Newly Launched Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojna to Benefit More Than 3 Crore Insured Persons

Ministry of Labour & Employment
Newly Launched Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojna to Benefit More Than 3 Crore Insured Persons

26 SEP 2018

Around 3.2 crore Insured Persons (IPs) will benefit from newly launched scheme of ESIC 'Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojna'. The ESI Corporation has approved 'ATAL BIMIT VYAKTI KALYAN YOJNA' for Insured Persons (IP) covered under the Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948. This scheme is a relief payable in cash directly to the Bank Account in case of unemployment and while they search for new engagement. The cash benefit given to the unemployed persons searching for new employment will be 25 percent of his average earning of 90 days. Shri Gangwar was addressing on the occasion of 7th National Conference on Security and Safety at Workplace and distribution of Safety Systems Excellence Awards in New Delhi today.

Addressing the function, the Minister added that there are around six crores of workers in organized sector who are getting benefits of EPFO, ESIC and Social Security Schemes. The Union Government has taken many steps to enhance their working conditions, safety and social security in order to improve their standard of living. Present government is continuously making efforts to improve life conditions of around 40 crore workers of the unorganized sector also. In last two years nearly one crore workers have been linked with ESIC benefits and more than one crore have been brought in the fold of EPFO. Pradhan Mantri Jeewan Jyoti Beema Yojna and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Beema Yojna  are totally free for unorganized workers. He further said that nearly 3 crore workers are benefitting from these Social Security Schemes.

The honorarium of 14 Lakh Aanganwadi workers have been increased from Rs. 3,000 per month to Rs. 4,500 per month. Likewise, honorarium of Aanganwadi helpers has also been increased from Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 2,250 per month. The incentive of AASHA workers has also been doubled, he added.

Shri Gangwar further said that the Ministry is making efforts to increase employment opportunities through Pradhan Manrti Rojgar Protsahan Yojana. Twelve per cent of the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) contribution of new employees is being given by government so that employers may not have to bear this cost. The government has spent Rs. 1,744 crores for this EPF contribution for around 72 Lakh employees of nearly 87,000 organizations in last two years.

The Minister congratulated all the winners of Safety Systems Excellence Awards and expressed hope that all the participants of this conference will gain from the ideas discussed on this forum.

PIB

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Appointment on compassionate grounds - Relaxation in upper age limit

Appointment on compassionate grounds - Relaxation in upper age limit

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(RAILWAY BOARD)

No. E(NG)II/2018/RC-1/32

New Delhi, dated 20.09.2018

The General Manager(P)
All Indian Railways & PUs

Sub: Appointment on compassionate grounds - Relaxation in upper age limit regarding.

Attention is invited to para IX (Authority competent to make appointments on compassionate grounds) and para VI(a) (Qualification and conditions to be fulfilled) Board’s letter dated 12.12.1990 which lays down that normally the persons seeking appointment on compassionate grounds should fulfil the conditions of eligibility regarding age and educational qualifications prescribed for appointment to the posts or grade concerned. However, the upper age limit may be freely relaxed on merits of the cases.

The lower age limit of 18 years normally required for appointment in Government may also be relaxed upto one year with the personal approval of the General Manager. Relaxation of the lower age limit beyond one year will require the approval of the Ministry of Railways. In making appointments on compassionate grounds, Divisional Railway Managers may relax age limit in the case of appointment to Group 'D' posts.

The issue of delegation of power to DRM/CWM regarding relaxation of upper age limit in making compassionate grounds appointment was under consideration in this office. It has now been decided by the Board that wherever DRM/CWM is competent to make the appointment on compassionate grounds, they may grant relaxation in upper age limit also.

sd/-
(Neeraj Kumar)
Director Estt. (N)II,
Railway Board

Source: AIRF

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7th CPC Bonus Recommendations Report

7th CPC Bonus Recommendations Report
The Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Commission mandate that it examines the existing schemes for payment of bonus and their impact on performance and productivity.

