Bureaucrats asked not to act on oral orders from ministers

NEW DELHI: Ministers or their personal staff may no longer be able to get any work done by merely passing an 'oral' order as government officials have been advised not to go ahead with any decision unless written orders are issued by their immediate superiors.The advisory, issued as part of an office memorandum at the behest of Prime Minister's Office (PMO) last week, will be applicable to staff across ministries where a junior official will carry out oral order of his/her senior only after getting written confirmation. Written confirmation of any oral order will be a must, irrespective of whether such instructions are in accordance with the rules or not.In recent years, ministers have often been reluctant to record their observations and have instead instructed officials verbally. While some officers insist that orders be spelt out on file, in several cases, including some crucial ones, babus have gone ahead and complied with the ministers' wishes. By issue the latest missive, the PMO has also put ministers on alert. The instructions from the PMO are the latest in a series of advisories and orders on toning up the government and improving the overall decision-making process."If any officer receives oral instructions from the minister or from his personal staff and the orders are in accordance with the norms, rules, regulations or procedures, they should be brought to the notice of the secretary (or the head of department where the officer concerned is working in)", said the manual, referred to by the office memorandum (OM).In case the orders are "not in accordance with the norms, rules, regulations or procedures", an official should approach the secretary "stating clearly that the oral instructions are not in accordance with the rules".Though the government manual talks about certain exceptions during emergency/urgency or when a minister is on tour or sick, it still insists that the officer should obtain the order in writing from the minister's private secretary and get it confirmed when the minister returns.The manual said, "In rare and urgent cases when the minister is on tour or is sick and his approval has to be taken on telephone, the decision of the minister shall be conveyed by his private secretary in writing. In such case, confirmation will be obtained on file when the minister returns to headquarters or rejoins."Besides spelling out such dos and don'ts for babus on oral order, the ministry of personnel through the OM also instructed all ministries to conduct a regular weekly training programme for junior officials.Noting that the present training structures were largely meant for senior civil servants as part of their "induction training" and "mandatory mid-career training", the OM, issued on October 17, said, "Perhaps, there is no training being imparted at ministry/department level covering all its Group B and C employees on same subject."It noted that such training is also important for officials, ranging from UDC to under secretary, in this "era of rapid transformation and heightened expectation of prompt and effective public service delivery"."The effectiveness with which the new policies are implemented will largely be dependent on the quality of civil service administration and the ability of its members to operate effectively in the changed environment. This requires a continuous focus on training of employees," said the OM.Accordingly, the ministry of personnel advised all central departments to hold "an hour in-house weekly training" for all employees on a regular basis without dislocating their work.

Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Bureaucrats-asked-not-to-act-on-oral-orders-from-ministers/articleshow/44913683.cms

HAPPY DIWALI

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF POSTAL EMPLOYEES, PURI DIVISIONAL BRANCH WISHES A VERY HAPPY DIWALI TO ALL ITS MEMBERS AND VIEWERS OF THIS BLOG. LETS CELEBRATE DIWALI WITH COLOURFULL LIGHTS.

                   SRI GOBINDA CHANDRA PRATIHARI
       
        DIVISIONAL SECRETARY , NAPE gr-'c'
                          PURI

Suggestions are invited on the proper utilization of the deposits remained unclaimed in various Small Saving Schemes with Post Offices and Banks for welfare and protecting financial interest of Senior Citizens.

SWACHHA BHARAT ABHIYAN

Dept of Posts hiring insurance agents

Hyderabad, October 14: 

The Department of Posts, AP Circle is hiring an unspecified numbers of direct agents to work for the Postal Life Insurance (PLI) and Rural Postal Life Insurance (RPLI) through walk-in interviews.

The minimum educational qualifications should be a pass in 12th standard for those who are living in areas with a population of 5,000 or above 10th standard for those living in any other places. Interested candidates might attend the walk-in-interview on October 31 at the officer of the senior superintendent of posts, Secunderabad Division, Hyderabad at 10 am with relevant proof of date of birth and educational qualifications. Short-listed candidates would be given provisional licence number besides necessary training to get through the licentiate examination conducted by Insurance Institute of India to get permanent licence.

