Region-wise details of Inoperative Account (unclaimed money) - Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)

Unclaimed Money With EPFO

Various steps have been taken by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to strengthen Service to Members Area. Introduction of National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT), Short Message Service (SMS) facility for claim settlement, EPFiGMS (internet based grievances mechanism system) and Special drive for priority disposal of transfer cases are few of such instances in this direction. In addition to it, the ‘Computerization Project’ of the EPFO will provide more tools to serve the subscribers in much better way.

The database of the members is not centrally maintained and is primarily maintained by the Regional/Sub-Regional Offices of Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). However, in ‘Computerization Project’ of the EPFO, a Central Depository for keeping Members database has been envisaged to have a quick access to member’s database even at Head Office level. This is one of the reasons for multiple accounts in case of certain members.

Region-wise details of Inoperative Account (unclaimed money) as per the audited Balance Sheet for the financial year 2008-09 is given below:

Sl. No.	Region	Balance as on 31.03.2009 (in Rs.)
1	ANDHRA PRADESH - HYDERABAD	5,960,442,298.84
2	ANDHRA PRADESH - GUNTUR	2,349,819,190.00
3	BIHAR	640,455.03
4	CHHATTISGARH	1,547,757,920.50
5	DELHI-NORTH	36,612,348.55
6	DELHI-SOUTH	29,973,933.04
7	GOA	180,369,271.00
8	GUJARAT - AHMEDABAD	20,144,984.69
9	GUJARAT - BARODA	6,137,088.62
10	HARYANA	31,674,066.60
11	HIMACHAL PRADESH	1,005,117,000.00
12	JHARKHAND	503,214.65
13	KARNATAKA - BANGALORE	31,901,486.00
14	KARNATAKA - MANGALORE	362,000.00
15	KERALA	1,757,689.00
16	MADHYA PRADESH	1,344,460,643.00
17	MAHARASHTRA - I (BANDRA)	78,957,978.49
18	MAHARASHTRA - II (THANE)	-
19	MAHARASHTRA - NAGPUR	3,139,926,215.80
20	MAHARASHTRA - PUNE	17,754,414,135.67
21	N.E. REGION	4,241,478.53
22	ORISSA	2,925,876.08
23	PUNJAB - CHANDIGARH	44,649,373.00
24	PUNJAB - LUDHIANA	81,505,706.37
25	RAJASTHAN	11,549,049.14
26	TAMIL NADU - CHENNAI	4,405,128,663.58
27	TAMIL NADU - COIMBATORE	782,335,401.74
28	TAMIL NADU - MADURAI	1,994,091,617.80
29	UTTARAKHAND	39,179,693.43
30	UTTAR PRADESH	12,736,558,898.13
31	WEST BENGAL - KOLKATA	4,286,103,228.49
32	WEST BENGAL - JALPAIGURI	1,016,060,035.83
	TOTAL	58,925,300,941.60

Shri Harish Rawat, Minister of State for Labour and Employment gave this information in reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

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Welfare Scheme for CPF Personnel

Welfare Scheme for CPF Personnel

The total fund sanctioned, released and utilized by Central Para Military Force (CPFs) for the welfare activities during the last three years and current year is as under:-

Year	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11 (as on 30/06/2010
Assam Rifles	415.50	400.50	641.32	250.00
Border Security Force	1473.84	1151.42	1602.63	300.00
Central Reserve Police Force	1552.40	1473.95	3356.27	3072.00
Central Industrial Security Force	329.72	279.36	718.81	100.00
Indo Tibetan Border Police	265.60	294.05	469.18	205.00
Sashashtra Seema Bal	237.76	278.38	342.18	200.00
National Security Guard	59.62	30.59	26.00	---
Total utilized	4334.44	3908.25	7156.39	4127.00

Proposal of welfare activities received from different sections of Central Para Military Forces are considered by the Government from time to time.

This was stated by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Shri Ajay Maken in written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.
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Welfare Of Defence Personnel - "One Rank One Pension"

Welfare Of Defence Personnel

A committee was constituted under the Chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary to look in the issue of ‘One Rank One Pension and other related issues’. After considering all aspects and keeping in mind the spirit of the demand, several recommendations to substantially improve pensionary benefits of Armed Forces pensioners have been made, which have been accepted and are as follows:-

(i) Inclusion of classification Allowance for PBOR from January 01, 2006.

(ii) Removal of linkage of full pension with 33 years from January 01, 2006.

(iii) Revision of Lt General Pension after carving out a separate pay scale for them.

(iv) Bringing parity between pension of pre and post October 10, 1997 PBOR pensioners.

