Retirement on Superannuation

Shri Jeeban Sahu, Manager, Postal Printing Press, Bhubaneswar-751010 is retiring from Govt. Service on 30.04.2014(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.

Allowances and Special Facilities to Civilian Employees of the Central Government serving in the States of the North Eastern Region (including Sikkim) and in the Union Territories of Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshdweep group of Islands- Extension of the benefits related to Retention of Telephone Facility at the Last Station of Posting to Civilian Employees posted in Ladakh region of the State of Jammu & Kashmir(747 KB) PDF File Opens in a new window

To view please Click Here.

GS writes to Secretary (Posts) seeking clarification on PS Gr. B examination syllabus

No. CHQ/AIAIPASP/Exam/PS Gr B /2014                    dated  :     29/4/2014.

To,

The Director General,  

Department of Posts,

Dak Bhavan, Sansad Marg,

New Delhi 110 001.

Subject :   Limited Departmental Competitive Examination for promotion to the cadre of Postal Service Group ‘B’ – prescribing of Reference Books/Manuals for the syllabus.

Ref.      :   No. A-34012/03/2013-DE dated 22^nd April 2014.

Respected Madam,  

                 IP/ASP Association would like to bring to your kind notice that initially while circulating the syllabus for above said examination under Directorate memo No. 9-59/2010-SPG dated 8/3/2011 the portion of ‘paragraph writing and current Affairs’ was included in Paper-I, but recently circulated syllabus under memo No. A-34012/03/2013-DE dated 22^nd April 2014 does not speak about either inclusion or deletion of ‘paragraph writing and current Affairs’ portion from the syllabus. Therefore, there is confusion in the revised syllabus and would definitely invite litigation's in the matter.

                   It is therefore ardently requested to your kind honour to clarify as to whether the ‘paragraph writing and current Affairs’ portion was deleted from the syllabus of the examination or otherwise immediately.  

                   An early action is requested.

          Yours Sincerely,

Sd/- 

 (Vilas Ingale)

General Secretary

Odisha Circle opinion:- Directorate Memo No. A-34012/03/2013-DE dated 22^nd April 2014 contains the reference Books /Manuals from which the Multiple  Choice Questions (MCQs) for Paper-I and Paper-II will be set. Apparently, it is not a revised syllabus. 

Now, circuit board modelled on the human brain

Stanford scientists have developed faster, more energy-efficient microchipsbased on the human brain - 9,000 times faster and using significantly less power than a typical computer. 

The development offers greater possibilities for advances in robotics and computing and a new way of understanding the brain, researchers said. 

For instance, a chip as fast and efficient as the human brain could drive prosthetic limbs with the speed and complexity of our own actions. 

For all their sophistication, computers pale in comparison to the brain. The modest cortex of the mouse, for instance, operates 9,000 times faster than a personal computer simulation of its functions. 

Not only is the PC slower, it takes 40,000 times more power to run, said Kwabena Boahen, associate professor of bioengineering at Stanford University. 

Boahen and his team developed Neurogrid, a circuit board consisting of 16 custom-designed "Neurocore" chips that can simulate 1 million neurons and billions of synaptic connections. 

The team designed these chips with power efficiency in mind. Their strategy was to enable certain synapses to share hardware circuits. 

The result was a device about the size of an iPad that can simulate orders of magnitude more neurons and synapses than other brain mimics on the power it takes to run a tablet computer. 

Its speed and low power characteristics make Neurogrid ideal for more than just modelling the human brain. 

Each of the current million-neuron Neurogrid circuit boards cost about USD 40,000. Boahen believes dramatic cost reductions are possible. 

By switching to modern manufacturing processes and fabricating the chips in large volumes, he could cut a Neurocore's cost 100-fold - suggesting a million-neuron board for USD 400 a copy. 

With that cheaper hardware and compiler software to make it easy to configure, these neuromorphic systems could find numerous applications, researchers said. 

For instance, a chip as fast and efficient as the human brain could drive prosthetic limbs with the speed and complexity of our own actions - but without being tethered to a power source. 

Boahen envisions a Neurocore-like chip that could be implanted in a paralysed person's brain, interpreting those intended movements and translating them to commands for prosthetic limbs without overheating the brain. 

Source:-The Economic Times

NPS gave worst returns for government workers in 2013-14

Aggressive equity investors in the NPS made hay in 2013-14 but the funds for government workers churned out their worst ever performance during the year. The Central government schemes of the NPS gave average SIP returns of 5.37% while State government employees had to be content with 4.96%. These calculations are based on SIP returns on monthly contributions from April 2013 till March 2014.

