Abolition of application fees for Government examinations – Rajya Sabha QA
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL,PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS
RAJYA SABHA
QUESTION NO 728
ANSWERED ON 27.06.2019
Abolition of application fees for Government examinations
728 Shri Sanjay Raut
Will the Minister of PERSONNEL,PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS be pleased to state :-
(a) whether it is a fact that many aspiring candidates are unable to pay fees to participate in Government’s recruitment examinations and other competitive examinations;
(b) whether Government is considering to abolish application fees for examinations of Government posts by bringing new affordable technology in this regard; and
(c) if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)
(a): Yes, Sir.
(b) & (c): There is no proposal under consideration of the Government to abolish application fee for all candidates appearing for Government recruitment examinations.
However, candidates belonging to Schedule Caste/ Schedule Tribe, persons with disabilities, ex-servicemen and women candidates are already exempted from payment of fee for Government recruitment examinations.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 1284
ANSWERED ON: 28.06.2019
Cashless Health Insurance Schemes
Bhartruhari Mahtab Will the Minister of
HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:-
Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has taken note of the fact that the private hospitals have been charging between 25 to 60 percent more from the patients who pay in cash than those with cashless health insurance schemes for the same procedure;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor along with the number of such complaints received by the Government during each of the last three years and the current year, hospital-wise;
(c) whether the Government has conducted or proposes to conduct any enquiry in this regard keeping in view that 80 to 85 percent population of the country do not have any health insurance cover;
(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
(e) the other corrective steps taken/ being taken by the Government in this direction?
ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)
(a) & (b): As per Constitutional provisions, ‘Health’ is a State subject. It is the responsibility of the respective State Government to take cognizance of such instances and take action to prevent and control such practices. Therefore, such complaints, if received, are referred to the concerned State for appropriate action. Details in this regard are not maintained by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
(c) & (d): Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has no information of any enquiry in this regard.
(e): The Government of India has enacted the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010 for registration and regulation of all clinical establishments (both Government and Private) in the country. Under the Clinical Establishments (Central Government) Rules, 2012 notified under this Act, the clinical establishments (in the States / Union Territories where the said Act is applicable) are required to display their rates at a conspicuous place and charge the rates for each type of procedures and services within the range of rates determined from time to time in consultation with the State Governments. The implementation and enforcement of the said Act is within the purview of the State/UT Governments.
The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has launched Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) on 23.09.2018. This scheme provides coverage of up to Rs. 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation to over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families covering around 50 crore population. This scheme covers poor and vulnerable families based on deprivation and occupational criteria as per Socio Economic and Caste Census, 2011 (SECC, 2011) data. PMJAY provides cashless and paperless access to services for the beneficiary at the point of service in any empanelled hospital (both public and private) across India.
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 783
ANSWERED ON: 26.06.2019
LTC Facility to Women Officers
Faizal P.P. Mohammed Will the Minister of
DEFENCE be pleased to state:-
(a) whether the Government proposes to provide LTC facility to women officers/personnels during child care leave and foreign visits in order to encourage women in Defence forces; and
(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER MINISTER OF DEFENCE (SHRI RAJNATH SINGH)
(a) & (b): The Government provides LTC facility to women officers/personnel during Child Care Leave. Women Officers/personnel are permitted to travel abroad during Child Care Leave. However, there is no provision for Defence forces officers/personnel to avail LTC facility during foreign visit or to go on foreign visit on LTC.
Retirement Age in Central Health Services – Lok Sabha QA
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4
TO BE ANSWERED ON 21ST JUNE, 2019
RETIREMENT AGE IN CHS
4. SHRI NALIN KUMAR KATEEL:
Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has taken any decision to increase the retirement age of its entire faculty of Central Health Services (CHS) Cadres and other Central/State Government medical services upto 65 years, if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the said decision is implemented in all the CHS cadres and other Central/State Government medical services, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
(c) whether the Government is aware that there are irregularities committed in implementing the said decision, if so, the details of the medical services and institutions where the said decision is not being implemented; and
(d) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to ensure that the retirement age of all medical services both Central and State are increased?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)
(a) to (d) : Government had decided on 05.06.2008 to increase the retirement age to 65 years for the officers of Teaching sub-cadre of Central Health Services (CHS). Thereafter, Government decided on 31.05.2016 to increase the retirement age to 65 years in respect of General Duty Medical Officers, Non-Teaching and Public Health Specialists. Further, it was also decided on 27.09.2017 to increase the retirement age to 65 years for the other officers of Central Medical Services viz. AYUSH doctors, Civilian doctors under Directorate General of Armed Forces Medical Services, Medical officers of Indian Ordnance Factories Health Services, dental doctors working under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, doctors of Indian Railways Medical Service and dental doctors under Ministry of Railways, doctors of General Duty Medical Officers sub-cadre of Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles and Specialist Medical officers of Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles.