The PLI agents would get 0.25 per cent commission on the sum and two per cent on renewal premium collected by them on cash policies procured by them. For RPLI agents, it would be 10 per cent on premium collected for the first 12 months after acceptance and 2.5 per cent on renewal premium, according to a release.

Order of Swachch Bharat Mission

Delhi: Law Minister's surprise visit to post office, seeks explanation behind the mess

Delhi: Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad spearheaded the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Clean India' drive at the postal department offices on Monday.

He was seen chiding officers and sought explanation on why post offices in Delhi had not been cleaned.

Prasad said, "I picked up the garbage myself today. You must have seen that. I opened the cupboard myself to see the dirt. I hope a message is sent in the entire country after this."

Prasad even warned officers saying, "I can turn up in any post office any time."

The NDA government will kickstart its Swachh Bharat Abhiyan officially on October 2. The initiative is part of Modi's aim to clean up country's public spots by October 2019.

Bonus Order Issued by Dte ( DOP)

DA Order issued by (DOP) - 107% from 01/07/2014

Asset Declaration Amendment Rules

MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS

(Department of Personnel and Training)

NOTIFICATION

New Delhi. the 8th September. 2014

G.S.R. 638(E).— In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-secrion (1) read with clause (k) and clause (1) of sub section (2) of Section 59 read with Section 44 and Section 45 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 (1 of 2014), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules to amend the Public Servants (Furnishing of Information and Annual Return of Assets and Liabilities and the Limits for Exemption of Assets in Filing Returns) Rules. 2014. namely:—

I. (I) These rules may he called the Public Servants (Furnishing of Information and Annual Return of Assets and Liabilities and the Limits for Exemption of Assets in Filing Returns) Amendment Rules, 2014.

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

2. In the Public Servants (Furnishing of Information and Annual Return of Assets and Liabilities and the Limits for Exemption of Assets in Filing Returns) Rules, 2014. in rule 3. in the proviso to sub-rule (2), for the words on or before the 15th day of September, 2014’, the words “on or before the 31st day of December, 2014 shall he substituted.

[ F.No. 407/12/2014-AVD-lV(B) Pt.-I ]

BHASKAR KHULBE, Addl. Secy.

Note : The principal rules were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary vide notification number G.S.R. 501(E). dated the 14th July. 2014.

Source : www.persmin.gov.in

[http://ccis.nic.in/WriteReadData/CircularPortal/D2/D02ser/Not_Assetrulesamendmentgazt.pdf]

Centre May Drop Mandatory Police Verification for Govt Jobs

NEW DELHI: The Centre is considering a move to drop mandatory police verification of candidates selected for government jobs and may accept self-attestation certificates from them.

The issue of omitting the need of police verification of people getting selected for government jobs and applying for passports is under consideration of the Ministry of Home Affairs, official sources said.

The MHA is likely take a view of state governments and other stakeholders in the matter, they said.

A concept note on the matter by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions also favoured replacement of police verification in various works including for the purpose of issuance of passport and for government jobs.

It needs to be considered if this can be eliminated as (i) the police check is only about any criminal cases for which the persons concerned do provide necessary declarations and remain liable for false declaration; (ii) the police report is perfunctory as it covers the last place of residence only; (iii) in any case, neighbours' affirmation appears to have little meaning, the note says.

As part of its effort to reform the public service delivery system and bridging the governance deficit, the Centre is promoting self attestation in place of notarized affidavits for a big chunk of government-related work.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently sought minimum use of affidavits and a shift to self-certification, so as to benefit the common man.

"In a citizen-friendly initiative, all ministries and departments of the union government, and all state governments, have been asked to make provision for self-certification of documents in place of affidavits.

"The requirement of attestation by gazetted officer is also sought to be replaced by self-certification by the citizen," the Prime Minister's Office has said in a release.

The 12th report--'citizen centric administration-the heart of governance'--of the second Administrative Reforms Commission has also suggested simplifying procedures for self-certification provision.

