AUTOMATED MAIL PROCESSING SYSTEM IS ON THE WAY.

Remember the fiasco over the 'Harmad Bahini' letter that Union home minister P Chidambaram had sent to Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee around Christmas last year? The registered mail took a week to reach Writers' Buildings from South Block, causing a major embarrassment to India Post.
A year later, a slew of measures involving both man and machine are under way to prevent a repeat of the snail mail episode that left everyone foxed. Addressing the long-standing issue of manpower shortage that severely affected operations like mail delivery, 328 persons have recently been employed, ending years of recruitment freeze.
"We expect to employ more than 100 persons in the next year. There are some vacancies that remain due to lack of suitable candidate to fill up some quotas. But the acute manpower crunch will be a thing of the past soon," said B V Sudhakar, postmaster general (business development) of West Bengal circle.
The long-term freeze had led to major crunch in postmen, resulting in once-a-week delivery of mails in some post office areas in the city. This led to major problems with credit card and other bills reaching customers after payment date.
Another senior official said part of the problem was also due to the poor work culture in Bengal where people arrive late to work and leave for home early. To address this problem, an initiative is under way to mechanize as much of the system as possible.
"An automated mail processing centre is being set up near the airport to expedite postage delivery. The machine will be installed in next month and the centre should function full-throttle from April," said VK Gupta, PMG (mail management).
The imported Siemens machines - one for small letters and another for bigger packages - will be fitted with optical character reader capable of reading addresses and barcodes and sorting the mails to 280-odd bins, each meant for one delivery office. There are around 159 delivery post offices in Kolkata alone.
"The machines have an accuracy of 90% with printed addresses and 15-20% with handwritten ones. Those that are not recognized will move into a separate conveyer belt from where people can sort the mails through video monitors. The machines will be able to sort 8 lakh letters daily," Gupta said. To begin with, the system will be used to handle high value business mails.
In addition to this, work is underway on Tech Seva, a service that will enable faster delivery of registered mails, Speed Post parcels and money orders. Through this system, a postman will be able to send an SMS alert to the addressee when a mail arrives for delivery at the post office.
"We are working on the database and may take six to eight months. But once the system is in place, it will be of huge convenience to the addressee as they can either be present at home to collect the mail or get in touch with the post office to do so," explained Gupta.

NOW HMT WATCH AT POST OFFICE

On a pilot basis five post offices have been selected to sell the watches in Kolkata.

HMT has 70 models of wrist watches, which will be displayed in the selected post offices.

"Quality and warranty is responsibility of HMT. The cost of the watches ranges from Rs.325 to Rs.3000 a piece," said an official statement.

"A special discount of 10% is offered during off season period, only to post offices customers by HMT which would not be made available by any other distributor / retailer of HMT," said the statement.

During festival seasons or special offer periods the discounts allowed by HMT to all its distributors / retailers will also be made available to the post office for passing them to the customers.

Post office will pass on the total discount of the customer unlike others who pass a part of the discount allowed.

NOW e-POST OFFICE AT YOUR DOOR STEP.

Indian Post has 1,55,000 offices in India which covers villages, major towns and districts.Adding to this, India Post has decided to take the task online. With an aim of bringing the post office to the desktop. They literally do. They bring it in a cool manner. As usual, NIC has designed the website.They call it e-post office.Coming to the design elements of the website.They've made a nice use of flash.

What you can do with the e-post office?

• You can money order
• Buy stamps
• Find pin codes
• You can track and trace your post
• You can register complaints. Isn't this enough? 

Now, you can even scan your letter, mail to the concerned post master. The post office people will take a print out, envelop it and post it to the address you require.

RECENT GOVT. JOB VACANCIES NEWS

* Union Public Service Commission invites applications for various posts.

* Staff Selection Commission (Eastern Region) requires Sepoy and Draftsman.

* Staff Selection Commission (NWR) requires Sepoy and Draftsman.

*  Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited, New Delhi invites applications for recruitment of Senior      Management Trainees.

* CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun invites applications for various posts.

* The Indian Army invites applications from male candidates for recruitment to the Post of Surveyor Automated Cartographers as Havildar.

