SPARSH Important Notice: Submission of Annual Life Certificate by 20th March, 2023
PRINCIPAL CONTROLLER OF DEFENCE ACCOUNTS (PENSIONS) DRAUPADI GHAT, PRAYAGRAJ – 211 014
IMPORTANT NOTICE
It is hereby intimated that approval for extension of Annual Identification for SPARSH migrated pensioners has expired on 28th of February 2023.
Pensioners who have yet not performed identification are advised to perform annual identification by 20th of March 2023 to avoid stoppage of pension.
Available modes of identification:-
(A)Through Jeevan Pramaan Portal. (B)Manual Life Certificate using SPARSH Portal (C) Digital Life Certificate using SPARSH Portal (D)SBI API (pensioners having bank Account with SBI)
SPARSH Pensioners may visit nearest Common Service Centers or Departmental Service Centers or Bank Service Centers for submitting their Annual Identification (Life Certificate).
SPARSH Pensioners who have performed Annual Identification (Life Certificate) through any available modes may check their status by visiting link https://sparsh.defencepension.gov.in/?page=trackPpoStatus
Income Tax on GPF accumulation – Calculation of taxable interest: CGDA Clarification
Office of Controller General of Defence Accounts Ulan Batar Road, Palam, Delhi Cantt.- 110010
ABFU-4052/7/2020-PAYC-Part(1)
Dated: 27.02.2023.
To
All Regional PCSDA/CsDA PCDA (QO) Pune PCDA (Navy) PCDA’s (AF) CDA (IT&SDC) Sec’bad. CDA (Fund) Meerut
Sub:- Income Tax on GPF accumulation – regarding.
Your kind attention is invited to the MoF Department of Revenue (CBDT)’s notification No. 95/2021/File No.370142/36/2021-TPL dated 31.08.2021 (copy enclosed) regarding deduction of Income tax on interest of GPF subscription over Rs.5 Lakhs during the financial year 2021-22. The said notification has inserted a Rule 9 D after Rule 9C Rule 9 D states as under:-
Calculation of taxable interest relating to contribution in a provident fund or recognized provident fund, exceeding specified limit: –
(1) For the purpose of the first and second provisos to clauses (11) and (12) of section 10, income by way of interest accrued during the previous year which is not exempt from inclusion in the total income of a person under the said clauses (hereinafter in this rule referred to as the taxable interest) shall be computed as the interest accrued during the previous year in the taxable contribution account.
(2) For the purpose of calculation of taxable interest under sub-rule (1) separate accounts within the provident fund account shall be maintained during the previous year 2021-22 and all subsequent previous years for taxable contribution and non-taxable contribution made by a person.
2 As per the Notification the Taxable contribution account shall be the aggregate of (i) contribution made by the person in a previous year in the account during the previous year 2021-22 and subsequent previous years which is in excess of the threshold limit and (ii) the interest accrued on sub clause (i) of the notification. The threshold limit shall mean Five lakh rupees,if the second proviso to clause (11) and (12) of section 10 is applicable.
3. Hence, it is enjoined upon all concerned to adhered to the above notification during calculation of Income tax on accumulation of GPF beyond threshold limit.
4. The instructions issued vide HQrs office letter No. AT/Army/BR/FC/4462/e-1754 dated 18.2.2022 may be amended accordingly.
This issues with approval of Sr. Jt. CGDA (Audit).
AICPIN for January 2023: Expected DA from July 2023
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR & EMPLOYMENT LABOUR BUREAU
‘CLEREMONT’, SHIMLA-171004 DATED: 28 Feb, 2023
F.No. 5/1/2021-CPI
Press Release
Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (2016=100) – January, 2023
The Labour Bureau, an attached office of the M/o Labour & Employment, has been compiling Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers every month on the basis of retail prices collected from 317 markets spread over 88 industrially important centres in the country. The index is compiled for 88 centres and All-India and is released on the last working day of succeeding month. The index for the month of January, 2023 is being released in this press release.
