Bonus Arrears to be Paid on Account of Increase in Bonus Calculation Ceiling with Effect from April 2014

Bonus Arrears to be Paid on Account of Increase in Calculation Ceiling with Effect from April 2014

Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Bill 2015 to increase the Bonus Calculation Ceiling and eligibility ceiling has been Passed in Lok Shabha yesterday.

As per the provisions of Bonus bill the Bonus Calculation ceiling has to be raised from 3500 to 7000 and eligibility ceiling of wage from 10000 to 21000 per month. Earlier Cabinet gave its approval for this Bonus bill and said it will be come into effect from 1.4.2015 after passed in Parliament.

Now Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said while moving an official amendment to the Bill, ”The Prime Minister spoke to me and asked why should the benefits of this Act should accrue to workers from 2015, it should made available from the April 2014″.

It is really very good news for entire working class, since it is coming into force with effect from 1st April 2014. Due to this retrospective effect of Bonus Act 1.4.2014, double the amount of Bonus has to be paid for the year 2014-2015.

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Bonus calculation ceiling revised from April 2014 – Arrears of bonus likely!

Bonus calculation ceiling revised from April 2014 – Arrears of bonus likely!

LS passes Bonus Bill; benefits to accrue from April 2014

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a bill allowing doubling of wage ceiling for calculating bonus to Rs 7,000 per month for factory workers with establishments with 20 or more workers, with the benefits being applicable retrospectively from April 2014.

The Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Bill, 2015, was passed by a voice vote, with some members objecting to the raising of eligibility limit for payment of bonus from a salary of Rs 10,000 per month to Rs 21,000.

Replying to a debate on the legislation, Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said the Government has ensured that the interest of workers are protected and there is no infringement on their justifys.

“Because of Bihar Elections this bill got delayed… The Prime Minister spoke to me and asked why should the benefits of this Act should accrue to workers from 2015. It should be made available from the April 2014,” he said while moving an official amendment to the Bill.

The official amendment provides that the benefits of the Act would be deemed to have come into force on April 1, 2014, instead of April 1, 2015.

Dattatreya said the Ministry has held 21 tripartite meetings with all central trade unions while arriving at a decision.

The Bill provides for enhancing monthly bonus calculation ceiling to Rs 7,000 per month from the existing Rs 3,500.

It also seeks to enhance the eligibility limit for payment of bonus from Rs 10,000 per month to Rs 21,000 per month.

“The Government’s paramount intention is to safeguard the interest of workers… There is no infringement of workers’ justifys and whatever the government does will be in the interest of workers,” Dattatreya said.

After the bill was passed, Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai, who was in the Chair, said the government should be congratulated for bringing the measure as also for effecting the benefits retrospectively.

Source: DDI News

Minimum pension fixed for retired Central Government employees

Minimum pension fixed for retired Central Government employees

Minimum Pensions

The minimum pension fixed for retired Central Government employees is Rs. 3,500/- per month with effect from 01.01.2006. For pensioners, including those retired from public sector corporations and other establishments, to whom the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS), 1995 framed under the Employees’ Provident Funds & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 applies, provision of a minimum pension of Rs. 1,000/- per month has made with effect from 01.09.2014.

The Sixth Central Pay Commission had recommended pension of Rs. 3,330/- per month in respect of employees retired from the Central Government. The minimum pension of Rs. 1,000/- per month under the EPS, 1995 implemented by the Central Government was one of the recommendations of the Expert Committee constituted by the Government. Apart from this, the Committee on Petitions of the Rajya Sabha under the chairmanship of Shri Bhagat Singh Koshiyari in its 147th Report had recommended to increase Government share of contribution under EPS, 1995 from 1.16 per cent to 8.33 per cent to support the minimum pension level of Rs. 3000/- per month. However, it was not found feasible for implementation.

No complaints regarding anomalies in minimum pension in respect of Central Government employees have been received by the Government.

However, representations, grievances and complaints have been received from various quarters that the monthly pension to pensioners under EPS, 1995 have not increased to Rs. 1,000/- per month even after the notification in respect of pensioners who had taken short service pension, commutations or return of capital. Some grievances also relate to the fact that pension has not increased for those drawing more than Rs. 1,000/- per month.

Consequent upon implementation of the minimum pension to pensioners under EPS, 1995 vide notification number GSR 593(E) dated 19.08.2014, the pension of all member/widow(er)/disabled/ nominee/dependent parent pensioners whose original pension was less than Rs. 1,000/- per month had been fixed at the minimum of Rs. 1,000/- per month. In cases where members had preferred option for Commutation, Return of Capital and Short Service Pension and have already availed these benefits as per choice exercised by them at the time of making pension claim, the deductions on account of these options would continue to apply on the minimum pension of Rs. 1,000/- per month that has now been fixed. In such cases, the pension amount would be less than Rs. 1,000/- per month even after implementation of the said notification.

This information was given by Shri Bandaru Dattatreya, Minister of State (IC) for Ministry Labour and Employment, in reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

Source: PIB News

Dont take leave on 1st January 2016 – Due to implementation of 7th Pay Commission Recommendations

Dont take leave on 1st January 2016 – Due to implementation of 7th Pay Commission Recommendations

Is attendance compulsory for Central Government employees on the implementation day (01.01.2016) of the 7th Pay Commission recommendations?

