RBI Officers and Employees on Mass Casual Leave programme in RBI on 19th November 2015

Reserve Bank Officers and Employees on Mass Casual Leave programme in RBI on 19th November 2015

Press Statement issued today by United Forum of Reserve Bank Officers & Employees on Mass Casual Leave programme in RBI on 19th November 2015.

 UNITED FORUM OF RESERVE BANK OF OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES

PRESS STATEMENT

The United Forum of Reserve Bank Officers and Employees, the umbrella organization of four recognized unions of officers and workmen staff in RBI, covering the entire workforce in the country’s central bank, numbering about 17,000, are poised for a day’s Mass Leave on 19th November 2015 totally paralyzing RBI functions all over the country.

The cease-work programme is intended, inter alia, to strongly oppose Government of India’s current moves to cripple RBI in the name of the draft financial code and legislative reforms.

The Ministry of Finance is reportedly giving final shape to shift Government’s debt management funcations from RBI to the proposal Public Debt Management Agency (PDMA), which will also henceforth function as depository of Government securities (G-Sec), thus taking away from RBI some vital operations having relevance to money market as well.

Even though RBI have been performing these operations since inception with commendable alacrity, the Government is rigid in slivering these from the ambit of Reserve Bank, without national consensus on such a move with very many ramifications for the national economy and finances of State Governments particularly. Many economists, Parliamentarians, former RBI Governess have sounded caution, but to no avail.

Through the proposed mechanism of Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) the Government plans to intervene and themselves decide the monetary policy which has been the exclusive jurisdiction of RBI so far. For quite sometimes past the Governments have been trying to coerce RBI to surrender to their pressure tactics of lowering bank somehow in narrow short-term interest, which the RBI refused to adhere. Hence the Government is keen to virtually take over the function under the pretext of Legislative Reforms Commission headed by Justice Sri Krishna set up by the Government of India.

RBI staff have long been pursing for improvement in pension, as their basic pension once fixed does not increase which puts thousands of RBI pensioners in extreme penury in these days of soaring prices, increased medical costs etc. Eventhough RBI pension is analogous to Central Government pension scheme, unlike Central Government pensioners, the RBI pensioners are not entitled to periodic updation of pension. However, updation of pension was granted to pre-2006 RBI retirees by RBI Central Board, but Government withdrew it unilaterally. For last 18 years the United Forum have been pursuing this issue. RBI Central Board repeatedly requested Government to permit. RBI Governors had numerous interactions with successive Finance Ministers and their officials, but Government bureaucracy is rigid. A few hundred RBI staff and retirees who did not opt for pension earlier have been denied another option just out of vindictiveness.

The agitational call is on the demands of (1) Save RBI and (2) Pension related issues. Having failed to improve pension despite peaceful pursuance for last 18 years, RBI staff and retirees have reached limit of patience and are compelled to mobilize to fight.

It will be immensely reasonable if the Government sees reason, keeps their hands off RBI, and accedes to RBI staff’s very reasonable demand of improvement in pension, otherwise the agitation will escalate in the coming days with more strike actions affecting for laong central banking operations.

Source : www.airbea.in

Setting-up of ‘Taxpayers Lounge’ at the IITF – 2015

Setting-up of ‘Taxpayers Lounge’ at the India International Trade Fair (IITF) – 2015

CBDT to set-up a ‘Taxpayers’ Lounge’ at the India International Trade Fair – 2015 to Highlight the Various Taxpayer-Friendly Initiatives Taken by the Department Among Others

The Income Tax Department will be setting-up a ‘Taxpayers’ Lounge’ at the India International Trade Fair (IITF) – 2015 at Pragati Maidan, in national capital from 14th to 27th November, 2015.