Health being a state subject, the decisions of the Central Government are not applicable to the State Government doctors, and no such information is being maintained centrally in respect of State Government doctors.
No irregularities have been noticed in the implementation of the said decision.
Recommendations of Shekatkar Commission for redeployment of officers and jawans – Lok Sabha QA
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 845
ANSWERED ON: 26.06.2019
Recommendations of Shekatkar Commission
Gowdar Mallikarjunappa Siddeshwara
Will the Minister of
DEFENCE be pleased to state:-
(a) whether Government has approved recommendations made by Shekatkar Committee for redeployment of officers and jawans for combat role by restructuring the service;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether some of the recommendations pertaining to IAF and Navy are still under examination and if so, the time by which a final decision would be taken in this regard; and
(d) the details of the steps taken to improve operational capabilities with stress on modern technology in all the three services?
ANSWER MINISTER OF DEFENCE (SHRI RAJNATH SINGH)
(a) to (d): The Report of the Shekatkar Committee constituted to recommend measures to enhance combat capability was submitted in December 2016. It was taken up by the Ministry of Defence to frame key action points and roadmap for implementation and a total of 99 recommendations were forwarded for implementation to concerned agencies/stakeholders.
The Report and its recommendations are not being placed in the public domain as it includes operational aspects of the armed forces, disclosure of which is not in the interest of national security.
Improving operational capabilities is a continuous process and requisite measures as required are taken from time to time.
(b) the details of the budgetary allocation, revised estimates as well as the actual expenditure incurred for the implementation of OROP scheme during each of the last three years and the current year ;
(c) whether there is some resentment among the ex-servicemen with the present model of the scheme and if so, the details thereof;
(d) the details of steps taken for holding negotiation with them and steps taken/being taken by the Government for redressing the issue; and
(e) the aim of setting up of Justice Narasimha Reddy Commission for OROP along with the main recommendations of the Commission and their implementation/status thereof;
ANSWER
MINISTER OF DEFENCE (SHRI RAJNATH SINGH)
(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 68 FOR ANSWER ON 26.06.2019 REGARDING ONE RANK ONE PENSION
(a) The Government had issued orders on 07.11.2015 for implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP) with effect from 01.07.2014.
(b) A sum of Rs.10,795.40 crores has been released as arrears to Defence Forces Pensioners/Family Pensioners on account of implementation of OROP. Payment of arrears on account of implementation of OROP order dated 07.11.2015 is made from Defence Pension Budget Estimates. Out of total Pension Budget, there is no separate allocation/budgeting towards OROP. However, out of the total Pension Budget, year-wise details of actual expenditure made on release of arrears of OROP are as under:
Financial year
Amount disbursed on account of OROP arrears
2015-16
Rs.2,861.55 Crores
2016-17
Rs.5,370.61 Crores
2017-18
Rs.2,563.24 Crores
Total
Rs.10,795.40 Crores
(c) & (d) Some Ex-Servicemen Associations have been demanding changes in methodology for fixation of pension, periodicity of its revision etc. The Government appointed One Member Judicial Committee (OMJC) on OROP on 14.12.2015 to look into anomalies, if any, arising out of implementation of OROP.
(e) The Government appointed One Member Judicial Committee (OMJC) on OROP on 14.12.2015 under Justice Narasimha Reddy to look into anomalies, if any, arising out of implementation. The Committee was to take into account the financial impact of its recommendations. The Committee submitted its Report on 26.10.2016. An Internal Committee has been constituted by the Government to examine the recommendations of OMJC with respect to feasibility and financial aspects. The matter is under examination of this internal Committee.
PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS be pleased to state:-
(a) the number of vacancies existing in different Ministries/Departments of the Union Government, category-wise;
(b) the time since when these vacancies have accumulated along with the reasons for not filling up these vacancies;
(c) the number of vacancies filled up by the Union Government during the last five years;
(d) the steps taken by the Union Government to fill up these vacancies; and
(e) the time by which all the vacant posts are likely to be filled up?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE
(DR. JITENDRA SINGH)
(a) to (c): The detail of vacancies in different Ministries / Departments, as per the data received from Department of Expenditure, as on 01.03.2018, is at Annexure. Category-wise data on the number of vacant posts and the vacant posts filled by the Union Government are not maintained centrally.
Vacancies in the Central Government are caused due to retirement, death, promotion etc. and the posts falling vacant are required to be filled as per recruitment rules by the concerned Ministries / Departments / Organizations.
(d) & (e): The filling up of vacant posts is a continuous process depending on the vacancies arising across Ministries/Departments during the year and action calendar of the recruiting agencies.
Department of Personnel & Training (DoP&T) has issued instructions vide Office Memorandum (OM) Number 22011/4/2013-Estt.(D), dated 08.05.2017, prescribing Model Calendar for timely convening of Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) meetings and to ensure that approved select panels are ready on the date of commencement of the vacancy year.
The Administrative Ministries / Departments are also advised vide DoP&T OM No. 39020/18/2016-Estt (B)/3127101 dated 19.12.2016, for reporting vacancy position with respect to Direct Recruitment posts to the concerned recruitment agencies i.e. the Union Public Service Commission and the Staff Selection Commission for filling up of such vacancies in a timely manner.
Grant of TTA / Joining Time to officials / officers on appointment in EPFO
Head Office
EMPLOYEES’ PROVIDENT FUND ORGANISATION
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT,
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
Bhavishya Nidhi Bhawan, 14, Bhikaiji Cama Place,
New Delhi 110066
No. HRM-II/A.10(81)2016/941/3507
Dated: 18 JUN 29
To
All Additional CPFCs (Zones) Director (PDNASS),
All Regional Provident Fund Commissioners
– Incharge Regional Offices/ ZTIs/ RPFC(ASD). Head Office
Sub.: Grant of TTA/Joining Time to officials / officers on appointment in EPFO – reg.
Madam/Sir,
The Head Office has been receiving representations from the Direct Recruit Assistant Provident Fund Commissioners who were employed in other Central Government Department and had applied through proper channel for appointment in Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation, for granting them TTA/Joining Time on their appointment in this Organisation.
2. As per provision of SR 114 Travelling allowance is admissible to a Govt. Servant on transfer from one station to another, if he is transferred in public interest and entitled to joining time pay during the period of journey. As per Government of India decision (1) appended below a provision SR 114, it has been further clarified that:
(i) T.A to officials getting appointed under central Government through examination/interview — It has been decided that joining time and joining time pay should be granted as follows to Government servants appointed to posts under the Central Government on the results of a competitive examination which is open to both Government servants and others-:
(a) Joining time should ordinarily be permitted for all Government servants serving under the Central Government and for Provincial Government servants who hold permanent posts in a substantive capacity and that,
(b) no joining time pay should be granted except.-
(i) When the Government servant holds a permanent post under Government (including a provincial Government) in a substantive capacity, or .
(ii) In the case of appointments through the Home Department to the ministerial establishment of the Government of India Secretariat and attached or subordinate offices when a candidate originally nominated to a vacancy likely to become permanent is re-nominated to another such vacancy owing to the cessation of the former.
(c) Traveling allowance under SR 114, should also be granted in cases where Joining time pay is granted under Clause (b) above. This also applies to a Government servant selected after an interview for appointment to a post under central Government.
3. By implication of Government of India decision (i) under SR 114, a permanent Government Servant who has been permitted Joining Time as well as Joining Time pay, to be allowed Travelling Allowance under SR 114 on the results of the Competitive Examination which is open to both Government Servants and Others and even in case of Government Servant selected after an interview for appointment to the post of Central
Government.
