Tamilnadu Government Chief Minister J.Jayalalithaa announced to increase of 7 per cent Dearness Allowance to TN State Government employees & Teachers with effect from 1.7.2012, similar to the recent Central Government Announcement. Also Chief Minister extended the benefit to pensioners & family pensioners.
This hike will be paid in cash with effect from July 1, 2012.
The additional expenditure would be Rs 1,443.50 crore annually on the exchequer, she said.
The move will benefit 18 lakh State Government Employees, Teachers, Pensioners & Family Pensioners
This DA hike will encourage the government staff to more effectively involve themselves in public service, she added
Based on the recommendations of the Sixth Central Pay Commission, the earlier classification of cities has been revised viz. A-1 to “X”, A, B-1 & B-2 to “Y” and C & Unclassified to “Z”. In determining the revised classification the revised classification, the population of Urban Agglomeration area of the city has been taken into consideration.
Classification of Cities/Towns
Rates of House Rent Allowance As a percentage of (Basic pay + NPA where applicable)
X
30%
Y
20%
Z
10%
List of Cities/Towns where House Rent Allowance is Admissible to Central Government Employees
The Union Cabinet today approved the introduction of certain official amendments to the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill, 2011. These official amendments have been necessitated in view of the recommendations of the Standing Committee on Finance which has examined the Bill. Based on the recommendations of the Standing Committee on Finance, the Government has decided to accept the following:
1. that the subscriber seeking minimum assured returns shall be allowed to opt for investing his funds in such schemes providing minimum assured returns as may be notified by the Authority;
2. withdrawals not exceeding 25 per cent of the contribution made by subscriber will be permitted from the individual pension account subject to the conditions, such as, purpose, frequency and limits, as may be specified by regulations by the Pension Fund Regulatory Authority and Development Authority (PFRDA)
3. the foreign investment ceiling in the pension sector at 26 per cent or such percentage as may be approved for the Insurance Sector, whichever is higher may be incorporated in the present legislation;
4. to establish a vibrant Pension Advisory Committee with representation from all major stakeholders to advise PFRDA on important matters of framing of regulations under the PFRDA Act.
5. the membership of the PFRDA will be confined to professionals having expertise in economics, finance or law only.
The New Pension Scheme (NPS) has been made mandatory for all the Central Government employees (except Armed Forces) entering service with effect from 1.1.2004. 27 State / UT Governments have notified NPS for their employees. NPS has been launched for all citizens of the country including unorgnised sector workers, on voluntary basis, with effect from 1st May, 2009. Further, to encourage people from the unorganised sector to voluntarily save for their retirement, Government has launched the co-contributory pension scheme titled “Swavalamban Scheme” in the Budget of 2010-11. As on 7th September, 2012 the number of subscribers under NPS is 37.45 lakh with a corpus of Rs. 20535.00 crore.
In order to effectively invest and manage such huge funds belonging to a large number of subscribers and to ensure the integrity of the NPS, creation of a statutory PFRDA with well defined powers, duties and responsibilities is considered absolutely necessary and would benefit all NPS subscribers.
The official amendments to the Bill will be moved in the next session of the Parliament.
Background:
The following recommendations of the SCF have not been accepted:
• As regards the recommendation of SCF for compulsory insurance of the funds of subscribers by pension fund managers, a provision has already been made in the PFRDA Bill, to protect the interest of the subscribers by ensuring safety of contribution of subscribers and also by keeping the operational costs in check,
• As regards the selection of pension fund managers in such a manner that one third of all such fund managers are from the public sector, since a provision has already been made in the PFRDA Bill that at least one of the pensions fund shall be from the public sector which sets a floor, the ceiling can be any number based on objective criteria.
The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill, 2005 was initially introduced in the Lok Sabha in March, 2005 to provide for a statutory PFRDA. However, since the Bill and the official amendments, based on the recommendations of the Standing Committee on Finance, could not be considered by the Lok Sabha, and the Bill lapsed on dissolution of the 14th Lok Sabha. The Government had announced in the Budget 2011-12 that the revised PFRDA Bill would be moved in Parliament. Accordingly, the PFRDA Bill, 2011 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on the 24th March, 2011 to provide for a statutory regulatory body, the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) under the provisions of the Bill. The legislation sought to empower FRDA to regulate the New Pension System (NPS). The PFRDA Bill, 2011 was referred to the Standing Committee on Finance on the 29th March, 2011 for examination and report thereon. The Standing Committee on Finance gave its Report on 30th August, 2011. Based on the recommendations of Standing Committee, a Cabinet Note, to introduce additional recommendations of the Standing committee on Finance was moved on 19th December, 2011. Since the PFRDA Bill, 2011 was deferred in the Winter Session of the Lok Sabha, therefore the Cabinet Note was withdrawn.