The All-India CPI-IW for January, 2023 increased by 0.5 points and stood at 132.8 (one hundred thirty two point eight). On 1-month percentage change, it increased by 0.38 per cent with respect to previous month compared to decrease of 0.24 per cent recorded between corresponding months a year ago.
The maximum upward pressure in current index came from Housing group contributing 0.40 percentage points to the total change. At item level, House rent, Wheat, Wheat Atta, Cow Milk, Apple, Banana, Orange, Brinjal, Lady Finger, Kundru, Cumin Seed/Jira, Egg Hen, Cooked Meal, Pan Finished, Zarda, Medicine Allopathic, Toilet Soap, etc. are responsible for the rise in index. However, this increase was largely checked by Potato, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Peas, Onion, Capsicum, French Beans, Green Coriander Leaves, Radish, Tomato, Soyabean Oil, Sunflower Oil, Poultry Chicken, etc. putting downward pressure on the index.
At centre level, Coimbatore recorded a maximum increase of 3 points. Among others, 3 centres recorded increase between 2 to 2.1 points, 14 centres between 1 to 1.9 points and 39 centres between 0.1 to 0.9 points. On the contrary, Labac- Silchar recorded a maximum decrease of 1.5 points. Among others, 4 centers recorded decrease between 1 to 1.3 points and 21 centres between 0.1 to 0.9 points. Rest of five centers index remained stationary.
Year-on-year inflation for the month stood at 6.16 per cent compared to 5.50 per cent for the previous month and 5.84 per cent during the corresponding month a year before. Similarly, Food inflation stood at 5.69 per cent against 4.10 per cent of the previous month and 6.22 per cent during the corresponding month a year ago.
The next issue of CPI-IW for the month of February, 2023 will be released on Friday, 31st March 2023. The same will also be available on the office website www.labourbureaunew.gov.in
OROP revision to the Defence pensioners: Payment of arrears before 15th March 2023
O/o THE PRINCIPAL CONTROLLER OF DEFENCE ACCOUNTS (PENSIONS) DRAUPADI GHAT, PRAYAGRAJ- 211014
Circular No. 667
Dated: 28th Feb 2023
To
The Chief Accountant, RBI, Deptt. of Govt, Bank Accounts, Central Office C-7, Second Floor, Bandra – Kurla Complex, P B No. 8143, Bandra East Mumbai-400051
All CMDs, Public Sector Banks.
The Nodal Officers, ICICI/HDFC/AXIS/IDBI Banks
All Managers, CPPCs
Military and Air Attache, Indian Embassy, Kathmandu, Nepal
The PCDA (WC), Chandigarh
The CDA (PD), Meerut
The CDA, Chennai
The Director of Treasury, All States
The Pay and Accounts Officer, Delhi Administration, R K Puram and Tis Hazari, New Delhi.
The Pay and Accounts Office, Govt. of Maharashtra, Mumbai
The Post Master Kathua (J&K), Camp Bell Bay.
The Principal Pay and Accounts Officer Andaman and Nicobar Administration Port Blair.
Subject:-Implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP) revision to the Defence pensioners w.e.f. 01.07.2019.
Reference:- This office Circular No. 666 dated 20.01.2023 and MoD ID No. 4(5)/2016-D(P/L) Vol-IV dated 27.02.2023.
Government of India, Ministry of Defence letter No. 1(1)/2019/D(Pen/Pol)/Vol-II dated 20.01.2023 and No. 1(1)/2019/D(Pen/Pol) dated 04.01.2023 on the above subject have been issued in implementation of OROP w.e.f. 01.07.2019. This office has also issued necessary directive to all PDAs in implementation of same vide Circular No. 666 dt 20.01 2023.
