CABINET APPROVED POST OFFICE MODERNISATION PLAN

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, approved the proposal of Rs 4,909 crore towards IT modernization project of the Department of Posts.

 Under this plan, all post offices will be connected through a computer network. This will enable the Department to provide facilities similar to core banking system, besides efficient delivery of services, disbursal of government subsidies and seamless access of its services. 

 The statement said that the IT modernisation project is expected to "provide access (to services of the department) by multiple channels to customers, for example, post office counters, kiosks, internet, mobiles ATMs, etc". 

 In this phase, DoP will provide 30,000 netbooks and 1 lakh handheld devices to its officials and postmen for delivery of services, like subsidies and immediate updation of records, at doorsteps.

 "IT modernisation project has been structured into 8 segments ...such as data centre, network, computers and peripherals, software applications which will cover all the product and services of the Department of Posts, and change management which will help in effective transformation into IT mode," the statement said. 

 Earlier on 2010, government had earlier approved Rs 1,877 crore for IT modernisation project which had been spent and the Department required additional funds for expansion of the project across country.

SB ORDER NO-16 / 2012

It was clarified by SB Order no 16/2012 released 0n 16.11.2011 that NSCs can be purchased by an Adult in the name of a Minor irrespective of any relation.
Please CLICK HERE for the original order

The U.S. Postal Service has partnered with local businesses to sell their products because of expected post office closures

The U.S. Postal Service has partnered with local businesses around the state as a part of its cost-cutting measures. Fourteen so-called Village Post Offices have been created in Indiana, with more expected to open in the coming months. But the managers of some of those post offices have not yet seen the increase in business they were hoping to get out of the partnership.

The Arlington General Store, in a small town southeast of Indianapolis, became a Village Post Office in July. In addition to selling its regular goods, it started selling stamps and collecting packages for the Postal Service. In return, manager Zach Davidson says he expected to get more foot traffic and more people buying his products.

“We were actually expecting them to close the post office shortly after we took over with the Village Post Office,” he says.

But USPS decided not to close the post office. Instead, it now plans to shrink the office’s hours so it will only be open four hours each day–something many post offices around the state are also doing. But the one in Arlington is still running on its normal business hours and is not expected to cut back until 2014. Davidson says that means his general store is not getting as much business as he would like.

“I do sell stamps now and we’ve had a few people come in when their closed to buy stamps or drop off packages, but other than that, until they actually decide to close this one, we’re kind of still in limbo,” he says.

USPS spokeswoman Mary Dando says it takes customers time to learn about the Village Post Office’s services, so she expects business will pick up, especially once the regular post office reduces its hours. She adds USPS wants the Village Post Offices to succeed just as much as their owners do.

“Really we want them to know we are there to support them in every way,” she says. “They are helping us expand the reach of the Postal Service. They are expanding our access.”

Dando says the partnership is based on a mutual contract, so it is in the USPS’s interest to help the Village Post Offices succeed.

Davidson says even though business is slow, he is still glad he agreed to the partnership. He says it is a community effort to keep the Postal Service alive and hopes he will see the economic benefits later.

Source:-http://indianapublicmedia.org

LATEST NEWS:-POST OFFICES TO BE NETWORKED SOON

In a few months, customers will be able to access their savings accounts from any of four select post offices in the city.

The Department of Posts plans to interconnect four head post offices (HPOs) in the city on the lines of core banking technology, on a pilot basis. Customers will also have access to automated teller machines (ATMs) to be set up in the Anna Road HPO, and the post offices in Mylapore, T. Nagar and Tambaram.

A senior official said, “We expect to launch the core banking facility in these post offices by March-end. The system will be introduced in other post offices in the city in a phased manner.”

Measures are afoot to seek ATM equipment suppliers and construct ATMs inside the complexes of the post offices. Once the facility is introduced, customers would not have to spend time waiting at the counters to withdraw cash.

G. Mohan, a resident of Mogappair, said, “I have a savings account in Vadapalani post office. If it is extended to all head post offices, it will be useful to many customers like me who visit the post office frequently to deposit or withdraw money.”

The core banking and ATM facilities are also aimed at saving time for senior citizens. Officials said that core banking would allow customers to carry out transactions from any of the networked branch offices. Account holders could also check the details, with regard to their deposits, online.

As on October 31, there are nearly 45 lakh account holders in Chennai city region, which includes those in other neighbouring districts. Of this, about 20 lakh account holders are in Chennai and its suburbs alone.

This measure would also help in reducing transaction costs for the department. Officials said that all post offices across the State would be computerised and interconnected in a phased manner.

