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

Saturday, March 25, 2017

Parliament has right to decide on members’ salaries: Govt

The Government has asserted “it is the sacrosanct right of Parliament” to decide on the perks and salaries of its members. Parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar’s statement in the Lok Sabha on Friday came two days after the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Election Commission and the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha secretariats on whether those who have been legislators for a single day were entitled to pensions and allowances. 

“I think every member of the House agrees that the right of the House is sacrosanct. Parliament has every right to decide about salaries and allowances of MPs,” Kumar said and many MPs in the House approved his stand. “The entire House is with you on this issue,” he added as a remark to the Speaker, the custodian of the House. 

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley too made a similar statement in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. Both were responding to some MPs who pointed out to the Supreme Court notice following a petition filed by an NGO. 

Raising the issue in the Lower House, Trinamool congress member Saugata alleged that while the apex court was “transgressing” its rights, Parliament was not asking why former judges were being given pension. 

“The Supreme Court is transgressing its rights. It is an exclusive right of Parliament to decide on the issue. We are not asking why SC judges are being paid pension. We should take a stand on the issue,” he said. 

After hearing preliminary arguments by NGO Lok Prahari, whose plea was rejected by the Allahabad High Court earlier, Justice Jasti Chelameswar had said on Wednesday that the court could not do much about pensionary entitlements of legislators but would address the unstructured nature of the allowances they were entitled to. 

Justice Chelameswar said there was nothing in wrong in former lawmakers getting some sort of pension but the court would ensure that some sort of norms and guidelines were laid down on entitlement to all allowances even after legislators had lost their seats.

Source:-The Economic Times

Transfer/Postings in the Senior Administrative Grade (SAG) of India Postal Service, Group 'A'

To view Department of Posts (Personnel Division) No.1-312017-SPG dated 24th March, 2017  please Click Here.

Col. Jaleswar Kanhar, IPoS-1990, PMG, Sambalpur Region, Sambalpur is transferred and posted as PMG, Berhampur Region, Berhampur.

Shri Lalitendu Pradhan, IPoS-1993, PMG, North Bengal Region, Siliguri, WB Circle is transferred and posted as PMG, Sambalpur Region, Sambalpur.

All India Association of Inspectors and Assistant Superintendents of Posts, Odisha Circle Branch welcomes Shri Lalitendu Pradhan to Odisha Circle.

Friday, March 24, 2017

10 most important income-tax changes which will apply from April 1

With the passage of the Finance Bill on Wednesday, the Lok Sabha has completed the budgetary exercise for 2017-18. The tax proposals in the Budget 2017 have now become law. Below are 10 most important income-tax changes that will affect you next month: 

1. With a decrease in tax rate from 10 per cent to 5 per cent for total income between Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 5 lakh, there is tax saving of up to Rs 12,500 per year and Rs 14,806 (including surcharge and cess) for those with income above Rs 1 crore. 

2. Tax rebate is reduced to Rs 2,500 from Rs 5,000 per year for taxpayers with income up to Rs 3.5 lakh (earlier Rs 5 lakh). Due to the combined effect of change in tax rate and rebate, an individual with taxable income of Rs 3.5 lakh will now pay tax of 2,575 instead of 5,150 earlier. 

3. Surcharge at 10 per cent of tax levied on rich taxpayers, with income between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore. The rate of surcharge for the super rich, with income above Rs 1 crore, will remain 15 per cent. 

4. Holding period for immovable property to be considered "long term" reduced to 2 years from 3. This will ensure immovable property held beyond 2 years is taxed at reduced rate of 20 per cent and eligible for various exemptions on reinvestment. 

5. Long term capital gains tax will result in a lower payout owing to beneficial amendments. The base year for indexation of cost (adjustment of inflation) has been shifted to April 1, 2001 from April 1, 1981. This means lower profits on sale. 

6. Further, tax exemption will be available on reinvestment of capital gains in notified redeemable bonds (in addition to investment in NHAI and REC bonds). 

7. A simple one-page tax return form is to be introduced for individuals with taxable income up to Rs 5 lakh (excluding business income). Those filing returns for the first time in this category will generally not be subject to scrutiny. 

8. Delay in filing tax return for 2017-18 will attract penalty of Rs 5,000 if filed by Dec 31, 2018 and Rs 10,000 if filed later. Such fee will be restricted to Rs 1,000 for small taxpayers with income up to Rs 5 lakh. 

9. Deduction for first-time investors in listed equity shares or listed units of equity oriented fund under the Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme is withdrawn from 2017-18. If an individual has already claimed deduction under this scheme before April 1, 2017, he/she shall be allowed to avail a deduction for the next two years. 