* Indian Navy invites applications from unmarried male candidates from enrolment as Sailors for Senior Secondary Recruits (SSR)-02/2012 Batch.

* Small Industries Development Bank of India requires Professionals.

* South Eastern Coalfields Limited requires Staff Nurses, Pharmacists (Trainee), X-Ray Technician (Trainee) and Jr. ECG Technicians (Trainee).

* Steel Authority of India Limited, Burnpur requires Operator-cum-Technicians and Attendant-cum Technicians.

* Air India Air Transport Services Limited requires Customer Agents, Ramp Service Agents, Utility Agent-cum-Ramp Drivers and Handyman-II.

* MOIL Limited Nagapur requires Sr. Managers, Managers, Asstt. Managers, Graduate Trainee (Civil).

* Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited, Nagpur invites applications for various posts.

* Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi requires Assistant Professors.

ALL INDIA POSTAL CASUAL, PART TIME CONTINGENT & CONTRACT WORKERS FEDERATION. NEW DELHI APPEAL TO ALL CASUAL, PART TIME CONTINGENT & CONTRACTWORKERS OF DEPARTMENT OF POSTS

Dear comrades,

            We express our sincere thanks to POSTAL JCA for their efforts to settle our demands. POSTAL JCA consisting of NFPE,FNPO &GDS UNIONS highlighted our demands and included them in the charter of demands of indefinite strike notice submitted to DG POST on 15-12-2011 which is going to be conducted from 17-01-2012.  

OUR MAIN DEMANDS INCLUDED IN THE CHARTER OF DEMANDS

1.      REVISION OF WAGES OF ALL CASUAL,PT CONTINGENT WORKERS ON PAR WITH REGULAR EMPLOYEES AS PER THE REVISED WAGES OF 6^TH CPC  AND PAYMENT OF ARREARS FROM 1-1-2006.

While discussions with DG POST during last strike notice it was assured that orders will be issued for revised wages and drawl of arrears to pre 1993 workers with a month and for arrears to others it will be favorably sent to finance for approval. But the same was not implemented.

2.      REGULARISATION OF CONTINGENT WORKERS BY CONVERTING ALL PTP POSTS AS GDS AND UPGRADING THE PRESENT INCUMBANTS AS GDS AGAINST THOSE POSTS ON ONE TIME MEASURE.

After the discussions in our first convention it was decided to place this proposal before the committee appointed by the department on the issues of casual labor and the same was submitted to the CHARMAN of the committee by our federation. Now this was placed as demand in the strike charter by JCA .

3.      CONVERTION OF PTCL"S AS FTCL BY COMBINING THE POSTS OF PART TIME AND GRANTING TEMPORARY STATUS TO ALL PTCL'S BY REIRERATING  DOP ORDER NO. 45-14/92-SPB-I DT. 16-9-92.

Even though orders were issued earlier this was not implemented in many circles due to which years together casual employees were suffered without regularization. In the last agreement it was assured that the earlier orders will be reiterated. But till date orders were not issued. Now it was kept as demand in the charter.

IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE WE REQUEST THE JCA LEADERS TO KEEP THE FOLLOWING DEMANDS ALSO IN THEIR VIEW WHICH WERE RESOLVED IN THE 1^ST ALL INDIA CONVENTION OF OUR FEDERATION.

1.      TO REITERATE THE EARLIER ORDERS OF DOP NO. 55-24/88-SPB-I DT. 17-3-89 CLARIFYING WHO ARE CASUAL LABOUR .OTHER WISE IN MOST OF THE CIRCLES MANY CASUAL LABOUR ARE NOT RECGNISED AS CASUAL LABOUR RAISING DOUBTS ON WHO SHOULD BE TRATED ASS CASUAL LABOUR.

2.      ALL THE PTCL'S WHO WORKED FOR 480 DAYS IN 2 YEARS MAY BE TREATED AS TEMPORARY STATUS CASUAL LABOUR FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECRUITMENT AS PER THE HON'BLE CAT HYD. JUDGEMENT IN OA NO. 388/1998 WHICH WAS RATIFIED BY AP HIGH COURT IN WP. NO. 17048/2000 AND SLP FILED BY THE DEPARTMENT IN APEX COURT WAS DISMISSED IN 2011. BUT THE SAME WAS IMPLIMENTED ONLY TO THOSE WHO APPROACHED COURT ONLY. AS SUPREME COURT DIRECTED THIS SHOULD BE APPLIED TO ALL THE PART TIME CASUAL LABOUR.