People who hold accounts in banks could also eventually use the ATMs to be set up by the postal department. Depending on the patronage and availability of space, there are plans to provide ATMs in locations away from the post offices.

Source -The Hindu

EXPANSION OF THE CLIENTELE ELIGIBLE FOR PLI

As a positive development and an appropriate strategy for publicity and securing business Department of Post has approved expansion of the clientele eligible for PLI. Henceforth, the PLI can be extended to the following group:

·         Employee engaged/appointed on contract basis by Central/State Government  where the contract is extendable.

·         Employees of Joint Venture in which Central/State Government/Public Sector Undertaking/ Nationalised Banks have minimum holding of 10 percent.

·         Members/employees of credit Cooperative Societies and other cooperative societies registered with Government under the Cooperative Societies Act and partly or fully funded from the Central /State Govt./RBI /SBI/ NABARD Nationalised Banks and other such institute notified by Government.

·         Employees of Deemed Universities and Educational Institutes accredited by recognised bodies such as National Assessment and Accreditation Council, All India Council of Technical Education, Medical Council of India, etc.and or affiliated to Universities/ Boards etc.

·         Employees of all Scheduled Commercial Banks

Revision of PPOs of pre-2006 Pensioners/family pensioners use of e-scroll for retrieving information from Banks

No.1/20/2011-P&PW (E) (Vol. IV)

Government of India

MinIstry of Personnel, P.G. & Pensions

Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare

3rd Floor, Lok Nayak Bhavan,

Khan Market, New Delhi

Dated: 14th November, 2012

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Sub: Revision of PPOs of pre-2006 pensioners/family pensioners use of e-scroll for retrieving information from Banks - reg.

The undersigned is directed to state that Annexure III has been used to obtain in formation from Banks for revision of PPOs of pre-2006 pensioners/family pensioners. It is seen that getting information from Banks is fraught with difficulties. Secondly, the Annexure III sent by the banks are in many cases incomplete to the extent that the calculation details are not available for evaluation by the PAOs and as such the Annexure is being used largely to confirm the existence of the pensioner/family pensioner and to link him/her with the current paying branch.

2. The Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO) has suggested that e-scroll data, which is being received in CPAO from most of the banks may be used and the problems indicated above may be solved. The e-scroll contains 13 fields of information such as Name of the pensioner, PPO number (New) / PPO number (old), name of the Ministry, PAO code, bank name, BSR code, Account number, pension category, basic pension, DR, Additional Pension, Month of Pay and date of transaction. These fields may be useful for the purpose of revision of PPOs of pre-2006 pensioners/family pensioners. Another utility of e-scroll is that it may be used to eliminate invalid pensioners/family pensioners. 

3. It is seen that the e-scroll is a factual and useful source of information of the pensioners/family pensioners. Therefore, it is recommended that e-scroll may be accepted for retrieving information for revision of PPO, in addition to Annexure III. Ministry of Railways, M/o Defence and Departments of Posts and Telecommunications (for pensioners receiving their pension through banks) are also requested to use e-scroll 

sent by the Banks in addition to Annexure III (Annexure IV in case of Defence pensioners) for the purpose of retrieving relevant information of such pensioners/family pensioners in case of whom Annexure III/IV are not made available by the Banks.

sd/-

(Sujasha Choudhury)

Deputy Secretary

Source: www.pensionersportal.gov.in

[http://ccis.nic.in/WriteReadData/CircularPortal/D3/D03ppw/ppo_141112.pdf]

AADHAAR BASED DIRECT CASH TRANSFERS - ROLLOUT TO BEGIN FROM 1 JANUARY 2013 IN 51 DISTRICTS, HALF THE COUNTRY TO BE COVERED BY 1.4.2013

A meeting of the Executive Committee on Direct Cash Transfers was held today by the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister along with the Cabinet Secretary. The  meeting was attended by the Secretaries and representatives of the Departments of  Financial Services, UIDAI (Aadhaar), IT, Planning Commission,  Expenditure, Posts, Rural Development, Social Justice & Empowerment, Tribal Affairs, Minority Affairs, Higher Education, School Education, Health & Family Welfare, Women & Child Development, Labour & Employment, Petroleum & Natural Gas, Fertilizers, and Food & Public Distribution.

            The Prime Minister had recently constituted a National Committee on Direct Cash Transfers under his chairmanship and an Executive Committee on Direct Cash Transfers to give a thrust to roll out a cash transfer programme across the country, leveraging the Aadhaar platform.