10. Time period for revision of tax return cut to one year (from 2 years) from the end of the relevant FY or before completion of assessment, whichever is earlier.

Source:-The Economic Times

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Posting of officials in LSG Cadre (Postal) in Bhubaneswar HQ Region

To view please Click Here.

CHQ News:- Adhoc-body for newly formed Telangana Circle

No. CHQ/AIAIPASP/Adhoc-body/Telangana/2017                      Dated :   22/3/2017.

To,
Brig. B. Chandrasekhar,
Chief Postmaster General,
Telangana Circle,
Hyderabad 500001.

Subject :  Request for grant of Trade Union facilities to an adhoc-body of All India Association of Inspectors and Assistant Superintendents Posts, Telangana Circle Branch..reg.

Respected Sir, 

The following adhoc-body of All India Association of Inspectors and Assistant Superintendents Posts, Telangana Circle Branch duly approved by the undersigned is sent herewith to carry on the affairs of All India Association of Inspectors and Assistant Superintendents Posts, AP Circle Branch for the time being is for 3 months. The adhoc-body has to conduct the General Body and elect new set of office bearers within 3 months.

S. No.
Name
Designation
Post
1
Sri Y Venkateshwarlu
ASP Kazipet RMS Kazipet
Convener
2
Sri B Suresh Kumar
ASP (R) Hyderabad City Division
Member
3
Sri P. Vijaya Baskar
ASP (Vig.) CO Hyderabad
Member
4
Sri P B Srinivas
ASP (BD) RO Hyderabad
Member
5
Sri H Sharath Kumar
IP RO Hyderabad
Member
6
Sri P Vara Pradesh
ASP (R) Peddapalli Division
Member
7
Sri Niranjan Gramopadyaya
ASP Nizambad
Member

It is requested that necessary Trade Union facilities may kindly be granted to it under intimation to the undersigned.
.                                                                                                           
           Yours sincerely,

 Sd/-
(Vilas Ingale)
General Secretary
Copy forwarded for information to : 

The convener and members

CHQ News:- Adhoc-body for Andhara Pradesh Circle Branch

No. CHQ/AIAIPASP/Adhoc-body/AP/2017                      Dated :   22/3/2017.

To,
Shri Balasubramanian K.
Chief Postmaster General,
Andhra Pradesh Circle,
Vijayawada 520002

Subject :  Request for grant of Trade Union facilities to an adhoc-body of All India Association of Inspectors and Assistant Superintendents Posts, Andhra Pradesh Circle Branch..reg.

Respected Sir, 

The following adhoc-body of All India Association of Inspectors and Assistant Superintendents Posts, AP Circle Branchduly approved by the undersigned is sent herewith to carry on the affairs of All India Association of Inspectors and Assistant Superintendents Posts, AP Circle Branch for the time being is for 3 months. The adhoc-body has to conduct the General Body and elect new set of office bearers within 3 months.

S. No.
Name
Designation
Post
1
Sri G. Siva Nagaraju
ASP (HQ) o/o SSPOs, Vijayawada Division
Convener
2
Sri M. Ramana Murthy
ASP (R) Visakhapatnam Division
Member
3
Sri K. Chandra Sheka Rao
IP Gajapathi Nagaram Sub Division
Member
4
Smt. Ch. Bala Saraswathi
ASP Circle Office Vijayawada
Member
5
Sri N. Reddy Basha
IP Kurnool Region
Member
6
Armugam
IP Kurnool Region
Member
7
G. Satish
ASP NSH Vijayawada
Member

It is requested that necessary Trade Union facilities may kindly be granted to it under intimation to the undersigned.
.                                                                                                           
           Yours sincerely,

Sd/-
(Vilas Ingale)
General Secretary
Copy forwarded for information to : 

The convener and members

Usages of DoP ATMs-Rationalization of number of free transactions.

The competent authority has accorded approval for fixing  following limits of ATM transactions in line with the RBI guidelines with immediate effect :-

 1. DOP customers on DoP ATMs  --   Unlimited number of transactions (financial and non financial) in a month.
2. DOP Customers on other bank ATMs in the 6 metros specified in RBI guidelines--- 3 free transactions (financial and non financial) in a month beyond which Rs.20/= + taxes  per transaction be charged from customers
3. DOP customers on other bank ATMs in non-metros(other than 6 metros specified in RBI guidelines)--- 5 free transactions (financial and non financial) in a month beyond which Rs.20/= + taxes per transactions be charged from customers.


To view the RBI guidelines please  Click Here.

