Thought for today 30 th January 2019

An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propogation nor does truth becomes error because nobody sees it.Truth stands, even if there be no public suppport.It is self sustained.

Mahatma Gandhi

Friday 28 September 2012

Payment of Dearness Allowance to Central Government employees – Revised Rates effective from 1.7.2012.


No. 1(8)/2012-E-II (B)
Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Expenditure
North Block, New Delhi
Dated: 28th September, 2012
OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Payment of Dearness Allowance to Central Government employees – Revised Rates effective from 1.7.2012.

The undersigned is directed to refer to this Ministry’s Office Memorandum No. 1 (1)/2012-E-11 (B) dated 3rd April, 2012 on the subject mentioned above and to say that the President is pleased to decide that the Dearness Allowance payable to Central Government employees shall be enhanced from the existing rate of 65% to 72% with effect from 1st July, 2012.
2. The provisions contained in paras 3, 4 and 5 of this Ministry’s O.M. No. 1(3)/2008-E-II(B) dated 29th August, 2008 shall continue to be applicable while regulating Dearness Allowance under these orders.
3. The additional installment of Dearness Allowance payable under these orders shall be paid in cash to all Central Government employees.
4. These orders shall also apply to the civilian employees paid from the Defence Services Estimates and the expenditure will be chargeable to the relevant head of the Defence Services Estimates. In regard to Armed Forces personnel and Railway employees, separate orders will be issued by the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Railways, respectively.
5. In so far as the persons serving in the Indian Audit and Accounts Department are concerned, these orders issue in consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
Download Office Memorandum No. 1(8)/2012-E-II (B) dated 28.09.2012 for hike in DA from 65% to 72%

Monday 24 September 2012

7% D.A. increase to Central Government employees

The Union cabinet has taken a decision to increase the Dearness allowance of Central Governement employees by 7% w.e.f. 1-7-2012. The employees will now be getting 72% D.A. The necessary ordres are likely to be issued by Ministry of Finanace shortly.

Saturday 22 September 2012

RAJIV GANDHI EQUITY SAVINGS SCHEME FOR RETAIL INVESTORS

RAJIV GANDHI EQUITY SAVINGS SCHEME FOR RETAIL INVESTORS

The Union Finance Minister, Shri. P. Chidambaram approved a new tax saving scheme called “Rajiv Gandhi Equity Saving Scheme“(RGESS), exclusively for the first time retail investors in securities market. This Scheme would give tax benefits to new investors who invest up to Rs. 50,000 and whose annual income is below Rs. 10 lakh.
The Scheme not only encourages the flow of savings and improves the depth of domestic capital markets, but also aims to promote an ‘equity culture’ in India. This is also expected to widen the retail investor base in the Indian securities markets.
Salient features of the Scheme are as under:
a. Scheme is open to new retail investors, identified on the basis of their PAN numbers. This includes those who have opened the Demat account but have not made any transaction in equity and /or in derivatives till the date of notification of this Scheme and all those account holders other than the first account holder who wish to open a fresh account.
b. Those investors whose annual taxable income is ? Rs. 10 lakhs are eligible under the Scheme.
c. The maximum Investment permissible under the Scheme is Rs. 50,000 and the investor would get a 50% deduction of the amount invested from the taxable income for that year.
d. Under the Scheme, those stocks listed under the BSE 100 or CNX 100, or those of public sector undertakings which are Navratnas, Maharatnas and Miniratnas would be eligible. Follow-on Public Offers (FPOs) of the above companies would also be eligible under the Scheme. IPOs of PSUs, which are getting listed in the relevant financial year and whose annual turnover is not less than Rs. 4000 cr for each of the immediate past three years, would also be eligible.
e. In addition, considering the requests from various stakeholders, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) and Mutual Funds (MFs) that have RGESS eligible securities as their underlying and are listed and traded in the stock exchanges and settled through a depository mechanism have also been brought under RGESS.
f. To benefit the small investors, the investments are allowed to be made in instalments in the year in which tax claims are made.
g. The total lock-in period for investments under the Scheme would be three years including an initial blanket lock-in period of one year, commencing from the date of last purchase of securities under RGESS.
h. After the first year, investors would be allowed to trade in the securities in furtherance of the goal of promoting an equity culture and as a provision to protect them from adverse market movements or stock specific risks as well as to give them avenues to realize profits.
i. Investors would, however, be required to maintain their level of investment during these two years at the amount for which they have claimed income tax benefit or at the value of the portfolio before initiating a sale transaction, whichever is less, for at least 270 days in a year. The calculation of 270 days includes those days pursuant to the day on which the market value of the residual shares /units has automatically touched the stipulated value after the date of debit.
j. The general principle under which trading is allowed is that whatever is the value of stocks / units sold by the investor from the RGESS portfolio, RGESS compliant securities of at least the same value are credited back into the account subsequently. However, the investor is allowed to take benefits of the appreciation of his RGESS portfolio, provided its value, as on the previous day of trading, remains above the investment for which they have claimed income tax benefit.
k. For the purpose of valuation of shares, the closing price as on the previous day of the date of trading will be considered so that new investors are certain about their debits and credits into the account.
l. In case the investor fails to meet the conditions stipulated, the tax benefit will be withdrawn.
Like all financial products which have reached out substantially to the retail investors (post office savings, life insurance policies etc) through tax benefits, this tax break for direct investment in equity is expected to substantially encourage the retail participation in securities market as well as to enhance their participation in the growth of Indian industry. Entry of more retail investors are expected to further deepen the securities markets as they bring in long-term stable funds, which can counteract the volatility created by the liquidity providers of the market. The Scheme, thus, also furthers the goal of financial stability and promotes financial inclusion. Since Exchange Traded Funds and Mutual Funds have also been brought under
the Scheme, the Scheme should provide encouragement and re-assurance to the first time investors.
The broad provisions of the Scheme and the income tax benefits under it have already been incorporated as a new Section -80CCG- of the Income Tax Act, 1961, as amended by the Finance Act, 2012. Department of Revenue will notify the Scheme and SEBI will issue the relevant circulars to operationalize the Scheme in the next two weeks.