The Union Cabinet today approved the introduction of Employment Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Amendment Bill, 2012 in Parliament.
The Employment Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959 was enacted in the year 1959 and with the passage of time some of its provisions have become obsolete and require modifications. With this in mind, the Act is being amended.
Employment Exchanges will be renamed as “Employment Guidance and Promotion Centres” as the focus is now on vocational guidance and career counseling besides registration, submission and placement etc. Establishments in the private sector employing between 10-24 persons are being brought under the purview of the Act for the purpose of submission of returns. This is likely to result in a more realistic estimate of employment in the organised sector. The employer is being mandated to furnish information relating to the result of selection against the vacancies notified within thirty days from the date of selection, to make the registration data more rational. The definitions of employee and employer are being broad based to include contract labour that has worked for more than 240 days in a year.
The Cabinet today approved revision of rates of Risk Allowance. Hospital Patient Care Allowance and Patient Care Allowance payable to about two lakh entitled Central Government employees to double the existing rates with effect from 1st September, 2008.
The proposed revision in the rates of the Risk Allowance, Hospital Patent Care Allowance and Patient Care Allowance will provide succor to the employees at risk due to the nature of their duties. It will also result in considerable financial savings as compared to the Risk Insurance Schemes/Packages.
The financial implication of doubling the extant rate of Risk Allowance, Hospital Patient Care Allowance and Patient Care Allowance would be Rs.42.16 crore per annum, as against Rs.503.26 crore plus service tax (approximately) {Rs.40.50 crore plus service tax per annum for insurance policy and Rs.462.76 crore plus service tax for purchase of annuity} for implementing the Risk Insurance package.
The amount of Risk Allowance, Hospital Patient Care Allowance and Patient Care Allowance would be automatically raised by 25 per cent every time the Dearness Allowance on the revised pay structure goes up by 50 per cent. The proposed revision in the rates of Risk Allowance, Hospital Patient Care Allowance and Patient Care Allowance will benefit certain categories of Central Government employees engaged in duties involving special risks.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne, inaugurated the Directorate of Air Veterans today. The Directorate would be committed to looking after the pensionary and welfare aspects of all retired Air Force personnel. Inaugurating the Directorate, the Air Chief said “It gives me great pleasure to dedicate the new Directorate to the Air Warriors, who have contributed so much to the growth of the IAF. The Directorate would provide value added services to both our retiring as well as retired air warriors and coordinate all aspects, hitherto being handled by different directorates”
The institution of Directorate of Air Veterans is an effort towards bringing under one roof, the various departments dealing with different aspects of Air Veterans, so that, the IAF veterans do not have to approach different agencies for their welfare and pensionary problems. This directorate will function under the Air Officer-in-Charge Administration (AOA), that would be headed by an Air Vice Marshal who looks after the responsibility of Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Accounts) and would be re-designated as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Accounts and Air Veterans) henceforth.
To give focused attention to the needs of Air Veterans, this single window to approach IAF for assistance with respect to pensionary and welfare issues, will deal with various Civil Government departments on matters pertaining to Veterans of the IAF, so that issues affecting them are taken up in a consolidated manner effectively.
The Directorate will also operate through a website called ‘http://iafpensioners.gov.in’ for grievances related to pensionary aspects.
No. 35034/1/97-Estt.(D)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
(Department of Personnel & Training)
North Block, New Delhi-110001
Dated: 4th October, 2012
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject: Assured Career Progression Scheme (ACPS) for the Central Government Civilian Employees regarding.
The undersigned is directed to invite reference to the Department of Personnel &Training (DOP&Tys Office Memorandum of even number dated 09.08.1999 with regard to the Assured Career Progression Scheme for the Central Government Civilian Employees. Para 8 of the Annexure-I attached with the Scheme provided as under:
“8. The financial upgradation under the ACP Scheme shall be purely personal to the employee and shall have no relevance to his seniority position. As such,there shall be no additional financial upgradation for the senior employee on the ground that the junior employee in the grade has got higher pay-scale under the
ACP Scheme.”
2. The ACP Scheme was applicable upto 31.8.2008 and was replaced by the Modified Career Progression Scheme (MACPS) with effect from 1.09.2008. As the revised pay scales are applicable w.e.f. 01.01.2006, those employees who received ACP between 01.0’1.2006 to 31.08.2008 got financial upgradation under ACP Scheme
in the revised pay scales.
