CONSUMER PRICE INDEX NUMBERS FOR INDUSTRIAL WORKERS (CPI-IW) MARCH 2013

According to a press release issued today by the Labour Bureau, Ministry of Labour & Employment the All-India CPI-IW for March, 2013 rose by 1 point and pegged at 224 (two hundred and twentyfour). On 1-month percentage change, it increased by 0.45 per cent between February and March compared with 1.01 per cent between the same two months a year ago. 

The largest upward contribution to the change in current index came from Food group which increased by 0.84 per cent, contributing 0.82 percentage points to the total change. This was followed by Miscellaneous group with 0.53 per cent increase contributing 0.26 percentage points to the change. At item level, largest upward pressure came from Rice, Wheat & Wheat Atta, Fish Fresh, Goat Meat, Vegetable Green & non-Leafy, Apple, Tea (Readymade), Firewood, Medicine (Allopathic), Private Tuition Fee, Bus Fare, Petrol, etc. However, this was compensated by Mustard Oil, Eggs (Hen), Poultry (Chicken), Onion, Potato and Sugar putting downward pressure on the index. 

The year-on-year inflation measured by monthly CPI-IW stood at 11.44 per cent for February, 2013 as compared to 12.06 per cent for the previous month and 8.65 per cent during the corresponding month of the previous year. Similarly, the Food inflation stood at 13.21 per cent against 14.98 per cent of the previous month and 8.16 per cent during the corresponding month of the previous year. 

At centre level, Salem recorded the largest increase of 7 points followed by Sholapur and Quilon (6 points each). Among others, 5 points rise was registered in 4 centres, 4 points in 2 centres, 3 points in 4 centres, 2 points in 12 centres and 1 point in 18 centres. On the contrary, a decline of 2 points was reported in Jharia, Chennai, Siliguri, Mariani-Jorhat, Asansol and Kodarma and 1 point in 10 centres. Rest of the 19 centres’ indices remained stationary. 

The indices of 34 centres are above All-India Index and other 43 centres’ indices are below national average. The index of Ajmer centre remained at par with all-India index. The next index of CPI-IW for the month of April, 2013 will be released on Friday, 31 May, 2013. The same will also be available on the office website www.labourbureau.gov.in. 

Source : PIB

LPG SUBSIDY DIRECTLY IN BANK ACCOUNTS FROM OCTOBER 1

The government plans to provide subsidy to 14 crore LPG subscribers directly in their bank accounts from October 1, using the Aadhaar payment platform.The government, official sources said, has decided to launch "Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for LPG throughout the country tentatively from October 1"."This (transfer of LPG subsidy) would require a much larger number of beneficiaries to be covered for opening of bank accounts and linked to Aadhaar and banks have been asked to get ready for the launch," said one official.A consumer will have to get his or her bank account seeded with Aadhaar number for getting the LPG subsidy. The annual subsidy per consumer is estimated at Rs 4,000. The supply of subsidised LPG cylinder has been capped at 9 cylinders per year for a consumer.While about 32 crore Aadhaar cards have been issued by UIDAI, only 80 lakh bank accounts have linked to the unique identity numbers so far.

Under a pilot project for LPG subsidy transfer, 20 districts in the country will be covered by May 15.

While the exact procedure to transfer the subsidy is being worked out, sources said subscribers will have to buy the LPG bottle at prevailing market price (currently Rs 901.50 per 14.2-kg cylinder in Delhi) and subsequently the subsidy amount will be transferred to the bank account.The Finance Ministry has asked the public sector banks to speed up the process of linking accounts with Aadhaar.The government expects that the DBT will eliminate all ghost LPG connections and diversion of cylinders.Under the DBT scheme, subsidies and other benefits are transferred directly into the Aadhaar linked bank account of the beneficiary.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Petroleum Minister Veerappa Moily and Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh would review the DBT scheme with state officials on Monday.