Saturday 15 September 2012

Reimburse government staff for private treatment’

Reimburse government staff for private treatment’
A central government servant is entitled for reimbursement even if he takes treatment in a private hospital under emergent situation, the TN Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal has held.

M Mohamed Salia, Deputy Chief Engineer, Southern Railway, while returning home, suffered a heart attack on November 20, 2008. Due to the urgency of the matter, his wife admitted him in the nearest private hospital Frontier Lifeline, as the Railway Hospital was 10 km away from her residence. After a by-pass surgery and necessary treatment, he was discharged on December 12, 2008. He paid Rs.3.10 lakh towards hospital bills.

When he applied for reimbursement of Rs.2 lakh to which he was entitled, the railway authorities rejected his claim on the ground that treatment in a non-recognised private hospital without referral by the railway authorised medical officer was not admissible. Hence, the present application.
Rejecting the contentions, CAT judicial member G Santhappa said that in this case, the applicant had produced the emergency certificate and that had not been considered by the railways. The Personnel Branches Circular (PBC) dated May 4, 1994 listed under what circumstances reimbursement of medical expenses could be made. It included that if a patient falls ill at a place where there was no government or railway hospital and that if transporting the patient to the nearest government hospital would result in loss of life, the servant could be admitted in a private hospital. The rejection was against the law laid down by the SC, the tribunal said, set aside the order and directed the railways to sanction the amount in a month.

Friday 14 September 2012

Suo motu disclosure on official tours of Ministers and other officials.

                              Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions

                                         Department of Personnel & Training

                                                  North Block, New Delhi

                                                                                                                    Dated:llth September, 2012


                                                   Office Memorandum


Sub: Suo motu disclosure on official tours of Ministers and other officials.



Sub-Section (2) of Section 4 of the RTI Act, 2005 requires every public authority

to take steps in accordance with the requirements of clause
 
(b) of sub-section (1) to

provide as much information

suo motu to the public at regular intervals through various

means of communications, including internet, so that the public have minimum resort

to use the Act to obtain information.

2. It has been brought to the notice of this Department that public authorities are

receiving RTI applications frequently asking for details of the official tours undertaken

by Ministers and other officials of the Ministries/Departments concerned. In compliance

with the provisions of Section 4 of the RTI Act, 2005, it is advised that Public

Authorities may proactively disclose the details of foreign and domestic official tours

undertaken by Minister(s) and officials of the rank of Joint Secretary to the Government

of India and above and Heads of Departments, since 1s` January, 2012. The disclosures

may be updated once every quarter starting from 1s` July, 2012.

3. Information to be disclosed proactively may contain nature of the official tour,

places visited, the period, number of people included in the official delegation and total

cost of such travel undertaken. Exemptions under Section 8 of the RTI Act, 2005 may

be taken in view while disclosing the information. These advisory would not apply to

security and intelligence organisations under the second schedule of the RTI Act, 2005

and CVOs of public authorities.

4. Contents of this OM may be brought to the notice of all concerned.


Thursday 13 September 2012

Restoration of withheld portion of Ordinary Family Pension to widow of ESM in Nepal.

No.8(01)/2007-D(Pen/Pol) (Vol.III)
Government of India
Ministry of Defence
Department of Ex-servicemen Welfare


B-Wing, Sena Bhawan,
New Delhi
Dated 23 August, 2012

To
THE CHIEF OF THE ARMY STAFF
THE CHIEF OF THE NAVAL STAFF
THE CHIEF OF THE AIR STAFF

SUBJECT : Restoration of withheld portion of Ordinary Family Pension to widow of ESM in Nepal.