3.      AS PER THE COMMITMENT GIVEN TO JCA THE ORDERS OF THE DEPARTMENT TO GIVE PRIORITY TO CASUAL LABOUR IN GDS VACANCIES VIDE DOP. NO. 17-141/88-EDC&TRG DT. 6-6-88 MAY BE REITERATED AND IMPLIMENTED.

4.      ALL THE BENEFITS GIVEN TO UNORGANISED SECTOR WORKERS I.E. PENSION,ESI ETC MAY BE EXTENDED TO CASUAL LABOUS ALSO.

5.      TO ISSUE IDENTITY CARDS TO ALL CASUAL LABOUR WORKING IN THE DEPARTMENT AS MOST OF THEM ARE WORKING AGAINST REGULAR VACANCIES OF GDS,MTS,MG& POSTMAN.

6.      TO REVISE THE HOURLY RATE OF SDS KEEPING IN VIEW THE REVESIED WAGES OF REGULAR EMPLOYEES AND INCREASE IN DA AND LIMIT ON THEIR WORKING HOURS MAY BE EXTENDED TO 100 HOURS IN A MONTH.

KEEPING IN VIEW THE ABOVE ALL THE CASUAL, PARTTIME CONTINGENT& CONTRACT WORKERS ,SHORT DUTY STAFF WORKING IN THE DEPARTMENT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INDEFINITE STRIKE FROM 17-01-2012 CONDUCTING BY POSTAL JCA AND MAKE IT A GRAND SUCCESS FOR BETTERMENT OF OUR SERVECES AND WORKING CONDITIONS.

SPECIAL APPEAL TO ALL CIRCLE & DVNL. SECRETARIES OF NFPE AFFLIATED UNIONS,AIPEDEU AS IN SOME CIRCLES FORMATION OF FEDERATION OF CASUAL LABOUR IS IN FORMATION STAGE YOU ARE REQUESTED TO ORGANISE THESE WORKERS AND MAKE THEM TO JOIN IN THE INDEFINATE SRIKE AND MAKE IT GRAND SUCCESS.

NON - INVESTMENT OF NPS FUND

    A total amount of Rs. 971.48 crore, collected towards contribution for Government employees, from 2004 to March 2008, under the New Pension System (NPS), was credited to the Public Account of India.

            The institutional architecture for NPS could not be operationalised by the Interim Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA). Therefore, the contribution for the Government employees under the NPS could not be invested in the market.

            The funds were credited to Public Account and interest @ 8% p.a. was paid on the contribution.

            The establishment of institutional architecture by the PFRDA, based on objective and financial criteria, took some time, therefore, the question of conducting an enquiry does not arise.

            The interest @ 8% p.a. was paid on the contribution by the Government.

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

 DSM/Hb

(Release ID :78868)

STRIKE POSTPONED

 INDEFINITE STRIKE DATE CHANGEDFROM 3rd JANUARY TO 17th JANUARY, 2012.

TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE DIFFICULTIES EXPRESSED BY SOME OF CIRCLE SECRETARIES AND GENERAL SECRETARIES GDS UNIONS FOR ORGANIZING STRIKE IN AN EFFECTIVE MANNER WITH IN A SHORT PERIOD, THE CENTRAL JCA HAS DECIDED TO POSTPONE THE DATE OF INDEFINITE STRIKE FROM 3rd JANUARY TO 17th JANUARY, 2012. THERE IS NO CHANGE IN THE STRIKE NOTICE SERVING DATE AND HUNGER FAST BY GENERAL SECRETARIES.

COPY OF THE STRIKE NOTICE AND CHARTER OF DEMANDS WILL BE EXHIBITED IN THE WEB SITE SHORTLY.

 

GENERAL SECRETARY

AMMENDMENT IN POST OFFICE ACT.