2. Attention is invited to para 3 of this office Circular No. 666 dt 20.01.2023 vide which it has been directed that payment of arrears accrued on account of revision of pension, if any, shall be made in four equal half yearly installments, however. all the family pensioners including those in receipt of Special/Liberalised Family Pension and all Gallantry award winners shall be paid arrears in one installment as stipulated earlier.
3. In pursuance to Hon’ble Court order dt 27.02.2023 w.r.t. MA No. 219/2023 in WP(C) No. 419/2016, MoD has issued directions vide MoD ID No. 4(5)/2016-D(P/L) Vol-IV dated 27.02.2023 to pay full arrear in one instalment on account of OROP revision w.e.f. 01.07.2019 to all eligible pensioners by 15th March 2023. In order to ensure timely payment of arrears may be authorised before 15th March 2023 (in one go).
4. A copy of this circular along with the Government of India, Ministry of Defence ID No. 4(5)/2016-D(P/L) Vol-IV dated 27.02.2023 are also available on the website of this Office (www.pcdapension.nic.in).
Hindi version will follow.
No. Gts/Tech/OROP-II/0183/Vol-V Dated: 28.02.2023
(Rajendra Kumar Gupta) Asstt. Controller of Defence Accounts (P)
Scheme for compassionate appointment – Modification of Relative Merit Points and Procedure for selection
No.17-12/2022-SPG-II Government of India Ministry of Communications Department of Posts
Dak Bhavan, Parliament Street New Delhi-110001 Dated the 24th February, 2023
To
All Chief Postmasters General
Subject : Scheme for compassionate appointment – Modification of Relative Merit Points and Procedure for selection.
Madam/Sir,
Please refer to this office letter No. 17-1/2022-SPG-II dated 23.03.2022 providing for Revised Relative Merit Points. System (RMPS) and procedure for compassionate appointments in the Department of Posts. It is observed that main delay in processing the case of compassionate appointment is in getting immovable property valuation report/income certificate from Revenue authority as prescribed in Variables No. (iii) & (iv) of RMPS issued on 23.03.2022. The matter has been reviewed and.in order to avoid delay and simplify the process, Notes under the Variables No. (iii) & (iv) of RMPS issued on 23.03.2022 have been modified as under:
Variable No. mentioned in Annexure to RMPS issued on 23.03.2022
Name of Variable
Existing Note under the Variable
Modified Note under the Variable
A(iii)
Monthly income of earning member(s) of family and income from property
To be verified from the documents (like bank statement, ITR, certified from Revenue Authorities, statement of employer etc.) and affidavit produced by the applicant and verified by the Divisional/Regional/ Circle Authorities.
Affidavit from the applicant duly verified by SDI
A(iv)
Immovable/Movable Property including fixed deposits/investments etc. but excluding the Lump sum amount as mentioned in (ii) above
To be verified from the documents/affidavit/certificate from Revenue/Municipal Authorities/concerned departments etc. produced by the applicant and verified by the Divisional/Regional/Circle Authorities.
2. Circles will circulate this to all offices under their administrative control for dealing with requests/applications seeking appointment on compassionate grounds.
3. It will be applicable for cases considered by CRC for the vacancy year 2022 and onwards.
4. This issues with the approval of DGPS.
(Hemant Kumar) Assistant Director General (SPG)
Copy to: The GM, CEPT- for uploading this letter on India Post website.
Reimbursement of Children Education Allowance (CEA) to Central Government servants having Divyang Children
No. A-27012/01/2022-Estt.(AL) Government of India Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Department of Personnel & Training
Block-IV, Old JNU Campus, New Delhi Dated : 17.02.2023
Office Memorandum
Subject: Reimbursement of Children Education Allowance (CEA) to Central Government servants having Divyang Children.
