Confirmation Exam Removed in New Postal Assistant Recruitment Rules

In the revised PA recruitment rules, the confirmation examination has been removed. There is no confirmation examination hereafter. All will be confirmed by DPC committee as per 6 (i) (12) of the said rules.

Press release for new Tatkal ticket booking

To ensure the reserved accommodation in trains to the passengers, who need to travel by trains within a very short notice due to emergency, Shri Dinesh Trivedi, Hon’ble Minister for Railways has advised to implement new Tatkal booking scheme on and from Monday (tomorrow), 21 November 2011. This Tatkal booking facility is to be introduced to eliminate the possibility of booking of tickets by touts/miscreants through Tatkal scheme and sell to the passengers in emergency, against high premium. Booking procedure through new Tatkal scheme is given below:-

The Advance Reservation Period (ARP) of Tatkal scheme is reduced from two days to one day excluding the day of journey from the train originating station w.e.f Monday, 21 November 2011. For example, if a train is to depart from the originating station on the second of the month, the Tatkal quota for that particular train shall open at 08.00 hrs. on the first of the month.

i) Agents /Rail Travel Service Agencies (RTSAs) will not be allowed booking Tatkal tickets at the counters between 08.00 hrs. and 10.00 hrs. on the opening day of Tatkal Advance Reservation Facility for booking with train starting date falling beyond 22/11/2011. RTSA opted Tatkal booking in normal counters also will not be allowed between 08.00 hrs and 10.00 hrs. on the opening day of Tatkal for booking with train starting date falling beyond 22 November 2011.

ii) System will allow to book only maximum 4 passengers in a Tatkal booking w.e.f 21/11/2011.

iii) Tatkal tickets shall be issued only on production of one of the eight prescribed proofs of identity as per procedure explained below:-

a) For this purpose, a self-attested photocopy of the proof of identity of any one passenger should be attached to the requisition slip.

b) The details of the identity proof will be captured by the system and indicated on the reserved tickets as well on the reservation chart. It will not be mandatory for the passenger(s) to go to the counter to book the Tatkal ticket, however, the proof will have to be sent in the aforementioned manner.

c) During the journey, the passenger, whose identity card number has been indicated on the ticket, will have to produce original proof of identity indicated on the ticket, failing which all the passengers booked on the ticket shall be treated as travelling without ticket and charged accordingly. Indication will come on the ticket regarding carrying the same original proof of identity during the journey, as indicated on the ticket.

d) If the passenger whose identity card number is indicated on the ticket is not travelling, all other passengers booked on that ticket, if found travelling in train, will be treated as travelling without ticket and charged accordingly.

e) For booking done on more than one passenger, system will allow to input identification numbers passenger-wise in case if identification proofs are submitted by the concerned passengers. Input identification card information will be printed passenger-wise on the tickets as well as on the reservation chart. In such cases, in case of non-travelling of one of the passengers whose proof of identity has been indicated, other passenger(s) can undertake the journey on production of original proof of identity by the other passenger(s) whose proof of identity has been indicated on the ticket as well as on the reservation chart

f) . No refund will be granted on cancellation of Tatkal confirmed tickets subject to the exception such as cancellation of trains/late running of trains for more than 3 hours, etc.

g) Cameras will be installed at the ticket counters to maintain stricter vigilance.

Recruitment Rules Postal Assistant/Sorting Assistants, 2011

20/11/2011

Recruitment Rules Postal Assistant/Sorting Assistants, 2011 

Department of Posts has notified Department of Posts ( Postal Assistants and Sorting Assistants) (Group-C Non-gazetted) Recruitment Rules, 2011.  These have been published in Official Gazette on 3.11.2011.  They come into force from the date of publication in Official Gazette. 

For direct recruitment 10+2 or 12 Standard candidates with atleast 60% marks with English as compulsory subject [ excluding vocational stream], 55% for OBC and 45% for SC/ST will be eligible 

GDS should have obtained 50% marks in +2 or 12th standard and should have put in minimum 5 years service

VII Pay Commission for Central Govt.Employees should be constituted at the earliest-INDWF

Today the INDWF –Indian National Defence Workers Federation is Celebrating its Golden Jubilee Year in New Delhi. A rally to Talkatora stadium is organized by the Federation as a part of the Golden Jubilee celebration. In which around 10000 of its delegates across India are expected to participate. Sources Close to the INDWF revealed that the Supreme command of the Congress Party Smt. Sonia Gandhi is also expected to participate in the Meeting to be held at Talkatora Stadium in the evening. The Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh,Defence Ministers and Shri.Rahul Gandhi.are also invited to attend the meeting.