Consultation with Stakeholders was Considered Important: The system of Performance Linked Bonus (PLB) and Ad hoc Bonus have been prevalent in the Central Government for a fairly long time. Therefore, for the replacement of the existing bonus schemes with any other incentive scheme, prior consultation with the stakeholders was considered essential

The Commission feels that there is strong need to create a culture of performance in government - from establishing standards of performance, to measuring, and promoting people based on performance. To emphasize on the culture of performance, the Commission has recommended that all the non-performers in the system should be phased out after 20 years. The Commission has recommended that Performance Related Pay should be introduced in the government and that all Bonus payments should necessarily be linked with productivity.

Bonus Schemes and Performance Related Pay

The Commission feels that any Performance Related Pay (PRP) for Central Government employees should provide a credible framework to drive performance across ministries/departments. Rather than a new system design, the favoured approach should be an incremental adaptation which can operate within the existing framework of rules with minor changes that can enable smooth implementation and operationalization of PRP.

In this backdrop, the Commission recommends introduction of the Performance Related Pay for all categories of Central Government employees, based on quality RFDs, reformed APARs and broad Guidelines, as enumerated above.

The Commission also recommends that the PRP should subsume the existing Bonus schemes. The Commission notes that there could be a time lag in implementing the Performance Related Pay by different departments. Till such time, the existing Bonus Schemes should be reviewed and linked with increased profitability/productivity under well-defined financial parameters.

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Bonus Calculation: To illustrate, taking the calculation ceiling of monthly emoluments of Rs. 7000 (where actual average emoluments exceed Rs. 7000), Non-PLB (Ad-hoc Bonus) for thirty days would work out to Rs. 7000×30/30.4=Rs.6907.89 (rounded off to Rs.6908/-).

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Central Government Rejects the Demand to Scrap National Pension System

Central Government Rejects the Demand to Scrap National Pension System

Abolition of Contributory Pension Scheme

Representations have been received from various Associations of Government Employees on the problems being faced and the demand to withdraw the National Pension System (NPS). The 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC) also in its report examined the issues related to NPS and made recommendations for addressing these issues.

Pursuant thereto, it was decided to constitute a Committee of Secretaries to suggest measures for streamlining NPS. The Committee has submitted its report. Due to rising and unsustainable pension bill and keeping in view of fiscal imperatives, it is not possible for the government to revert back to old pension scheme.

This information was provided by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance Shri. Shiv Pratap Shukla in written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on 24.7.2018.

Source: Confederation

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Denial of payment of Breakdown Allowance to the staff working in GP 2000/Level 3 of 7th CPC

Denial of payment of Breakdown Allowance to the staff working in GP 2000/Level 3 of 7th CPC

NFIR

National Federation of Indian Railwaymen
3, CHELMSFORD ROAD, NEW DELHI - 110055

No.I/5(g)/Pt.V

Dated: 22-09-2018

The Secretary (E)
Railway Board
New Delhi

Dear Sir,

Sub: Denial of payment of Breakdown Allowance to the staff working in GP 2000/Level 3 of 7th CPC - reg.

Ref: (i) Railway Board's letter No.E(P&A)II-2017/BDA-1 30-08-2017 (RBE No.106/2017)
(ii) NFIR's letter No.I/5(g)/Part V dated 11-04-2018
(iii) Railway Board's letter No.E(P&A)II-2017/BDA-1 dated 14-09-2018 (RBE No.138/2018)

Pursuant to NFIR's reference vide letter dated 11-04-2018 relating to admissibility of payment of Breakdown Allowance to the staff working in GP 2000/Level-3 of 7th CPC who were left erroneously in Board’s order dated 30th August,2017 (RBE No.106/2017), Railway Board vide letter dated 14-09-2018 (RBE No.138/2018) have issued clarification for grant of Breakdown Allowance to the Technicians Grade-III though drawing pay in higher pay level under MACPS at the rates prescribed for the post held by the employee. Federation however noticed that the said instructions are not in conformity with the Federation’s demand to grant Breakdown Allowance to the Staff working in GP 2000/Level-3 at the pay received in the same Grade Pay/Pay Level.