Central Government employees are wondering if there will be any consequences of taking leave on January 1, 2016, the date of implementation of the 7th Pay Commission report.

The recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission regarding the salaries and perks for the Central Government employees will come into effect from January 1, 2016 onwards. Many are curious to find out the connection between the date of implementation of 7th CPC and reporting to work on the day.

Normally, the date of joining work, date of getting the promotion, date of receiving the increments, transfer date, and retirement dates are very important for a Central Government employee. In the average service period of a Central Government employee, he/she is likely to witness two or three Pay Commissions. Keeping this in mind, it would be better to not absent oneself on January 1, 2016.

“All Central Government employees are advised to report to work on January 1, 2016 (Friday).”

“This is especially so for those who are on long leave. It will help them avoid a lot of problems in future.”

“If 01.01.2016 is announced as a holiday, it will be better to report to work the next day.”

If the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission are going to be implemented from 01.01.2016 onwards, then the employees will have to come to work that day to accept these recommendations. If he/she is absent on the day, then the day they return to work will be treated as the day they had accepted the new recommendations.

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Lok Sabha during next week will take up The Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Bill, 2015 – PIB Report

Lok Sabha during next week will take up The Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Bill, 2015 – PIB Report

Press Information Bureau 

Government of India

Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs

20-December-2015 11:39 IST

As Winter session enters final lap, Rajya Sabha to take up some pending Bills

18 Bills with allotted discussion time of over 43 hours on unfinished agenda for Rajya Sabha

Upper House to discuss role of Arunachal Pradesh, price rise

Lower House to take up Payment of Bonus and National Waterways Bills

12 Bills passed and 6 introduced in Lok Sabha during this session so far; 1-0 in Rajya Sabha

With only 3 sittings left next week for the current Winter session of Parliament and hardly any legislative business transacted in Rajya Sabha so far, the All Party meeting convened by the Chairman of Rajya Sabha on Friday this week raised the prospects of passage of some of the pending Bills in the Upper House during the remainder of this session.

A total of 18 Bills for which the Business Advisory Committee of Rajya Sabha has allotted a total of 43.50 hours for discussion is on the unfinished agenda of the House. Of these, the House is likely to take up The Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts Bill, 2015, The Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill,2015, The Atomic Energy (Amendment) Bill,2015, The Appropriation Bills pertaining to Supplementary Demands for Grants (General) for 2015-16 and Excess Demands for Grants (General) for 2012-13, all passed by the Lok Sabha during this session and The Whistle Blower Protection (Amendment) Bill,2015, The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Bill,2015, as passed by the Lok Sabha earlier and The Child Labour (Protection and Regulation) Amendment Bill,2012, on which the Standing Committee presented its Report in December,2013.

Rajya Sabha is also likely to discuss next week the role of Governor of Arunachal Pradesh as agreed to by the Government at the All Party Meeting besides growing intolerance endangering the unity and diversity of the country and prices of essential commodities and food grains.

Lok Sabha during next week will take up The Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Bill,2015 and The National Waterways (Amendment) Bill,2015 for which discussion time of 2 and 3 hours respectively has been allotted.

Besides, the Lower House will take up short duration discussion on the situation in Nepal and the State of Indo-Nepal relations and resume discussion on Sustainable Development Goals, which was part discussed during the last session.

Work done during Winter session so far

During the current Winter session that commenced on November 26th, 12 Bills have been passed by Lok Sabha while 6 new Bills have been introduced.

Bills Passed were : The Carriage by Air (Amendment) Bill,2015, The Bureau of Indian Standards Bill,2015, The High Court and the Supreme Court Judges (salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill,2015, The Indian Trustees(Amendment) Bill,2015, The Industries (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill,2015, The Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Bill,2015, The Atomic Energy (Amendment) Bill,2015, Discussion and Voting on Supplementary Demands and Excess Demands for Grants and the related Appropriation Bills, The Sugar Cess (Amendment) Bill,2015, The Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts (Amendment) Bill,2015 and The Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill,2015.

All the 6 new Bills introduced relating to arbitration and conciliation, commercial jurisdiction of High Courts, atomic energy, payment of bonus to workers, industries and sugar cess were passed by the Lok Sabha.

Lower House held two day special discussion on commitment to the Constitution the occasion of 125th Birth anniversary of Dr.BR Ambedkar besides taking up issues of intolerance, floods in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, drought situation in the country and price rise.

Three suo-moto statements were made in the house by the concerned ministers regarding the visit of External Affairs Minister to Islamabad, initiatives relating to road transport and highways for regional connectivity with focus on North-East and climate change.

On the other hand, Rajya Sabha passed only Bill pertaining to Negotiable instruments while no new Bills were introduced in the House during the ongoing winter session so far.

The Upper House discussed commitment to the Constitution, floods in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh and Indo-Nepal relations. External Affairs Minister made a suo-moto statement on her visit to Islamabad.