More than 28 lakh central and state government employees who joined service after 1 January 2004 have to compulsorily invest in the NPS. Their retirement savings account for 93% of the total NPS corpus of roughly Rs 45,000 crore.

On the other hand, private sector NPS investors who put the maximum 50% in equities earned an average 13.7% during 2013-14. Balanced investors who split the corpus equally between stocks, corporate bonds and gilts made 10.64%. But ultra-safe investors who abstained from equities and binged on government bonds earned only 3.2% on average. Private sector workers account for only Rs 2,265 crore, or 5% of the total NPS corpus.

NPS votaries have often argued that stock investments give the scheme a distinct advantage over the 100% debt-based EPF. However, the pension funds managing the savings of government workers tend to shy from stocks. As on 30 November 2013, the Central government scheme of SBI Pension Fund had only 7.15% of its corpus in stocks while the fund managed by UTI Retirement Solutions invested only 7.72% in equities.

As the returns of the funds for the general public show, a higher allocation to stocks would have proved beneficial, because the Nifty rose 18.4% during 2013-14. "Young government workers should ask the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority why they are being forced to invest in schemes that put only 6-7% in equities," says Gautam Bharadwaj, co founder and managing director of Invest India Micro Pension Services.

The disappointing performance of the funds for central and state government workers comes a year after the schemes posted spectacular double-digit returns in 2012-13. The poor show during 2013-14 has dragged down the long-term SIP returns of these funds to below 8%.

Experts say the unexpected downturn in government bonds is to blame for the poor showing by the NPS funds. Bond yields rose sharply in July 2013, resulting in significant marked-to-market losses on the long-term bonds in the portfolios of these funds. The SBI Pension Fund, which has been the worst performer with 4.12% (Central govt) and 3.93% (state govt), also had to contend with poorly chosen bonds that turned NPAs. A senior official of SBI Pension Fund says the NPAs constitute only a minuscule fraction of the total corpus. He contends that the dip in the NAVs is temporary and the funds will do well when interest rates decline. "In any case, we intend to hold the government bonds till maturity so the losses will get recouped," he told Economic Times.

Worst ever performance by NPS funds

Year	Central govt workers	State govt workers
2010-11	6.91%	7.91%
2011-12	7.28%	8.04%
2012-13	11.24%	11.82%
2013-14	5.37%	4.95%
Since launch	7.55%	7.87%

Figures are average SIP returns of the three pension funds that manage the govt workers retirement savings.

Source:-The Economic Times

Guidelines on treatment of effect of penalties on promotion - role of Departmental Promotion Committee.

To view Department of Personnel & Training OM No.22011/A/4/2007-Estt.(D) dated 28th aPRIL, 2014 please Click Here.

Clarification on increase in certain allowances by further 25 percent as a result of enhancement of Dearness Allowances w.e.f. 1.1.2014

To view Department of Personnel & Training OM nO.A-27012/1/2014-Estt. (Allowance) dated 28th April, 2014 please Click Here.

The annual ceiling limit for reimbursement of Children Education Allowance shall be Rs.18,000/- per child. Accordingly, the quarterly claim could be more than Rs.4500/- in one quarter. The Hostel Subsidy shall be Rs.4500/- per month per child; 

The rates of Special Allowance for Child Care to women with disabilities stands revised to Rs.1500/- per month; and 

The annual ceiling for reimbursement of Children Education Allowance for disabled children of Government employees shall be treated as revised to Rs.36,000/- per annum per child and the rates of Hostel Subsidy for disabled children of Government employees shall be treated as revised to Rs.9000/- per child per month. 

These revisions are applicable with effect from 1st January, 2014. 

Cadre Restructuring of Group-C Employees - Agreement signed

Source:-nfpe.blogspot.in

CHQ News:- Circle Conference.........Punjab Circle

38th Biennial Circle Conference of All India Association of Inspectors and Assistant Superintendents Posts Punjab Circle was held at Chandigarh on 27th April 2014 and following officers are unanimously elected as officer bearers. 

1. President : Shri Vikas Sharma, ASP, "I" Division, Jalandhar (Mobile No. 09417226661) 

2. Circle Secretary : Shri Balbir Singh Kaushal, ASP (Court), o/o the CPMG, Punjab Circle, Chandigarh (Mobile No. 09914066754) 

3. Treasurer : Shri Gaurav Nagi, IP (BD), o/o the CPMG, Punjab Circle, Chandigarh (Mobile No. 09876581559).

CHQ News:-Circle Conference....Chhattisgarh Circle

8th Biennial Circle Conference of All India Association of Inspectors and Assistant Superintendents Posts Chhattisgarh Circle held at Raipur on 26th April 2014 and following are elected as officer bearers for next term. 

