No Objection Certificate (NOC) Not Required for Central Government Employees Seeking Passports

NOC Not Required for Central Government Employees Seeking Passports

Although the Government thinks that tough guidelines are not required for issuing passports, the new format seeks more personal information

Currently, passports for Central Government employees are issued only if they produce a general No Objection Certificate. In some Government offices, getting an NOC is very difficult. Keeping this in mind, the Ministry of External Affairs has advised that new procedures be followed instead of submitting an NOC.

According to the new procedure, the employee has to send prior information, about the fact that he has applied for passport, to the address of the senior officer who has to issue the NOC. If a copy of this correspondence is submitted along with the passport request form, then the passport will be issued after police verification. If the officer has objections to the passport being issued to the applicant, then he has to go to the regional passport office and register his objection and reasons. The procedure is applicable to persons seeking renewal of passports too.

Source: CGEN.in

NC JCM Staff Side - Meeting with the 7th Pay Commission Satisfactory

Meeting with the 7th Pay Commission Satisfactory – NC JCM Staff Side

“Members of the National Council JCM, which represents over 40 lakh Central Government employees all over India, met with the team of higher officials of the 7th Central Pay Commission on 9.6.2015”

It was revealed that the meeting with the 7th CPC was very satisfactory. By the end of August, the committee will submit its recommendations and from Jan 2016, the new pay scale, including all the allowances, will be implemented based on this report.

Elaborate discussions were held on crucial issues like Principles of wage determination and Minimum Wage & Ratio of Minimum and Maximum Pay. Also, popular demands like qualification related pay scales, and grant of increment to those retiring on June 30 and December 31, were also presented.

Issues over the fixing of pension parity between past and future pensioners. And the discrepancies in these methods and retirement benefits including revision of pension were also discussed.

JCM urged that the Need-Based Minimum Wage concept to compute pay at the minimum level may be adopted. Pay Commission should take into account the outside rates to determine the pay package at senior levels of bureaucracy but maintain the ratio between the minimum and maximum at 1 : 8 (MTS to Secretary to Govt. of India).

Staff side demanded open- ended pay scales to ensure that no employee stagnates without increment. We have suggested only 14 Pay scales. Minimum of which is Rs. 26000 and Maximum Rs. 78000 for Group C employees. We suggested that the multiplication factor (26000/7000 = 3.7) may be applied uniformly in all the cases to arrive at the revised pay in the new scales of pay. We also suggested that the benefit on promotion, therefore, should be: two increments in the feeder cadre.

A request was made to rectify the defects in the MACP scheme. NC JCM insists to grant five promotions in the service career. It should be given on their hierarchical basis.

Staff Side requested to remove the ceiling of Rs.3500 and request to recommend to the Central to grant the bonus on the basis of the actual emolument of the employee.

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Aadhaar based authentication of Life Certificate for pensioners - Minutes of the meeting held on 3rd June, 2015

Aadhaar based authentication of Life Certificate for pensioners

Minutes of the meeting held on 3rd June, 2015 for review of status of Aadhaar based authentication of Life Certificate for pensioners.

G.I., Dept. of DPPW., O.M.No.1/19/2014-P&PW(E), dated 10.6.2015

Sub: Minutes of the meeting held on 3rd June, 2015 for review of status of Aadhaar based authentication of Life Certificate for pensioners.

The undersigned is directed to forward the minutes of the meeting held on 3rd June, 2015 under the chairmanship of Secretary (AR&PG and Pension) to review the status of Aadhaar based authentication of Life Certificate for pensioners.

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(Sujasha Choudhury)

Deputy Secretary

MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 3rd JUNE, 2015 ON AADHAAR BASED AUTHENTICATION OF LIFE CERTIFICATE FOR PENSIONERS

A meeting to review the progress on Aadhaar-based verification of Life Certificate was chaired by Secretary (Pension) on 3rd June, 2015 in Committee Room, 5th Floor, Sardar Patel Bhawan, Sansad Marg.

