Non-Implementation of Equal Wages for Equal Work

   Government has enacted Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 which provides for payment of equal remuneration to men and women workers for the same work or work of similar nature without any discrimination. The Occupational Labour Surveys conducted by Labour Bureau have revealed that none of the establishments surveyed violated the provisions of Equal Remuneration Act, 1976. The difference in the earning of male and female workers at the industry and occupational level is mainly due to seniority/length of service, difference in output etc. The difference in wages and earning at Stratum/All India level is due to inter-unit/inter-State difference in wage rates/earnings of men and women workers. Under the provisions of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 both the Central and State Governments are the appropriate Governments to fix and revise the minimum wages in the scheduled employments under their respective jurisdictions. There is no concept of National average wage under the provisions of Minimum Wages Act, 1948.

   However, there is a concept of National Floor Level Minimum Wage (NFLMW) which was mooted on the basis of the recommendations of the National Commission on Rural Labour (NCRL) in 1991. The NFLMW has no statutory backing, the State Governments are persuaded to fix minimum wages such that in none of the scheduled employments, the minimum wage is less than the NFLMW. The NFLMW was fixed at Rs. 100 per day which was in effect from 1.11.2009 and has been raised to Rs. 115 per day with effect from 1.04.2011. However, as per survey conducted by National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) in 66th round during 2009-10 on average wage/salary earning per day per person for casual labour in public works other than MGNREG Public works is Rs. 93.11 for rural areas, for Casual Labour in MGNREG public works in rural sector it is Rs. 89.03 and for casual labour in other type of works it is Rs. 93.06 for rural and Rs. 121.83 for urban areas.

   To safeguard the interest of workers engaged in unorganized sector, Government has enacted The Minimum Wages Act, 1948, Plantation Labour Act, 1951, The Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, 1970, The Inter State Migrant Establishment Workmen (Regulation of Employment & Conditions of Service) Act, 1979, The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976, The Building and Other Construction Workers(Regulation of Employment and Condition of Service) Act, 1996 etc. for the welfare of unorganized Sector. Besides this, the Government has enacted the Unorganised Workers Social Security Act, 2008 with a view to providing social security to unorganized workers. Further, the National Social Security Fund for unorganized sector workers has set up with initial allocation of Rs. 1,000 crore. This fund will support schemes for weavers, toddy tappers, rickshaw pullers, bidi workers etc. Under Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), smart card based cashless health insurance cover of Rs. 30,000/- is provided to BPL families (a unit of five) in unorganized sector. The scheme has become operational from 01.04.2008 and is presently being implemented in 24 States/UTs. As on 30.04.2012, more than 2.94 crore smart cards have been issued. RSBY has now been extended to building and other construction workers, street vendors, beedi workers, domestic workers and MGNREGA beneficiaries who have worked for more than 15 days during the preceding financial year.

   This information was given by the Union Labour & Employment Minister Shri Mallikarjun Kharge in reply to a written question in the Rajya Sabha today.

Welfare Schemes for Ex-Servicemen

The details of welfare schemes for Ex-Servicemen are as below:            Financial Assistance from Armed Forces Flag Day Fund (AFFDF): (I)                1.         Financial assistance to institutions: (a)               Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centres (PRC) at Kirkee and Mohali. (b)               St Dunstan’s After Care Organisation. (c)                Cheshire Homes at Delhi, Dehradun, Lucknow. 2.                  Financial assistance for serious ailments: to the non-pensioners only. 3.                  Supply of Honda Activa (Self Starter) Scooter to ESM. 4.                  Tool Kit for Ex-Servicemen Technicians. 5.                  Re-imbursement of interest by way of subsidy on loan taken from banks for construction of house to War bereaved, war disabled and attributable peace time casualties and their dependents.