1. President : Shri A. K. Singh, ASP (HQ) Raipur Division, Raipur (Mobile No. 09407624220) 

2. Circle Secretary : Shri H. N. Sharma, ASP (T) Raipur Division, Raipur (Mobile No. 0958488342) 

3. Treasurer : Shri N. K. Rajpal, ASP, o/o CPMG, Chhattisgarh Circle, Raipur (Mobile No. 0982616145)

Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha sworn in as the Chief Justice of India

At a ceremony held on April 27, 2014 at 1100 hrs at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Shri Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India. He made and subscribed to the oath of office before the President. 

Source:-PIB

UPU News:-Abidjan uni to house post office of the future

he Universal Postal Union and Côte d’Ivoire have announced plans to create a futuristic post office to provide 60,000 students at Abidjan University with state-of-the-art postal services.

The minister of post and information communication technologies, Bruno Nabagné Kone and Bishar A. Hussein, UPU director general, signed a declaration to this effect in the Ivoirian’s economic capital earlier this week.

“As part of our commitment to building a modern postal network on the African continent, the UPU and Côte d’Ivoire have expressed today their firm wish to work together on projects to develop postal services through innovative solutions responding to client needs,” said Hussein.

The Felix Houphouët Boigny University already houses a postal facility that will benefit from a complete re-haul. The UPU will contribute funds to this initiative.

“I am pleased that this renovation will be the first project under the renewed collaboration between the UPU and Côte d’Ivoire,” Hussein said. “We will equip this facility to ensure that students enjoy a top-class provision of postal services, ranging from the traditional to electronic.”

According to the declaration: “The Ivorian State provides strong support to its designated postal operator through a programme of investment and modernization that permits quality postal services to be provided to all its citizens without exception.”

Indeed, electronic services are set to feature heavily at the new post office. Plans are on the cards to provide a cyber-café, electronic money transfers and the possibility of carrying out online purchases.

During a visit to Abidjan from April 22-24, the UPU director general and Minister Nabagné Koné also signed an official agreement, reconfirming the country as host of the Union’s strategic conference. This will take place from October 14-15 in the country’s economic capital to take stock of developments since the Doha Congress in 2012.

UPU-Côte d'Ivoire seal hosting deal on 2014 strategy conference

The Universal Postal Union and the government of Côte d'Ivoire have officially reconfirmed that the Union’s strategic conference will be held in the latter’s economic capital, Abidjan.

The Ivoirian minister of post and information communication technologies, Bruno Nabagné Koné, and the UPU Director General Bishar A. Hussein signed the agreement on Wednesday, which defines the terms for hosting this major event in October.

“The strategy conference is an important milestone in the UPU work cycle, bringing together decision-makers from across the globe to carefully consider how much recent progress has been made to modernize the single postal territory,” said Hussein.

“The postal sector facilitates trade and communication exchanges. Its infrastructure is best-placed to promote the social, digital and economic inclusion of all people on this planet," he added.

The UPU strategy conference is held midway between the meetings of Congress, the highest forum of the Union, to take stock of how well the current world postal strategy is faring.

More than 600 decision-makers from postal experts to government ministers from the 192 UPU member countries are expected to attend the Abidjan event from October 14-15.

Discussions will focus on innovation, inclusion and integration within the postal sector.

UPU member countries adopted the latest Doha Postal Strategy at the last Congress in Qatar in 2012, which serves as the postal sector’s roadmap for 2013-16.

The 26th Universal Postal Congress will take place in 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Management mythos: What Ramayana teaches us about talent management

Devdutt Pattanaik

A businessman asked me to solve a problem. He was a self-made man. He began with nothing. His father was a peon in a government office. He was now a millionaire with a house in Delhi and farmhouses in Punjab and offices in Dubai. But neither his son nor his daughter seemed to share his drive.

They lacked his insight. They were more interested in playing 'boss', ordering people around, expecting everyone to follow their commands. I asked the businessman, "Do you love your children?" "Yes," he replied, startled by the question.

"I have made sure they got everything I did not get as a child." I smiled. For he just revealed what the problem was. The way we see the world depends a lot on how we are raised.

The businessman grew up in poverty, surrounded by people unwilling or unable to give him what he wanted, and that poverty provoked a ruthless drive in him that made what he was. His children grew up in affluence, surrounded by people who gave them everything that they wanted. What did that affluence provoke? How could it be expected to provoke the same drive as poverty?

