This blog is meant for use by members of the Association for news and views. Send comments / suggestions / views to e-mail Id: aiaipasp.ors@gmail.com

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Retirement on superannuation

Shri Sarit Ku. Chakrabarti, Principal Chief Postmaster General, Odisha Circle, Bhubaneswar has retired from Govt. Service today the 31.07.2013(A/N) on superannuation.

On the occasion of his retirement from Govt. Service, All India Association of Inspectors and Assistant Superintendents of Posts , Odisha Circle Branch bids him a respectful farewell and wishes him a good-health and peaceful life in his post-retirement days.

[From Left 1. Shri A.K. Singh, DPS(BD & Technology), 2. Shri P.K. Bisoi, PMG, Sambalpur Region, 3.Shri Lokanath Panda,SS,  Retired today, 4. Shri S.S. Mandal, Sr. A.O., ICOSB, Retired today, 5. Shri S.K. Chakrabarti, Princiapal CPMG, Retired today, 6.Shri Pawan Ku.Singh, DPS(HQ), 7. Shri Sukhbir Singh, DA(P), 8.Shri K.K. Mishra, Vice- President, PRC]

Beware! Your KYC papers may be misused

Leaving your 'know your customer' (KYC) documents floating around can be dangerous for your financial well-being. Banks have discovered several cases of identity theft where fraudsters have created a new third-party identity using misappropriated KYC documents, such as copies of phone bills and PAN card, to avail of credit cards or loans.

Some weeks ago, a Mumbai resident found that his identity had been stolen and a fraudster had been using a credit card obtained by misappropriating his KYC documents. Besides this, there are several cases where identity theft attempts have been made, but have been nipped in the bud by banks using fraud detection software. 

In another case, a fraud attempt was detected after two applicants for a primary and add-on card provided details that differed from what was provided by identical applicants in another application. The fraud was detected because the bank used a fraud detection service called Hunter provided by Experian.

"Typically, the fraudster will provide most of the details of the fake identity but will change either the mobile phone or email to keep contact with the bank. Our software matches details provided by the individual in other applications and flags it as suspicious if there are too many discrepancies," said Mohan Jayaraman, MD, Experian Credit Information Company. Because it is a credit information company, Experian by law can retain information of borrowers on its database. 

According to Jayaraman, credit companies in the UK provide a service whereby borrowers can sign up and receive alerts every time a bank inquires about his credit history. Such credit checks are made at the time of granting loans or cards and an individual is immediately alerted if his identity is being misused. "Consumers need to be alert in disposing of their statements and should not dispose KYC documents to the 'raddi-walla'," he said. 

The other solution that financial advisers are recommending is that every time photocopies are issued for KYC purposes, the borrower should mention on the copy the purpose for which the documents are being issued. 

"Obtaining a credit profile from the credit bureau will give you an idea if your identity has been used by someone," said Rajiv Raj, founder of Creditvidya, a credit counseling firm. "A change in address should be immediately updated with all service providers. Otherwise this gives an opportunity for mail to be intercepted and misused."

Source:-The Economic Times

Last date for filing income tax returns extended to August 5

f you have been struggling to meet the July 31 deadline for filing your annual tax returns, there's some good news for you. The Ministry of Finance has now decided to extend this deadline to August 5 this year. 

"Due to large number of taxpayers accessing the e-fling website on due date of filing, some cases of taxpayers not being able to access the e-filing portal have been reported. These problems are primarily due to network constraints of the local internet service providers (ISPs). However, as a measure of taxpayers' convenience, it has been decided to extend the due date of filing of returns July 31, 2013 to August 5, 2013," an official release from the Ministry of Finance said. 

For the assessment year 2013-14, the Central Board of Direct Taxes ( CBDT) had made it mandatory for individuals earning more than Rs 5 lakh to file their returns electronically. Tax payers can complete the procedure by visiting the Income Tax department's e-filing portal www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in. 

According to the official communication, the number of individuals opting for the electronic route has shot up this year. "There is an unprecedented surge in number of returns being e-filed during this year. Till July 30, 92.03 lakh returns had been filed online, which is 46.8% higher than the returns e-filed in the corresponding period last financial year," the release said.

