Government gives extended time to visit NER areas on Leave Travel Concession by Air...

  

F.No. 31011/4/2007-Estt.(A)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
(Department of Personnel and Training)

  

New Delhi, dated 20th April, 2010

  

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

  

Subject: CCS (LTC) Rules, 1988 – Relaxation for travel by air to visit NER.

  

              The undersigned is directed to refer to this Department O.M. of even No.dated 2.5.2008 on the subject mentioned above and to say that the relaxation for travel by air to visit North Eastern Region under CCS (LTC) Rules, 1988 is extended for further two years beyond 1st May. 2010

Smt.Raj Bala Singh
Under SecretarY to the Government of India

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DOPT Order(dated 2 May, 2008) indicates...

*Group 'A' and 'B' Officers can travel to NER areas from their nearest posting area...

*Group 'C' and 'D' Employees can travel to NER areas only from Guwahati or Kolkata...

*Conversion of one block of Home Town LTC into LTC for destinations in NER.

  

F.No. 31011/412007-Estt.(A)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
(Department of Personnel and Training)

  

New Delhi, dated,2 May, 2008

  

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

  

Subject: CCS (LTC) Rules, 1988 - Relaxation for travel by air to visit NER.

  

               The undersigned is directed to say that in relaxation of CCS (LTC) Rules,1988, the Government have decided to permit Government servants to travel by air to North Eastern Region on LTC as follows:-

(i) Group A and Group B Central Government employees will be entitled to travel by Air from their place of posting or nearest airport to a city in the NER or nearest airport ..

(ii) Other categories of employees will be entitled to travel by air to a city in the NER from Guwahati or Kolkata.

(iii) All Central Government employees will be allowed conversion of one block of Home Town LTC into LTC for destinations in NER.

  

              2. These orders shall be in operation for a period of two years from the date ofissue of this O.M.

  

              3. Data regarding number of Government employees availing LTC to NER may be maintained.

  

              4. In their application to the staff serving in the Indian Audit and AccountsDepartment, these orders issue after consultation with the Comptroller and AuditorGeneral of India.

(A. K. Chaturvedi)
Under Secretary to the Government of India

A.Raja Intervens to resolve the issues with BSNL

A.Raja Intervens to resolve the issues with BSNL

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has called off the strike that began this morning after intervention of the Union Minister of Communications & Information Technology, Shri A. Raja. The decision to call off the strike was taken in the interest of the customers and the organization during a meeting between the Minister and the representatives of BSNL associations/unions here today.

The Minister directed the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) during the meeting to resolve the issue relating to revision of pay scale of non-executives and implementation of promotion policy for them within 15 days. The Department has also agreed to expeditiously move the proposal on revision of IDA pension to the Cabinet completing all the necessary formalities.

BSNL has been allowed to procure 10 million mobile lines immediately in view of the fact that 20 million lines are in the process of installation.

On the issues of disinvestment of BSNL, voluntary retirement scheme and unbundling of last mile copper pairs, the BSNL unions has been assured that all stakeholders will be taken into confidence by the Department before arriving at a final policy decision. On the issue of absorption of ITS Group ‘A’, the Department has further assured that the Cabinet Note shall be sent for consideration to the Cabinet as per the timeframe decided earlier. However, BSNL shall start process for recruitment of DGMs and management trainees and also decide the number of personnel to be recruited including their eligibility conditions.

Central Scheme on Home Based New Born Care

As part of the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) Phase-II and under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), an Integrated Management of Neo-natal and Childhood Illness (IMNCI) strategy is being implemented by States. IMNCI has an inbuilt component of care at home for the newborn where the trained health care provider is expected to visit the newborn on the 1st, 3rd and 7th day after the birth and make an additional 3 visits for the low birth weight baby on the 14th, 21st and the 28th day. Under IMNCI, ANMs and Anganwadi workers are trained to identify danger signs of a sick newborn child, provide management at home and timely referral to the health care facilities.

Uttar Pradesh runs a Comprehensive Child Survival Project where the IMNCI training module has been expanded to include birth preparedness and essential care at birth. Some other States like Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh Karnataka and Orissa are implementing Home Based Newborn Care (HBNBC) in a few districts.

As per the information received from the State of Tamil Nadu, the State is implementing the HBNBC as part of the IMNCI strategy.

The Institute of Child Health Centre, which is the State Nodal Centre for IMNCI, has developed a HBNBC training module in the Tamil language and piloted it in 40 Health Sub-Centres (4 HSCs each in 10 IMNCI Phase –I districts) in the year 2009 by the 6 Regional Training Institutes.

An evaluation of the pilot HBNBC training was conducted by the State trainers in July – Aug 2009 and outcome reported in Nov-2009.

Incorporating the recommendations of the evaluation study, the HBNBC training has been upscaled and 27354 personnel have been trained till March-2010. The trained personnel include Field Health & Nutrition workers, Self Help Group Members and Village Health Volunteers. The training programme has been expanded, through the District and Block training teams to cover all the districts by July -2010.

The District IMNCI training nodal officers and the IMNCI mentors, monitor the quality of the HBNBC training programme and supervise the implementation of the entire IMNCI programme at grass root level.

This information was given by Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Ghulam Nabi Azad in written reply to a question raised in Rajya Sabha today.

Launching of Unit Linked Insurance Policies

Launching of Unit Linked Insurance Policies

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) has reported that every life insurance company registered under the IRDA (Registration of Indian Insurance Companies) Regulations, 2000, can transact life insurance business which includes 'linked business'. After clearance from IRDA, the insurance companies must launch the products within three months from the date of clearance. The number of new products cleared by the IRDA during the financial year 2009-10 in respect of private insurance companies was 236.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Finance, Shri Namo Narain Meena in written reply to a question raised in Rajya Sabha today.