6.                  Grant to Training-cum-Productions Centres in Military Hospitals and other places. 7.                  War Memorial Hostels: The War Memorial Hostels were constructed with a view to provide shelter to the children of War widows, war- disabled, attributable cases. 8.                  Sharing cost of construction of Sainik Rest Houses. 9.                  Financial Assistance from RakshaMantri’s Discretionary Fund (RMDF). The financial assistance is provided to needy Ex- servicemen, widows and wards from RMDF for various purposes. 10.              Prime Minister’s Merit Scholarship Scheme. 11.              Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS). (II)        Resettlement and Rehabilitation Schemes: (A)        TRAINING PROGRAMME:  for Officers, JCO/OR and Ex-Servicemen (ESM) Training. (B)        RE-EMPLOYMENT:       in Central and State Government; Re-employment through DGR; DGR sponsored Security Services Scheme. (C)           LOAN RELATED WELFARE SCHEMES:Enterpreneur Schemes; Herbal and Medicinal Plants; Horticulture; Floriculture; Franchising; Other Business Activities. (i)    SELF EMPLOYMENT SCHEMES:Ex-Servicemen Coal Loading and Transportation Scheme; Coal Tipper Attachment Scheme; Management of CNG Station by ESM (Officers) in NCR; Mother Dairy Milk Booths and Fruit & Vegetable (Safal) shops; Allotment of Oil Product Agencies under 8% Defence quota; Allotment of LPG Agency under Rajiv Gandhi Gramin LPG VitrakYojana; Allotment of Regular LPG, Distributor under 18% quota; Sponsorship of ESM(O) of COCO Operatorship; Allotment of Army Surplus Vehicles.             Widows, dependents and children of martyred and disabled war soldiers get liberalized/special/normal family pension as per their entitlement. Department of Ex-servicemen Welfare in the Ministry of Defence is the Nodal Department for welfare of ex-serviccmen, widows or dependents and children of martyred and disabled soldiers. Its attached offices namely Directorate General of Resettlement andKendriyaSainik Board are working in this direction. Rajya and ZilaSainik Boards at the State & district level look into the condition of families of martyrs and disabled soldiers.             Besides this, each Service Headquarter has dedicated cell to look into welfare issues of widows, dependents and children of martyred and disabled war soldiers. Record offices, local formations/units have system in place to periodically interact formally & informally with families of martyred & disabled soldiers. Category-wise details of welfare schemes for ESM are as follows: Category Army Air-force Navy Total Widows of Ex-Servicemen 500033 24384 11742 536159 War Widows 4173 44 19 4236 Disabled Ex-Servicemen 4397 197 176 4770    This information was given by Minister of State for Defence Dr MM PallamRajuin a written reply to ShriIshwarlalShankarlal Jain in Rajya Sabha today.

Recruitment of Stenographers Grade D’ in CSSS through Stenographers Grade ‘C’ & ‘D’ Examination.

No.6/2/2011-CS-II(C)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Department of Personnel and Training

3rd Floor, Lok Nayak Bhawan,
Khan Market, New Delhi-110 003.
Date: 15th May, 2012.

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject:- Recruitment of Stenographers Grade D’ in CSSS through Stenographers Grade ‘C’ & ‘D’ Examination, 2011 conducted by Staff Selection Commission (SSC) - nomination of qualified candidates - reg.

   The undersigned is directed to say that based on the results of the Stenographers Grade ‘C’ & ‘D’ Examination-2011, the Staff Selection Commission recommended 353 candidates for appointment as Steno Grade ‘D’ in CSSS. The examination dossiers of aforesaid 353 (General -174, SC-62, ST-7, OBC-110 ) candidates have been received in this Department for appointment to the Stenographer Grade ‘D’ of CSSS for the Select List Year-2011. Accordingly, they are nominated to the different Cadre Units of CSSS as listed in the Annexure to this O.M. in the order of their merit for appointment as Steno Grade ‘D’ of CSSS.

   2. Since these candidates have neither been medically examined nor have their character and antecedents been verified, the Cadre Units are requested to complete their pre-appointment formalities before they are actually appointed as Steno Grade ‘D’ latest by 15th June, 2012.

