appoint such advisors, Institutional Consultants and Experts, as it necessary for any particular purpose. It may call for such information and take such evidence, as it may consider necessary. Ministries and Departments of Government of India shall furnish such information and documents and other assistance as may be required by the commission. The government of India trusts the State Governments, Service Associations and other concerned will extend to the Commission their fullest cooperation and assistance

4.The Commission will have Headquarters in Delhi

5.The Commission will make its recommendations within 18 months of the date of its constitution. It may consider, if necessary, sending interim reports on any of the matters as and when the recommendations are finalised.

RATAN P.WATAL, Secy

Source:http://finmin.nic.in/the_ministry/dept_expenditure/notification/misc/Gazette_Notification030314.pdf

GOVERNMENT REFUSED TO ACCEPT THE MAIN DEMANDS OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.

CONFEDERATION OF CENTRAL GOVT. EMPLOYEES & WORKERS
      1st Floor, North Avenue PO Building, New Delhi – 110001
      Website: www.confederationhq.blogspot.com
            Email: confederationhq@gmail.com
Circular No. 13
Dated 2.3.2014
GOVERNMENT REFUSED TO ACCEPT THE MAIN DEMANDS OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.

CONFEDERATION NATIONAL SECRETARIAT CALLS UPON THE ENTIRE CG EMPLOYEES TO PROTEST AGAINST THE ARBITRARY AND UNILATERAL DECISION OF THE GOVERNMENT.

HOLD NATION WIDE PROTEST DEMONSTRATION IN FRONT OF ALL OFFICES AND AT ALL IMPORTANT CENTRES ON 7TH  MARCH 2014 OR AT ANY IMMEDIATE CONVENIENT DATE.
SEND PROTEST SAVINGRAM TO THE PRIME MINISTER.

PREPARE for AN INDEFINITE STRIKE IMMEDIATELY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION DEMANDING , MERGER OF DA , INTERIM RELIEF , INCLUSION OF GDS UNDER 7TH CPC, PARITY IN PENSION, DATE OF EFFECT 1/1/2014, SCRAP NEW PENSION SCHEME, SETTLE ANOMOLIES,INCLUSION OF LABOUR REPRESENTATIVE IN THE PAY COMMISSION AND OTHER DEMANDS IN THE 15 POINT CHARTER OF DEMANDs.

CONDUCT INTENSIVE CAMPAIGN AND MAKE THE 4TH APRIL NAGPUR NATIONAL CONVENTION A GRAND SUCCESS

Dear Comrades,

The Union Cabinet approved the Finance Ministry’s proposal on terms of reference of the 7th CPC.  We have placed the full text of the same on our website.  None of the suggestions made by the Staff Side was accepted by the Government. 

However, our concern over the date of effect seems to have been taken note of.  The terms of reference has left the effective date of its recommendations to be decided by the Commission itself.  A united stand backed up by struggles will enable us to clinch this demand in our favour.  Undoubtedly it has been our endeavours and the two days strike action that has compelled the Government to have a rethinking on their earlier stand of Decennial (Ten years} wage revision for Central Government employees and the date of effect as 1/1/2016

Unlike on the earlier occasion, the Government has not decided to grant Interim Relief and merger of Dearness allowance.  Nor has it asked the Commission to consider and make appropriate recommendation in this regard specifically.  As pointed out in our earlier communication, inclusion of a labour representative in the Commission being not an idea the UPA Government cherishes, for it is diametrically opposite to its economic policies and ideology, they have stuck to the position of sandwiching the Honourable Judge with bureaucrats.  In the light of the agreement penned by Com. Mahadeviah, the General Secretary of the recognised GDS union with the Postal Board to the effect that a separate one man committee will look into the service conditions of the Grameen Dak Sewaks, it is not surprising that the Government chose to ignore our demand to cover them within the ambit of the 7th CPC.   Our demands for parity between the past and present pensioners and scrapping of the new pension scheme also stand rejected. 