A list of around 30 Demands also been published by the Federation to put before the Government in its Meeting.The Federation Demands the Government, Particularly the Ministry of Defence that,

• The Defence Procurement Policy to be reviewed, so that privatization and out sourcing may be avoided.
• MACP should be granted to Central Govt.Employees on Promotional Hierarchy.
• VII Pay Commission for Central Govt.Employees should be constituted at the earliest so that it can be reviewed and implemented in time.
• Employment should be provided to the wards of employees those who are willing to go in VRS Scheme like in Railways.
• The Bonus ceiling to be removed and one full month salary may be granted as Bonus to all Central Govt.Employees
• One Increment should be granted to Central Govt.Employees whose annual increment falls between 01-02-2006 to 30-6-2006

Interest rates on post office saving schemes up

In a bid to lure millions of small savers who had exited the National Small Savings Fund (NSSF) schemes in pursuit of higher returns, the government on Friday raised the interest rates on post office savings account (POSA), time deposit schemes of various tenures, monthly income scheme (MIS) and Public Provident Fund (PPF).

According to a Finance Ministry statement here, while the interest rate on POSA stands increased to 4 per cent from 3.5 per cent for the current fiscal, deposits in schemes such as MIS and PPF will fetch attractive returns of 8.2 per cent and 8.6 per cent respectively, as compared to the existing interest rates of 8 per cent.

While all time maturities will fetch significantly better returns by way of higher interest rates than hitherto, the biggest gainer is set to be the one-year fixed deposit scheme with its interest rate pegged at 7.7 per cent as compared to the prevailing 6.25 per cent.

To be notified soon

As per the decision approved by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, the new rates are to be made applicable from the date of notification to be announced soon.

The move to make the small savings schemes more attractive and align them with current market rates is in line with the recommendations of the Shyamala Gopinath Committee, which was set up to look into the matter, as was advised by the 13th Finance Commission.

New NSC instrument

Alongside, however, the government has decided to discontinue the Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) scheme. It has also reduced the maturity period for MIS and National Savings Certificate (NSC) schemes to five years from the existing six years and has introduced a new 10-year NSC instrument with its interest rate pegged at 8.7%.

Limit increased

Another bonanza for small savers is that the annual investment ceiling in PPF savings accounts has been raised to Rs. 1 lakh from the current limit of Rs. 70,000.

At the same time, what may irk investors is that loans against such savings would be at a higher interest rate of 2 per cent as against 1 per cent at present.

Bonus scrapped

The government has also scrapped the 5 per cent bonus on maturity of MIS schemes and abolished the commission for agents on PPF and Senior Citizens Savings Schemes.

Interest rate on Post Office Saving Account up to 4% from 3.5%

Rate on MIS and PPF raised to 8.2% and 8.6% respectively

Happy Kartik poornima

Happy Kartik Poornima

Am i the same leader my members expect- Or just have a availed the opportunity

Let me ask

Am I a true leader,

Or just have availed  the opportunity ?

Do I  render selfless service

With full devotion and  utmost sincerity  ?

Do I know,

My members are my crowning jewel ?

And I am just the engine

To go a long way with all

And they are the fuel ?

I am just the body,

Blood and cells are my members.

And I just exist only for them,

Or else a dry land

Without  showers.  

Do I think proper and act positively

And  show others they care ?

Listen all with patience

Giving meaningful feedback

And  adjudge everything in fair ?

Do my words match with my deeds

And am I impartial ?

Do I treat everyone equally

And stand  with them,

When the time is crucial ?

Do I consider myself

One amongst the common members ?

Or maintain bureaucratic ego ,

As if their supreme authority

And a great boss ?

Am I the change

I wish to see in others ?

Or just instruct to obey me

Because I am the leader

And other are just followers ?

Do I like to tell the truth

And insist on results ?

Regard righteousness and maintain transparency

Whatever may be the consequence,

Don’t move backwards.

Have I the knowledge of mission / vision

And of rules and regulations of my organization ?

And do I understand the basic concepts ?

To confront with the administration

And to redress the problems ?

Do I Know the problems before me

And the members’ emotion ?

Am I playing a fair game

With the sentiments of my members

Or a dirty politics with definite intention?

Do  I know the importance of communication

And focus on helping people to be successful ?

Give strategic  response  timely ?

And plan my goals

With a definite principle ?

Do I prioritize my Organization’s benefits

With an eye to members’ welfare ?

Work in tandem with administration

Seeing my  members to smile

And my country to prosper.

Am I punctual  and hard working

Possessing qualities of a good leader  first ?