Source:-The Economic Times

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Overwhelming Response for e-filing from Every Corner of the Country

The due date for filing of Income Tax Return for individuals and non-auditable cases is 31st July, 2013. There has been an overwhelming response for e-filing from every corner of the country. More than 82 lakh returns have been e-filed till 29th July, 2013 which is more than 40% of the returns e-filed during the same period last year. 

On 30th July, 2013, 6.23 lakh returns were e-filed till 6:00 PM. Record peak of more than 85,000 returns per hour has been achieved. 

Due to overwhelming response, some taxpayers have reported problems in accessing e-filing portal which is primarily due to network constrains of the local internet service providers. The e-filing portal has been running without any interruptions and is being continuously monitored by a dedicated team of income tax officials in Bangalore. The situation will again be reviewed by the CBDT tomorrow morning. 

Source:-PIB

Step-by-step guide to file your income tax return online

If you earn above Rs 5 lakh, you have to file returns electronically this year. That means you can file your returns even in the last two days from your home computer. You can seek the help of a professional or do it yourself by using the official website of the Income-Tax department or a host of private websites.

Before we proceed to how to use these portals effectively , let us address a major source of ambiguity this year regarding the applicability of forms ITR-1 and ITR-2 to salaried individuals or pensioners with one house property and interest income. Tax consultants are divided on the interpretation of new provision on exempt income , introduced this year.

According to this provision, those with exempt income exceeding Rs 5,000 cannot file their return using ITR-1 (Sahaj). While some feel that all salaried individuals who have tax-exempt income like House Rent Allowance (HRA), Leave Travel Allowance (LTA) and transport allowance have to use ITR-2 this year, others argue that they can continue to use the much simpler ITR-1 (Sahaj).

"My view is that the exempt income here refers to sources like dividends and not tax-free salary components like HRA and conveyance allowance," explains Divya Baweja, senior director at Deloitte in India. The Income-Tax department is yet to issue a clarification on the matter.

Using the official website

Before you start the process, keep your bank statements, Form 16 issued by your employer and a copy of last year's return at hand. Next, log on to www.incometaxindiaefiling .gov.in. Follow these steps:

Step1: Register yourself on the website. Your Permanent Account Number (PAN) will be your user ID.

Step2:View your tax credit statement — Form 26AS — for the financial year 2012-13 . The statement will reflect the taxes deducted by your employer actually deposited with the I-T department. The TDS as per your Form 16 must tally with the figures in Form 26AS. If you file the return despite discrepancies, if any, you could get a notice from the I-T department later.

Step 3: Under the 'Download' menu, click on Income Tax Return Forms and choose AY 2013-14 (for financial year 2012-13 ). Download the Income Tax Return (ITR) form applicable to you. If your exempt income exceeds Rs 5,000, the appropriate form will be ITR-2 . If the applicable form is ITR-1 or ITR 4S, you can complete the process on the portal itself, by using the 'Quick e-file ITR' link.

Step 4: Open the downloaded Return Preparation Software (excel utility) and complete the form by entering all the details , using your Form 16.

Step 5: Ascertain the tax payable by clicking the 'Calculate Tax' tab. Pay tax (if applicable) and enter the challan details in the tax return.

Step 6: Confirm all the information in the worksheet by clicking the 'Validate' tab.

Step 7: Proceed to generate an XML file and save it on your computer.

Step 8: Go to 'Upload Return' on the portal's left panel and upload the saved XML file after selecting 'AY 2013-2014 ' and the relevant form. You will be asked whether you wish to digitally sign the file. If you have obtained a DS (digital signature), select Yes. Or, choose 'No'.

Step 9: Once the website flashes the message about successful e-filing on your screen, you can consider the process to be complete. The acknowledgment form — ITR—Verification (ITR-V ) will be generated and you can download it.

Step 10: Take a printout of the form ITR-V , sign it preferably in blue ink, and send it only by ordinary or Speed post to the Income-Tax Department-CPC , Post Bag No-1 , Electronic City Post Office, Bangalore - 560 100, Karnataka, within 120 days of filing your return online.

Source:-The Economic Times

Monday, July 29, 2013

Little-known tax deductions you might have missed while filing returns

Paying more tax than is due is bad enough. It's worse if you don't even know you have overpaid and are eligible for a refund. Many youngsters are not conversant with tax rules and fail to fully utilise the deductions available to them.