As you are aware, the 6th CPC (and the earlier Commissions also) had refused to entertain the demand for removal of anomalies despite Government referring the same to the Commission specifically.  Therefore, the omnibus clause in the terms of reference requiring the Commission to submit interim reports may not be of any help to us to raise the anomalies before the 7th CPC.

At the conclusion of the meeting held on 24/10/2013 by Secretary, DoPT, with the staff side on terms of reference of the 7th CPC, it was agreed that the Government will consider our suggestion in the matter and will convene another meeting with the presence of Secretary (Expenditure) to iron out the differences, if any, and explore the possibilities of an agreement in the matter. But no such meeting was convened and no attempt was made by the official side to arrive at an agreed Terms of Reference.

We must now react to the arbitrary and unilateral decision of the Government.  We appeal all the State Secretaries, District Secretaries and Branch Secretaries of the affiliated organisations and the State/District COCs to immediately send the following Savingram to the Prime Minister.

THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES WORKING IN THE    ..........................................(NAME OF THE STATION)/ OFFICE OF...........................CONDEMN THE ATTITUDE OF THE GOVERNMENT IN NOT HONOURING ITS COMMITMENT OF HOLDING DISUCSSION WITH THE STAFF SIDE JCM NATIONAL COUNCIL BEFORE FINALISING THE TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE 7TH CPC AND DEMAND IMMEIDATE ACCEPTANCE OF :

(i) Interim Relief
(ii) Merger of DA
(iii) Bringing the Grameen Dak Sewaks within the ambit of the 7th CPC
(iv) Date of effect from 1/1/2014
(v) Parity in pension entitlement between the past and present pensioners
(vi) Coverage of the existing defined benefit pension scheme to employees recruited on or after 1.1.2004.
(vii) Include a representative of the Labour in the 7th Central Pay Commission.
(viii) Settle the anomalies raised in the National Anomaly Committee

While the National Convention scheduled to be held at Nagpur will chalk out detailed and phased programmes of action, we call upon our State Committees and Affiliated Unions to organise massive demonstration in front of all offices and important centres on 7th  March, 2014 (Friday) or any other immediate convenient date. Kindly instruct all the Branches to mobilise their members so that the demonstration has the participation of cent per cent of the membership of the concerned branch.  The State Units and affiliated Unions may issue pamphlets and posters and ensure its wide circulation throughout the country.

As already declared by the National Secretariat of the Confederation, we shall have to go for an indefinite strike action immediately after the General Election if our demands are to be settled.

With Greetings,

Yours fraternally,

M. KRISHNAN.
Secretary General.

Source : http://confederationhq.blogspot.in/

Government Committed to Provide Required Fund to Implement OROP: Antony

The Defence Minister Shri AK Antony has assured the Services that the Government was fully committed to implement the One Rank, One Pay (OROP) Policy and that required funds will be made available to ensure its implementation. Chairing a meeting of the top brass of the Services and senior officials of MoD, here, last evening, Shri Antony said the Finance Minister had clarified that the figure of Rs 500 crores made available to implement the scheme was only ‘indicative’. 

The meeting was convened by Shri Antony to discuss the modalities for implementation of OROP. It was attended among others by the Minister of State for Defence Shri Jitendra Singh, the Defence Secretary Shri RK Mathur, Secretary Ex- Servicemen’s Welfare Smt Sangita Gairola, Secretary Defence Finance Shri Arunava Dutt, the three Service Vice Chiefs and AG from the Services Headquarters. 

It was noted that “OROP implies that uniform pension be paid to the Armed Forces personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service irrespective of their date of retirement and any future enhancement in the rates of pension to be automatically passed on to the past pensioners. This implies bridging the gap between the rate of pension of the current pensioners and the past pensioners, and also future enhancements in the rate of pension to be automatically passed on to the past pensioners”. 