Determined to work

Both for my nation and organization

Till I breathe last  ?

Have I developed  leaders and  my substitute

And  discharged  my  foremost  responsibility ?

And let me ask

Am I the same leader my members  expect

Or just  have availed the opportunity  ?

Norms for opening of Post officers in rural and Urban areas

Revision or norms for opening of Post Offices in rural and urban areas comments/views of
recognized unions on the proposal - reg.
I am directed to enclose a copy of the Department’s letter No. 40-36/EFC/2002-Plg Dated 5.7.2011
on the above subject along with a copy of minutes of meeting of the Committee held on
8.9.2011 & 9.9.2011 under the Chairpersonship of Ms. Sandhya Rani, PMG, AP Circle.
You are requested to send your comments/views in the matter directly to Director (RB).

(Subhash Chander), Director (SR & Legal)

Government of India
Ministry of Communications & IT Department of Posts (PIanning Division)
Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg, New Delli-110001
No. 40-36/EFC/2002-Plg
Dated 5-7-2011

Sub : Committee formed to review the norms for opening of post offices in rural and urban
areas.

The competent authority has decided to constitute a committee to comprehensively examine the
norms for opening of post offices in rural and urban areas. Accordingly, the following
committee is being constituted to examine the above issue and other related matter, as per
terms and conditions given below.

(a) Constitution of the committee

1. Ms. Sandhya Rani, PMG, O/o. Chief PMG,
A.P. Circle, Hyderabad
2. Shri Anurag Priyadarshee,
Director (RB), Dak Bhawan
3. Ms. G. Anita, Director of A/Cs
(Postal), Hyderabad

(b) Terms of Reference

(i) To review all the norms for opening of post offices in rural and urban areas

(ii) The committee will submit its report withi,n three months of issue of this letter.

2. The committee should take following into consideration while examining and recommending
the norms for opening of the post offices:

(i) There is a focus on Gram Panchayats, as most welfare schemes of Central and State
Governments are directed through them. Whether branch post offices should be relocated/
opened at Gram Panchayat only.

(ii) Universal service obligation is to be taken Into consideration, as the post office is. In many
areas, the sole service delivery organization for Central and State Govt. benefits, and the only
organization that offers savings and communi cation facilities. Taking into consideration that
soon Branch Offices Will be networked, many other services can be delivered through this
network, whether further relaxation In Hie norms should be made for opening of branch offices
in rural areas, as potential revenue for a networked BO is high. Thus, the committee should also
take into consideration the potential Income that is likely to come to the Depart ment’s rural
network when it becomes a major provider of financial inclusion and payment and uspd for
delivery of social securities.

(iii) Regarding urban areas, the committee should look at the expansion of cities and the need
for providing postal facilities to the new colonies based on the likelihood of further expansion
rather than present population / lncome which may be deceptive.
(Y.P. Raj), DDG (RB)

Chairperson

Member

Member

Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee for Review of the Norms for Opening of Post
Offices in Rural and Urban Areas, Postal Directorate 08.08.21011 & 09.08.2011

1. The following Committee members met on 08.08.2011 at Postal Directorate, New Delhi.
a. Ms.K Sandhya Rani, PMG (BD & Tech), Chairperson
b. Shri AnUiag Priyadarshee, Director (RB) Dak Bhawan Member
c. Ms. M. Anita, Director of Accounts (Postal) Hyderabad Member
2. After a detailed discussion, it was agreed that the Committee should In addition to the terms
of reference of Dte letter No. 40-36/EFC/2002-Plg study the following:
a. Parliament Standing Committee Report on inadequacies of Post Offices and take into view the
concerns raised by the Parliamentary Standing Committee relating to rural Postal network
b. Report submitted by the lastlCommittee for opening of Post Offices in 2005 headed by the
then Member (D) Ms. Jyothsna Deish
c. The recent instructions of the Department on rationalization of Urban Postal network issues
vide letter NoAO-06/2010-Plg dated 25.01.2011.
d. Planning Commission Report on Backward and underserved areas
e. Banking services in rural areas and norms for opening of bank branches
f. RFP for RurailCT project of DOP
g. The exiting norms for Postal franchisees
3. In addition to items listed at serial no. 2 of Directorate letter about items to be considered
while making recommendations, it was agreed to look at the efficacy of distance norms for
opening POs keeping in view improvements in transport, technology and business environ
ment, increased potential for G2C services, etc.
4. It was also decided to seek the views of Head of Circles, Union representatives on revision of
norms for opening of Post Offices in urban & rural areas.
5. In a meeting with JS & FA Ms. Allnie Moraes, the committee members were advised to look at
the following:
a. Look at Ms. Shoba Koshy Committee Report, which may be available in planning unit.
b. Suggest norms/rules for closing of Post Offices in current locations, while recom mending on
any new conditions for opening of POs.
c. Look at how opening of Post’ Offices fits into DOP model of Postal Franchisees
d. Study relevance of instructions relating TRCA protection.
6. During the meeting with DOG (Estt) and Director (Estt), the committee was requested to look
on the following
a. Relevance of distance factor and if population only should be the only criteria for opening
Post Offices in rural areas.
b. In urban areas if LSG level Post Offices should be the basic facility achieved through
merging of B & C Class POs.
c. Look at how many POs were actually opened in urban and rural areas during previous two V
years Plans; (for 10 years)
7. The committee discussed the observations made in the 33rd report of the Standing Committee
on Information Technology during evidence on Demand for Grants (2002-03) - regarding lack of
Postal facilities in urban conglomerations, extensions etc. D.O.lr.NoAO-4/2002-Plg dated 6.01.03
of Member (I & FS) Shri T.R.Sharma.
8. Next meeting would be during the 23rd & 24th Sept 2011 at Hyderabad.