Source:-The Economic Times

SB ORDER NO 6/2013 - Acceptence of Business from SAS Agents

CELLPHONE-BASED MONEY TRANSFER SERVICE

The good old money order still in use in rural pockets just got faster in 35 post offices in Pune division of the Department of Posts (DoP). The department recently launched its quick, cellphone-based money transfer service at these post offices in four districts. The service will be operated by DoP with technological support from BSNL.

People wanting to send money using this mode of transfer will get a unique PIN code. The sender will pass on the PIN to the recipient through a text message. On the specified mobile number, the department would also notify the receiver, who can receive the money at home, or at the nearest post office on verification of the PIN received on his mobile.

It will benefit, in particular, people in areas where banking services have not yet reached. This service was launched in Pune and Mumbai divisions on April 16. Earlier, the service was available in Delhi, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab and Jharkhand.

India Post is the largest service network for transfer of money orders with around 9 crore money orders sent every year.

The charges for mobile money transfer will be the same as for the usual money order — five per cent of the remitted amount, a spokesperson said. He said that to speed up money transfer, DoP had introduced Electronic MO and Internet MO and mobile-phone-based MO was the third such service.

The department would also introduce PO Savings Bank for which mandatory clearances were being sought.

In Pune division, some prominent post offices in Pune, Ahmednagar, Satara and Solapur have been identified for the launch of the service in the first phase. In the next phase, the remaining post offices will be covered.

Special workshops were held by department in association with BSNL authorities to train the postal staff to carry out operations. As per procedure, the money is accepted from the sender at the originating post office and provided to recipient at the destination post office.

CORE BANKING SOLUTIONS IN SIX POST OFFICES OF NAGPUR REGION FROM JUNE

Six post offices of Nagpur region are among the 124 offices in the country where India Post will be first implementing core banking solutions (CBS). This initiative is part of postal department efforts towards modernization of its services.

In the pilot phase, eight postal circles have been selected. They include Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. The six offices from Nagpur Region are Nagpur City head office (HO), Nagpur GPO; Gondia HO, Khamgaon HO, Wardha HO and Yavatmal HO. Offices coming under these HOs will be also covered under the project.

"In CBS, the small saving scheme customers would be able to conduct transactions of their accounts from any other post office which is also covered under the system. Other offices will be covered under CBS in another two more phases," post master general of Nagpur Region ME Haq said.

In Nagpur Region, the CBS is scheduled to become operational by June. According to the department officials, everything is on track. "We hope to implement the system as per schedule unless there is some glitch. The National Institute for Smart Government (NISG) is helping us in this process while TCS is conducting training of our employees," said Haq.

The CBC process might also prove to be the groundwork for the entry of the postal department into banking services as it has already got approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). "Definitely, this is a part of the foundation work. Among all the central government departments we have the biggest network in the country and deepest penetration in rural areas. So, we have a ready-made infrastructure for such an endeavour. But no other directive has come to us from the top in this regard," Haq said.

There are also plans to introduce ATMs, about 1000 of them, in all HOs, said Haq adding, "ATM reduces the cost of transaction for the postal department. While each counter transaction costs about Rs25, ATM transaction costs Rs10-14 per transaction."

DA Order-PAYMENT OF DA TO CG EMPLOYEES Revised Rate w.e.f. 1.1.2013

Union Cabinet approved increase of 8% DA w.e.f. 01.01.2013

The Union Cabinet today gave its approval to release an additional installment of Dearness Allowance (DA) to central government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) to pensioners with effect from 01.01.2013 at the rate of 8 % over the existing rate of 72 %. 

Thus, the combined impact on the exchequer on account of both DA and DR would be of the order of Rs.8629.20 crore per annum and Rs. 10067.36 crore in the financial year 2013-14 (that is for a period of 14 months from January, 2013 to February, 2014).

 Source : PIB

The decision on Dearness Allowance will be declared only after the Finance Minister’s arrival ?!

It is really surprising that, even after the month prescribed by 6CPC to announce the Dearness Allowance passed, the central government yet to decide the rate of dearness allowance to be paid to central government employees from January 2013. Almost all the central government employees news websites have written more than enough about the rate and timing of announcing the Dearness allowance payable to central government employees with effect from 1st January 2013.