2. List of participants is annexed.

3. Secretary (Pension) complimented the various agencies for their efforts. He informed that during the last video conference of “Pragati” on 27th May, 2015, the Hon’ble Prime Minister, while discussing problems being faced by Defence pensioners had inter alia stressed the need for using Aadhaar based system solutions. He also stated that e-tracking of pension matter would be a good step towards preventing delays.

4. Department of Financial Services (DFS) informed that all banks have started accepting Digital Life Certificates (DLCs). So far 2,06,024 pensioners have submitted DLCs. Of these, 1,47,629 take pension through banks and 35,135 through Defence Pension Disbursement Offices (DPDOs). A total of 1,52,587 DLCs have been successfully processed by the system of which 1,12,286 are through banks and 29,768 through DPDOs. Secretary, Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY) expressed concern over the very high rate of rejection by the system, as the user tended to loose confidence in the process. It was agreed that for every rejection of the DLC, the system shall indicate the reason for rejection in the form of a speaking order. It was also hoped that during November, 2015, up to 50% pensioners ought to avail benefit from Jeevan Pramaan.

(Action: Deit Y/DFS/Banks)

5. Contact numbers of some of the Common Service Centres (CSCs) being circulated were reportedly not correct. DeitY informed that 55,000 records have been cleaned. At present 6,000 CSCs are functional for Jeevan Pramaan. Secretary (DeitY) expressed concern at this. He stated that CSC SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle) should be asked to continuously update their databank and ensure that correct contact details are displayed at all points of time. Secretary (Pension) shared the concern.

(Action: DeitY)

6. Secretary, DeitY also stressed that Unique Identification Authority ofIndia (UIDAI) should facilitate, promote and encourage wide-spread use of Aadhaar number for delivery of public services. Aadhaar numbers of individual beneficiaries should be made available by UIDAI to Government agencies on demand.

(Action: UIDAI)

7. It was agreed that State Bank of India (SBI) and UIDAI will organise a camp in Manipur as early as possible to facilitate employees/pensioner in getting enrolled for Aadhaar number and registering them under Jeevan Pramaan software.

(Action: UIDAI/SBI)

8. It was agreed that DFS shall immediately, preferably in 2 nd week of June, 2015, call a meeting with % Controller General of Accounts (CGA) and Banks to sort out the following issues at the earliest possible:

(a) Problem with the PPO numbering systems, which are not uniform. It had been agreed that Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO) will come up with guidelines to tackle this problem.

(b) For making adequate provisions for self-certification regarding re-marriage, income and reemployment in the software, instructions are to be issued by CPAO/CGA.

(c) Determination of proper procedure and putting in place adequate checks for correlating PPO numbers, bank account number and Aadhaar number while seeding the systems.

Action: DFS/Banks/DeitY/O/o/CGA/CPAO)

9. It was once again pointed out that there were a number of glaring discrepancies in Banks’ data, including the number of pensioners above the age of 100 years and a large number of duplicate records in Banks’ databases. DFS has once again been asked to instruct Banks to get their data cleansed on priority.

(Action: DFS/Banks)

10. UIDAI informed that Ministry of Railways, Indian Army and Indian Air Force have been appointed as Registrars for enrolment for Aadhaar number.

11. Secretary (Pension) informed the meeting of the Prime Minister’s directive to put in place an e-tracking system to monitor delays in pension cases. It was agreed that possibilities of the Online Tracking System for Pension Sanction and Payment (Bhavishya) being adopted by Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Defence, Department of Posts and Department of Telecommunications would be explored.

(Action: Railways/Defence/Posts /Telecomm unications)

12. Department of Posts informed that Post Offices (POs) disburse pension to 3 lakh pensioners of Departments of Posts and Telecommunications and 2 lakh pensioners of other ministries/departments. The department informed that by so” June, 2015, all POs will start accepting DLCs.

13. NIC informed that the posters and pamphlets for giving wide publicity to ‘Jeevan Pramaan’ are ready for display in bank branches, ATM locations, wellness centres, Railway dispensaries, Defence canteens, etc. Willing agencies can obtain these posters and pamphlets from NIC. For this, name, email id and phone number of the officer concerned were made available: Ms. Nandita Chaudhri, DOG, nandita@nic.in , 24305520.

