There is no proposal to alter the terms and conditions of engagement already enjoyed by the Gramin Dak Sevaks.

There is no proposal to alter the terms and conditions of engagement already enjoyed by the Gramin Dak Sevaks. In this context, the Apex Court have held that Gramin Dak Sevaks are holders of civil post outside the regular civil service. Gramin Dak Sevaks and regular employees of the Government belong to two distinct and separate groups. There is no parity in terms and conditions of employment between the Central Government regular employees and Gramin Dak Sevaks. The Gramin Dak Sevaks are governed by separate set of Conduct and Employment Rules, 2001 which are non-statutory in nature and not framed under Article 309 of the Constitution. They are not covered by Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972, Fundamental & Supplementary Rules, Leave Rules, Central Civil Services (Recognition of Service Association) Rules, 1993 which apply only to regular Government servants. Gramin Dak Sevak work on a part time basis ranging from three hours to five hours per day and are discharged after attaining 65 years of age.
They are paid Time Related Continuity Allowance on a pro-rata basis. They are also paid discharge benefits like ex-gratia gratuity & severance amount at the time of discharge. The women Gramin Dak Sevak are, now, paid maternity grant equivalent to 3 months Time Related Continuity Allowance for the birth of two children. Gramin Dak Sevaks are also eligible for 20 days paid leave in a year.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Communications & Information Technology, Shri Gurudas Kamat in written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.
Source : Press Information Bureau

India Post as a Point of Presence (POP) for New Pension Scheme (NPS) on behalf of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).

Coimbatore March 7, 2010 :Commissioner of Customs, Central Excise and Service Tax, C. Rajendiran on Saturday launched the New Pension Scheme (NPS) through India Post as a Point of Presence (POP) wherein the Head Post Offices would initially market the scheme.

Launching the scheme, Mr. Rajendiran said that post offices were a bridge between people and Government departments. The Department would play a pivotal role in every one's life. “Change is a must for growth and post offices have changed over a period both in terms of appearance as well as services”.

He exhorted the postal staff to follow a corporate culture and be a trendsetter for others to emulate and pointed out that network and identity with the people was the strength of the department.

The Postmaster General, Mr. Rajarajan, said that the Department would act as a POP for extending the new pension scheme on behalf of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).

The scheme was being made available through head post offices on an experimental basis in Coimbatore region of Tamil Nadu and Southern Region of Karnataka. In the first phase, 21 head post offices in the nine districts of Western Region namely Coimbatore, R.S. Puram, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Erode, Bhavani, Gobichettipalayam, Namakkal, Tiruchengode, Udhagamandalam, Coonoor, Pollachi, Udumalpet, Salem, Aatur, Suramangalam, Tirupur, Dharapuram, Mettupalayam, Tirupattur and Gudiayattam will act as POP. The department would operationalise the NPS in terms of subscriber registration for opening new pension account, acceptance of forms, verification, processing and forwarding the forms to Central Record Agency-Facilitation Centre, initial contribution processing, regular subscriber contribution upload through Meghdoot Software, subscriber servicing, grievance handling and MIS uploading.

Any Indian citizen in the age group of 18 to 55 years could join and continue till 60 years. Minimum contribution is Rs. 500 a month and Rs 6,000 per annum and there should be a minimum of four contributions. Account holders could decide on the frequency and extent of contribution across the year as per their grievance. Subscribers' contribution would be invested as per the scheme preference opted by the subscriber and options are low risk: low returns, moderate risk: moderate returns and high risk and high returns. The subscriber could opt for the options failing which the investment would be done in auto choice considering the age of the subscriber. The pension contribution would be invested in various schemes by any one of the seven pension fund managers appointed by PFRDA. The return on investments would be in the range of six to seven per cent.

Courtesy : The Hindu

Union Minister for Communications and IT Shri A. Raja launched the ‘My Child First’ initiative under the Rural Postal Life Insurance (RPIL) Scheme of our Department at Avinashi Post Office

Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology A. Raja on Sunday launched the ‘My Child First’ initiative under the Rural Postal Life Insurance (RPIL) Scheme of India Post at Avinashi Post Office on 1.3.2010.
The concept is aimed at promoting the habit of investing in insurance scheme among families in rural areas for securing means to provide higher education to their children. Explaining the salient features, Mr. Raja said that the insurance cover ranging from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 3 lakh would provide the insured with adequate funds to take care of the education of their children on its maturity after 15 years. The premium paid by the insured would go into a corpus and the entire earnings would be returned to them with bonus.
“The amount insured will thus get doubled in 15 years,” he added.
The Minister announced that Avinashi sub-post office would be given a thorough makeover both in terms of physical outlook as well as upgrading delivery of services through IT-enabled procedures under the ‘Project Arrow’ scheme of the Department of Posts before March end.
Courtesy : The Hindu

Post offices in Mysore will accept bills of Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC)

A newsitem published in Times of India, Mysore on 2.3.2010 is reproduced below for information.

MYSORE: For convenience of people, India Post has entered into an agreement with Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC) for acceptance of electricity bills at the post offices in the city.

The bills will be accepted in about 30 offices in the city.

They are: Mysore Head Post Office, Bannimantap, Bogadi, Devaraja Mohalla, Jayalakshmipuram, K R Circle, Krishnamurthypuram, Lakshmipuram, Mandi Mohalla, Mysore Fort, Mysore South, Narasimha Raja Mohalla, Siddharthanagar, University Campus, Vijayanagar II stage, Saraswathipuram head post office, Belavadi, Chamundi Extension, Ittigegud, Jayanagar, K R Mohalla, Kuvempunagar, Manasagangotri, Metagalli, Mysore Law Courts, Mysore University, Ramakrishnanagar, Udayagiri, V V Mohalla and Yadavagiri.

Source : Times of India, Mysore

Re-employed pensioners are also eligible for 10 days encashment of leave - clarifications issued by DOPT

Department of Personnel and Training in Memo No.1402811/2010-Estt.(L) dated 2.3.2010 has issued clarification on the above subject as under:-

The undersigned is directed to refer to DOP&T O.M.No.3 1 0 1 1 /4/2008-Estt.(A), dated 231d September, 2008 allowiiig encashment of earned leave alongwith LTC and to say that various references are being received froin Mnistriesmepartments with regard to the applicability of encashment of earned leave by re-employed pensioners.

2. In this regard, it is clarified that re-employed pensioner will be entitled to encashinent of Earned Leave aloiigwith LTC during the period of re-empioyment upto the linlit of 60 days in accordance with Rule 38-A (including the no. of days for which encashment has been allowed alongwith Leave Travel Concession while in service) provided he is entitled to LTC.

Department of Personnel and Training Memo dated 2.3.2010