In this connection, Federation desires to state that the Breakdown Allowance is treated as Compensatory Allowance and is attached to the extra-ordinary duties performed by such staff. The Board's clarification dated 14-09-2018 limiting the payment of Breakdown Allowance to the post held by the staff i.e. substantive pay in GP 1900, is unjustified and needs to be corrected suitably to render justice to the staff of Technical Categories.

NFIR, therefore, urges the Railway Board to consider the above points and issue amendment to the clarification to letter dated 14-09-2018 soon duly endorsing copy to the Federation.

Yours faithfully
(Dr.M.Raghavaiah)
General Secretary

Source: NFIR

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Transfer of railway employees with lower priority, on out-of-­turn basis

Transfer of railway employees with lower priority, on out-of-­turn basis

RBE N0. 139/2018

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(RAILWAY BOARD)

NO.E(NG)I-2018/TR/14

New Delhi, dated 17.09.2018

The General Managers (P)
All Zonal Railways & Production Units
(As per standard list)

Sub: One-way request transfer on out-of-turn basis.

References are being received from Zonal Railways seeking Board's approval for request transfer of railway employees with lower priority, on out-of-­turn basis After careful consideration of the matter. Board have decided that the General Managers themselves may take a decision to allow request transfer of non-gazetted railway employees on out-of-turn basis. Such requests may, however, be considered only in rare cases where NOC has been received from accepting Railway and have been approved by competent authority in the parent Railway. In each such case reasons for giving the approval should be recorded on file It is also stated to use "COMPTRAN" soft-ware to register and monitor all the cases of Inter-Railway Request Transfer as advised under Board’s letter No. ERP/Portal-Transfer/2013 dated 08.08.2018.

Please acknowledge receipt.

Hindi version will follow.

(M.K. Meena)
Deputy Director Estt (N)
Railway Board

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Reversion to old pension scheme due to administrative delay

Reversion to old pension scheme due to administrative delay

"NPS applicable to Government servants appointed to civil posts on or before 31.12.2003. The date on which the vacancies arose or the date on which the examination was conducted for filling up the vacancies is not relevant for deciding the applicability of the Central Civil Services (Pension) rules, 1972"

Reversion to old pension scheme

In accordance with the scheme for National Pension System (NPS), as notified vide Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs)'s Notification No. 5/7/2003-ECB & PR dated 22.12.2003, the System is mandatory for all new recruits to the Central Government service (except armed forces) from 01.01.2004. Accordingly, as per Rule 2 of the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972, as amended on 30.12.2003, these rules are applicable to Government servants appointed to civil posts on or before 31.12.2003. The date on which the vacancies arose or the date on which the examination was conducted for filling up the vacancies is not relevant for deciding the applicability of the Central Civil Services (Pension) rules, 1972.

Ministry of Home Affairs have not sought any advice from Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare on the question of having a policy to cover the paramilitary personnel appointed after 01.01.2004 under the Old Pension Scheme on the ground that the vacancies arose, or the examination was conducted, in the year 2003. However, a reference was received from Ministry of Home Affairs in a specific case relating to appointments as Sub-Inspector in various Central Para Military Forces after selection in August, 2003 on the basis of an Examination conducted in 2002.

Appointments on the basis of these selections were made in Central Reserve Police Force in 2003 and the candidates appointed were covered by the pension scheme under Central Civil Service (Pension) Rules, 1972. However, in the Border Security Force, offers of appointment on the basis of the same examination/selection were issued in January, 2004. On a petition filed by some personnel appointed in the Border Security Force on the basis of that examination, Hon'ble High Court of Delhi directed to cover the petitioners under the Central Civil Service (Pension) Rules, 1972 on the grounds of administrative delay on the part of Border Security Force in making appointments.

The order of Hon'ble High Court of Delhi was implemented by the Ministry of Home Affairs/Border Security Force in view of the peculiar circumstances of that case. The decision taken in that case is, however, not relevant for deciding applicability of Central Civil Service (Pension) Rules to all appointments made on or after 01.01.2004 in the Central Para Military Forces or in any other Department/organization on the basis of year of examination/selection.

This information was provided by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh in written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on 19.7.2018.

Source: PIB

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