14. The meeting ended with a vote of thanks to the Chair.

Authoirty: www.pensionersportal.gov.in

PRE – RETIREMENT COUNSELLING WORKSHOP – Important message for employees retiring within the next six months

PRE – RETIREMENT COUNSELLING WORKSHOP – Important message for employees retiring within the next six months

Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare

PRE – RETIREMENT COUNSELLING WORKSHOP

Important message for employees retiring within the next six months

The Department of Pension and Pensioners Welfare is organizing a Pre-retirement counselling workshop on 29th June, 2015 from 2.00 PM to 5.00 PM in the Lecture Room-II, India International Centre (Annexe) 40, Max Muller Marg, New Delhi-110003.

The employees of Government of India retiring within the next six months and who have not attended the workshop yet are hereby informed that they may attend the workshop. Confirmation with Name, Ministry & Phone No. may be sent at the email addressmkumar.mol@nic.in.

The persons desirous of attending the workshop are also requested to bring their PAN and Aadhar No. A write-up on the Commendable works done by the retiring employee during his entire service is also required to upload the same on ‘ANUBHAV’ on website persmin. nic.in/pension .asp

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US (Sankalp)

Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare

Phone NO.24641627

Authoirty: www.pensionersportal.gov.in

NC JCM Publishes the details of the meeting with 7th Pay Commission on 9.6.2015

NC JCM Publishes the details of the meeting with 7th Pay Commission on 9.6.2015

National Council JCM Staff Side Publishes the details of the meeting held on 9.6.2015 with 7th Pay Commission

Brief of the meeting held on 09.06.2015 between NC/JCM(Staff Side) and 7th CPC

No.NC/JCM/7th CPC/2015

Dated: June 9, 2015

All Constituents of

NC/JCM(Staff Side),

Dear Comrades,

Sub: Brief of the meeting held on 09.06.2015 between NC/JCM(Staff Side) and 7th CPC

A meeting of National Council JCM Staff Side with 7th Pay Commission was held on 09.06.2015 at New Delhi. It was last meeting of 7th Pay Commission with JCM. JCM had already submitted memorandum regarding common issues of Central Government Employees to 7th CPC on 30th June, 2015. JCM submitted memorandum in two parts. Part one deals with Pay, allowances, advances, facilities, benefits et., Part II is concerning retirement benefits, viz Gratuity, Pension, Medical facilities etc.

Today delegation of NC JCM Staff side went for final deliberations regarding issues of central government employees and pensioners with 7th CPC.

Detailed discussion was held on the following points:-

1. Principles of Wage Determination: Staff Side insisted that 7th CPC should adopt the need based minimum wage formula at the minimum level;the intrinsic value of the assigned job at the intermediary level; the necessity to keep the relativity both at horizontal and vertical level and the need to provide a reasonable salary for the top bureaucrats, taking into account the perks, privileges, benefits, allowances and concessions that go with the posts. 7th Pay Commission gave positive response on this.

2. Minimum Wage & Ratio of Minimum and Maximum Pay:- JCM urged that the Need-Based Minimum Wage concept to compute pay at the minimum level may be adopted. Pay Commission should take into account the outside rates to determine the pay package at senior levels of bureaucracy but maintain the ratio between the minimum and maximum at 1 : 8 (MTS to Secretary to Govt. of India). Staff Side insisted that minimum pay at lowest level of Group C staff should be Rs. 26000. 7th Pay Commission gave positive assurance on this.

3. Proposed Pay Structure and Rate of Increment:– Staff side demanded open- ended pay scales to ensure that no employee stagnates without increment. We have suggested only 14 Pay scales. Minimum of which is Rs. 26000 and Maximum Rs. 78000 for Group C employees. We suggested that the multiplication factor (26000/7000 = 3.7) may be applied uniformly in all the cases to arrive at the revised pay in the new scales of pay.We also suggested that the benefit on promotion, therefore, should be: two increments in the feeder cadre. 7th CPC agreed to act positively on this.