Tax filing portal Taxspanner.com studied last year's returns and found that nearly 51 per cent of salaried taxpayers had not fully used the tax-saving limit under Section 80C. Only one of the four taxpayers had claimed the full deduction for health insurance under Section 80D.

Here are some little-known deductions available to taxpayers. Make sure you claim them when you file your returns this year. If you have already done so, you can file a revised one to claim the deduction you missed.

1. Home loan repayment under Section 80C

If you are paying a hefty home loan EMI, chances are that you will find it difficult to put money in tax-saving options. Take heart. While the interest paid on the home loan is deductible under Section 24b, even the principal portion gets you tax benefits under Section 80C.

This is a godsend for taxpayers, who have not been able to exhaust their Rs 1 lakh saving limit under Section 80C because of the home loan EMI. The deduction for the interest paid on a home loan is capped at Rs 1.5 lakh only in case of a self-occupied house. If you have bought a second house for investment and have rented it out, the entire interest during a given year can be claimed as a deduction. This brings down the effective rate of borrowing for the buyer.

2. 30 per cent standard deduction of rental

If you let out your house, the rent is added to your income and taxed at the normal rate applicable to you. However, there is a 30 per cent standard deduction from this income. So, if you receive a rent of Rs 10,000 per month, the total rent for the year would be Rs 1.2 lakh. Of this, Rs 36,000 would be the standard deduction and you will have to pay tax only on Rs 84,000.

3. Carry forward and adjust capital losses

Certain short-term or long-term capital losses you made during the year can be adjusted against other gains. If you lost money in stocks, equity funds or gold last year, you can set off the loss against short-term capital gains or taxable long-term capital gains from the sale of property, gold or debt funds. If you are unable to adjust the entire loss, you can carry it forward for up to eight financial years.

Suppose you lost Rs 80,000 in stocks and gold funds in 2012-13 and managed to adjust Rs 30,000 against gains from debt funds. You can carry forward the unadjusted loss of Rs 50,000 and keep doing so against other gains till 2020-21. However, you can adjust only short-term losses from stocks and equity funds in this manner. If you have held the stocks and funds for more than one year, the losses cannot be adjusted.

Also, one cannot set off short-term gains from stocks against long-term capital losses from other assets. However, both short-term and long-term losses from other assets, such as gold, property and debt funds, can be adjusted. The taxpayers who earned capital gains from fixed maturity plans (FMPs) and debt funds will find this particularly useful.

4. Use indexation for long-term gains

Do you know you can use inflation to bring down your tax? The indexation benefit can be used to adjust the buying price of an asset to the inflation during the period of holding. If this sounds Greek to you, here's an example.

Suppose you invested Rs 2 lakh in an FMP, in March 2010, and got Rs 2.8 lakh when the plan matured in March 2013. You will have to pay 10 per cent tax on the Rs 80,000 earned as capital gain. However, if you take the indexation route, the 35 per cent inflation during the holding period will adjust your buying price upwards to Rs 2.7 lakh. Even though the gain of Rs 10,000 will be taxed at a higher rate of 20 per cent, the overall tax will be only Rs 2,000, compared with the Rs 8,000 payable, if you were to take the flat 10 per cent option.

Calculating the tax according to the indexation option requires a bit of math, but can be very rewarding.

5. Medical insurance of parents

The premium of your health insurance policy is deductible up to Rs 15,000 under Section 80D. However, you are eligible for an additional deduction of Rs 15,000 if you have insured your parents as well. If even one of them is a senior citizen, the limit of deduction is even higher at Rs 20,000.

6. Illness and disability

If you have a dependant, who suffers from any of the diseases specified under Section 80DDB, you can claim a deduction of Rs 40,000. The deduction is higher at Rs 60,000 if the patient is a senior citizen. The diseases include, neurological ones (dementia, dystonia musculorum deformans, motor neuron disease, ataxia, chorea, hemiballismus, aphasia and Parkinson's disease), malignant cancers, full-blown AIDS, chronic kidney failure and haematological disorders (haemophilia and thalassaemia). Dependants can include spouse, children, parents and siblings.