Shri Antony directed that the Controller General of Defence Accounts should initiate immediate necessary steps in consultation with the three Services, MoD Finance and Department of ESW to give effect to the decision. He also emphasized that family pensioners and disability pensioners would be included. Ex-Servicemen may also be appropriately consulted by the Services, Shri Antony said. 

It may be recalled that improvements in the pension for Defence Services have been effected by the Government on three occasions in recent times - in 2006, 2010 and 2013. As a result of these changes, the gap in pension amount between pre-2006 and post-2006 retirees has been bridged substantially. However, keeping in view the long- standing demand, the Government has accepted the principle of OROP for Defence Services. 

Source: PIB

Proposals of Retirement age 62 and 50% DA Merger..?

Modest Expectation for 50% DA Merger still on the cards

The expectations will not subside until the central government makes it clear whether 50% DA Merger will be approved or not. Though there were mixed news about whether 50% DA Merger is approved or not, Railway and Defence Federation’s Leaders told that the 50% DA merger was approved by the Cabinet. A website belongs to an important railway federation also flashed a news confirming merger of 50% DA is approved by the cabinet. Sometime later it changed its stand and removed the flash news

One of the News Media also confirmed that 50% DA is approved by the cabinet. But so far any announcement in this regard has not been come from the Government. Some Leaders of the Federations told, ‘when we had a talk with them, initially the central government agreed in principle to merge the 50% of Dearness Allowance and its decision was expected from the cabinet meeting held yesterday evening. But we are unaware of the reason for the government not announcing its decision.’

Earlier reports claimed that the government was considering 50% DA Merger and increasing retirement age to 62. But a source close to official side said these will be a part of Terms of Reference of 7th Pay Commission and the Panel , however, can recommend this later

Everybody feels, still it is an incomplete picture, as the government has not declared it is done

Source:http://www.gservants.com/2014/03/01/modest-expectation-50-da-merger-still-cards/

Opening of 54 new Kendriya Vidyalayas under Civil Sector

The Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the opening of 54 new Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) under Civil Sector during the 12th Five Year Plan as recommended by the Expenditure Finance Committee. These 54 KVs will be located in 53 districts in 17 States. 

The total cost of opening of these new KVs is projected at Rs. 927.40 crore. The non-recurring costs covering constructions cost, furniture, fixture will be Rs. 793.58 crore and recurring cost covering pay and allowance and other expenses will be Rs.133.82 crore. Per unit cost of construction of a school building is Rs. 14.55 crore. 

These new KVs when fully functional will provide quality education to approximately 54,000 students in addition to 12 lakhs students already studying in the present KVs. 

The main objective of KVS is to cater to the educational needs of children of transferable Central Government employees including defence and para-military personnel by providing a common programme of education. There are at present 1094 functional Kendriya Vidyalayas including three abroad. These are in Moscow, Kathmandu and Tehran. 

Kendriya Vidyalayas are considered as model schools in terms of physical infrastructure, teaching resources, curriculum and academic performance. These schools constitute important educational infrastructure spread over the length and breadth of the country. Kendriya Vidyalayas are pace setting schools, have consistently turned out excellent academic performance, as is evident from Board Results of Class X and XII exams conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). 

Source: PIB

Voluntary retirement under FR 56(k), etc. and amendment of Rules.

No.25013/3/2010-Estt (A)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Department of Personnel and Training

North Block, New Delhi-110 001
Dated : 27th February, 2014

Subject : Voluntary retirement under FR 56(k), etc. and amendment of Rules.

The provisions of Fundamental Rule 56(k), 56(m) and Rule 48 of CCS(Pension) Rules, 1972 relating to acceptance of request of voluntary retirement have been revisited as per the Central Administrative Tribunal, Principal Bench judgement dated 4th August, 2010 in 0.A.No.1600/2009 filed by Shri Gopal Singh Purohit Vs U01 & Others to bring them at par with each other.

