All India Consumer Price Index Numbers for Industrial Workers.

   All India Consumer Price Index Number for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) on base 2001=100 for the month of February, 2012 increased by 1 point and stood at 199 (one hundred & ninety nine).

   During February, 2012, the index recorded maximum increase of 5 points in Puducherry centre, 4 points each in Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Mariani Jorhat centres, 3 points in 4 centres, 2 points in 10 centres and 1 point in 30 centres. The index decreased by 5 points in Quilon centre, 3 points each in Tiruchirapally and Salem centres, 2 points in 2 centres, 1 point in 8 centres, while in the remaining 17 centres the index remained stationary.

   The maximum increase of 5 points in Puducherry centre is mainly on account of increase in the prices of Rice, Goat Meat, Poultry (Chicken), Curd, Snack Saltish, Country Liquor, Refined Liquor, Shirting Cloth (Synthetic), Bus Fare, Auto-rickshaw Fare, Barber Charges, Flower/Flower Garlands etc. The increase of 4 points each in Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Mariani Jorhat centres is mainly due to increase in the prices of Rice, Groundnut Oil, Mustard Oil, Goat Meat, Fish Fresh, Vegetable & Fruit items, Tea (Readymade), Electricity Charges, Flower/Flower Garlands, etc. The decrease of 5 points in Quilon centre is due to decrease in the prices of Coconut Oil, Fish Fresh, Onion, Vegetable & Fruit items, etc. The decrease of 3 points each in Tiruchirapally and Salem centres is due to decrease in the prices of Rice, Eggs (Hen), Onion, Garlic, Tamarind, Chillies Dry, Vegetable items, Flower/Flower Garlands, etc.

    The indices in respect of the six major centres are as follows :

1. Ahmedabad	196
2. Bangalore	204
3. Chennai	186
4. Delhi	182
5. Kolkata	186
6. Mumbai	200

   The point to point rate of inflation based on CPI-IW(General) for the month of February, 2012 is 7.57% as compared to 5.32% in January, 2012. Inflation based on Food Index attained the level of 5.08% in February, 2012 as compared to 0.49% in January, 2012.

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Pension to Retired Employees.

   The Government had introduced the New Pension System (NPS) from 1st January, 2004 through a Notification dated 22nd December, 2003 for new entrants to Central Government service, on mandatory basis, except to Armed Forces, joining service on or after 01.01.2004 replacing the existing system of defined benefit pension system. NPS has also been extended to autonomous bodies, State Governments and un-organised sector. The employees working in Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) are not covered mandatorily under NPS. However, three CPSEs, viz Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd. Manganese Ore (India Ltd. ) and NALCO have adopted NPS on voluntarily basis with effect from 01.01.2004, 01.07.2011 and 01.01.2007 respectively.

   This information was given by the Minister of State for Finance, Shri Namo Narain Meena in written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.

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Online Reservation of Concessional Tickets.

   All persons including physically handicapped persons can book full fare tickets on payment through the internet. However, booking of concessional tickets requiring verification of the requisite concession certificate and also retention of copies of the said certificate issued/signed by the competent authority at the railway counter as documentary evidence is not done through internet. Accordingly, the facility of e-ticketing has not been extended to such cases where the physical document is to be verified at the time of booking on concessional fare in case of disabled persons.

   Rail reservations through the IRCTC website are available from 00:30 hours to 23:30 hours. The services are not available for only one hour from 23:30 hours to 00:30 hours when the system is shut down for maintenance activity.

   The working of the system is regularly monitored. The following measures have been taken to improve the functioning of the IRCTC website.

   Capacity of the servers has been upgraded to meet demand. Internet Bandwidth has been increased to 450 Mbps. Agents have been restricted from booking Tatkal tickets and on the opening day of the Advance Reservation Period (ARP) between 0800 hours and 1000 hours.

   This information was given by the Minister of State for Railways Shri K. H. Muniyappa in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

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