(v) Further improving PBOR pensions based on award of Group of Ministers 2006.

(vi) Broad banding percentage of disability /war injury pensions for pre- January 01, 2006 disability/war injury pensioners.

(vii) Removal of cap on war injury element of pension in the case of disabled pensioners belong to Category E.

Government orders in implementation of the same have been issued on October 30, 2009, January 19, 2010, January 20, 2010 and March 08, 2010. Approximately 12 lac pensioners are benefitted by the recommendations.

This information was given by Minister of State for Defence Shri MM Pallam Raju in a written reply to Smt Sumitra Mahajan in Lok Sabha today.
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Nalanda Ordnance Factory in Bihar

Nalanda Ordnance Factory

The details of land acquired from the farmers for setting the Nalanda Ordnance Factory in Bihar are as follows

(a) Total area of land acquired is 1749.82 acres.

(b)
(i) The number of families affected / displaced – 1191.

(ii) Compensation of Rs. 35.56 crores has been paid towards the cost of land.

(iii) 1191 houses have been constructed for the displaced families along with roads, water supply and sanitation facilities. Common amenities such as community centre, school and dispensary have also been constructed. The total expenditure for these amounts to Rs. 14.59 crores.

(c) No representations have been received regarding compensation or rehabilitation. But there are representations on provision of jobs.

Preferential employment in Ordnance Factory, Nalanda could not be provided for the displaced persons as the Government policy at that time did not provide for such employment.

This information was given by Defence Minister Shri AK Antony in a written reply to Shri Ramkishun and Shri Kaushalendra Kumar in Lok Sabha today.

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Welfare Schemes for Physically Challenged Persons

Welfare Schemes for Physically Challenged Persons

The following schemes are being implemented by the Government for the welfare of the persons with disabilities:-

(i) Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS):- Under the scheme, funds for the welfare of persons with disabilities are provided to the non-governmental organizations for projects like special schools for disabled, Vocational Training Centres, Half Way Homes, Community Based Rehabilitation Centres, Early Intervention Centres for Disabled and Rehabilitation of Leprosy Cured Persons etc.

(ii) Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids and Appliances (ADIP):- Under the scheme, aids/appliances are distributed to the needy persons with disabilities which includes mentally challenged children also.

(iii) National Institutions:- The Ministry supports seven autonomous National Institutes which provide rehabilitation services and undertake manpower development with the overall objective of providing rehabilitation services for different types of disabilities.

(iv) The National Handicapped Finance & Development Corporation provides concessional credit to persons with disabilities for setting up income generating activities for self employment.

(v) Scheme for Implementation of Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 (SIPDA):- Under this Scheme, assistance is provided for setting up of District Disability Rehabilitation Centres, Regional Rehabilitation Centres, creating barrier free environment in public buildings, awareness generation etc.

(vi) Scheme of Incentives to Employees in the Private Sector for providing employment to persons with disabilities:- Under this Scheme, launched in April, 2008, the Government of India provides the employers’ contribution for Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and Employees State Insurance (ESI) for three years, for persons with disabilities employed in the private sector on or after 1.4.2008, with a monthly salary upto Rs.25,000/-.

Since all the schemes are Central Sector schemes, the funds are not allocated state-wise. The Budget allocation under these schemes for the last three years and current year is given below:

Scheme/Programme	Budget Allocation (In crores)
ADIP	328
DDRS	336
Employment of Physically challenged	38
NHFDC	75
National Institutes	207
SIPDA	158

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.

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Welfare of Ex-Servicemen - Defence Minister informed in Lok Sabha

Welfare of Ex-Servicemen

The number of ex-servicemen as on date in the country, statewise is as under:-

Sl No.	State	Number of Ex-Servicemen
1.	Andhra Pradesh	72801
2.	Arunachal Pradesh	1148
3.	Assam	42722
4.	Bihar	106997
5.	Chandigarh	375
6.	Chhatisgarh	1677
7.	Dadra Nagar Haveli	8
8.	Delhi	16887
9.	Goa Daman & Diu	424
10.	Gujarat	24433
11.	Haryana	217528
12.	Himachal Pradesh	110508
13.	Jammu & Kashmir	95282
14.	Jharkhand	11692
15.	Karnataka	65448
16.	Kerala	138114
17.	Madhya Pradesh	52596
18.	Maharastra	170431
19.	Manipur	7656
20.	Meghalaya	3041
21.	Mizoram	3723
22.	Nagaland	4677
23.	Orissa	34342
24.	Pondicherry	1153
25.	Andaman & Nicobar	823
26.	Lakshadweep	47
27.	Punjab	306743
28.	Rajasthan	167175
29.	Sikkim	911
30.	Tamil Nadu	129718
31.	Tripura	2257
32.	Uttar Pradesh	300643
33.	Uttarakhand	98326
34.	West Bengal	70399
	Total	2260705

The details of schemes being implemented for the welfare, rehabilitation and resettlement of ex-servicemen is as under:

Training

Ex-Servicemen are given training to prepare them for civilian life. Directorate General Resettlement is entrusted with the responsibility of preparing both-Ex-Servicmen and retiring service personnel for second carrier. Towards this end Officers and PBORs are given resettlement training at IIMs and various other institutes across the country.