On 2nd April 2013, Some Established News websites informed that the 8% dearness allowance likely to be approved by cabinet committee today ie on April 02, 2013. But at the end of the cabinet meeting it had been informed that decision on hiking dearness allowance deferred as the Finance Minister was not present. At that time the Finance Minister P Chidambaram was on an official visit to Japan. According to this claim, it is now very much clear that if FM is not present in the Cabinet committee meeting , the fate of DA will not be decided.

Now according to the PIB release dated 13-4-2013 , The Union Finance Minister Shri P. Chidambaram left for one week two nation tour to Canada and USA on Sunday,14th April, 2013. The Finance Minister will leave for the back home on 20th April, 2013 and will arrive in the national capital on the early morning of 22nd April, 2013.

Now it can be claimed that the decision on Dearness Allowance will be declared only after the Finance Minister’s arrival. So the central government employees may have to wait for one more week to get the result on  8% hike in dearness allowance from January 2013.

Children Education Allowance - Clarification
CLICK HERE to view Postal Directorate orders No. 33-05/2013-PAP dated 10.04.2013 on the above subject matter

IT major TCS has bagged the Rs 1,400-crore project of India Post for computerising counter operations

IT major TCS has bagged the Rs 1,400-crore project of India Post for computerising counter operations and the two parties will sign a pact on Monday, a top government official has said.

The project is divided into two parts --two years for implementation and five years of maintenance.

"We will sign agreement with TCS on Monday for computerising counter operations under core system integration of India Post. Around Rs 1,400 crore has been earmarked for the project," Department of Post Secretary P Gopinath told.

The government has approved Rs 4,909 crore for phase II of modernisation of post offices under which the department is gearing up for providing real time core banking services as well.

The Indian IT companies, which earn major part of their revenues from foreign markets especially the US and Europe, are betting big on the domestic government projects.

TCS had also bagged the mission mode e-governance project and Passport Seva Project from the MEA in October, 2008.

Infosys has bagged a 700-crore project that would help India Post transform its banking and insurance operations cross 1,50,000 post offices in the country. The Department of Post has started deploying modern technology solution to develop core banking capability across post offices. As part of modernisation, it has set a deadline of March 31 to computerise all department post offices.

The IT modernisation project approved the Cabinet was divided in three parts: Pilot, Phase I and Phase II.

In phase 1, DoP has to roll out modern IT solution in six circles namely, Assam, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.

The project included computerisation of all post offices, core banking solutions including installation of 1000 ATMs, mail tracking, customer service call center and introducing eCommerce solution, handheld devices for post masters for update on services like mails, money order etc.

Some activities like installation of ATMs under Phase 1 are yet to be completed by the department.

Under phase II of the IT project, DoP has plans to roll out modern IT solution in rest of the country.

Promotion to the cadre of ASPOs on regular basis

Department of Posts, India

Office of the Chief Postmaster General

Odisha Circle, Bhubaneswar-751001

Memo No. ST/ 24-15(1)/2012             Dated at Bhubaneswar, the 15-04-13

Part-I

            The Chief Postmaster General, Odisha Circle, Bhubaneswar is pleased to order promotion of the following Inspectors of Posts to the cadre of Asst. Superintendents of Posts on regular basis in the pay scale of Rs. 9300-34800(PB-2) with Grade Pay of Rs. 4600- from the date of assumption of charge and allot them to Regions noted against each on such promotion.