Source : http://www.newindianexpress.com/

The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 - Submission of declaration of assets and liabilities by the public servants for each year - regarding.

ubmission of declaration of assets and liabilities by the public servants for each year – Dopt Orders

F.No.11013/3/2014-Estt.(A)
Ministry of Personnel Public Grievances & Pensions
Department of Personnel and Training
Establishment Division

North Block, New Delhi
Dated August 25 , 2014

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act. 2013 – Submission of declaration of assets and liabilities by the public servants for each year – regarding

The undersigned is directed to refer to this Department’s Circular of even no. dated 23.07.2014 the subject mentioned above requesting all Ministries! Departments to bring the provisions of the Public Servants (Furnishing of Information and Annual Return of Assets and Liabilities and the limits for Exemption of Assets in Filing Returns) Rules, 2014, to the notice of all concerned for compliance. it is again requested that necessary directions may be issued in this regard urgently so that the declarations/information/returns from every public servant are received on or before the 15th day of September 2014 as stipulated in the said Rules. It is reiterated that the definition of public servant covers all Group A, B and C employees,

2. In this regard it is also clarified that the public servants who either failed or were not required to file the annual declarations as per the applicable rules [eg. Group C’ Government servants covered under CCS(Conduct) rules, 1964] are also required to file the stipulated declaration/ information/return within time,

3. Hindi version will follow. ,

sd/-
(J. A. Vaidyanathan)
Director (E)

source : www.persmin.gov.in
[ http://ccis.nic.in/WriteReadData/CircularPortal/D2/D02est/11013_3_2014-Estt-A_25082014.pdf ]

Dos and Don’ts on how to use the PM’s pics for Government ads

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi doesn't want even Cabinet ministers to select his pictures that appear in government advertisements. PM's principal secretary, Nripendra Mishra, issued a circular to all secretaries of the Government of India on August 9 listing out dos and don'ts on how to use the PM's photograph.

A copy of the final advertisement carrying the PM's picture was always sent to the PMO for approval. After approval, the PMO used to send the advertisement to the Directorate of Advertising And Visual Publicity, which in turn released the advertisement to newspapers. But this was a mere formality and the Prime Minister's Office did not have any role in selecting pictures or changing the content.

All this would change. Unlike the practice of sending the final copy to the PMO, Mishra has asked for three options from all ministries. "All ministries/departments are requested to furnish at least three different options (layouts) for approval, so that a reasonable choice can be made among available alternatives," wrote Mishra. 

This has to reach the PMO, at least, five working days before the scheduled date of publication. Also, the PMO wants the content "to convey a clear message to the target audience... be appealing to the reader, and be informative." Nripendra Mishra says that careful thought should be given to the language-mix adopted for the advertisement, keeping in mind the audience and the states targeted. 

All government advertisements, henceforth, will have the website address of the department making the appeal at the bottom of the ad. The PMO has reiterated the need to pay, "special attention to the use of the social media to publicise government schemes. 

Mishra has asked all ministries to ensure that they select the media, that is, newspapers and other publications, based on these criteria. Obviously, the clear hint is that the ministries have been issuing advertisements without much attention to details like content, target and language and the choice of the media. 

The new set of instructions may put an end to old practice of ministers and bureaucrats patronising obscure publications, which mysteriously manage to ensure government advertisement without subscription or circulation base.

Aadhaar watch on babus;Aadhaar Enabled Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS) be implemented in all central government offices

New Delhi, Aug. 20: The sarkari babu will have to make every minute count.

The Narendra Modi government has ordered that an Aadhaar Enabled Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS) be implemented in all central government offices.

A circular issued to all central government offices in the capital today has also asked employees, of all ranks, to submit their contact details (email ID, residential address, telephone and personal mobile phone numbers) to the department of personnel and training that is with the Prime Minister’s Office.

Delhi police are already building a databank containing the cellphone number, email ID, name, rank and “personal number” and of every city cop, from constable to commissioner, on the orders of the PMO. A letter from the home ministry on August 5 had asked for such a databank, which will also include the municipality in which the cop lives. “All the station house officers are on the job,” an officer said.

The circular issued today does not give a date from which the new attendance system will be implemented. It says “Aadhaar number is mandatory to register attendance”.

At least one state — Jharkhand — has begun implementing the AEBAS. But a central government order means the system will have to be adopted across the country.

The system will be implemented in the capital first and then in all central offices outside New Delhi. The order is binding on all employees, including those in the armed forces.

To implement the system, all offices will have to install fingerprint scanners with Wi-fi Internet. The objective of the system, sources said, is “to check absenteeism and measure the time an employee spends in office and the time he or she checks in and checks out”.

