Government mulls no LPG subsidy for people above Rs 10 lakh income

Government mulls no LPG subsidy for people above Rs 10 lakh income


Hyderabad: The NDA government is mulling to lift the subsidy on LPG cylinder for consumers whose annual income is above Rs 10 lakh, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said here on Saturday.

“Dharmendra Pradhan (Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas) told me that the Government has found many of illegal gas connections and is saving thousands of crore of rupees by stopping supply to those consumers,” the Union Minister for Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs said.

“They (the government) are also planning that the consumers whose income is above Rs 10 lakh, gas subsidy will not be given. Why do they need subsidy? Why ministers need subsidy? So far, 30 lakh people have given up LPG subsidy.

That subsidy will be given to poor people,” he said.

Naidu was speaking at an awards function organised by Federation of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Chambers of Commerce.

He said the government has so far brought out about 35 changes in the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy across 15 sectors.

Seeking support from the opposition parties for passing some crucial Bills such as GST Bill, the Union Minister said the government is willing to talk to them on pursuing its agenda.

“Our government agenda is development, good governance, elimination of poverty and empowerment of youth and women. The opposition should also cooperate with the government in pursuing these reforms. People want politics of development.

We seek support of all political parties in pursuing developmental agenda in the larger interest of the country,” he said.

Taking a dig at those criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Naidu said they should respect the mandate of the people with tolerance.

“Knowingly or unknowingly, some incidents took place in the country and one should not magnify them and show the country in poor light,” he said.

He said India is moving on the path of development and attracting investments from outside.

PTI

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Fixation of range of seniority for promotion from PA to PS Grade of CSSS-Select List Year 2014

Fixation of range of seniority for promotion from PA to PS Grade of CSSS-Select List Year 2014-reg

REMINDER-V

No.4/15/2015-CS-II (A)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Department of Personnel & Training

3rd Floor, Lok Nayak Bhawan, Khan Market,
New Delhi -110003.
Dated the 13th November, 2015

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: – Fixation of range of seniority for promotion from PA to PS grade of CSSS- Select List Year 2014 – regarding.

The undersigned is directed to refer to this Departments’ O.M. of even number dated 07.08.2015 and subsequent reminders dated 03.09.2015, 06.10.2015, 19.10.2015 and 27.10.2015 on the above mentioned subject. The requisite information regarding  recommendation of DPC for promotion of eligible PAs to PS Grade of CSSS for the Select List Year-2014 was required to be furnished in the prescribed proforma by 31.08.2015 by the Cadre Units of CSSS.

2. The requisite information from the Cadre Units as per Annexure, has not so far been received despite several reminders. The non-receipt of the said information is delaying the process of finalization of the panel of eligible officers for appointment to PS Grade of CSSS for the Select List Year-2014. The defaulting Cadre Units are once again requested to furnish the requisite information immediately without any further delay.

(AK Saha)
Deputy Secretary to the Government of India
Tel.No.24622365

Source: http://ccis.nic.in

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Enhancement of Income Tax exemption limit in the case of Running Staff in Railways

Enhancement of Income Tax exemption limit in the case of Running Staff in Railways

NFIR
National Federation of Indian Railwaymen
3, CHELMSFORD ROAD, NEW DELHI – 110 055
Affiliated to
Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC)
International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF)

Dated: 13/11/2015

No. II/58/Part II
The Secretary (E),
Railway Board,
New Delhi
Dear Sir,

Sub: Enhancement of Income Tax exemption limit in the case of Running Staff in Railways-reg.

Ref: (i) NFIR’s PNM item no. 39/2012.
(ii) Railway Board’s O.M. No. F(X)I-2014/23/4 dated 23/05/2014 & 08/05/2015.
(iii) Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue, CBDT (TPL Division)’s O.M No. 149/21/2013 TPL dated 23/07/2015 addressed to Railway Board.

On perusal of contents of O.M. dated 23/07/2015, (addressed to the Railway Board by Department of Revenue, CBDT TPL Division), copy handed over to the NFIR during the PNM meeting held on 819`” October 2015, Federation felt disappointed that the view of CBDT is unconvincing as the points raised by the Federation in the PNM agenda Item No, 39/2012 have not been taken into consideration. As a matter of fact, the CBDT has generalized the issue ignoring the Federation’s demand seeking revision of tax exemption to the specific category of Running Staff of Railways.