However, the patient should be wholly or mainly dependent on the taxpayer and should not have separately claimed any sum from an insurance company for the illness. Similarly, if a taxpayer suffers from a disability, he can claim deduction of Rs 75,000 under Section 80U. If he has a disabled dependant, he can claim the deduction under Section 80DD.

Disability includes blindness, low vision, leprosy, hearing impairment, loco-motor disability, mental retardation and mental illness. A minor disability won't get any tax benefits; the disability should be at least 40 per cent. If the disability is over 80 per cent, the deduction is Rs 1 lakh.

Source:-The Economic Times

Transfer and Postings of Higher Administrative Grade (HAG) officers of Indian Postal Service Group 'A'

To view the order please Click Here.

Friday, July 26, 2013

Issue of Identity Cards to Central Govt. Pensioners reg.

To view please Click Here.

Income Tax Deptt. Sends Letters to Another Batch of 35,000 Non-Filers Tax Payers again urged to disclose their true Income and Pay Due Taxes

As part of its ongoing initiative, the Income Tax Department has, on 22nd July, 2013 sent letters to another batch of 35,000 non filers. These persons were part of the around 12 lakh non-filers identified as a result of data matching exercise. With this latest batch, the Department has now issued letters in 2,10,000 high priority cases. 

The response to this initiative has been very encouraging and a large number of tax payers have paid taxes and filed Income Tax Returns. A compliance management cell has been set up to monitor return filing and tax payment of the target segment. This information is now being made available to the jurisdictional assessing authorities through the online monitoring system for verification and issue of notices in relevant cases. 

Government would once again urge all tax payers to disclose their true income and pay appropriate taxes. 

Source:-PIB

Thursday, July 25, 2013

CHQ News:-DPC for the promotion to the cadre of PS Gr. B for the year 2013-14....an update

Today, it is confirmed that since last three days nobody from following circles turned to Directorate to hand over the CRs/APARs and requisite information for convening DPC for the promotion to PS Gr. B. The work is badly held up at Directorate. 

1. Bihar 2. Haryana 3. Jammu & Kashmir 4. Jharkhand 5. Kerala 6. Madhya Pradesh 7. Maharashtra 8. North East9. Uttar Pradesh 10. West Bengal 11. APS

CHQ News:-DPC for promotion to JTS Gr. A cadre for the year 2012-13 and 2013-14.......an update

It is learnt from Directorate that, some time is required to convene the DPC for JTS Gr. A cadre.

Appeal for Donation in the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund for victims of Uttarakhand distaster

A copy of the Asst. Director General (Admn), D.O. No.92-61/2013-Coord/O&M dated 09.07.2013 with copy of Secretary Posts Appeal as below has been circulated vide Circle Office Letter No.WL/1-84/2008 dated 25.07.2013  for circulation among the Staff. 

The concerned DDOs are to send the donated amount directly to the Prime Minister's Office, South Block, New Delhi-110001 in the forms of Cheque/ Demand Drafts/ Direct Payments in favour of PMNRF under intimation to Circle Office. 








5 things you should NOT do at work

Here is a list of things you should avoid in anoffice environment 

You spend half your day and more than 40 hours a week in office, so it's obvious that you will get friendly with your colleagues. However tiny little things can infuriate your colleague, make sure you are not doing any of these. 

Don't talk loudly: Why do you have to shout at the top of your voice when you're talking to someone on the phone? It not only irritates and disturbs the people around you but it also classifies you as a bad colleague. So please, keep your voice at a moderate level and let others do their work

Don't look for a best friend: Professional and personal relationships are two different things and it's best if they are kept separate. Don't try to look for a BFF in your colleague, it could lead to discomfort. 

Don't be the boss' pet: This may not seem so bad when you think about it the first time, after all everyone wants to become the boss' favourite. But think about the message you're giving the rest of yourcolleagues, and the ways in which they might misunderstand you. Remember how you hated the teacher's pet in school? 

Don't peep into someone's computer: This is perhaps the most annoying habit one can have, but sadly, most people do it without realising it. Peeping into your colleague's computer and trying to catch a glimpse of the email they are writing or the sites they are surfing only means that you have no regard for other's personal space and you don't respect their right to privacy. If you don't like it when someone does it to you, why do it to someone else? 