In continuation of this Department’s O.M. No. A-27012/02/2017-Estt.(AL) dated 17.07.2018 for payment of Children Education Allowance to Central Government servants, it has been decided to expand the scope of Children Education Allowance for the educational need of Divyang children who are unable to attend school, physically under the following conditions:
i) In a case where Divyang Child is not able to attend school, the reimbursement of CEA for availing education / special education at residence, shall be made at double the normal rates of CEA as prescribed under para 2(d) of O.M. No. A-27012/02/2017-Estt.(AL) dated 17.07.2018.
li) The reimbursement of Children Education Allowance in such cases shall be subject to production of payment receipted by teacher/instructor etc. and self-certification by the Central Government servant for availing education of their child at his/her residence.
ii) All other terms and conditions of the OM No. A-27012/02/2017-Estt.(AL) dated 17.07.2018 shall remain same.
The above instructions shall come into effect from 17.02.2023.
(Sunil Kumar) Under Secretary to the Government of India
CGEGIS Tables of Benefits from Jan 2023 to March 2023
No. 7(1)/ EV/2023 Government of India Ministry of Finance Department of Expenditure E-V Branch
New Delhi, the 09 February, 2023
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Sub: Central Government Employees Group Insurance Scheme-1980 – Tables of Benefits for the savings fund for the period from 01.01.2023 to 31.03.2023.
The Tables of Benefits for Savings Fund to the beneficiaries under the Central Government Employees Group Insurance Scheme-1980, which are being issued on a quarterly basis from 01.01.2017 onwards, as brought out in this Ministry’s OM of even number dated 17.03.2017, for the quarter from 01.01.2023 to 31.03.2023, as worked out by IRDA based on the interest rate of 7.1% per annum (compounded quarterly) as notified by the Department of Economic Affairs as per their Resolution No. 5(4)-B(PD)/ 2021 dated 03.01.2023, are enclosed.
2. The Tables enclosed are of two categories as per the existing practice. As hitherto, the first Table of Benefits for the savings fund of the scheme is based on the subscription of Rs.10 p.m. from 1.1.1982 to 31.12.1989 and Rs.15 p.m. w.e.f. 1.1.1990 onwards. The second Table of Benefits for savings fund is based on a subscription of Rs.10 p.m. for those employees who had opted out of the revised rate of subscription w.e.f. 1.1.1990.
3. In so far as the persons serving in the Indian Audit and Accounts Department are concerned, these Orders are issued in consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, as mandated under Article 148(5) of the Constitution of India.
4.Hindi version of these orders is attached
(Gulveena Badhan) Deputy Secretary to the Government of India
Compassionate Ground Appointment to spouse/ward/dependent of Railway employees: RBE ORDER
RBE No.21/2023
भारत सरकार Government of India रेल मंत्रालय Ministry of Railways रेलवे बोर्ड (Railway Board)
No. E(NG)II/2017/RC-1/23
New Delhi, Dated 01.02.2023
All Zonal Railways/PUs, (As per standard mailing list).
Sub: Clarification regarding Compassionate Ground Appointment(CGA) to spouse/ward/dependent of Railway employees.
Ref: SWR letter No. SWR/P.268/269/CGA/Policy Correspondence/Vol-IV dated 30.03.2022.
Appointment on compassionate grounds relates to the appointments made of dependents of Railway servants who lose their lives in the course of duty or die in harness otherwise while in service or are medically incapacitated/decategorised. Instructions regarding appointments on compassionate grounds have been issued from time to time.
2. Multiple instructions on the same subject have been issued, thus creating some doubts in the wake of their implementation.