(K.Sandhya Rani),
Postmaster General (BD T & M)
% CPMG AP Circle, Hyderabad 500001

AGENDA FOR CPMG MEETING TO BE HELD IN NOVEMBER-2011

AGENDA FOR CPMG MEETING TO BE HELD IN NOVEMBER-2011
ITEM-1: Delay in Issue of Pension Payment Order (PPO) to the staff on the day of
his retirement as stipulated in the Rule- 65 of CCS Pension Rule-1972 due to non
adherence to the Time Schedules prescribed under Rule-58 to Rule-61 and
deficiencies in responsibilities and negligence on the part of Divisional Superintendents
and DAP.
1. Rule-58: commencement of Preparation of Pension papers 2 years before the
date of retirement of a Govt Servant in Form-7.
2. Rule-59: The Head of Office shall divide the period of preparatory work of 2
years referred to in Rule-58 in three stages.
3. Rule-60: The Head of Office shall complete Part-1 of Form-7 not later than six
month of the date of retirement of the Govt Servant.
4. Rule-61: After complying with the requirement ofRule-59 and Rule-60, the
Head of the office shall forward to the Accounts Officer Form-5 and Form-7
duly complied with a covering letter in Form-8 along with Service Book of the
Government Servane duly completed up-to-date.
(It is one of the important functions of Heads of Offices to see that pension cases of
their retiring employees are finalised expeditiously and that there is no delay in the
payment of pension and DCRG. )

Post office savings deposit to earn higher interest

New Delhi, Nov. 7:  Post office savings bank deposits without any fixed maturity will earn interest of 4 per cent up from 3.5 per cent now.

And interest rates on other small saving instruments, such as the National Savings Certificate, will be indirectly linked to the market. The new rates could be notified from July 1, 2011 for the current fiscal year.

High interest rates offered by the banks seem to be luring people to withdraw money from the small savings. The Government was expecting Rs 24,182 crore through small savings during this fiscal, but till date far from any fresh accretion, there has been a net outflow of approximately Rs 11,000 crore. This means people withdrew more money than making fresh deposits.

There is also a proposal to discontinue the Kisan Vikas Patra scheme.

A senior Government official told Business Line, “The Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, has approved the proposals based on the Shyamala Gopinath Committee. Now, the new mechanism for the small saving instruments will be effective after the new system is notified.”

From the next financial year, the Government is likely to announce the new rates at the beginning of the financial year, to be effective from April 1.

The thinking in the Finance Ministry is that there is no need to deregulate postal deposit rates as has been done in the case of saving bank deposits in banks.

The calculation of the interest on savings deposits in post offices will be done on a daily product basis but only after the post offices are fully computerised. For this, “we will have to wait for the notification,” the official added.

The Government has also accepted the Committee's recommendation on reducing the tenure for NSC from six to five years. But there will be a special NSC with tenure of 10 years.

The interest rates on both will be benchmarked to the weighted average of the yield of the government bonds during previous years. At present a six-year NSC earns a fixed annual rate of 8 per cent.

The official said that the Government has also approved the formula for sharing the net collections of small savings between the Centre and the States. The Committee recommended that the mandatory component for States could be lowered to 50 per cent from 80 per cent at present.

State Governments could exercise the option of either 50 per cent or 100 per cent at the beginning of each fiscal for administrative convenience. The balance amount could either be taken by the Centre or on-lent to other States if they so desire, or could be on-lent for financing infrastructure.