2. The matter has been examined in consultation with Department of Pension and Pensioners Welfare and the Ministry of Law. FR 56(k) and 56 (m) have been amended vide Extra Ordinary Gazette Notification No.GSR.27(E) dated 17th January, 2014. It shall be open to the appropriate authority to withhold permission to a Government servant who seeks to retire under FR 56(k) or 56 (m) in the following circumstances:

(i) If the Government servant is under suspension ; or
(ii) If a charge sheet has been issued and the disciplinary proceedings are
pending; or
(iii) If judicial proceedings on charges which may amount to grave misconduct, are pending.

Explanation: For the purpose of this clause, judicial proceedings shall be deemed to be pending, if a complaint or report of a police officer, of which the Magistrate takes cognizance, has been made or filed in a criminal proceedings.

3. Copy of the Gazette Notification No.G.S.R.E.(27) dated 17.1.2014 amending FR 56(k) and FR 56(m) is enclosed.

4. All Ministries/Departments are requested to bring the contents of this O.M. to the notice of all concerned.

Sd-
(B.Bandyopadhyay)
Under Secretary to the Government of India

Source:http://ccis.nic.in/WriteReadData/CircularPortal/D2/D02est/25013_3_2010-Estt-A.pdf

Newly Developed ‘SMS Gateway’ Launched for Sending Alerts to Railway Passengers Regarding their PNR Status

Indian Railways added another milestone by launching yet another innovative scheme called the ‘SMS Gateway’, which will enable passengers to get SMS alerts on the status of reserved tickets. The ‘SMS Gateway’ which was developed by Centre for Railway information Systems (CRIS), an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Railways, was launched by the Minister of State for Railways Shri Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury here today on the occasion of a seminar on the theme “Role of IT in Rail Services – Present and Future”. The seminar was organised by the Centre for Transportation Research and Management (CTRAM), an autonomous body of the Ministry of Railways. Present on occasion the were Shri Arunendra Kumar, Chairman, Railway Board, Shri D. P. Pande, Member Traffic, Shri Kul Bhushan, Member Electrical and Shri Alok Johri, Member Mechanical, of Railway Board. 

The ‘SMS Gateway’ project will be used to send SMS alerts to passengers in case of status change in the PRS tickets, as compared to the initial booking status (For example W/L to RAC, RAC to CNF, W/L to CNF). SMS alerts prior to chart preparation will be sent once a day, in case of status change only, beginning from 5 days before the journey date. The SMS alerts after chart preparation (which is normally done 3-4 hours before train departure), will convey the actual Berth No., Coach No. and RAC No. for those passengers whose final Charting status has changed as compared to the initial booked status. In case of any ticket upgradation or seat re-allotment also SMS alerts will be sent. 

It is estimated that a large of SMS alerts will be sent on daily basis (approx. 4 lakh), hence the system will be made ONLINE in phases. Initially, the system would be configured for sending post chart alerts in a few selective Rajdhani trains, followed by other Mail Express trains. Subsequently the pre chart alerts will be enabled. 

This facility will greatly reduce the last minute enquiry rush on the PRS websites and Call Centre as well as reduce the4 crowding near the pasted Chart locations on the Railway Platforms. This service will be provided free of cost to the users. This will enhance the image of Indian Railways. 

Taking the things forward, CRIS took up the project for setting up of SMS Gateway of sending alerts to passengers, sanctioned by the Railways Board. Till now passengers can find about their PNR status through website enquiries or Call Centre (139) or IVRS or SMS enquiry. Railways decided to proactively send the SMS alerts to passengers at no extra charges to them. 

During the development of the application for sending SMS alerts, considerable challenges were faced, to ensure that there is no adverse impact in the normal functioning of the backend main PRS system (CONCERT), which is one of the largest ticketing applications in the world. M/s Mahindra Comiva and Velti System, India were the technical partners of CRIS for making this project a success. 

PIB