The proposal regarding restoration of withheld portion of Ordinary family pension to the Widow of ESM in Nepal has been under consideration by the Government of India. As per extant provision, ordinary family pension can be divided in the event of a pensioner having more than one wife. Plural marriages are apparently very common in Nepal. Therefore, Record office, Indian Embassy has recommended apportionment of ordinary family pension depending upon the number of wives recorded. PCDS(P) is the pension sanctioning authority and full share of family pension to a claimant is not agreed unless it is established that the other widows whose names are recorded are dead.


The name of co-widow recorded in service documents should be divulged to the surviving widow to enable her to opting either the whereabouts or the documents to prove that either the widow whose name recorded is dead/eloped or does not exist so that withheld portion of family pension is restored to her. However, after a detailed study and analysis of the social customs and peculiarities in Nepal, it was learnt that divulging names would lead to preparation of false documents of death/elopment as surviving widows are not aware of the whereabouts of widows recorded in sheet roll as in all probabilities they are not in existence due to wrong entries of the names like pet and alias names. The issue is sensitive and has been taken up by various ex-servicemen association in Nepal followed by the media.

2. The President is now pleased to decide the restoration of Family Pension in such cases in Nepal. All such cases which are more than seven years old, sanction is given for restoration of the pension with the following conditions :-

(i) AMA Records in the IE Nepal will carry out detailed investigation in each case, including consultation with reputed persons/public authorities from the village of the deceased soldier, regarding existence or otherwise of the other widow name is recorded in service documents but whose whereabouts are not known for the last seven years, in order to establish that the claimant for 100% restoration of family pension is the only surviving and genuine widow.

(ii) After conclusion of the investigation, the MAC Records, IE, Nepal, Kathmandu will prepare a statement of case in each and will forward the same to PCDA(P) Allahabad along with his recommendation and supported with the following documents:

(A) Investigation report as at (i) above

(B) An affidavit from the claimant duly affirmed before the Chief District Officer (CDO) and witnessed by 2 senior Indian Army Pensioners not below the rank of JCOs, stating that she is the only surviving widow and no other legal claimant is either alive or eligible and that she undertakes to refund the entire amount of 5O% share of the family pension received by her in case eligible claimant reports for claiming Ordinary Family Pension at a later stage.

(C) A certificate from Chief District Officer after due verification by him to the effect that no other legal widow is alive to claim 50% portion of the family pension except the claimant.

The documents as at (B) & (C) above may be countersigned by MA/AMA Records, IE, Nepal, and Kathmandu. However, such case may be re-investigated at ground level, it may not be done only on basis of documents produced by the claimant. Legal heirship certificate issued by competent authority may be taken from the claimant, if necessary.

3. In case any other widow reports later — on i.e., after sanction of family pension to the claimant by following the above procedure, the pension may be divided again proportionately if the claimant’s genuineness is established.

4. This issues with the concurrence of Finance Division of the Ministry vide their ID No. 10(10)2010/Fin/Pen, dated 26.07.2012.

Hindi version will follow.


Yours faithfully,
sd/-
(Malathi Narayanan)
Under Secretary to Govt. of India

Source: www.cgda.nic.in

Wednesday 5 September 2012

The protection of women against sexual harasment at work-place bill 2010

         The protection of women against sexual harasment at work-place bill 2010

Loksabha passed the "The protection of women against the sexual harasment at work-place bill 2010" on Monday the 4th Septembr 2012.

The said bill is available   in the documents under title "Worth Visiting" on this blog.

Tuesday 4 September 2012

Retirement Benefits : Defined Benefit Pension Scheme and New Pension Scheme to retired Central Government employees

Retirement Benefits : Defined Benefit Pension Scheme and New Pension Scheme to retired Central Government employees

In Lok Sabha, Minister of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Shri.V.Narayanasamy replied to a question about the welfare schemes for retired employees on 22nd August, 2012.

The Central Government employees appointed before 1.1.2004 and governed by the Defined Benefit Pension Scheme, on their retirement, are granted a monthly pension equal to 50% of their last pay drawn. However, the minimum pension granted to retired employees is Rs.3,500/- per month. Old Pensioners of the age of 80 years and above are granted additional pension ranging from 20% to 100% of their basic pension.

The pensioners are also granted dearness relief from time to time based on the All India Consumer Price Index. The present rate of Dearness Relief is 65% of the pension. The pensioners are also provided medical facilities/fixed medical allowance to take care of their health.

The Government employees appointed on or after 1.1.2004 and governed by the New Pension System can withdraw 60% of their savings as a lumpsum when they retire. The balance 40% of their wealth is used to purchase an annuity scheme from a life insurance company of their choice, which will pay him/her a monthly pension for the rest of his/her life. In case the employees leave the New Pension Scheme prior to age of 60, the mandatory anuitization would be 80% of the pension wealth.