The Union Cabinet today approved the proposal of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for pursuing the Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India) Amendment Bill, 2010 pending in Rajya Sabha in Parliament for its enactment and also to move the official amendments in the Rajya Sabha. Cabinet also approved the action taken on the recommendations made in the Eighteenth Report on “Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India) Amendment Bill, 2010” of the Standing Committee on Information Technology.
e-Service Book has been introduced with the support of Administrative Project Group of NIC during the year 2009 to facilitate electronic maintenance of service books (based on new service book formats prescribed by DoPT) under the 100-day Programme of the Government for Central Ministries/ Departments based in Delhi. During the year 2010, this project has been expanded further to include President Secretariat, Vice President Secretariat, Prime Minister's Office, Cabinet Secretariat, Planning Commission and Ministries of Defence and Finance
The Union Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee today formally launched the central government e-payment system He said that the commissioning of the e-payment system is a major achievement and indicates Government’s strong commitment towards improving efficiency in our financial system, strengthening transparency in operations and introducing reforms for better governance. The Finance Minister said that the development is particularly significant as e-payment is at the centre of the e-commerce value chain. Shri Mukherjee was speaking after inaugurating the Government e-payment system here today
The total number of pregnant women registered in Mother & Child Tracking System(MCTS), an e-governance initiative of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, has crossed the one crore mark on 28 October, 2011. The Mother and Child Tracking System (MCTS) is designed to collate information of all pregnant women and infants so as to ensure delivery of maternal and child health services from conception till 42 days after delivery in the case of pregnant women and up to five years of age in the case of children so as to ensure that all pregnant women and all new born receive full maternal and immunization services. The number of children registered in the system is also expected to cross 50 lakh by the end of this month.
The Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare has been implementing a web based Mission Mode Project namely “Pensioners’ Portal” under the National e-Governance Plan since March, 2007. Under the same the Department has Centralized Pension Grievance Redressal and Monitoring System (CPENGRAMS) vide which the pension related grievances of various Ministries are forwarded to the respective Ministries/Department for early redressal.
The Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare with the help of NIC has developed an updated version of CPENGRAMS, which is based on integration of the data base of Centralized Public Grievances Redressal and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS), under the administrative control of Department of AR&PG and the CPENGRAMS, administered by Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare. Under the updated version the pension related grievances will be combined with other grievances and therefore receipt from multiple sources will not be there for the Ministries/Departments. This will also facilitate disposal of grievances for all Ministries/Departments who can now log on to CPGRAMS and look into the pension grievances. Earlier they had to log on to CPENGRAMS & CPGRAMS separately.
To make all the Departments/Ministries/Orgainisations aware of this updated version, this Department organised a function here today, which was addressed by Shri V. Narayanasamy, Minister of State (PP) for Home Affairs. He stressed the need of sensitizing the officers involved in the process of grievance redressal to avoid any hardship to pensioners. On this occasion NIC also made a presentation of the updated version before the audience. Nodal Officers from approximately 99 Ministries/ Departments/ Organisations attached to the work relating to pensioners’ grievances redressal mechanism attended the ceremony.
The Prime Minister’s Shram Awards for the years 2008, 2009 and 2010 will be presented by the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on 13.10.2011 at 05.00 PM here in Vigyan Bhawan New Delhi. Union Minister of Labour & Employment Shri Mallikarjun Kharge will be present on the occasion.
The awards are given to workmen who have distinguished record of performance, devotion to duty of a high order, specific contribution in the field of productivity, proven innovative abilities, presence of mind and exceptional courage. The awards are given to those workmen also who have risked their lives or made supreme sacrifice of laying down their lives in the conscientious discharge of their duties.
His/her performance should have resulted in any or some of the followings:-
Ø Improving productivity;
Ø Workers who have made outstanding contribution in the field of productivity, safety and who have also shown innovative ability of high order;
Ø Increasing the efficiency of the organization;
Ø Innovations and improvements that bring about saving in materials including fuel, power and explosive;
Ø Improvement in the utilization of plant and equipment;
Ø Improvement in quality/safety of products for users;
Ø Better utilisation of waste or scrap material & Conservation of resources;
Ø Substitution of indigenous process/material for imported one
The Prime Minister’s Shram Awards were instituted in the year 1985, for the workers, in recognition o their outstanding contribution towards production, and for showing exemplary zeal and enthusiasm in discharge of their duties, in the Public Sector and who have distinguished record of performance, devotion to duty of a high order, specific contribution in the field of , productivity, proven innovative abilities, presence of mind and exceptional courage and also to the workmen who have made supreme sacrifice of laying down their lives in the conscientious discharge of their duties. The awards were extended to Private Sector Employing 500 or more workers in their establishments in the year 2004. The Awards are presented to the workmen (as defined in the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947) and engaged in manufacturing and productive processes and whose performance is assessable.