4, However, admissibility of Composite Transfer Grant. is governed by the provisions of SR 116(a). As per the entitlement w.e.f. 01.10.1997, it is payable equal to (a) one month’s Basic pay, (b) Actual fare for self and family for journey by rail/steamer/air, (c) Road mileage for journey by road between places and connected by rail, (d) Cost of transportation of personal effects from residence to residence, (e) Cost of transportation of conveyance possessed by the employee.
5. EPFO being an autonomous body, FR and SR have been adopted by the Central Board and there is a parity in terms of the Rules. The GID no. (i) below SR 114 applies to the cases of permanent Govt. servant who have been appointed through Competitive examinations in other Government Department. However by analogy a Government Servant who is entitled to transfer allowance under SR 114 would be entitled under SR 116 as a natural corollary and hence the same may be considered to be allowed in such cases.
6. In view of the above. all such representations for grant of TTA/ Joining Time may be examined in the light of SR-114. SR-116 and DOPT OM No. 28020/1/2010-Fstt.(C) dated 08.04.2016. It is reiterated that the benefit of TTA/ Joining Time on appointment is admissible only in cases where the officer was earlier employed as Permanent Central /State Government servant and had applied for the post in the new Department through proper channel.
(This issues with the approval of Competent Authority).
Yours faithfully,
Enclosures: as above.
(Sanjay Bisht)
Regional Provident Fund Commissioner-I(HRM)
Exemption of service element and disability element of disability pension – CBDT
CIRCULAR No. 13/2019
F.No.173/250/2019-ITA-I
Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Revenue
Central Board of Direct Taxes
North Block, New Delhi the 24th June, 2019
Subject : Exemption of service element and disability element of disability pension granted to disabled personnel of armed forces who have been invalided on account of disability attributable to or aggravated by such service-reg.
Under the existing provisions of clause (i) of sub scction 2 of section 297 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (‘Act)) any notification issued undcr sub -section (1) of section 60 or section 60A of the Indian Income-Tax Act, 1922 (now repealed) and in force immediately before the commencement of the Act shall continue to be in force to the extent to which no provision has been made under the Act. Previously, in exercise of powers conferred under section 60 of the Indian Income-Tax Act, 1922, vide Notification no. 878-F dated 21.03.1922, it was ordered at para 19 that “pensions granted to members of His Majesty’s naval, military or air forces who have been invalided for naval, military or air force service on account of bodily disability attributable to or aggravated by such service would be exempt from tax under the Indian Income-Tax Act, 1922”.
2. In furtherance to the above, instruction no. 136/1970 dated 14.01.1970 in F.No. 34/3/68 IT(AI) and instruction no. 2/2001 dated 02.07.2001 in F.No. 200/51/99-ITA-I have been issued to clarify that the entire disability pension, i.c. “disability clement” and “service clement” of a disabled officer of the Indian Armed Forces continues to be exempt from income tax under the Income-tax Act, 1961.
3. Representations have been received, requesting to clarify whether the exemption is applicable only to the disabled officers of Armed Forces or all disabled Armed Forces Personnel (i.e. including officers and Jawans). Representations have also been received to clarify as to whether the Income Tax exemption would be limited to only such disabled Armed Forces Personnel who are invalided out of service due to disability attributable to or aggravated by military service condition or to even those who retire after full service with some disability.
4, The matter has been examined in the Board. The notification no. 878-F dated 21.03.1922, provides income tax exemption to all members of Armed Forces who have been invalided for naval, military or air force service on account of bodily disability attributable to or aggravated by such service. Thus, income-tax exemption under above clause would be available to all armed forces personnel (irrespective of rank) who have been invalided for such service on account of bodily disability attributable to or aggravated by such service.
5. Further, such tax exemption will be available only to armed forces personnel who have been invalided from service on account of bodily disability attributable to or aggravated by such service and not to personnel who have been retired on superannuation or otherwise.
(Rajarajeswari R)
Under Secretary to the Government of India
In all, 43,946 complaints (including spillover as on 01.01.2018) were received by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) during the calendar years 2018 and 2019 (till 31.05.2019). Of these, 41,755 complaints were disposed of.
The action taken on these complaints included filing of 14,903 anonymous/pseudonymous/vague/unverified complaints, forwarding of 26,463 complaints to the appropriate authorities with jurisdiction, and sending 389 complaints for inquiry to Chief Vigilance Officers (CVOs) or Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
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 Lok Sabha today.