Self Employment

The following self-employment schemes are operated for the welfare of officers and PBORs Ex-Servicemen:

(i) Security agencies.

(ii) Allotment of surplus army vehicles.

(iii) Coal Transportation Scheme.

(iv) Allotment of oil product agencies.

(v) Coal Tipper scheme.

(vi) Allotment of BPCL GHAR outlets.

(vii) Mother Dairy Milk and Fruits and Vegetables shops.

(viii) Management of CNG station by ESM officers in NCR.

(ix) Management of Toll Plaza under NHAI.

Financial Assistance

(i) Treatment of serious ailments

(ii) Supply of modified scooters for ESM paraplegics

(iii) Tools kits for ESM technician

(iv) Financial assistance for needy ESM for house repair, daughters marriage, children education etc.

Prime Minister’s Merit Scholarship Scheme

4000 scholarships are awarded every year to the wards of ex-servicemen to pursue technical and professional course.

Funds for maintenance of paraplegic rehabilitation centres, Cheshire home and St. Dustan aftercare organisation and war memorial hostels.

Besides the above the following benefits are also available to Ex-servicemen:-

(i) Tuition fee exemption for wards of war widows/war disable ex-Servicemen.

(ii) Allotment of medical / BDS seats to wards of defence personnel

(iii) Reservation in State Government jobs and in professional colleges for wards of ESM/widows.

(iv) Reservation in allotment of house sites/flats.

(v) Cash incentives for winners of gallantry awards.

(vi) Exgratia grant to war widows.

(vii) Concession in fare for rail and air to recipients of gallantry awards, permanently disabled officers and war widows.

(viii) Legal assistance and exemption of court fee

(ix) 10 to 24.5 % reservation in Group C and D posts in Central and State Government, PSUs, nationalized banks and paramilitary forces.

Medical Facility:

Along with the above benefit 100 % medical coverage is provided to ex-servicemen pensioners through Ex-Service Contributory health Scheme (ECHS), who are members of the scheme.

State-wise details of beneficiaries/expenditure are not maintained, however during the last three years 4326 officers, 83079 PBORs and 2998 Ex-Servicemen were trained for resettlement. In addition 1,17,779 Ex-Servicemen were provided employment during this period through Directorate General Resettlement. The expenditure for resettlement and welfare during the last three years is Rs. 100.18 crores. Moreover, Rs. 2009.77 crores was spent on medical treatment of Ex-Servicemen and their dependents.

The amount for rehabilitation of Ex-Servicemen is based on the yearly requirement as projected by the implementing agencies. Ex-Servicemen are getting appropriate placements.

This information was given by Defence Minister Shri AK Antony in a written reply to Shri Harishchandra Chavan in Lok Sabha today.
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Review of Functioning of CGHS

Review of Functioning of CGHS

The performance of the CGHS is regularly reviewed by the Government. The committee of secretaries has also been regularly reviewing the functioning of the CGHS since December 2008 and has been giving directions to the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare for making it beneficiary friendly. Some of the recent initiatives are listed below:

1. Computerisation: To keep pace with the modern times, a massive computerisation work has been taken up under CGHS in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre. Computerisation of the CGHS will result in lesser waiting period for beneficiaries at the dispensaries; online placement indents on local chemists, availability of patients profiles; availability of medicine, drugs usage pattern, which enable the CGHS to prepare a realistic of formulary drugs; reduction in use of paper; removal of jurisdictional restriction (as regard the dispensaries) for the beneficiaries, etc.

2. Introduction of Plastic cards: As part of the computerisation process, it has been decided to plastics cards individually to each beneficiary of the CGHS. This will enable beneficiaries to avail CGHS facility in any city should they happen to be in that city either on official work or on leave. Inter city treatment will be possible after all cities are computerised and networked.