3. To avoid ambiguity in instructions issued w.r.t. CGA, it has now been decided to clarify and also reiterate some of the existing instructions, by clearly providing for the time limit within which requests for CGA must be received and disposed of by the Railway Administration, as below:-
I) Responsibility of Railway Administration in the case of CGA:-
i. The Railway Administration/Production Units etc. should ensure that proper guidance is given to the families/applicants regarding the formalities to be completed for compassionate appointment.
ii
a. For the above, among other things, a brochure giving an outline of the procedure including a checklist of all the documents to be attached to the application for compassionate appointment should be prepared by each Railway /Production Unit etc.
b. A register should be maintained by the Welfare Wing in each Division/Unit etc., containing detailed particulars of the deceased employees including the date on which the children of the deceased would attain the age of majority, etc. One column in the register should invariably indicate the file number opened for the case.
c. The Welfare Wing should intimate the widow/the family enclosing a copy of the brochure as at (ii) (a) above and bringing out among other things that in case the appointment is sought for the son/daughter who is minor at the time of death of the employee, application for appointment must be submitted immediately after the candidate attains the age of majority and, in any case, well within the prescribed time limit for submitting such application. Further, in case, the widow of deceased employee whose dependent ward is minor at the time of death is not sufficiently educated to grasp the import of contents of brochure, Welfare Section should take up the responsibility of getting the form filled along with entire documentation, so that spirit of compassionate appointment is not lost.
II) Prescribed time for submission of application for CGA:-
CGA application received in favour of any eligible defined dependent as proposed by the widow, may be considered in the ordinary course by the authority to whom powers stand delegated at present, provided it is:
i. within 5 years of the date of death/medical invalidation and/or;
ii. within 2 years of attaining majority, where the case was earlier registered as minor. (As the case may be.)
III) Time limit for consideration on CGA by Railway :-
i. All requests for CGA submitted within the prescribed period of 5 years from the date of death/medical invalidation /2 years of attaining majority for ward registered earlier as minor, shall be finalized/decided by DRMs/CWMs/HODs/ Competent Authority. Such cases not received within this period of 5 years will be considered as per the following schedule by the authority indicated against each:-
(a)
Beyond 5 years and upto 20 years
DRMs/CWMs/HODs
(b)
Beyond 20 years upto 25 years
To be decided by GMs at their Personal level only (are not to be delegated further).
(c)
Beyond 25 years
With prior approval of Ministry of Railways on personal recommendations of GMs
ii. It is also clarified that irrespective of any time limit, only GM is empowered to consider and decide CGA in posts of Level — 7 (having 4600/- GP). Similarly, CGA to Level-6 (having 4200/- GP) where DR Quota is up to 25% or less, is also decided by GM only and not by any other lower authority.
iii. As regards cases where the request for CGA has not been received by the Railway Administration within 05 years of the event warranting CGA, such cases shall be decided by the authorities as indicated in para 3 III (i) above.
iv. Railways should ensure that all possible efforts are made to give CGA to the eligible dependent of the Railway employee concerned without undue delay within the time frame specified in Para X (d) of Railway Board’s Master Circular No. 16. Further, responsibility may be fixed on the concerned officials/officers for delay/inaction.
v. While considering belated requests i.e. those received by Railway Administration after 5 years, it should, however, be kept in view that the concept of CGA is largely related to the need for immediate assistance to the family of the Railway servant in order to relieve it from economic distress. The very fact that the family has been able to manage somehow all these years should normally be taken as adequate proof that the family had some dependable means of subsistence. Therefore, examination of such cases would call for a great deal of circumspection as per extant norms.
IV) Educational Qualification:-
Educational qualification possessed by the ward/spouse of the ex-employee at the time of submission of initial application for a compassionate ground appointment may be considered provided it is within normal time limits i.e 5 years from the date of death/medical invalidation or within 2 years of attaining majority if registered as minor.
As regards acquiring the higher qualification, provisions of the Board’s letter No. E(NG)II/2003/RC-1/Genl. /4 dated 19.06.2019 are reiterated:-
If the candidate is a major at the time of death/medical invalidation of the ex-employee and is already admitted to a course, then he/she shall be allowed to complete that course (subject to a maximum limit of 5 years for completion of the course) provided he/she takes due permission of the Railway Administration. His/her candidature for compassionate appointment would be considered according to the qualification so acquired.Pursuing a course other than that to which the candidate had already been admitted at the time of death/medical invalidation of the late/ex-employee will not be allowed/counted for this purpose.