4. Career Progression: Grant five promotions in the service career:- The three time bound scheme of MACP instead of improving the situation has been found less beneficial and has therefore not gone to address the inherent problem of demotivation that has crept in due to the high level of stagnation.The discontent amongst the employees in the matter is of high magnitude today. The VII CPC therefore, should recommend that the cadre reviews are undertaken wherever not done to ensure five hierarchical promotions to all employees in their career on the pattern obtaining for Group A Officers. 7th Pay Commission assured to act positively on this.

5. Bonus:-Presently the PLB and adhoc bonus are calculated on the deemed provision that one’s total emoluments is only Rs. 3500/-. This is an absolutely irrational stipulation and must be removed. We request that the Commission to recommend to the Government to remove the said stipulation and grant the bonus on the basis of the actual emolument of the employee. 7th pay commission agreed to recommend our demand with positive note.

6. New Pension Scheme:-We requested VII CPC to review and recommend the scarping of NPS in the light of the observations made by Hon’ble supreme court that pension is a fundamental justify. We also insisted that compulsory imposition of NPS on employees has made it discriminatory and recommendation for scrapping NPS and the PFRDA Act may be made. 7th Pay Commission was very much sympathetic.

7. Pension and other Retirement Benefits:-Staff side demanded that the amount of pension must be enough to enable a pensioner to live free from want with decency, independence, and self-respect and at a standard equivalent at the pre-retirement level. We also urged pay commission to examine the principles which should govern the structure of Pension and other retirement benefits, including revision of pension and granting parity between past and future pensioners. 7th CPC assured positive approach towards pensioners.

8. Parity in pay scales – We demanded that, where recruitment rules, training etc. are same, they should be brought into one singular grade/pay scale. Giving example of parity to Stenographers with the Ministry and Subordinate Offices. Similarly, in other common categories like Rajbhasha, Paramedical Staff etc.

9. Insurance Scheme was discussed(earlier also) in detail. It was told by the Pay Commission that something substantial should be done in this regard; and also to consider the issue of enhanced gratuity, for which 7th CPC was seen willing to consider the same.

10. Educational Assistance – we have demanded for Educational Assistance for two children, instead of two eldest children, and also to pay the same for Post Graduate and Professional Courses. Pay Commission has agreed to consider it up to Graduation level.

Yours faithfully,

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(Shiva Gopal Mishra)

General Secretary

Source: NC JCM Staff Side (www.ncjcmstaffside.com)

Dopt Orders on 11.6.2015 - Holidays to be observed in Central Government Offices during the year 2016

Holidays to be observed in Central Government Offices during the year 2016 – Dopt Orders on 11.6.2015

Holidays to be observed in Central Government Offices during the year 2016 – reg.

Dopt has issued an important office memorandum today through on its portal regarding the holidays for Central Government Offices during the year 2016. The reproduction of the order and also the link of the OM are given below for your ready reference…

Click the below link to view the order issued by DoPT on 11.6.2015

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Holidays to be observed in Central Government Offices during the year 2016 – Dopt Orders on 11.6.2015
________________________________________

G.I., Dept. of Per. & Trg., O.M.F.No.12/7/2015-JCA-2, dated 11.6.2015

Subject: Holidays to be observed in Central Government Offices during the year 2016 – reg.

It has been decided that the holidays as specified in the Annexure -I to this O.M. will be observed in all the Administrative Offices of the Central Government located at Delhi/New Delhi during the year 2016. In addition, each employee will also be allowed to avail himself/herself of any two holidays to be chosen by him/her out of the list of Restricted Holidays in Annexure – II.

2. Central Government Administrative Offices located outside Delhi /New Delhi shall observe the following holidays compulsorily in addition to three holidays as per para 3.1 below:

1. REPUBLIC DAY
2. INDEPENDENCE DAY
3. MAHATMA GANDHI’S BIRTHDAY
4. BUDDHA PURNIMA
5. CHRISTMAS DAY
6. DUSSEHRA (VIJAY DASHMI)
7. DIWALI (DEEPAVALI)
8. GOOD FRIDAY
9. GURU NANAK’S BIRTHDAY
10. IDU’L FITR
11. IDU’L ZUHA
12. MAHAVIR JAYANTI
13. MUHARRAM
14. PROPHET MOHAMMAD’S BIRTHDAY (ID-E-MILAD)

3.1. In addition to the above 14 Compulsory holidays mentioned in para 2, three holidays shall be decided from the list indicated below by the Central Government Employees Welfare Coordination Committee in the State Capitals, if necessary, in consultation with Coordination Committees at other places in the State. The final list applicable uniformly to all Central Government offices within the concerned State shall be notified accordingly and no change can be carried out thereafter. It is also clarified that no change is permissible in regard to festivals and dates as indicated.