3. Accreditation of hospitals with National Accreditation Board for hospitals and health care providers (NABH) and lapse with National Accreditation Board for Testing and Caliberation Laboratories (NABL): With a view to providing better quality treatment to CGHS beneficiaries, it was decided that only those private hospitals and diagnostic centres would be empanelled under the CGHS, as have been cleared by the quality Council of India after it carried out inspection of the facilities available at these hospitals and diagnostic centres. It may been decided all the hospitals and laboratories on the panel of CGHS have to get certificates issued by the NABH / NADL under the quality council of India.

4. Medical Audit of Hospital Bills is an important exercise to assess the quality of services offered and expenditure incurred. In order to be sure that the bills raised by private empanelled hospitals are genuine and that the beneficiaries were required to undergo only that treatment as was required and that the hospital has not forced the beneficiary to undergo unnecessary tests / treatment at the hospital. The job of the medical audit of Hospital bills has been outsourced to TPAs.

5. Holding of Claims Adalats: Complaints were received in the CGHS and in the Ministry that old cases of reimbursement of medical expenses incurred by pensioners were pending for settlement for long time. It was decided that claims adalats be held in each Zonal office of CGHS, Delhi under the chairmanship of the Additional Directors of the respective zones. Claims adalats were held annually, in each zone (East, Central, South and North Zones) in Delhi, during 2007 and 2008 and over 95% of the claims were settled in those adalats. Encorporated by the success in Delhi, all CGHS cities have been directed to hold claim adalats on annual basis.

6. Local Advisory Committees Local Advisory Committee meetings are held in each CGHS dispensary on second Saturday on the month attended by the Welfare Officer appointed by the Chief Welfare Officer, Department of Personnel & Training, representatives from pensioners associations, local chemists to resolve problems at dispensary level.

7. Decentralisation and delegation of powers: Ministries / departments have been delegated powers to handle all cases of reimbursement claims if no relaxation of rules was involved. Either they had powers to handle requests upto Rs. 2 Lakh and beyond that amount, the cases were referred to CGHS.

8. Rate contract for purchase of drugs: Dispensaries in Delhi have been permitted to place indent directly on the manufacturers on rate contract basis. The benefit of this arrangement is that dispensaries / CGHS do not have to carry huge inventory of medicines and indents can be placed on a monthly basis depending on the need.

This information was given by Minister for Health and Family Welfare Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad in written reply to a question raised in Rajya Sabha today
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Modernisation of Post Offices

Modernisation of Post Offices

Project Arrow has been launched with objective of modernizing the post offices and making visible, tangible and noteworthy differences in the Post Offices’ operations that matter to “Aam Aadmi”. The project envisages upgradation of Post Offices in urban and rural areas both in terms of upgrading and enhancing the quality of service in ‘core areas’ and improving the ‘look and feel.’ The project aims at creating a conducive and friendly work environment both for the staff and the customers visiting the Post Offices, providing all IT enabled services through secure connectivity, improving the service quality levels in the core business areas e.g. Mail delivery, Remittances both electronic and manual and Postal Savings Scheme.

The Project was launched initially on proof of concept basis in 50 post offices in Phase I. After the successful completion of the Phase I, it was implemented in 450 post office in Phase II and in 500 post offices in Phase III across the country including rural areas. In the current financial year Project Arrow is being extended to 500 more post offices across the country. Project Arrow aims at comprehensive improvement of the core operations of the Post Office as well as the ambience in which postal transactions are undertaken. The response of the general public and the staff of the department to the initiatives have been overwhelmingly positive.

The initiative Project Arrow - Transforming India Post has also won the Prime Minister’s award for Excellence in Public Administration for the year 2008-09.

Head Post Offices and important Sub Post Offices located in rural areas are being covered under Project Arrow in a phased manner.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Communications & Information Technology, Shri Gurudas Kamat in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.
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Govt. approved Revision Pay Scales for Port Trust Officers

Revision of pay Scales of Class-I and Class-II Officers of Major Port Trusts Approved

The Government has approved the revision of pay-scales of Class-I and Class-II officers of Major Port Trusts w.e.f. 1 January, 2007.
The revision would benefit about 3,600 officers of the eleven Major Port Trusts and Calcutta Dock Labour Board. The highlight of the revision is a fitment benefit of 30% to all officers and also one level jump in the pay-scales consequent to removal of non-standard pay-scale as per Department of Public Enterprise’s Guidelines.
The other major decision consequent to the revision of pay-scale is that allowing the officers of Major Port Trusts to avail the benefits of various allowances under “cafeteria” approach as prescribed for Public Sector Undertaking executives.
The total financial implications involved on account this revision is approximately about Rs.55 crores annually. The Major Ports will meet this additional expenditure from their own resources. No budgetary support from the Government will be provided.

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