The way we see the world depends on how we are raised. The businessman grew up in poverty, surrounded by people unwilling or unable to give him what he wanted, and that made him that made what he was.

In the Ramayana, Ram is raised in the comfort of the palace and educated in the security of Vasishtha's hermitage. He is the crown prince, much adored by his father, Dashratha, the king of Ayodhya, who wants to shower him with love and affection. But then an ex-king, Kaushika, now a hermit with a new name, Vishwamitra, appears in the court, and insists on taking Ram to the forest with him.

"I need your son to provide security while I conduct my yagna." The king offers to send his army, even come himself, but the ex-king insists that only Ram should come, no one else. After much persuasion, Ram is forced to follow Vishwamitra. In the forest, Ram learns new skills and successfully protects the yagna, killing numerous demons along the way. This story from the Bala-kanda of the Ramayana holds a key to talent management.

The forest is a metaphor where the prince is denied all pleasures and entitlements he takes for granted in the palace. Here he is just prey to the predator with no social standing. He not only has to survive on his own strength and wits, he is expected to protect those around him, his age notwithstanding. Imagine Ram sleeping alone.

 

In trading communities, children were encouraged to start their own businesses early in life. Failure was seen as learning and training for the future. Success enabled families to identity talent.

in the forest, without servants or guards or even a guru watching over his well-being, enveloped by the sound of hungry animals and birds and reptiles. The forest is no sylvan retreat as we are given to believe in comic books. The young prince has to fend for himself. What kind of psychological impact does it have on a future king? You learn about survival, about fear, about predators and prey, the importance of rules and strategy and teamwork. The Ram who returns home is fit to rule.

Mahabharata clearly differentiates between Pandavas and Kauravas. The former are born in the forest, and have to return to the forest three times: once to study in the hermitage of their tutor Drona, next when their new palace is burned to the ground by their cousins, and finally when they gamble their kingdom away for 13 years. Each forest soujourn is a time to learn what kingship is all about. What it means to have nothing. It generates skill, and empathy.

In medieval times, kings sent their sons into battlefield. It taught them about the brutality of life, the machinations of palace politics, and the price of royal power. It prepared them to wear the crown. 

What do young men and women in affluent families have that prepares them to be good leaders other than imagined problems or maybe an internal drive born of some psychological trauma? How does the older generation of self-made businessmen pass it on to the next generation? In trading communities, children were encouraged to start their own businesses early in life. Failure was seen as learning and training for the future.

Success enabled families to identity talent. What are new business families doing to provoke this in children? An MBA in Harvard does not prepare you for the grit realities of the Indian bazaar. Perhaps that is why many of the young and rich and talented are turning to the virtual world and to virtual marketplaces which are so different from brick-and-mortar spaces but which is so much like gaming. You don't have to deal with the idiosyncrasies of people. You can always switch it off with a tap on the screen, and go to sleep in the comfort of your air-conditioned suite.

(The author writes and lectures on relevance of mythology in management. He is the author of Business Sutra: an Indian approach to management)

Source:-The Economic Times

Submission of Observer's Report in respect of PA/SA examination to be held on 27-04-2014 in Odisha Circle.

The Circle Secretary met the DPS (HQ) and discussed the difficulties on submission of Observer's Report in respect of PA/SA examination to be held on 27-04-2014 by the Observers to the Liasion Officer on same day. 

As per the discussion, observers may now submit the Observer's Report in respect of PA/SA examination to be held on 27-04-2014 by 28-04-2014 forenoon to the Liasion Officer through e- mail (Scanned Copy) or FAX. In this regard one instruction will be issued shortly by the Circle Office.    

Adhoc arrangement in ASP Cadre- Calling for documents thereof

Documents viz Special Report, Disc-Vig clearance, details of punishment / currency of punishment awarded, if any and up-to-date APAR Dossiers have been called for from the following IPs who are coming under the zone of consideration for Adhoc arrangement in ASP Cadre vide C.O. Letter No.ST/24-15(3)/2014 dated 24-04-2014.

Sl. No.	Name of the Officer	Present Posting
1.	S/Shri T.K. Devata	IP, Angul West
2.	Suvrakash Nayak	IP, Bhadrak West
3.	Samarjeet Nayak	IP, Rajnilgiri
4.	R N Behera	IP, Bangiriposhi
5.	Debaraj Sethi	Manager(BD), Circle Office
6.	Sujit Ku. Maharana	IP, Sonepur
7.	Bijay Ku. Sahoo	IP (PG), Puri
8.	K.K. Mishra	IP, Athagarh

The Unit Heads have been requested to submit the above mentioned documents by 02-05.2014. 