The Minister of State in the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology Shri Sachin Pilot today informed the Rajya Sabha that Government is not proposing to amend the Indian Post Office Act 1898. It is proposed to replace the existing Act and a Draft Post Office Bill is under consideration of the Government.

Replying to a written question the minister said the highlights of changes proposed to be brought through the new legislation are as follows:

1. Opening of market by reducing the exclusive privilege of Central Government:

Gradual opening of the market by phase wise removal of the monopoly proposed. Exclusive privilege reduced upto 150 gm. in case of letters and upto 50 gm. in case of express mail. Couriers can carry letters even within 150 gm and 50 gm (the reserve area) subject to them charging twice the postal rates for letters and twice the rates for express service.

2. Sunset clause:

A 15 years SUNSET clause for complete removal of exclusive privilege in express service and Parliamentary Review of exclusive privilege in case of letters is proposed.

3. Universal Service Obligation of the Central Government:

As proposed, USO is defined as the obligation of the Central Government to provide, through the Department of Posts, basic postal services at reasonable access, affordable price and with specified service parameters throughout the country. Commitment to provide postal service, delivery and access to post office 6 days of the week except holidays.

4. Definitions:

Definitions of certain 'terms' are proposed keeping in view the definition adopted by different countries, as also the requirement of customers i.e.

(a)"Postal services" means services provided by the Central Government or on its behalf and includes services related to

(i) handling of addressed letters,

(ii) handling of addressed parcels and packages,

(iii) handling of addressed press products,

(iv) handling of these articles as registered or insured mail,

(v) express services for these articles,

(vi) handling of unaddressed articles,

(vii) Value Payable Post,

(viii) money remittance

(ix) Post Office Counter Services

(x) services on behalf of any Ministry or Department of the Central or State Governments, or services on behalf any other organization

(xi) other services not specified elsewhere;

b) "courier services" means services related to the handling of articles of mail i.e. collection, sorting, dispactch, conveyance and delivery including

(i) handling of addressed letters subject to provisions in Section 4,

(ii) handling of addressed parcels and packages,

(iii) handling of addressed press products,

(iv) express services for these articles subject to provision in Section 4

(v) handling of unaddressed articles,

(c) "express services" means postal / courier services related to handling of articles of mail and expedited delivery within a clearly specified and declared time limit with confirmation of receipt and with or without end-to-end integration to ensure track and trace and a record of delivery;

(d) "Registered Courier" means any person registered as such under Section --- and includes his employee or agent or assignee;

(e) "Licensee" means a Registered Courier who has been given licence under Section --;

5. Registration and Licensing:

The Central Government may grant registration to any person undertaking the provision of any courier service in India, who shall be called a Registered Courier. T he Central Government may also grant license to any Registered Courier, who shall be called a licensee, for providing certain specific services. There is no registration fee or licences fee. Licensing conditions involve adherence to quality, guarantee relief to customers in case of any deficiency in service and commitment to ensure confidentiality and security of letter. All operators will require registration for providing any type of courier service in India. But license will be required only for reserve area, USO and letter mail.

6. Registering Authority:

It is propose that Central Government shall appoint Registering Authority, in such manner and to perform such functions, as may be prescribed.

7. Appellate Authority:

An Appellate Authority is proposed for redressal of grievances of any person aggrieved by an order of Registration Authority.

8. Setting up Extra Territorial Offices of Exchange (ETOE) and International mail Processing Centers (IMPC) abroad:

Central Govt. may establish ETOEs/IMPCs in other countries for providing international Mail Services including express and parcel services subject to arrangements with such Postal Administrations regarding terms and conditions.

--
M.Krishnan
Secretary General NFPE

CCS AMENDMENT RULES 2011

PLEASE FOLLOW THE LINK TO VIEW THE ORDER AND DOWNLOAD THE ORDER

http://circulars.nic.in/WriteReadData/CircularPortal/D2/D02est/11012_2_2005-Estt.A-05122011.pdf

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON LEAVE RULES

1. What are the leave entitlement of Govt. servants serving in a vacation Department w.e.f.  1.9.2008?

Earned  leave  for persons serving  in  Vacation Departments:-

(1)   (a) A Government  servant (other  than  a military officer) serving in a Vacation Department shall not  be entitled to  any earned leave in respect of  duty performed in  any year  in which  he  avails himself of  the full vacation.