3. Instances of senior employees who got benefit under ACP Scheme prior to 1.1.2006 and are drawing less pay than their juniors who got benefits under ACP Scheme after 01.01.2006 (i.e. between 01.01.2006 and 31.08.2008) have been brought to the notice of this Department. The issue has been examined in consultation with the Department of Expenditure and it has been decided to allow stepping up of pay in such cases where the senior, but for the pay revision on account of 6th CPC, would have continued to draw higher pay, subject to the following conditions:
i. Both the junior and the senior Government servants should belong to the same cadre and the posts in which they have been promoted/financially upgraded should be identical in the same cadre.
ii. The pre-revised scale of pay and the revised grade pay of the lower and higher posts in which they are entitled to draw pay should be identical. ,
iii. The senior Government servant should have been drawing equal or more pay than the junior before receiving ACP/Promotion.
iv. The stipulations as contained in DOPT’s 0.M. No. 4f7/92-Estt.(Pay-I) dated 4.11.1993 along with revision of pay scales may be observed while granting such a stepping up of pay.
4. All Ministries/Departments may giye wide circulation to the contents of this 0.M. for general guidance and appropriate action in the matter.
No. 35034/3/2008-Estt.(D) (Vol.11)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
(Department of Personnel & Training)
Establishment (D)
North Block, New Delhi
Dated: 4th October, 2012
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject: Modified Assured Career Progression Scheme for the Central Government Civilian Employees — Clarification regarding
**********
Reference is invited to the Department of Personnel & Training OM No.35034/3/2008-Estt.(D) dated 19.05.2009 with regard to Modified Assured Career Progression Scheme (MACPS). Pursuant to the discussions in the meeting of National
Advisory Committee held on 17.7.2012 and subsequent meeting on 27.07.2012 held with the Staff Side and in continuation to clarifications issued vide this Department’s O.M. No. 35034/3/2008-Estt.(D) (Vol.11) dated 01.11.2010, it is further clarified as under:
2.(i) Financial upqradation under MACPS in the case of staff who joined another unit/organisation on request:
This Department’s OM No. 35034/3/2008-Estt.(D) (Vol.11) dated 01.11.2010 provides that in case of transfer ‘including unilateral transfer on request’, regular service rendered in previous organisation/office shall be counted alongwith the regular service in the new organisation/office for the purpose of getting financial upgradations under the MACPS. However, financial upgradation under the MACPS shall be allowed in the immediate next higher grade pay in the hierarchy of revised pay bands as given in CCS (Revised Pay) Rules, 2008. It is now further clarified that wherever an official, in accordance with terms and conditions of transfer on own volition to a lower post, is reverted to the lower Post/Grade from the promoted Post/Grade before being relieved for the new organisation/office, such past promotion in the previous organisation/ office will be ignored for the purpose of MACPS in the new organisation/office.
2.(ii) Benchmark for MACP Scheme:
Para 17 of Annexure-I of the MACP Scheme provide that the financial upgradation would be on non-functional basis subject to fitness, in the hierarchy of grade pay within the PB-1. Thereafter for upgradation under the MACPS, the benchmark of ‘good’ would be applicable till the grade pay of Rs. 6600/- in PB-3. The benchmark will be ‘Very Good’ for financial upgradation to the grade pay of Rs. 7600 and above. This Department’s OM No. 35034/3/2008-Estt.(D) (Vol.11) dated 01.11.2010 provides that where the financial upgradation under MACPS also happens to be in the promotional grade and benchmark for promotion is lower than the benchmark for granting the benefit under MACPS as mentioned in para 17 ibid, the benchmark for promotion shall apply to MACP also. It is now further clarified that wherever promotions are given on non-selection basis (i.e. on seniority — cum — fitness basis), the prescribed benchmark as mentioned in para 17 of Annexure — I of MACP Scheme dated 19.05.2009 shall not apply for the purpose of grant of financial upgradation under MACP Scheme.
3. The MACP Scheme issued by this Department vide OM No. 35034/3/2008- Estt.(0) dated 19th May, 2009 stands modified to the above extent.
4. Hindi version will follow.
(Mukta Goel)
Director (Estt.l)
Original Order :
http://ccis.nic.in/WriteReadData/CircularPortal/D2/D02est/35034_3_2008-Estt.D-Vol.II-04102012.pdf
No.21011/1/2010-Estt.A
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Department of Personnel and Training
North Block, New Delhi,
Dated the 28th September, 2012
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject: ACRs with below benchmark grading considered in post DPCs- reg.
The undersigned is directed to refer to this Departments OM of even number of even number dated 27th April, 2010.
2 In above mentioned OM dated 27th April, 2010, in the light of Orders issued by Honble Supreme Court in the SLP(Civil) No.15770/2009, Union of India Vs. A.K.Goel & Ors., all the Ministries/ Departments were advised that wherever petitions have been filed in the court to grant relief on the basis of the decision of the Supreme Court in Dev Dutt case (Civil Appeal No.7631 of 2002), the latest Orders of the Supreme Court in A.K.GoeI case may be brought to the notice of the Court.