Don't discuss salaries: No one likes discussing their salaries, whether they are paid more or less. So talking about your salary or asking someone else about theirs is a complete no-no! Along with that, try and control any comments on finances as well, it's simply not your business, so please stay away.

Source:-The Times of India

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Delegation of power to relax the educational qualification for appointment in the personal staff of Union Ministers - regarding

To view DoPT OM No.8/14/2013-CS-II(C) dated 23/07/2013 please Click Here.

Classical status to Odia favoured

Odia will soon get status of a classical language. For, the Committee of Linguistic Experts, appointed by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, on Tuesday recommended classical status to Odia. The Culture Ministry will soon place the committee’s recommendation before the Union Cabinet for final approval.
Once approved, Odia will join the exclusive club of Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, Sanskrit and Tamil which have already been accorded classical status. At a meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday, the Odisha Government placed the 500-page report in support of its demand for classical status to Odia language before the Linguistic Committee.
Source:-The New Indian Express

Special postal cover of Chennai AIR station released

The cover has a photograph of AIR, Chennai, which is celebrating its platinum jubilee — Photo: K.V. Srinivasan

The Hindu
The cover has a photograph of AIR, Chennai, which is celebrating its platinum jubilee — Photo: K.V. Srinivasan
Everyone who gathered at the All India Radio station here on Tuesday had memories to share of their favourite medium of entertainment that celebrates its platinum jubilee year.
Former Supreme Court judge S. Mohan who released the platinum jubilee souvenir recalled his younger days when radio was the only medium of communication and entertainment.
“I was moved by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s speech, broadcast after Mahatma Gandhi’s death. Radio has been a launch pad for renowned musicians,” he said.
A special postal cover, carrying a photograph of the AIR station in Chennai and a brief description about its services, was released exclusively for the occasion.
S.K. Agarwal, additional director general, AIR, south zone, elaborated on the digitisation of the stations that was aimed at better quality of broadcasting.
Source:-The Hindu

India Post celebrates Bangalore city’s history

  • India Post employee H.S. Rajeshwari celebrated the introduction of the permanent pictorial cancellation and release of the special cover on the Kempe Gowda Tower at Lalbagh with a resplendent rangoli. Also seen are Hilda Abraham, Chief Postmaster General, Karnataka Postal Circle; Veena Srinivas, Postmaster General (BD & Marketing); and Arundathy Ghosh, Postmaster General Karnataka. Photo: K Gopinathan

    India Post employee H.S. Rajeshwari celebrated the introduction of the permanent pictorial cancellation and release of the special cover on the Kempe Gowda Tower at Lalbagh with a resplendent rangoli. Also seen are Hilda Abraham, Chief Postmaster General, Karnataka Postal Circle; Veena Srinivas, Postmaster General (BD & Marketing); and Arundathy Ghosh, Postmaster General Karnataka. Photo: K Gopinathan
  • The Hindu

Philatelists snap up the series that represents the iconic Kempe Gowda Tower

Maybe you’re an inveterate communicator in cyberspace. But here’s the chance to really impress people by sending them a bit of the city’s history. For, India Post has introduced the latest pictorial cancellation (the seal on postcards/stamps) in its series: the Kempe Gowda tower in Lalbagh.
This is the 32 permanent pictorial cancellation and one of the few depicting Bangalore — the other notable one being the Vidhana Soudha. The other form of pictorial cancellation is the special one on specific occasions.
Hilda Abraham, Chief Postmaster-General, Karnataka Postal Circle, who unveiled the latest pictorial cancellation at the General Post Office (GPO) here on Tuesday, said the main aim of the cancellations was to make children aware of places of historical importance in the State. “It was decided after much deliberation, including discussions with philatelists, that the newest permanent pictorial cancellation will be the Kempe Gowda tower, as it represents an important part of history of the city,” she said.
Though the newest pictorial cancellation was brought out after over two years, Ms. Abraham said India Post was eager to bring out more.
The pictorial cancellation with the Kempe Gowda tower on Lalbagh rock also has geological significance, apart the historical importance attached to it as it was established by the founding father of the city to mark the boundaries of Bangalore, said Jagannath Mani, member of the Karnataka Philately Society. “The Lalbagh rock is called the pillow or bubble rock which was formed nearly 3,000 million years ago when a single bubble of lava settled there,” he explained.
Packing a punch
Simultaneously, a pictorial cancellation pack was also introduced with a collection of all 32 cancellations introduced so far, including the ones depicting Bandipur National Park, Nagarahole, Badami and Aihole. Thematic packs featuring bilateral issues, great personalities, and flora and fauna were also made available. In fact, no less than a 100 such packs were snapped up in an hour.
Philatelists and those who knew about the collection made a beeline. Prem Kumar, a retired engineer, was seen buying three different thematic packs for his doctor-son who is an ardent philatelist.
Source:-The Hindu