2. Federation however re-iterates below the key points for making proper reference by the Railway Ministry to the MoF/CBDT:-

• In para 1507 of IREC-Vol II (sixth Edition 1987/2″ Reprint Edition 2005), it has been stipulated that the Running Allowance is granted to the Running Staff for the performance of duty directly connected with charge of moving trains and includes “kilometerage allowance” or “allowance in lieu of kilometerage” and is paid on the kilometerage basis.
• The argument of CBDT that the exemption limit was raised from Rs. 6000 to 10,000 p.m. which takes care of progressive requirement of employees working in the different transport sector including Railway employees is not relevant as the revision of exemption sought pertains to Running Staff. Federation’s demand is that when the rates of kilometerage allowance of Running Staff on Indian Railways have been enhanced on DA reaching 50% of pay w.e.f. 01/01/2011 and again on reaching 100% as on 01/01/2014, the exemption limit of Income Tax correspondingly needs to be enhanced retrospectively as there is T.A. component in the kilometerage amount. Therefore, the present exempteq. amount of Rs. 10,000/- is grossly insufficient particularly in the context of upward revision of the rates of T.A which are not taxable.
• The CBDT’s view that moderation of tax rates by way of increase in the basic exemption limits and widening of tax slabs has raised every individual’s exemption limit is not relevant to the issue raised by NFIR seeking revision of exemption limit in the case of Running staff in Railways.

NFIR, therefore, requests the Railway Board to write back to MoF/CBDT duly highlighting that “kilometerage amount paid to Running staff includes T.A. component towards out of pocket expenses” and urging for approval for upward revision of tax exemption limit from the existing Rs. 10,000/- to Rs. 20,000/-

Yours faithfully,

(Dr. M. Raghavaiah)
General Secretary

Source: NFIR – https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B40Q65NF2_7UNjRyY0p1NFdlM2c/view?pli=1

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Use of modified format of Life Certificate by all banks

Use of modified format of Life Certificate by all banks

CENTRAL PENSION ACCOUNTING OFFICE
TRIKOOT-II, BHIKAJI CAMA PLACE,
NEW DELHI-110066
PHONES : 26174596, 26174456, 26174436

CPAO/IT&Tech/Jeevan Praman/2015-16/1680

dated 09.11.2015

Office Memorandum

Subject:- Use of modified format of Life Certificate by all banks

Attention is invited to this office OM No. CPAO/IT&Tech/Scheme Booklet/2015-16/1666 dated 16.10.2015 directing the banks to ensure that modified format of Life Certificate is used by all paying branches which also provides for acknowledgment to Pensioners. Vide Correction slip no. 24, dated 12.10.2015, the Life Certificate has been modified and circulated to all concerned. The updated format of Life Certificate has also been provided on CPAO’s website i.e. www.cpao.nic.in.

It has been noticed that some banks are still using their own or old format of Life Certificate which is not proper. Therefore, Heads of Government Accounts/Business Department/Head of CPPCs of all the banks are requested once again to issue urgent instructions to all their branches to use only modified format of Life Certificate prescribed by CPAO and provide acknowledgment to Pensioners.

This issues with the approval competent authority.

(Vijay Singh)
Sr. Accounts Officer (Tech)

Signed copy Click here

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Inaugurate Workshop on discontinuation of Interview for recruitment to the Junior-level posts in the Government

Inaugurate Workshop on discontinuation of Interview for recruitment to the Junior-level posts in the Government

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions

Dated:13-November, 2015

Dr. Jitendra Singh to inaugurate Workshop on discontinuation of Interview for recruitment to the Junior-level posts in the Government

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh will inaugurate a one-day Workshop of the Principal Secretaries of the General Administration Department (GAD) of various States/Union Territories looking after the work of recruitment of employees, in New Delhi on Monday, November 16, 2015.

The daylong Workshop will focus upon the Central Government’s directions calling for discontinuation of Interview for recruitment to the Junior-level posts in the Government. Presentations will be made by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs), representatives of State Government from Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim and Uttarakhand besides the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT).