(b)  In  respect of any  year  in  which  a Government  servant avails himself of a portion  of the vacation,  he  shall be  entitled to earned leave in such proportion  of 30 days, as the number of days of  vacation not  taken  bears  to  the  full  vacation: Provided that no such leave shall  be admissible  to  a Government  servant not in permanent  employ  or  quasi-permanent  employ in respect of the first year of  his service.

(c) If, in any year, the Government servant does not  avail  himself  of   any  vacation, earned leave  shall be admissible to  him in respect  of that year under rule 26. For the purpose of  this rule, the term 'year' shall be  construed not  as  meaning a  calendar year  in which  duty is performed but  as  meaning twelve months of actual duty in a Vacation Department.

            A Government servant entitled to vacation  shall be considered  to  have availed  himself  of  a vacation or a portion of a vacation unless he has been  required by general or special  order  of  a higher  authority  to  forgo such  vacation or portion of a vacation:

Provided  that  if  he has  been prevented by such order from enjoying more than fifteen days of the vacation,  he   shall  be considered  to  have availed himself of no portion of the vacation.

            When  a Government  servant  serving  in  a Vacation  Department proceeds on  leave  before completing a  full year  of duty, the earned leave admissible  to him shall  be  calculated  not  with reference to  the vacations which  fall during the period  of  actual duty  rendered before proceeding on  leave  but with reference  to the vacation  that  falls during  the  year  commencing from  the  date on  which he completed  the previous year of duty.

As per Rule  29(1) the half pay leave account of every Government  servant  (other than a military officer shall  be  credited  with half  pay  leave  in advance, in two installments of  ten days each on the  first  day  of  January  and  July  of  every calendar year.

2. Whether encashment of  leave is allowed  after LTC is availed.

            Sanction of leave encashment should, as  a rule, be lone  in  advance,  at   the time  of  sanctioning the LTC.  However, ex-post facto sanction  of  leave encashment  on  LTC may  be  considered  by  the sanctioning  authority  as  an exception  in  deserving

cases  within  the time  limit prescribed  for submission of claims for LTC.

3.  Whether encashment of Leave with LTC  can be availed  at the time when  the LTC is availed by the Government servant only or  can leave be encashed  at the time when LTC is availed by family members?

            A Govt. servant can be  permitted to encash earned leave  upto  10  days  either at  the  time of  availing LTC  himself  or when  his  family avails it, provided other conditions are satisfied.

4. Whether leave encashment should be revised on retrospective revision  of pay/D.A?

            In  terms  of  38-A  of  CCS(Leave)  Rules, encashment  of EL alongwith  LTC is  to  be calculated  on pay admissible on the date of availing LTC+DA  admissible on  that  date.  If  pay  or  DA admissible  has been revised with retrospective effect, the  Govt. servant  would  be  entitled  to encashment of Leave on the revised rates.

5. Whether encashment of Earned Leave allowed  to  a  Govt. servant  prior  to  his joining the  Central  Govt.  is  to   be  taken into account while retiring ceiling of leave encashment  on his  superannuation  and retirement from Central Govt.?

            Encashment  of EL  allowed  by  the  State Governments,  Public Sector Undertakings, Autonomous  Bodies for  services  rendered  in  the concerned Govt. etc. need not be taken into account for  calculating the ceiling of   300 days  of  Earned leave to  be encashed as  per CCS(Leave) Rule.

6. Whether leave  encashment  can  be sanctioned  to  a  Govt.  servant  on  his superannuation while under suspension?

            Leave encashment can be sanctioned, however Rule 39(3)  of  CCS  (Leave) Rules,  1972  allows  with holding of leave encashment in the case of a Govt. servant who retires  from  service  on attaining  the age of  superannuation  while  under suspension  or while disciplinary  or  criminal  proceedings  are pending against him,  if  in  view  of  the  authority there  is  a possibility  of   some  money  becoming recoverable  from  him  on conclusion  of   the proceedings against  him. On conclusion of  the proceedings  he/she  will become  eligible  to  the amount so withheld after adjustment of Government dues, if any.