            The purpose of the meeting today was to move forward and operationalise Direct Cash Transfers for which many steps need to be taken. The necessary steps include (i) identification of areas where Direct Cash Transfers can be introduced, (ii) establishing mechanisms for preparing rollout plans for these areas, (iii) ensuring rapid rollout of Aadhaar to achieve better coverage (at least 80%), (iv) ensuring universal access to banking and financial inclusion and (v) setting up mechanisms to enable cash transfers to actually take place. To facilitate all this, there is a need to constitute other committees including a Technology Committee, a Financial Inclusion Committee and Implementation Committees within each Ministry so as to ensure coordination and quick implementation.

            The agenda for the meeting was to:

        i.            Explain to all committee members the rationale and purpose of Direct Cash Transfers and the institutional architecture that has been put in place for the rollout.

      ii.            Finalise the constitution and composition of the Implementation Committees.

    iii.            Identify areas for introducing Direct Cash Transfers and make arrangements for finalising roadmaps for rollout in each area, keeping in view the roadmap already prepared for Direct Cash Transfers of LPG Subsidy.

            Based on the extensive discussions that took place and the issues raised by the participants, the following decisions were taken in the meeting:

        i.            All departments engaged in transferring benefits to individual beneficiaries will quickly move to an electronic Direct Cash Transfer system, based on an Aadhaar Payment Bridge/ Platform.

      ii.            They will identify the schemes to move to this system and also prepare a roadmap with timelines so that the rollout is smooth and fast. The roadmap for each scheme will broadly have the following timelines:

a.      51 districts      -           from 1 January 2013

b.      18 states                      -           from 1 April 2013

c.       16 states                      -           from 1 April 2014 or earlier.                                    

    iii.            The list of schemes, roadmaps, and timelines will be sent to the Planning Commission and PMO by 20 November 2012

    iv.            UIDAI will set up a dedicated cell of technical experts in UIDAI to facilitate Aaadhaar enabled Direct Cash Transfers and help individual Ministries.

      v.            Department of Financial Services will go for universal Financial Inclusion through individual Bank Accounts for all in line with the roadmap.

    vi.            UIDAI will rollout Aadhaar speedily in line with the roadmap.

  vii.            Departments will work towards digitising their databases quickly, particularly at the state level with the help of state governments, DeITy and NIC to ensure convergence.

            The Prime Minister will be holding the first meeting of the National Committee on Direct Cash Transfers on 26 November 2012 where the roadmap and timelines will be presented.

Source:-PIB

DEMANDS FOR STRIKE ON 12.12.12

Demands for Strike on 12.12.12

1.  Appoint Seventh Pay Commission for revision of wages of Central Government Employees including Gramin Dak Sevaks from 01.01.2011.

2. Grant merger of 50% DA to all including Gramin Dak Sevaks from 01.01.2011.

3. Remove restrictions on Compassionate appointments.

4.Departmentalization of GDS and grant them all benefits of regular employees. Revise cash handling norms; withdraw open market recruitment in Postmen/MTS, Grant full protection of TRCA. Grant Time bound promotions. Implement Medical reimbursement Scheme etc.

5.End Bonus discrimination and enhance the bonus ceiling of GDS to 3500/-

6. Regularize the Casual, Part-time, contingent employees and grant revise pro-rata wages from 1.1.2006.

7. Revise Overtime allowance and Night Duty allowance.       

8. Stop downsizing, outsourcing, Contractorisation and privatization.

9.Grant Five promotions to all.

10. Implement all Arbitration awards.

11. Ensure prompt functioning of JCM at all levels.

12. Withdraw PFRDA Bill.

13. Stop price rise and strengthen public distribution system.

14. Withdraw all trade union victimization.

15. Enact laws to grant Right to Strike to Government employees.

Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) says the employee should be reinstated as the disability occurred during the course of employment

The Central Administrative Tribunal on Monday came to the rescue of a BSNL junior technical officer (JTO) left partially paralysed by a stroke, directing the principal chief engineer of BSNL, Tamil Nadu zone, to allow him to report for duty in his post. The tribunal said the telecom company would have to accept the decision of the medical board and endorse the leave application of the JTO, M Manoharan.

 The judicial member of the tribunal, G Shanthappa, said Manoharan had established that he should be granted relief and quashed a September 23, 2011 order that refused to allow the petitioner to rejoin as JTO . Manoharan suffered a massive stroke on June 1, 2002 that paralysed his arms and legs. He was not able to speak and was under continuous treatment for two years. 