Dr. Jitendra Singh had last month appealed to the Chief Ministers of all the States to take steps to abolish interview for recruitment to lower posts wherever possible. As a prompt follow up to the suggestion made by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi during his Independence Day address to abolish interview for recruitment to such posts where it is not required, the DoPT took up the matter with the State Governments of all States on September 4, 2015 following which the matter was discussed with the Secretaries of General Administration Department (GAD)/Personnel from States during the two-day workshop held in New Delhi on September 8-9, 2015.

The government’s view is that the interviews should be discontinued for recruitment to junior-level posts where personality or skill assessment is not absolutely required. The objective behind abolition of interviews for such posts is that it will curb corruption, ensure more objective selection in a transparent manner and substantially ease the problems of the poor and resourceless aspirants. This will not only enable giving more weightage to the merit but also supplement the government’s resolve for “Maximum Governance, Minimum Government”.

In a letter addressed to the Chief Ministers last month, Dr. Jitendra Singh had informed that several Group ‘B’ (Non-Gazetted) and Group ‘C’ (Non-Technical) posts in various Ministries/Departments and other organisations under Central Government have already been identified where the selections can be made through a competitive examination without conducting the interview. The Chief Ministers of different States have been requested to involve the Public Service Commission and other recruiting agencies in their respective States where interview can be discontinued and selection can be done only through examination. This would be a major step towards achieving the goal of citizen-centric transparent governance.

The DoPT and the Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DAR&PG) and the Department of Pensions and Pensioners Welfare have recently undertaken several path breaking decisions including abolition of attestation of certificates and instead introduced self-attestation of certificates, introduction of pension portal to abolish the requirement for a written life-certificate and decision to revisit and revise the pattern and syllabus of Civil Services Examination.

PIB

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7th Pay Commission: President salary to bar bureaucrats from pay hikes

New Delhi: The 7th pay commission is likely to recommend fixing the highest basic salary at Rs 180,000, while the current salary of the President is Rs 150,000 per month, which will come as a bar for top bureaucrats pay hikes in the 7th Pay Commission.

This is because bureaucrats can surely not cross the presidential salary since government officers serve on presidential pleasure; their salary cannot exceed that of the occupant of Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Accordingly, the presidential salary could be a bar for their pay hikes in the 7th Pay Commission.

In this circumstance, the cabinet secretary, India’s highest-paid officer, can’t get salary of Rs 180,000.
A totally new regime of perks and allowances is, however, not ruled out. Speculation has run wild on the 7th Pay Commission recommending a big pay hike for officers and employees, considering inflation.

“The 7th Pay Commission is going to propose raising the basic salary to Rs 20,000 from existing Rs 6660 for the lowest grade and Rs 180,000 from Rs 80,000 for the highest as the pay panel is considering pay ratio of the pay of the bottom paid employees to the pay of the highest paid officials to come down to 1:9 from 1:12,” highly-placed sources in the pay panel said.

A pay panel source admitted the President’s salary revision is required to fix the salary of top bureaucrats under 7th Pay Commission as it’s “benchmark” for the salaries of government officials.

The government is need to put the salaries hike bill in Parliament to approve two-fold increase in the monthly salary of the President, and state Governors before the implementation the recommendation of the 7th Pay Commission, the official added.

The recommendations of pay commissions often are adopted by state governments, so the salaries of bureaucrats of state governments cannot exceed that of the Governor, since state government officers serve on Governor’s pleasure, he clarified.

The 7th Pay Commission, headed by Justice A K Mathur, was appointed by the previous UPA government in February 2014 for 18 months. Its terms was extended in August 2015 by four months till December 31, 2015.

The government constitutes the pay commission almost every 10 years to revise the pay scale of central government employees and often these are adopted by states after some modifications.

The recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission are scheduled to take effect from 1 January 2016. The Sixth Pay Commission was implemented with effect from 1 January 2006, the fifth from 1 January 1996 and the fourth from 1 January 1986.

As part of the exercise, the commission holds discussions with various stakeholders, including organisations, federations, groups representing civil employees as well as Defence services.

TST

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