All the nominations received through the Administrative Ministries/State Governments in the case of Departmental undertakings of the Central and State Government and Central and State Public Sector Undertakings and that of Private Sector through their National Associations/Chambers are scrutinized and graded by a Technical committee. The Technical Committee is chaired by an eminent personality in the field of technology with representatives from employers Organizations, Central Trade Unions, experts from the Scientific/Technical Institutions of repute and DGFASLI. The Technical Committee makes recommendations for various categories of awards to the Screening Committee. The Screening Committee under the Chairmanship of Secretary Labour & Employment considers the recommendation of Technical Committee and makes the final recommendations for approval by the Hon’ble Prime minister.
The Prime Minister’s Shram Awards are announced on the eve of Republic Day/Independence Day. The Awards for the years 2008,2009, 2010 were announced 15.8. 2010, 18.2.2011 & and 5.7.2011 respectively.
Following are the categories of the Prime Minister’s Shram Awards :-
SHRAM RATNA
This is the highest Award (one in number) among the Shram Awards and carries a cash award of Rs. 2,00,000/- along with a ‘Sanad’.
SHRAM BUSHAN
Total number of Shram Bhushan Award is four. It carries a cash award of Rs. 1,00,000/- and ‘Sanad’. The total number of awardees from Public Sectors is 02, 08 and 09 during the years 2008, 2009, 2010 respectively. And the number of awardees from Private Sector is 2, 2 and 3 during 2008, 2009 and 2010 respectively.
SHRAM VIR/VEERANGANA
Total number of Shram Vir /Shram Veerangana Awards is twelve. It carries a cash award of Rs. 60,000/- and a ‘Sanad’. The total number of awardees from Public Sector is 11, 10 and 30 and from Private Sector is 6 ,6 and 8 during the years 2008,2009 and 2010 respectively.
SHRAM SHREE/ DEVI
Total number of Shram Shree/Shram Devi Awards is sixteen. It carries a cash award of Rs. 40,000/- and a ‘Sanad’. The total number of awardees from Public Sector is 22, 27 and 18 and from Private Sector it is 08,08 and 08 during the years 2008,2009 and 2010 respectively
The Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has decided that facilities in ESI Hospital having bed occupancy of less than 60% can be opened to non Insured Persons (IPs) on payment of user charges.
For utilization of spare capacity in Employees State Insurance (ESI) Hospitals, a scheme has been framed and circulated to all concerned for implementation.
The Minister of Labour and Employment Shri Mallikarjun Kharge gave this information in reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.
The Central Vigilance Commission had vide its circular No. 98/VGL/60 dated 15.04.1999 and 02.11.2001 and Circular No. 17/4/08 dated 01.05.2008 issued instructions to the organizations under its advisory jurisdiction regarding rotation of officials working in sensitive posts. As per the instructions, the organizations were to identify the sensitive posts and effect rotational transfers on these posts every 2 or 3 years to avoid development of vested interest by the people working on these posts.
The property of corrupt public servant is confiscated under the provisions of Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 1944 and Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. However, to make the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 self contained and comprehensive the Government is considering incorporating the provisions for confiscation/forfeiture of property of corrupt public servants in the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
On 8th June, 2011, the media had reported that the Hon’ble Supreme Court has sought amendment to the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. These observations were reportedly made by the Supreme Court while dismissing an appeal filed by an Assistant Commissioner, Central Excise, against his conviction. However, the formal order passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court on 8.6.2011 in the case, i.e. Criminal Appeal No. 945 of 2006 (Sat Paul vs. State of West Bengal & Anr.) does not contain any such observations.
A Committee headed by the Chairman, CBDT has been constituted to examine ways to strengthen laws to curb generation of black money in India, its illegal transfer abroad and its recovery. The Committee shall examine the existing legal and administrative framework to deal with the menace of generation of black money through illegal means including inter-alia (i) declaring wealth generated illegally as national asset; (ii) enacting/amending laws to confiscate and recover such assets; and (iii) providing for exemplary punishment against its perpetrators. The Committee is required to consult all stakeholders and submit its report within a period of six months.
As per information provided by the CBI, it has not unearthed any case wherein benami properties of more than Rs.100 Crore have been unearthed against any officer in any case.
This information was given by Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and the Prime Minister’s Office, Shri V. Naraynasamy in written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.