______________________________________________________________________________
 Sl No Name                Present place of posting Allotted to the Region on promotion
_______________________________________________________________________________
1 Bijay Kumar Mishra IP(PG), Balasore Division HQ Region
_______________________________________________________________________________
2 Nakula Behera IP, Paralakhemundi West Sub Division Berhampur Region
_____________________________________________________________________________-_
3 Rajkishore Maharana Offg.       ASP(OD), Koraput Divn Jeypore(K) Berhampur Region
_______________________________________________________________________________
4 Sanjay Biswal Offg.                   ASP(HQ), Kalahandi Division Berhampur Region
_______________________________________________________________________________
5 Laxmi Narayan Mishra Offg. ASP, Bhubaneswar RMS at NSPC, Bhubaneswar HQ Region
_______________________________________________________________________________
6 Ashit Kumar Nayak Offg.             ASP I/c, Puri HQ Region
_______________________________________________________________________________
7 Bijay Kumar Mohanty Offg.         ASP I/c, Balasore HQ Region
_______________________________________________________________________________
8 Manoj Kumar Pattanaik, Offg.      ASP(OD), Cuttack South Division HQ Region
____________________________________________________________________________
9 Jameswar Garnaik Offg.                 ASP(INV), RO, Sambalpur Sambalpur Region
______________________________________________________________________________
10 Sarbeswar Choudhury Offg.           ASP(INV), Circle Office, Bhubaneswar HQ Region
_____________________________________________________________________________
11 Bhagyadhar Das(SC) Offg.            ASP(HQ), Cuttack North Division  HQ Region
______________________________________________________________________________

            The above mentioned officers promoted to ASP cadre on regular basis may exercise their options, if any, for fixation of pay under FR-22(I)(a)(1) within one month from the date of assumption of their charge. 

            It should be ensured that no disc./vigilance case is pending or punishment current against the officer before giving effect to this order.

The PMG, Sambalpur /Berhampur Region will issue the place of posting of the officers allotted to respective Region.

Part-II

            The Chief PMG, Odisha Circle, Bhubaneswar is further pleased to order posting of following officers allotted to Headquarters Region on their promotion to ASP cadre on regular basis as under:

____________________________________________________________________________
Sl No Name            Present place of posting                          Place of posting on promotion
1 Bijay Kumar Mishra IP(PG), Balasore Division                         ASP(OD), Balasore
2 Laxmi Narayan Mishra Offg. ASP, BBSR RMS at NSPC, BBSR ASP, Bhubaneswar RMS
                                                                                                                           at NSPC, Bhubaneswar
3 Ashit Kumar Nayak Offg. ASP I/c, Puri                                              ASP I/c, Puri
4 Bijay Kumar Mohanty Offg. ASP I/c, Balasore                                  ASP I/c, Balasore
5 Manoj Kumar Pattanaik, Offg. ASP(OD), Cuttack South Division ASP(OD), Cuttack South Division
6 Sarbeswar Choudhury Offg. ASP(INV), Circle Office, Bhubaneswar ASP (Inv), Circle
                                                                                                                              Office, Bhubaneswar
7 Bhagyadhar Das(SC) Offg. ASP(HQ), Cuttack North Division ASP(HQ), Cuttack North
                                                                                                                                                Division
______________________________________________________________________________

            Relevant charge reports may be sent to all concerned in due course.

(B N Mishra)

Asst. Director(Staff)

O/o the Chief PMG, Odisha Circle

Bhubaneswar-751001

Copy for information and necessary action to:

1.       The PMG, Sambalpur/ Berhampur Region

2.       The Director of Accounts(Postal), Cuttack-753004

3.       All SSPOs/SSRM/ SPOs /SRMs in Odisha Circle

4.       The Supdt., PSD/CSD, Bhubaneswar

5.       The Sr. Postmaster, Cuttack GPO/ Bhubaneswar GPO/ Berhampur HO

6.       The Asst. Director(Accounts), Circle Office, Bhubaneswar

7.       The AAO(Bgt), Circle Office, Bhubaneswar

8.       The HRO, RMS N Divn , Cuttack

9.       The Postmaster, Puri HO /Balasore HO/ Jagatsinghpur HO / Kendrapara HO / Paralakhemundi HO/ Jeypore(K) HO/ Bhawanipatna HO.

10.   Officers concerned

11.   F. No. ST/24-15(2)/2010 / ST/24-15(3)/2013

Asst. Director(Staff)

O/o the Chief PMG, Odisha Circle

Bhubaneswar-751001

CORRECTION IN CLAUSE 170 OF PO GUIDE PART-I