Role of Co-Operative Banks in Financial Inclusion

Role of Co-Operative Banks in Financial Inclusion

As per the Committee on Financial Inclusion (Dr. Rangarajan Committee), the short term cooperative credit structure has nearly 1.25 lakh outlets spread throughout the length and breadth of the country. Located in rural areas, these units have a better knowledge of their existing and potential clients. Further, Know of Your Customer (KYC), guidelines will be easier to comply with.

As per the recommendations of Rangarajan Committee report, Reserve Bank of India has issued instructions that Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) can be appointed as Business Correspondents by banks for promoting financial inclusion. Besides, Cooperatives can adopt group approach for financing excluded groups in which community based organisations such as joint liability groups will provide some degree of mutual guarantee to enable its members to access credit. National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has already circulated the guidelines on Self Help Groups to the Cooperatives.

Based on the recommendations of the report of the Committee on Financial Inclusion, Government of India created the Financial Inclusion Fund and Financial Inclusion Technology Fund in NABARD. The Cooperative Banks have been advised that they are eligible institutions to access these funds for financial inclusion.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Finance, Shri Namo Narain Meena in written reply to a question raised in Rajya Sabha today.

Finance Minister Welcomes RBI’s Monetary Policy for 2010-11

Finance Minister Welcomes RBI’s Monetary Policy for 2010-11 Monetary Policy Measures Complement Finance Ministry’s Policies Aimed at Controlling Inflation and Promoting Sustainable Growth: FM

Finance Minister, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has welcomed the Monetary Policy 2010-11 announced today by the Reserve Bank of India. Finance Minister’s observations on Monetary Policy are as under:

“Earlier today the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India announced a set of new monetary policy measures. The well-balanced measures, which involve raising the repo rate, the reverse repo rate and the CRR by 25 basis points each, reflect a mature and balanced view of the needs of our economy and I fully endorse the measures. They complement well the policies of the Ministry of Finance aimed at controlling inflation and promoting sustainable growth. These policies should have a gentle impact in tightening money in the economy and should dampen further inflationary pressures.

The Reserve Bank of India has made a forecast of inflation of 5.5% for the year 2010-11. Long-run inflation is very difficult to predict and is based on some statistical analysis but also on intuition. My own belief based on analysis done in my ministry is that inflation is now on a downward trajectory and in 2010-11 will be less than 5.5% and, in fact, closer to 4% with an upward bias.

The small tightening of credit and other policy changes are in the right direction. It has to be recalled that these policy rates were lowered in the last two years in order to combat the fall-out of the global recession on the Indian economy. India has now bounced back, with growth seemingly back on track and inflation, though high, on a clear downward trend. Hence, I believe that it is time to move back towards "neutral" policy rates, that is, rates that should prevail when an economy is stable and on track. I view these changes as moves towards normal times.

Inflation is extremely sensitive to the weather condition and how that affects agriculture and agricultural expectations. If nothing untoward happens on the weather front, my belief is that overall inflation has peaked and should be on a downward trajectory from now on. Actually food price inflation has been going down for a while now. The reason why the overall WPI was at the same level in February and March is because there was a slight increase in non-food inflation. Usually when that happens it calls for economy-wide demand tightening and the RBI policy announcement may be viewed as a judicious move towards that.

Some observers may worry that tightening of credit can dampen growth especially in the durable goods sector. But our analysis of industrial growth and credit off-take suggests that there is no reason for such apprehension. In fact these policies will aid sustainable growth.

Let me add that the overall economic scenario in India now looks extremely robust and better than it has any time in the last two years. I congratulate the Governor of the RBI for his able stewardship of monetary policy. It has been very well synchronized with fiscal policy and has played a major role in India’s healthy recovery.”

Educational Loan for National Handicapped Finance & Development Corporation (NHFDC) students

Education Loans to Handicapped Students by Nhfd

National Handicapped Finance & Development Corporation (NHFDC) provides education loan at concessional interest rates to handicapped students (fulfilling eligilibility critera to avail loan) to pursue higher studies in India upto Rs. 7.50 lakh and abroad upto Rs. 15 lakh.

The interest rates are:

(i) Upto Rs. 50,000/- -5% p.a.

(ii) Above Rs. 50,000/- -6% p.a. and upto Rs. 5 lakh

(iii) Above Rs. 5 lakh -8% p.a.

Also, a rebate of 1% on interest is given to women beneficiaries.

14 Handicapped students have availed education loans from NHFDC from 2007-2008 to 2009-10. NHFDC functions as an apex corporation and channelises its funds through State Channelising Agecies (SCAs) for the welfare of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).

The proposal for education loans above Rs. 1.50 lakh received from SCAs are sanctioned at NHFDC level and the proposals upto Rs. 1.50 lakh are sanctioned by the SCA under delegated authority.

This information was given by Shri. D. Napoleon, the Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment, in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.

Scheme of Incentive to The Private Sector For Employment of Physically Challenged Persons

Scheme of Incentive to The Private Sector For Employment of Physically Challenged Persons

A Scheme of Incentive to the Private Sector for Employment of Physically Challenged Persons has been launched, w.e.f. 01.04.2008. Under this Scheme, the Government of India provides the employer’s contribution for Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and Employees State Insurance (ESI) for 3 years, for employees with disabilities employed in the private sector on or after 01.04.2008, with a monthly salary upto 25,000.

Similarly 20 Vocational Rehabilitation Centres (VRCs) are functioning in the Country with a view to provide economic rehabilitation assistance to persons with disabilities. In order to enhance the employability of persons with disabilities, Skill Development Initiative Scheme (SDIS) based on Modular Employable Skill has been introduced in VRCs from the financial year 2010-11.

This information was given by Shri. D. Napoleon, the Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment, in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.