1. AN ADDITIONAL DAY FOR DUSSEHRA
2. HOLI
3. JANAMASHTAMI (VAISHNAVI)
4. RAM NAVAMI
5. MAMA SHIVRATRI
6. GANESH CHATURTHI / VINAYAK CHATURTHI
7. MAKAR SANKARANTI
8. RATH YATRA
9. ONAM
10. PONGAL
11. SRI PANCHAMI / BASANT PANCHAMI
12. VISHU/ VAISAKHI / VAISAKHADI / BHAG BIHU / MASHAD
UGADI / CHAITRA SUKLADI / CHETI CHAND / GUDI PADAVA 1
NAVRATRA / NAURAJ/CHHATH POOJA/KARVA CHAUTH.

3.2 No substitute holiday should be allowed if any of the festival holidays initially declared subsequently happens to fall on a weekly off or any other non-working day or in the event of more than one festivals falling on the same day.

4. The list of Restricted Holidays appended to this O.M. is meant for Central Government Offices located in Delhi / New Delhi. The Coordination Committees at the State Capitals may draw up separate list of Restricted Holidays keeping in view the occasions of local importance but the 9 occasions left over, after choosing the 3 variable holidays in para 3.1 above, are to be included in the list of restricted holidays.

5.1 For offices in Delhi / New Delhi, any change in the date of holidays in respect of Idul Fitr, Idu’l Zuha, Muharram and Id-e-Milad, if necessary, depending upon sighting of the Moon, would be declared by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions after ascertaining the position from the Govt. of NCT of Delhi (DCP, Special Branch, Delhi Police).

5.2 For offices outside Delhi / New Delhi, the Central Government Employees Welfare Coordination Committees at the State Capitals are authorised to change the date of holiday, if necessary, based on the decision of the concerned State Governments / Union Territories, in respect of Idu’l Fitr, Zuha, Muharram and Id-e-Milad.

5.3 It may happen that the change of date of the above occasions has to be declared at a very short notice. In such a situation, announcement could be made through P.I.B/T.V./A.I.R./ Newspapers and the Heads of Department / Offices of the Central Government may take action according to such an announcement without waiting for a formal order, about the change of date.

6. During 2016, Diwali (Deepavali) falls on Sunday , October 30, 2016 (Kartika 08). In certain States, the practice is to celebrate the occasion a day in advance, i.e., on “Narakachaturdasi Day”. In view of this, there is no objection if holiday on account of Deepavali is observed on “Naraka Chaturdasi Day (in place of Deepavali Day) for the Central Government Offices in a State if in that State that day alone is declared as a compulsory holiday for Diwali for the offices of the State Government.

7. Central Government Organisations which include industrial, commercial and trading establishments would observe upto 16 holidays in a, year including three national holidays viz. Republic Day, Independence Day and Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday, as compulsory holidays. The remainin holidays / occasions may be determined by such establishments / organisations themselves for the year 2016, subject to para 3.2 above.

8. Union Territory Administrations shall decide the list of holidays i terms of Instructions issued in this regard by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

9. In respect of Indian Missions abroad, the number of holidays may be notified in accordance with the instructions contained in this Department’s O.M. No.12/5/ 2002-JCA dated 17th December, 2002. In other words, they will have the option to select 10(Ten)) holidays of their own only after including in the list, three National Holidays and Budh Purnima, Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday, Diwali and Christmas included in the list of compulsory holidays and falling on day of weekly off.

10. In respect of Banks, the holidays shall be regulated in terms of the extant instructions issued by the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance.

11. Hindi version will follow.

Encl.: Lists of holidays

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(A.Asholi Chalai)
Director (JCA)

Authority : www.persmin.gov.in