Similar systems have been implemented in many corporate offices, both in the private and the public sector, though they are not based on Aadhaar, the card issued to citizens by the Unique Identification Authority of India that was headed by Nandan Nilekani and created by the UPA II government of Manmohan Singh in 2009.

The system will also seek to ensure that employees cannot backdate attendance or mark attendance for someone else.

On July 1, Nilekani had met Modi and finance and defence minister Arun Jaitley and given a presentation on the Aadhaar scheme that impressed the new regime.

Police clueless

Delhi police have been left befuddled by the message from the PMO asking for the databank.

“This is unprecedented. We are not clear about the objective behind it,” a senior officer said in private.

“It seems the PMO is going to be the new control room for everything: it will keep a tab on all government officials including the police,” conjectured an IPS official posted in the home ministry.

The Delhi police, who claim to be the world’s largest metropolitan force with their 80,000 personnel including nearly 50,000 constables, have thrown themselves into the massive exercise.

Delhi’s is the only police force in the country that is under the Union home ministry’s direct control. Police sources said the directive came in the form of a ministry letter dated August 5.

Additional deputy commissioner Mahesh Batra then wrote to all the zonal deputy commissioners to help prepare the databank.

“May kindly direct the concerned to collect the same from every employee under your control and feed the information by August 13,” says the letter, dated August 11, of which The Telegraph has a copy.

“There will not be an extension of this date, being time-bound requirement by Prime Minister’s Office….”

Not surprisingly, the deadline has been missed. A senior officer said the task would be completed by the end of this month.

Source: The Telegraph

MACP ON PROMOTIONAL HIERARCHY - GUWAHATI CAT JUDGMENT

GRANT OF MACP ON PROMOTIONAL HIERARCHY: CAT GUWAHATI DIRECTS UNION OF INDIA TO GRANT MACP ON PROMOTIONAL HIERARCHY TO ASSISTANT ENGINEERS OF CPWD. THE CASE WAS FILED BY SHRI NARAYAN KALITA AND 26 ASSISTANT ENGINEERS VIDE OA NO. 040/000052 OF 2014.

By citing the judgments delivered by the Principle CAT, Delhi & High Court Chandigarh on the subject the Hon’ble judges have observed that “ In our considered view the aforesaid judgement rendered by the Chandigarh Bench as upheld by the Hon’ble High Court of Punjab and Haryana as well as judgement passed by the CAT, Principle Bench. In view of the above the present OA is allowed. Respondents are directed to grant scale of pay (PB-3) of Rs. 15,600-39,100+ Grade Pay of Rs. 6600/ attached to the said promotional posts of Executive Engineer from due date to the applicants.

The aforesaid directions shall be complied with within a period of three months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order, subject to the other conditions mentioned in the MACP Scheme.”

Children Education Allowance for Central Government Employees - Annual Ceiling and Details of Admissible Institutions.

While answering to a question in Parliament on 18.7.2014, Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley said in a written form regarding the details of Children Education Allowance that it has been informed by the Department of Personnel and Training that the annual ceiling limit for reimbursement of Children Education Allowance (CEA) is 18,000/- per child. The Hostel Subsidy shall be 4,500/- per month per child.  
The annual ceiling for reimbursement of CEA for disabled children of Government employees is 36,000/- per annum per child and the rates of Hostel Subsidy for disabled children of Government employees is 9,000/- per child per month.  
These revisions are applicable with effect from 1st January, 2014.  

The reimbursement is admissible for the children studying in institutions affiliated to any Board or recognised institution, whether in receipt of Government aid or not, recognised by the Central or State Government or Union Territory Administration or by University or a recognised educational authority having jurisdiction over the area where the institution is situated.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF POSTAL EMPLOYEES, PURI DIVISIONAL BRANCH WISHES A VERY HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY To ALL ITS MEMBERS AND VIEWERS. LET'S ASSESS THE VALUABLE INDEPENDENCE OF OUR BELOVED NATION WITH OUR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ASSIGNED. LET'S DEFINE OUR TRICOLOUR WITH PROSPERITY.

 Sri Gobinda Ch Pratihari 
 Divisional Secy. NAPE, Gr-'C' PURI

What is EBOLA and How does it spread?

ALL INDIA SERVICES (CONDUCT) AMENDMENT RULES, 2014

Introduction of combined mo form