CBSE unveils new exam format for classes VI to IX

The Central Board of Secondary Education has formally junked the continuous and comprehensive evaluation (CCE) scheme for classes VI to IX, being followed in affiliated schools since 2009. Replacing it from the coming academic year (2017-18) is a new format — 'uniform system of assessment, examination and report card' — that aims at standardizing teaching and evaluation across schools.



All students will be under a "uniform assessment" process from Class VI onwards and schools will have to adhere to CBSE's template, from examinations to report cards, which will now bear the logo of the board.



CBSE said schools under its fold have been following various systems of assessment and examination in classes VI to IX. The change is a step linked to the restoration of the Class X board examinations from 2018, said board chairperson R K Chaturvedi.



The new format is a "gradual movement towards quality education through standardization of teaching, assessment, examination and report card," he said.
Chaturvedi added that uniform standards had become imperative because disparities in the system were creating problems for students whenever they migrated to another school. "With the increase in CBSE affiliated schools from 309 in 1962 to 18,688 at present, a uniform system will ensure easy migration of students within the CBSE schools and also ease their difficulties while seeking admissions in new schools."



The new report cards for classes VI to VIII will be identical with rows which specify the terms, periodic, notebook, subject enrichment and half yearly/ yearly marks scored in each subject and the corresponding grades. It will also have co-scholastic assessment where students will be graded on a 3-point scale.

The format changes in Class IX where the report card will have scores of a single yearly term comprising a periodic test, notebook, subject enrichment and annual examination. The co-scholastic grading will be on a five-point grading scale.

Under the CCE scheme students were assessed based on two term-end 'summative assessments' and four 'formative assessments' (two each in each terms). Sixty percent of the assessment was pen-paper tests, while 40% formative assessment during the year was continuous evaluation by teachers based on various activities.




The new scheme too has two terms, but the pen-paper test weightage will be now 90%, which includes the 80 marks of the half yearly or yearly exam and 10 marks of the 20 marks set aside for periodic assessment in each term. Each term will be of 100 marks of which 10 marks will be for note book submission and subject enrichment (five marks each) under periodic assessment.

While the half-yearly (term 1) exams for all the classes from VI onwards will be based on syllabus covered till the exam time, the syllabus for yearly exams will have a slightly different format. These exams will increasing cover more of term 1 syllabus, starting with 10% for Class VI, 20% for Class VII and 30% for Class VIII.



"This is to gradually prepare the students for Class IX and higher classes where they will have to appear for exams for the entire syllabus. But it will happen gradually," said Chaturvedi.

Source:-The Times of India

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

UPU News:- Côte d’Ivoire starts on Congress, adopts e-commerce project

Côte d’Ivoire has commenced the preparatory process for the 2020 Universal Postal Congress.


This was confirmed during a meeting between the country's authorities and UPU Director General Bishar A. Hussein. Hussein received this assurance during a courtesy visit with Côte d’Ivoire’s Vice President, Daniel Kablan Duncan, in Abidjan. Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister for Communication, Digital Economy and the Post, Bruno Nabagné Koné and UPU Deputy Director General Pascal Clivaz also attended the meeting.
At the same time, Côte d’Ivoire supported the UPU’s initiative to assist member countries to develop e-commerce services for their Posts. Ecom@Africa is a UPU project in discussion with African postal administrations, with a view to adopting a specified model to help them roll out e-commerce services. The UPU is offering expert advice to African member countries on the design and implementation of the project. It has already been discussed with six African countries which have been ear-marked to serve as hubs for the continent's various regions.
During the meeting in Abidjan, the UPU director general highlighted the need for increased coordination between Côte d’Ivoire and the UPU toward the success of the country's Congress preparations. He also underscored the role played by the Post in the world economy, in particular in the area of international trade.
“We need to take every available opportunity to highlight the important role of the Post in the economy, and discuss the ways and means of making the Post a major player not only in domestic economic matters, but also in external trade facilitation,” said Hussein. 
During the visit, Hussein also attended a seminar on E-Commerce and Financial Inclusion organised by Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). He noted that Côte d’Ivoire's Post has the expertise and know-how to develop an e-commerce platform that could serve as a means of re-launching postal activity and creating wealth.


Aadhar to be made mandatory for filing I-T return, applying for PAN card

The government has proposed to make Aadhaar card mandatory for filing income tax return and also applying for permanent account number (PAN). 

The new proposal has been made through an amendment to the Finance Bill

Recently, the I-T department had announced a mobile app for paying taxes and tracking of refunds. It had also said it was considering issuing PANs on real time basis using Aadhaar biometric. 