Simplifying procedure for filing income-tax returns

The deadline for filing income tax returns, July 31, is just week away. Needless to say, many individuals dread the date with I-T department, as they find the entire process very confusing. However, according to experts, if an individual is clear about the basics, the entire procedure can be completed in an hour's time. "Tax payers earning over Rs5 lakh are now required to file their tax return electronically. This will reduce paperwork to a great extent," says Vineet Agarwal, director at KPMG

Choose the right form 

Tax consultants are divided over the applicability of forms ITR-1 (Sahaj) and ITR-2 for salaried individuals, drawing income from salary and interest. Going strictly by the new I-T rules, an individual cannot file returns using the simpler form ITR-1 (Sahaj) if the person has any taxexempt income above Rs5,000. Since the I-T department has not issued any clarification so far, there are numerous interpretations on the matter. 

"Due to the change in rules, most salaried individuals will now have to use ITR-2. After all, typically, their remuneration includes tax-exempt components like house rent allowance (HRA), transport /conveyance allowance and leave travel allowance (LTA), which can easily exceedRs5,000 in a year," explains Vaibhav Sankla, director with tax consultancy firm H&R Block. However, many experts argue that ITR-1 (Sahaj) is the relevant form for this year. "Our view is that if the exempt income has been accounted for in Form 16, salaried individuals can continue to use ITR-1 (Sahaj). However, if they have earned an income of over Rs5,000 from, say, dividends, they will have to use ITR-2. Similarly, resident Indians, who may have been deputed abroad by their employers and are claiming a double tax avoidance treaty benefit, will have to use ITR-2," says Sonu Iyer, partner and national leader — human capital services, EY (formerly E&Y).Until last year, such additional, explicit disclosures were not sought by the I-T department. 

Check your tax credit 

Take a look at Form 26AS, which shows the amount of tax deducted from your salary that your employer has actually deposited with the I-T department, on the e-filing portal. "It is critical to ascertain whether the tax deducted from your income (as per your Form 16) matches the figures in Form 26AS. The two versions must tally. If you go ahead with filing the return without seeking clarity on the nature of the discrepancy, you are bound to get a notice from the I-T department later," says Iyer. 
Simplifying procedure for filing income-tax returns
Claim80G, other deductions 

You also need to figure out whether you want to claim any extra deductions you forgot to claim earlier. For example, if you have not submitted the relevant bills while making your investment declaration in January, your Form 16 might not have accounted for the deduction of up to Rs5,000 on preventive health checkups under section 80D. You have the option of claiming this deduction while filing returns. "ITR forms do not require you to enter any details of such bills. However, it is advisable to retain copies of these bills. If there is an enquiry from the tax department in future, these bills will serve as proof," says Sankla of H&R Block. Similarly, you can also claim deductions under section 80G on donations made to charitable institutions. "Typically, employers do not consider 80G deductions in Form 16. So, the individual can claim the benefit at the time of filing return. In the ITR form, you will be required to provide details like the amount donated as well as the charity's name, PAN and address," he adds.

Source:-The Economic Times

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Payment of Arrears of family pension

In case of death of a pensioner, all money payable to the pensioner on account of pension are payable to the nominee of the deceased pensioner. In the absence of any valid nomination made by the pensioner, the arrears of his/her pension are paid to the legal heir. However, dependants of some pensioners expressed difficulties in obtaining the legal heir-ship certificates and represented that the necessity of production of legal heir-ship certificates may be waived where the amount of arrears payable is small. 