7.Whether leave encashment can be sanctioned  to  a  Govt.  servant  on  his dismissal/removal, from service?

            A  govt.  servant who  is  dismissed/removed  from service  or whose  services are terminated ceases to have any claim to leave at his credit from the date of such dismissal, as per rule 9(1).  Hence he is not entitled to any leave encashment.

8.  Whether interest is payable  on delayed payment of leave encashment dues?

            No, there is no provision in the CCS (Leave) Rule 1972 for payment of interest on leave encashment.

9. Whether  a Govt. servant  who  has  been granted study leave may be allowed  to resign  to  take  up  a post  in  other Ministries/Department  of  the Central Govt. within the bond period?

            Yes, As per rule 50(5)(iii) a Govt. servants has to submit a bond  to  serve the Govt. for a period  of 3 years.  As the Govt. servant would  still be  serving the Govt. / Department he may be allowed to submit his technical resignation  to  take up another post

within the Central Govt.

10. Whether women employees  of Public sector  undertakings/Bodies  etc. Are entitled to CCL?

            Orders  issued  by  DOPT are not automatically applicable  to  the  employees of Central Public Sector Undertakings/Autonomous Bodies, Ranking industry etc. It is for the PSUs/ Autonomous Bodies to  decide the  applicability  of the rules/instructions issued  for  the central Government employees  to their employees in  consultation  with  their Administrative Ministries.

11. Whether Govt. servant can  be permitted  to leave  station/go abroad while on CCL?

            Child care leave is  granted to a woman employee to take care of the needs of the minor children. If the child is  studying abroad or the Govt. servant has to go abroad for taking care of the child, she may do so  subject to other conditions laid down for this purpose.

12. What  is  the intention  behind  the instruction that  CCL  is to  be  treated  like EL and sanctioned as such?

            The intention  is  that  CCL  should be availed  with prior  approval  of  leave sanctioning authority  and that the combination  of  CCL with  other leave,  if any, should be  as per the restriction of combination with EL.  The restriction of the limit of 180 days at a stretch  as  applicable in the case of  EL  will  not apply in  case of CCL. The other conditions like CCL may  not be granted for less than  15 days or in more than 3 spells, etc., in a year, will apply.

( SOURCE : NFPE.BLOGSPOT.COM)

Senior Citizens Savings Scheme (Amendment) Rules, 2010 – Amendment in rule 8

Notification No. G.S.R. 639(E), Dated 28-7-2010

In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 15 of the Government Savings Banks Act, 1873 (5 of 1873), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules to further amend the Senior Citizens SavingsScheme Rules, 2004, namely : –

(1) These rules may be called the Senior CitizensSavings Scheme (Amendment) Rules, 2010.

(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

In the Senior Citizens Savings Scheme Rules, 2004 in rule 8, for sub-rule 3 the following sub-rule shall be substituted, namely : –

“(3) In case of death of a depositor before maturity, the account shall be closed and deposit refunded on anapplication in Form ‘F’ alongwith interest as applicable to the scheme till the date on which the depositor expired, to the nominee or legal heirs in case the nominee has also expired or nomination as provided in rule 6 was not made, as the case may be. For the period between the day following the date of death of the depositor and the date on which refund is made, simple interest shall be paid at the rate applicable from time to time to saving accounts as provided in Rule 6 of Post Office Savings Accounts Rules, 1981”.

Post Office Savings Account (Amendment) Rules, 2010 – Amendment in rule 4

Post Office Savings Account (Amendment) Rules, 2010 – Amendment in rule 4

Notification No. GSR 882(E), dated 3-11-2010

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 15 of the Government Savings Bank Act, 1873 (5 of 1873), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Post Office Savings Account Rules, 1981, namely :—

Short title and commencement

1. (1) These rules may be called the Post Office Savings Account (Amendment) Rules, 2010.

(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

Amendment of rule 4

2. In the Post Office Savings Account Rules, 1981, in rule 4, in the Table under the heading “A. Individuals Accounts”, against Serial No. 1, relating to “Single Account”, under column 2, the entry at clause (e) shall be deleted.