Review of Rules 32,33 and 56 to 82 of the Central Civil Service (Pension) Rules, 1972 - Suggestions regarding

To view please Click Here.

The Prevention of Corruption(Amendment) Bill, 2013

To view please Click Here. 

Adhoc Promotion in JTS Cadre in Odisha Circle

            The following PS Gr-B officers are promoted to JTS Gr-A cadre on temporary and ad hoc basis from the date of assumption of charge and allotted to the region as mentioned below vide C.O. Memo No. ST/2-34(3)/2012 dated 24-04-14.

Sl No	Name of Officer	Present place of posting	Allotted on ad hoc promotion to
1	Sh. J Deep	SPOs, Bolangir  Division	Sambalpur Region for posting as SSPOs, Sundargarh against vacant post

Special CL for Circle Working Committee Meeting on 04-05-2014 (Sunday)

Transfer and Posting -Cancellation of orders thereof

Part-I

The reversion of Shri S N Panda, Offg. SSRM, RMS N Division, Cuttack officiating in JTS Cadre on ad hoc basis ordered at Part-I of  Circle Office Memo No. ST/2-34(3)/2012 dated 11-04-14 is cancelled with immediate effect vide Circle Office Memo No. ST/2-34(3)/2012 dated 24-04-14. Shri S N Panda is allowed to continue in his present post of SSRM, RMS N Divn, Cuttack until further order. 

                                                  Part-II

The ad hoc promotion  of Shri G C Mohanty, SPOs, Cuttack North Division  who was given promotion to JTS Cadre purely on temporary and  ad hoc basis  and posted as SSRM,RMS N’ Dn. ,Cuttack  vide Circle Office Memo No. ST/2-34(3)/2012 dated 11-04-14 is now cancelled vide Circle Office Memo No. ST/2-34(3)/2012 dated 24-04-2014 and allowed him to continue in his present post of SPOs, Cuttack North Division until further orders.

Withdrawn of cancellation of ad hoc promotion /reversion in JTS cadre

             The cancellation order issued vide Circle Office Memo No.ST/2-34(3)/2012 dated 21-04-14 in connection with the following ad hoc promotion /reversion in JTS cadre is now withdrawn vide C.O. Memo No.ST/2-34(3)/2012 dated 24-04-2014. 

Sl No	Name of Officer	Posting on ad hoc promotion vide C.O. Memo No. ST/2-34(3)/2013 dated 11-04-14
1	Shri S. Biswal, Asst. Director (LC), Circle Office	Manager, Postal Printing Press,Bhubaneswar-10 (against long term  leave vacancy)
2	Shri G.C. Mohanty, SPOs, Cuttack North Division	SSRM, RMS N’Dn., Cuttack vice  Shri S.N.Panda reverted

Limited Departmental Competitive Examination for promotion to the cadre of Postal Service Group 'B' - Prescribing of Reference Books / Manuals for the syllabus

To view Directorate Memo No. A.34012/03/2013-DE dated 22nd April 2014 please  Click Here.

Adhoc arrangement in PS Group-B Cadre- Calling for documents thereof

Documents viz Special Report, Disc-Vig clearance and Currency of punishment report and ACR/APAR for last 5 years have been called for from the following IP/ASP line officials who are coming under the zone of consideration for Adhoc arrangement in PS Group-B Cadre vide C.O. Letter No.ST/2-4(3)/2014 dated 22-04-2014.

Sl. No.	Name of the Officer	Present Posting
1.	S/Shri Banambar Sethi	IP(PG), Koraput Division
2.	Lingaraj Pradhan	ASP(HQ), Sambalpur Division
3.	P.C. Mohapatra	ASP(I/C), Cuttack City Division
4.	B.B. Negi	ASP(HQ), Balangir Division
5.	Sk. Md. Noman	ASP(OD), Bhadrak Division
6.	Sanjay Ku. Patra	ASP(HQ), Berhampur Division
7.	Isidor Ekka	ASP(I/C), Rourkela
8.	Padmanav Das	ASP(HQ), Aska
9.	Raghunath Sahu	ASP(HQ), RMS BG Division
10.	R.K. Pattnaik	ASP(Vig), RO, Berhampur
11.	Kamalendu Panda	ASP(Vig), RO, Sambalpur
12.	S.N. Satpathy	ASP(OD), Bhubaneswar
13.	J.K. Jena	ASP(I/C)Dhenkanal
14.	B.M. Dasmohapatra	ASP(HQ), Keonjhar

The Unit Heads have been requested to submit the above mentioned documents by 30.04.2014.