"Income Tax department is considering issuing of Permanent Account Number (PAN) on a real time basis using Aadhaar's e-KYC facility. The proposal is at an initial stage of consideration," Minister of State for Finance Santosh Kumar Gangwar had said in a written reply in Lok Sabha on March 10. 

Aadhaar-based e-KYC facility would allow individuals or entities wanting to apply for PAN to verify details such as date of birth or address by way of biometric identification using thumb impressions. 

So far, more than 111 crore Aadhar numbers have been issued. The unique identification number is being used for getting a new SIM card, for opening bank accounts, transfer of subsidies and also for biometric based digital payments under Aadhaar Enabled Payment System. 

As per the government estimate, every year 2.5 crore people across the country apply for PAN cards. 

There are more than 25 crore PAN card holders in the country. 

(With inputs from PTI) 

Source:-The Economic Times

Memorandum to Chief Postmaster General

A delegate of four members of the Association met the Chief Postmaster General, Odisha Circle today the 21st March, 2017 discussed and submitted the following Memorandum:- 

Memorandum to Dr. Santosh Ku. Kamila, IPoS
Chief Postmaster General,
Odisha Circle, Bhubaneswar751001

Dear Sir,

On behalf of All India Association of Inspectors and Assistant Superintendents of Posts, Odisha Circle Branch, Bhubaneswar, we submit the following memorandum for your kind and favourable consideration.

1.   Some of the IPs and ASPs are burdened with discharging the duties of more than one post due to non-filling of vacant posts on time. While working in a hurry one is bound to overlook minor things. System of making one officer discharge the duties of more than one post should not be resorted to for long periods as it is not conducive to efficiency. Therefore, the posts of IPs/ASPs should not be kept vacant taking into consideration the functional necessity. We request you to take appropriate steps for filling up the vacant IP Posts on ad-hoc / officiating basis until the regular candidates become available.

2.   As per the guidelines, the Screening Committee should meet twice in a financial year – preferably in the first week of January and first week of July of a year for advance processing of the cases maturing during the first-half (April- September) and the second-half (October-March) respectively for granting financial upgradation under MACP. We request you to kindly look into the matter to consider for convening the Screening Committee meeting for processing the MACP cases of IPs and ASPs which are maturing during October-2016 to March-2017 and April to September-2017 including the left out cases up to 30th September, 2016.
    
3.   As per practice in Odisha Circle, ad hoc promotion is given to ASP cadre or PS Group-B Cadre with termination of ad hoc arrangement on completion of 11 months. We understand that this is a technical break for a very limited period of 2/3 days or one week say. But there are instances of giving a break and posting the senior under Junior and to delay his further adhoc appointment resulting humiliation to the individual concerned. We request you to look into the matter to avoid such situation in future. Further this Association suggests for continuity of ad-hoc arrangement in ASP cadre and PS Group-B Cadre beyond one year without break by obtaining prior approval of DOPT.


4.   Some of the Inspector Posts working in Sambalpur and Berhampur Region have submitted their representations for inter-region transfer to Bhubaneswar HQ Region. We request you to consider the representation for inter-region transfer of Inspector Posts who have spent a reasonable period in Sambalpur and Berhampur Region favourably by linking with the availability of new recruits in Inspector Posts Cadre coming through SSC and LDCE

5.   For the very first time the “Station Tenure”  has been implemented strictly for IP and ASP Cadre during the rotational transfer for the year 2017-18. Even the Circle Secretary has been transferred from the Circle Head Quarter. In this process one third of ASP cadre strength has been transferred. This Association is aware that transfer is an incidence of service and accepts the decision of the Circle Administration. We now request you to recognize the principle of equality in exercising the Administrative Power in implementation of the “Station Tenure” uniformly to all applicable cadres. 

6.   We request you to apply the guidelines of the Transfer Policy as a whole in letter and spirit in each transfer and posting.  

7.   As per CVC Circular number 17/04/08 issued vide No.004/VGL/90 dated 01-05-2008, the Officers / Officials posted on sensitive posts are to be rotated every two / threes years to avoid developing vested interest. Further, the sensitive posts in Department of Posts has already been identified vide Letter No.4-7/2009-Vig dated 13/09/2010 superseded vide Letter even dated 07-10-2016. We are urging the Circle Administration to exercise the Administrative Power for effecting rotation of Officers / Officials posted on sensitive posts who have completed / are completing two / threes years as per the CVC guideline to uphold  the principles of justice and fair play above all else.

With regards,

Yours sincerely,

 sd/-
(Pitabasa Jena)
Circle Secretary