   3. In accordance with ‘Instructions for the candidates’ relating to this Examination, qualified candidates are required to submit their original certificates for verification to the authority who will give them the Offer of appointment. The appointing authorities may, therefore, call for the original certificates and check the relevant particulars from them regarding date of birth, educational qualifications, claims for OBC/SC/ST/Ex- servicemen/PH and claim in respect of age relaxation. If any discrepancy is found in any particular case, the SSC may be informed accordingly and copy of the same may also be endorsed to this Department.

   4. In pursuance of the instructions contained in para 2.5 of the brochure regarding reservation in service for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes circulated with the Ministry of Home Affairs O.M.No.1/2/61-SCT (I) dated 27th April 1962, the responsibility for verification of the claims of the SC/ST/OBC candidates is that of the appointing authority. The candidates may, accordingly, be offered appointments provisionally subject to their furnishing the prescribed caste certificate in the prescribed form within a reasonable time, which should be verified by the appointing authority.

   5. In cases where the candidates are already employed in the Government offices, the Offer of appointment may be sent to them through their respective offices. As soon as a candidate is taken on the strength of the Ministries/Departments after completion of pre appointment formalities, a copy of his/her Office Order indicating the date of his/her joining the duty may be intimated along with his/her roll number and rank number to this Department.

   6. The Offer of appointment should be sent only by Registered Post. If the postal authorities return the letter undelivered, the Letter along with the envelope containing remarks by the postal authorities should be retained for record. In such cases, a copy of the Offer of appointment should be sent to the permanent address of the candidate, if it is different from that of the initial mailing address. The dossiers of such candidates should be returned to the SSC only if the second letter is also returned undelivered under intimation to this Department.

   7. At least five weeks time from the date of issue of the Offer of appointment should be given to a candidate to respond to the Offer of appointment. A registered reminder may be sent immediately after the expiry of five weeks time, if necessary. If the candidate does not join duty within 3 months from the date of first Letter, his candidature may be cancelled. However, if the candidate further makes a request for extension of joining time and on consideration by the Cadre Unit, it is decided to grant him/her extension beyond 3 months, he/she may be asked to join within the stipulated time and he/she may also be informed that on joining the post his/her seniority would be determined as per provision made in DOP&T O.M. No. 9/23/71-Estt.(D) dated 6.6.78 as amended vide O.M. No.35015/2/93-Estt(B) dated 9.8.1995.

   8. The dossiers of candidates are forwarded herewith and these should be retained, on their appointment, in the Ministry/Department/Office, as part of their Service Book. It may specially be noted that the dossier shall be deemed to be authentic only if the photograph of the candidate in the dossier is EMBOSSED with the special stamp of the SSC. Before taking any further action, it may please be ensured that the photograph of the candidate in the dossier is duly embossed and in case any discrepancy is noticed, the matter may be referred to the SSC without any delay.

   9. If any candidate fails to report for duty or there is no response or the Offer is declined, after a registered reminder, the Offer of appointment should formally be cancelled and the candidate be informed accordingly. The dossiers of such candidates should be returned thereafter to the Staff Selection Commission directly under intimation to this Department after placing a copy each of the Offer of appointment, reminder thereof and the cancellation memo, in the respective dossier. The dossier(s) should be returned under the signature of the officer to whom the same were sent in your office. He/She should also sign the list of dossier(s) which is/are returned with the Letter.

   10. These Steno Grade ‘D’ would be nominated for induction training in the ISTM shortly. The dates of the induction training programme would be intimated to all the Cadre Units in due course. All the Cadre Units shall relieve their Stenographers Grade ‘D’ for the induction training programme at the ISTM as and when they are nominated.

   11. All Cadre Units of CSSS are requested to ensure that in case some staff have been outsourced for stenographic assistance by showing the vacancies of Steno Grade ‘D’, the same may be reduced proportionately keeping in view the number of Steno Grade ‘D’ nominated to the respective Cadre Units. The Financial Advisers of all the Cadre Units are also requested to ensure that outsourced stenographic assistance is proportionately reduced as the nominated Steno Grade ‘D’ join in the Cadre Unit.

sd/-
[Kameshwar Mishra]
Under Secretary to the Govt. of India

Click here to View the ANNEXURE TO O.M.No.6/2/2011-CS(C) DATED 15.05.2012.