The theme of the Taxpayers’ Lounge this year would follow the theme of IITF 2015 i.e. ‘Make in India’ and aims to generate awareness in the public about the various taxpayer-friendly initiatives taken by the Department. Besides it, various tax payers services would also be provided at the Taxpayers’ Lounge for the benefit of people at large including e-filing of returns, viewing of tax credit through 26AS, applications for PAN and services of Tax Return Preparers among others. Services delivered at Ayakar Seva Kendras (ASK) will also be showcased to the public. The Lounge will also highlight the contribution of taxes and the Income Tax Department to nation building. Activities such as Nukkad Natak, Drawing Competition and Quiz Contest will be carried-out to engage with school children and youth, who are potential taxpayers of the future. The Lounge will also feature live caricatures by Shri B. Sajiv, Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax.

The Taxpayers’ Lounge will be inaugurated at Hall 12, Pragati Maidan on 14th November, 2015 at 4.00 pm by Ms. Anita Kapur, Chairperson,Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) in the presence of senior officials of CBDT and the Income Tax Department.

Heavy Rains Expected over South Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, Tamilnadu, Pudducherry and Kerala over next four days

Heavy Rains Expected over South Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, Tamilnadu, Pudducherry and Kerala over next four days

A low pressure area is expected to form over southeast Bay of Bengal & neighbourhood by tomorrow.

Heavy rain occurs at isolated places over south Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, Tamilnadu, Pudducherry and Kerala today.

Heavy rain would occur tomorrow at isolated places over south Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu & Pondicherry.

Heavy to very heavy rains are expected on Sunday at a few places over Tamilnadu & Puducherry and heavy rains at isolated places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh & Kerala.

On Monday, the Indian Meteorological Department predicted that Heavy to very heavy rain would occur at a few places, with extremely heavy falls at isolated places over Tamilnadu & Puducherry. Heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places are also expected over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and heavy over Rayalaseema, South Interior Karnataka and Kerala.

The Indian Meteorological Department issued a warning for very heavy or extremely heavy rains for the coming Sunday, Monday and Tuesday for Tamilnadu & Puducherry and for Coastal Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday.

On 17th November too, heavy to very heavy rain to occur at a few places with extremely heavy falls at isolated places over Tamilnadu & Puducherry and Coastal Andhra Pradesh. Heavy to very heavy rain are expected at isolated places over Rayalaseema and heavy over South Interior Karnataka & Kerala.

Source: PIB News

Anubhav : Retiring officers to write note on their achievements

Anubhav : Retiring officers to write note on their achievements

Retiring officers to write note on their achievements

In another new initiative “Anubhav”, inspired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions has advised officers retiring within a period of six months to leave behind a note or write-up on their achievements as well as outstanding work done by them which could have, according to them, contributed to efficient functioning of the government or any innovation introduced by them which could have led to improvement in work culture.

Disclosing this here today, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that “Anubhav” will serve as a platform for retiring employees to showcase achievements made by them during their service tenure. While the retiring employees can look back with satisfaction and a sense of fulfillment, the written account left by them could serve as a vital database for future improvement, he added.

Ministry of Personnel has, through a circular dated November 5, 2015, sought to reiterate and remind all the Ministries and Departments to follow up this initiative seriously. The Link to “Anubhav” Portal is available on the homepage of Department’s website at http://persmin.nic.in → DoP&T → Anubhav, he informed and added that initially this facility is available only to retiring Central Government employees including Central Secretariat Service (CSS) and Central Secretariat Stenographers Services (CSSS) officials.

Earlier, on the advice of Prime Minister, Dr. Jitendra Singh recalled that DoPT had also introduced a new practice of senior IAS officers who had put in nearly 25 to 30 years of service to revisit the place of their first posting as District Collectors or SDMs and furnish feedback about the change over the years as visualized by them. The DoPT and the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DAR&PG) are infact the Research & Development (R&D) organs of the government and not merely responsible for carrying out only transfers, promotions and empanelments. To this extent, he expressed satisfaction that during the last 17 months of the present government, a number of new reforms have been introduced with regard to recruitment in Services, Pension Department, IAS/Civil Services training and other areas.

Dr. Jitendra Singh complimented Union Secretary, DoPT, Shri Sanjay Kothari and Union Secretary, AR&PG, Shri Devendra Choudhary for their proactive approach which motivated the entire team of officers to carry forward the new initiatives.

Source: PIB News