In such cases a provision had been made in 1985 for Payment of Lifetime Arrears of Pension on the basis of any documentary proof regarding the relationship and heir-ship of the claimant if the gross amount of arrears does not exceed Rs.25,000. If the gross amount did not exceed Rs.5,000 and case represented no peculiar features, the Accounts Officer was authorised to make the payment on his own authority. 

The Government has further looked into the matter and decided to increase the limits of Rs.5000 and Rs.25000 to Rs.50,000 and Rs.2,50,000 respectively. 

At present in the event of death of a family pensioner, the right to receive any arrears of family pension automatically passes on to the eligible member of the family next in line. Where there is no member in the family who is eligible to receive family pension after the death of the family pensioner, the payment of arrears of family pension is made on the basis of succession certificate. Now, it has also been decided that the payment of arrears of family pension up to Rs.2,50,000 may be made where no member of family is eligible to receive family pension. 

Detailed instructions are available at Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare’s website www.persmin.nic.in. 

Source:-PIB

Grant of Family Pension and Gratuity to the eligible member of the family of any employee/pensioner

Family pension is payable to the family of a Government employee or pensioner after his death. Difficulties in payment arise when a Government Servant or pensioner goes missing. Clarificatory instructions have recently been issued by the Central Government for payment of benefits in such cases. 

According to these instructions, the family must lodge a report with the concerned police station and obtain a report from the police, that the employee or pensioner or family pensioner has not been traced despite all efforts made by them. 

The report may be a First Information Report or any other report such as a Daily Diary or General Diary Entry. 

The family can apply for the grant of family pension, amount of salary due, leave encashment due and the amount of GPF and gratuity (whatever has not already been received) to the Head of Office of the organisation where the employee or pensioner had last served, six months after lodging of police report. 

The amount of salary due, leave encashment due and the amount of GPF will be paid to the family in the first instance as per the nominations made by the employee or pensioner on filling of a police report and submission of an indemnity bond. 

Detailed instructions are available at Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare’s website www.persmin.nic.in. 

Source:-PIB

Top IRS officers to get fixed pay scale of Rs 80,000 per month


Top income tax sleuths will now get a fixed pay scale of Rs 80,000 per month on par with secretaries in the Union government and police chiefs. 

The proposal, approving the enhanced salary for chief commissioners (CCs) and directors general (DGs) of income tax, was in-principle cleared by the Union Cabinet in May when it also put its stamp of approval on the much awaited cadre restructuring of the income tax department. 

"The decision to upgrade the salaries of these senior ranking officers from Rs 67,000-79,000 to Rs 75,500-80,000 was made by the government on July 19 and it will come into force from today," a top Revenue department officer said. 

This is the first time Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officers have been sanctioned the apex grade of salary and these I-T officers will now be getting equivalent pay on par with secretaries to the government and directors general of police, the officer said. 

A total of 116 CCs and DGs of the tax department will get benefit of this decision who are tasked to collect revenue under the direct taxes category. 

The government recently sanctioned a large-scale cadre restructuring of the I-T department and created 20,751 posts, in various ranks, in the I-T department. 

According to the new blueprint of the I-T in this regard, the number of assessment units of the department would be "increased by 1,080 from 3,420 to 4,500 for strengthening the tax administration". 

This step is expected to "bring additional revenue of Rs 25,756.04 crore per annum against an expenditure of Rs 449.71 crore per annum", the new blueprint says. 

"The primary objective of the strengthening/restructuring exercise (of the I-T department) is to improve the efficiency of the I-T department, maximise revenue collection and provide better services to the taxpayers, apart from improving career prospects of the employees," the blueprint, also called the vision document, says.

Source:-The Times of India

CHQ News:-Holding of DPC for the promotion to the cadre of PS Gr. B for the year 2013-14....an update

It is learnt from Directorate that CRs/APARs from following circles have not been received till this date for convening DPC for the promotion to PS Gr. B. 

1. Bihar 2. Haryana 3. Jammu & Kashmir  4. Jharkhand   5. Kerala   6. Madhya Pradesh  7. Maharashtra  8. North East   9. Uttar Pradesh  10. West Bengal  11. APS

All Circle Secretaries and Office Bearers are requested to ask their cirlce administration to submit the requisite documents at the earliest to Directorate and progress should be reported to General Secretary.