If the candidate is minor at the time of death/medical invalidation of the late/ex-employee but at the time of his/her attaining majority, he/she is already admitted to/pursuing a course, he/she be allowed to complete that course (subject to a maximum limit of 5 years for completion of the course) on taking due permission from the administration. His/her candidature for CG appointment would be considered according to the qualification so acquired.
Provided that in situations covered under both (a) and (b) above, where the course of study spills over beyond the academic year in which the date of death/medical invalidation occurred, the eligibility for CG appointment consideration would be limited to posts below Level-7 (GP Rs. 4600). The above provisions are in the context of the acquisition of higher qualifications beyond the minimum qualification required for Level 1. Extant provisions will hold good as regards minimum qualifications for considering CG appointment for Level-1 posts.
4. Zonal Railways/PUs are advised to follow the guidelines mentioned in para 3 above.
5. Please acknowledge receipt.
(A. Narayana Rao) Dy. Director Estt.(NG)II Railway Board
Exclusion of Central Government employees from NPS: Rajya Sabha QA
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS (DEPARTMENT OF PENSION & PENSIONERS’ WELFARE) RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 126 (TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.02.2023)
EXCLUSION OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES FROM NPS
126 SHRI NEERAJ SHEKHAR: SHRI JAVED ALI KHAN:
Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:
(a) whether Department of Expenditure (DoE) vide its ID note dated 05/12/2022 has accorded its concurrence for issuing general orders for exclusion of Central Government employees from the purview of NPS and to cover them under OPS whose advertisements for recruitments were issued on or before 22/12/2003;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the action taken thereon;
(c) whether OM to be issued in this regard has also been vetted by DoE and returned back to DoP&PW;
(d) if so, the reasons for delay in issuing orders; and
(e) by when DoP&PW would issue general orders for similarly placed officials?
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 (e): After dismissal of some of SLPs / Review Petitions by Hon’ble Supreme Court filed by Union of India against the orders of Hon’ble High Court of Delhi allowing benefit of old pension scheme to those Government servants whose selection process was completed after 01.01.2004, a reference along with draft OM was made to Department of Expenditure on the question of issue of general order in this regard. Department of Expenditure furnished their comments vide note dated 05/12/2022.
There is no decision to issue general instructions in this regard.
National Pension System (NPS) was introduced for Central Government employees by a Notification of Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs) dated 22nd December, 2003. NPS is mandatory for all new recruits to the Central Government service from 1st January, 2004 (except the armed forces).
In view of the specific provisions of the Notification dated 22.12.2003, the date of advertisement for the vacancies is not considered relevant for determining the eligibility for coverage under the Old Pension Scheme or the National Pension System.
Implementation of Whistle Blowers Protection Act: Rajya Sabha QA
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS (DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL & TRAINING) RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 918 (TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.02.2023)
IMPLEMENTATION OF WHISTLE BLOWERS PROTECTION ACT
918 SMT. JEBI MATHER HISHAM:
Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:
(a) the number of cases registered under the Whistle Blowers Protection Act, the State/Union Territory-wise details thereof during the last five years;
(b) the conviction rate, out of the cases registered under this Act, State/Union Territorywise details thereof during the last five years; and
(c) the status of the Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015?
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) & (b): The provisions of Sub-Section (3) of Section 1 of the Whistle Blowers Protection Act, 2014 provide that provisions of the Act shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.
No such notification has been made by the Government for the reason that certain amendments aimed at safeguarding against disclosures affecting sovereignty and integrity of India, Security of the State, etc., are required before it can be brought into force.
(c): To make required amendments to the Act, the Government introduced the Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015 in the Lok Sabha on 11thMay, 2015 which was passed by the Lok Sabha on 13th May, 2015 and transmitted to the Rajya Sabha. The Bill has since lapsed upon the dissolution of the Sixteenth Lok Sabha.