3. The Supreme Court in the SLP in Uttam Chand Nahta’s case (SLP Civil Appeal No.29515 of 2010) by order dated 20/24th December, 2010 not only tagged the SLP with A.K.Goel case but also directed that status quo in the DPC proceedings which was subject matter of dispute before the CAT/High Court, shall be maintained (copy enclosed). In Uttam Chand Nahta’s case, the Supreme Court has duly taken note of Abhijit Dastidar case 2009 (16) SCC 146 while granting stay of the High Court order.
4. In view of above it is reiterated that wherever petitions have been filed in the court to grant relief on the basis of the aforesaid decision of the Supreme Court in Dev Dutt case, the Orders of the Supreme Court in Uttam Chand Nahta’s case (SLP Civil Appeal No.29515 of 2010) by order dated 20/24th December 2010 case may be brought to the notice of the Court. While all such petitions are required to be appropriately defended, the “limitation period” for filing review petition should also be strictly followed.
MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 24TH SEPTEMBER, 2012 REGARDING REVISION OF PPOs FOR PRE-2006 PENSIONERS/FAMILY PENSIONERS INCLUDING PRE-1990 PENSIONERS/FAMILY PENSIONERS
A meeting was held on 28th August, 2012 at 11:30 AM in the Conference Room, 5th Floor, Sardar Patel Bhavan, New Delhi under the Chairmanship of Shri Sanjay Kothari, Secretary (Pension, AR& PG) with the officials of 15 Department Ministries having maximum number of unrevised Pension Payment Orders (PPOs) pertaining to pre-2006 pensioner family pensioners. In follow-up to that meeting, another meeting of the next 15 Ministries/Departments was taken by Secretary (Pension, AR&PG) on 24th September, 2012 at the same venue. The objective of these meetings was to review the progress made by these Ministries/Departments in the revision of PPOs in respect of pre-2006 pensioners/family pensioners including pre-1990 cases.
2. The list of participants is at Annexure — I .
3. Opening the discussion, Secretary (Pension, AR & PG) expressed his concern that cases of revision of PPOs of pre-2006 pensioners were still pending for a long time. He suggested that a mechanism of weekly/bi-weekly/monthly meetings at the Secretary level in the various Ministries may be evolved to monitor these cases. He also suggested that pensioners’ associations may be asked to help in obtaining information, wherever necessary, from the pensioner.
4. Secretary (Pension, AR & PG) then took up the Ministry-wise figures. No one was available from the Ministry of Human Resources Development, which has the largest number of pending cases. The representative of Ministry of Coal informed that most of the employees are PSU absorbees and thus these cases are to be done manual I y which is taking time. Secondly, there are a number of cases where Annexure III had not been received from the banks Chief Controller (Pension) informed that CPAO will send the information available from the e-scroll of such pensioners/family pensioners whose PPOs have not been revised to the concerned authorities by 30th September. With this information the Annexure III in respect of almost all pensioner family pensioners belonging to all Ministries/Departments will become available. Ministry of Coal also informed that in many cases the Annexure III sent to the Office of Coal Controller are pending with them. Secretary (Pension) desired that the matter may be taken up the matter with Secretary (Coal). Ministry of Coal also informed that in respect of pre-1990 cases there are limitations of non availability of records. Secretary (Pension) expressed that it must be a problem common to all Ministries/Departments. He urged all to use corroborative evidence available in the permanent service records of the organization such as Pay Bill Registers etc. to overcome this problem. Ministry of Coal agreed that by the end of December 2012 they would be able to revise all pre- 2006 PPOs and by March 2013 they would revise all pre-1990 PPOs.
5. There was no representative from the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Director General of Supplies and Disposals and Ministry of Environment & Forests The cases of remaining Ministries/Departments were taken up. Ministry of Agriculture informed that the cumulative records of the 3 departments, viz., Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Animal Husbandry and Agricultural Research and Education were not available. He also said that pension records of some pre-2006 pensioners had been destroyed in a fire in one of the Departments They are trying to reconstitute the records and revise the PPOs as early as possible. Ministry of Textiles also wanted their figures to be segregated from that of D/o Commerce. Ministry of Shipping intimated that majority pending cases were from the Port Cities of Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata It was seen that all Ministries/Departments are facing similar problems such as lack of coordination and monitoring of the progress where there are different agencies that possess the PPOs. Secretary (Pension) emphasized that there is a strong need for a monitoring mechanism such as weekly/bi-weekly/monthly meetings Ministries were also asked to reconcile their cases with the cases available on CPAO’s website.
6. All Ministries/Departments agreed to revising majority of pre-2006 PPOs by December 2012 and pre-1990 PPOs by March 2013.
7. Secretary (Pension, AR & PG) suggested that the authorities concerned should consult the CPAO whenever they come across a problem. He stated that he would be writing to all the Secretaries concerned aski ng them to review the pendency regularly.
8. The meeting ended with a vote of thanks to the Chair.