The respondents in the case included the Executive Engineer (civil), the Superintending Engineer and sub-pision engineer (civil) of BSNL in Ambattur. “A competent medical authority examined the applicant and stated that the applicant suffered medical disability during the course of employment. The stand taken by the respondents is rejected,” Justice Shanthappa said.

 Manoharan told the tribunal that he applied for leave after the stroke and returned to duty on January 12, 2004. However, the chief engineer of Chennai Telephones, KK Nagar, the fourth respondent, directed the petitioner to appear before the medical board and obtain its opinion whether his fitness allowed him to perform his duty as JTO.

 As advised by the board, he proceeded on ‘commuted leave’ for 90 days from September 13, 2010 and underwent various treatments including physiotherapy. But his seniors did not permit him to rejoin duty. They informed him that the regional medical board of Government General Hospital had on December 10, 2010 declared that he was medically unfit to perform his duties as JTO.

 “The respondents did not accept the medical report of the applicant and did now allow him to rejoin duty,” said the tribunal’s administrative member, R Satapathy. “The stand of the respondents is not correct. It is illegal and violates of principles of natural justice.” 

Citing the Supreme Court’s 2008 order in Bhagwan Dass vs Punjab Electricity Board, Justice Shanthappa said Manoharan had submitted documents to show that his medical disability had occurred while in service, and this was confirmed by Government General Hospital, so the respondents could not refuse to reinstate him. 

Source: Times of India

CLARIFICATION ON FILLING UP OF THE VACANCIES OF POSTMAN / MAIL GUARD / MULTI TASKING STAFF

CLICK HERE for details 

Holding of Limited Departmental Competitive Examinations for filling up of posts of Posts of Postman/Mail Guard and MTS: Fresh Notification will be issued

Department of Posts, India,

Office of the Chief Postmaster General, Odisha Circle,

Bhubaneswar – 751 001

To

The PMG, Sambalpur / Berhampur (GM).

All the SSPOs / SPOs/SSRM “N” Division, Cuttack / SRMs in Odisha Circle.

The Officer-in-Charge, P&T Admn. Cell, C/o 56 APO.

No.RE/30-13/75(Rlg)/Corr,         dated at Bhubaneswar the    01-11-2012.

Sub:     Holding of Limited Departmental Competitive Examinations for filling up of posts of Posts of Postman/Mail Guard and MTS.

I am directed to invite reference to this office letters No. RE/30-22/2012, dtd.15.10.2012 and No.RE/30-13/2012, dtd.15.10.2012 wherein notifications for holding the Postman / Mail Guard Examination on 20.01.2013 and MTS Examination on 27.01.2013 were issued respectively in pursuance of examination schedule communicated vide Directorate letter no.A-34012/01/2011-DE, dtd.8.10.2012.

In the meantime, the Directorate vide letter no.A-34012/01/2012-DE, dtd.19.10.2012 has withdrawn its earlier letter no.A-34012/01/2012-DE, dtd.8.10.2012 mentioning that instructions issued by the Nodal Branch Staff Section of the Directorate vide letter no.45-2/2011-SPB.I, dtd.18.10.2012 are to be followed in the matter.

In view of the above, the notifications issued by this office on 15.10.2012 as mentioned above for holding the Postman /Mail Guard Examination on 20.01.2013 and MTS Examination on 27.01.2013 are hereby withdrawn. The schedule of activities mentioned in the notifications may be ignored.

Fresh notification for holding the Postman / Mail Guard and MTS Examination will be issued in due course.

(B B Mohanty)

Asst. Director (Rectt.), For Chief Postmaster General, Odisha Circle,

Bhubaneswar-751001

 Copy for kind information to:

1.       The ADG(DE), Department of Posts, Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg, New Delhi-110 001 w.r.t. Directorate letter no.A-34012/01/2012-DE, dtd.19.10.2012.

2.       The ADG(SPN), Department of Posts, Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg, New Delhi – 110 001 w.r.t. Directorate letter no.45-2/2011-SPB-I, dtd.18.10.2012.

3.       Circle Secretaries of all recognized Union / Association in Odisha.

4.       Sr. PS to CPMG, Odisha.

5.       PA to DPS(HQ) / PA to DPS(BD)

6.       The APMG(Vig), Circle Office, Bhubaneswar.

7.       The AD(Staff), Circle Office, Bhubaneswar.

8.       The AD(EST), Circle Office, Bhubaneswar.

9.       Office copy.

Asst. Director (Rectt.), For Chief Postmaster General, Odisha Circle,

Bhubaneswar-751001