ADDENDUM to the Amendment in Rule 4A of PO Savings Account Rules 1981 - allowing deposits other than wages under MGNREGA into Workers Wage Accounts

To view please Click Here.

Chocolicious stamps go on sale

BRUSSELS: Belgium has launched a new stamp sure to delight chocoholics around the world. "We have added a chocolate taste to the glue of the stamps... which you can taste when you lick it," the Belgian postal service has said.

"The stamps are also imbued with the smell," it said, while the design side carries pictures of chocolate in various forms.

"It was not easy to get the scent and flavour of the dark chocolate right. In the end, people from Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland all worked on it," it said.

"It is not the first scented stamp... but this time it has been combined with a flavour."

The series of five stamps, intended for overseas mail, will cost 6.20 euros when they go on sale March 25.

Source:-The Times of India

US Postal Service to cut Saturday mail, trim costs

WASHINGTON: The financially struggling US Postal Service said Wednesday it will stop delivering mail on Saturdays but continue to deliver packages six days a week under a plan aimed at saving about $2 billion a year.

The change continues the shrinking of what used to be one of the country's most visible and powerful agencies, one that put the presence of the federal government in some of the smallest towns across the US The postmaster general had such powers of job-placing patronage that the position _ once part of the president's Cabinet _ was a coveted one.

But the Internet and package delivery companies such as FedEx and UPS have weakened the agency.

The Postal Service in November reported an annual loss of a record $15.9 billion for the last budget year and forecast more red ink in 2013, capping a tumultuous year in which it was forced to default on billions in retiree health benefit prepayments to avert bankruptcy.

The Postal Service is in the midst of a major restructuring. Since 2006, it has cut annual costs by about $15 billion and reduced the size of its career workforce by 193,000 or by 28 per cent, officials say.

Wednesday's move accentuates one of the agency's strong points. Package delivery has increased by 14 per cent since 2010, officials say, while the delivery of letters and other mail has declined.

Under the new plan, mail would be delivered to homes and businesses only from Monday through Friday but would still be delivered to post office boxes on Saturdays. Post offices now open on Saturdays would remain open on that day.

It was not immediately clear how the service could eliminate Saturday mail without approval from Congress. But the agency clearly thinks it has a majority of the American public on its side.

Material prepared for the Wednesday press conference by Patrick R. Donahoe, postmaster general and CEO, says the agency's market research and other research has indicated that nearly 7 in 10 Americans support the switch to five-day delivery as a way for the Postal Service to reduce costs.

``The American public understands the financial challenges of the Postal Service and supports these steps as a responsible and reasonable approach to improving our financial situation,'' Donahoe said.

He said the change is expected to achieve cost savings of approximately $2 billion annually when fully implemented.

Source:-The Times of India

Amendments to Rule 212 of General Financial Rules, 2005 - Utilization Certificate in the case of Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) Scheme

To view Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure OM No. 8(1)/2013-E-II(A) dated 5th February, 2013 on Amendments to Rule 212 of General Financial Rules, 2005 regarding utilization Certificate in the case of Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) Scheme please Click Here.

IP Induction training for Departmental Officials at PTC, Mysore

   The Induction Training for Inspector Posts (Deptl) will be held for a period of 13 weeks from 04.03.2013 to 01.06.2013 at PTC, Mysore. 

The details of Seats allotted for the Circles are as under:

Sl No.	Name of the Circle	Seat allotment
1	Andhra Pradesh	18
2	Assam	11
3	Karnataka	13
4	Kerala	08
5	North East	02
6	Odisha	08
7	Tamil Nadu	01
	Total	61

Cash transfer from February 9

The direct cash transfer scheme (DCT) is going to be launched through post offices in Chittoor district. The seeding of the accounts of beneficiaries with Aadhaar numbers and biometrics is being completed and it would be launched by February 9, Chief Postmaster General AP Circle Karuna Pillai said.

Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister of State for Information Technology and Communication Killi Kripa Rani, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and other Ministers and dignitaries are expected to attend the launch, she said speaking on the sidelines of the AP Postal Regional Cultural Selection Trials 2013 here on Saturday.

Further, the Department of Posts is launching its core banking service in Srikakulam district and Parvathipuram division this month, she said. With the linking of the postal savings bank accounts the users would be able to transact their accounts in any post office in the region for now and later it would be expanded to cover all the post offices. These accounts also would be seeded with the Aadhaar and biometric details to enable their unique identification and enable them to be used for the Centre’s DCT scheme.

Accepting the fact that there were delays in the delivery of Aadhaar cards to individuals she said that postmen were heavily burdened. In some cases the postmen have 8,000 articles to deliver. This would cause a delay in their delivery. In Hyderabad, the postmen have been delivering the Aadhaar cards on Sundays and holidays also, she said and added that the Department was also recruiting staff apart from provide postmen with two-wheelers to increase the efficiency in the last mile delivery, she added.

The Department will sett up two automatic mail sorting machines at its complex near the Hyderabad airport. One system would cater to the regular letters and the other to sort the parcels. The letter sorting machine would be able to handle 35,000 letters per hour and the other would be able to sort 25,000 parcels per hour.

Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh to launch the scheme

Source:-The Hindu

CHQ News:-Sr. PM Examination CAT Case (Chandigarh Bench)...update

OA No. 1328/HR/2011 was filed jointly by Punjab and Haryana Circle  at Hon'ble CAT Bench at Chandigarh for the following reliefs;

1. Quash the letter dated 3.10.2011 by which Limited Departmental Examination for Promotion to the cadre of Sr. Postmaster(Gazetted) has been ordered to be held on 31.12.2011 which is against the Department of Posts, Postal Supdts/Postmaster Group B Recruitment Rules, 1987 as amended from time to time as there is no vacant post in the quota prescribed under the rules as detailed in the preceding paras.

2. Quash the letter dated 29.11.2011 by which the applicants have been informed that ASPs are not eligible for appearing in the examination.

3.  Quash the Department of Posts, Senior Postmaster (Group B Gazetted), Postmaster (Grade ‘III and II-Group B non-Gazetted) and Postmaster (Grade I-Group C Non-Gazetted) Recruitment Rules, 2010, i.e Postmasters Cadre Rules, 2010 run contrary to the Postal Services Postmaster Group B Rules, 1987 as amended from time to time, as the quota of the Inspector Line, has also been reduced from 19% and 75% by carving out the posts. 

4.  Issue direction to the respondents to consider the case of the members of the applicant No. 1 Union and other applicants for promotion under these rules of 1987 in their quota and promote them from due date with all the consequential benefits and it be declared that the bifurcation of quota now carried out by the respondents is illegal, arbitrary and bereft of any discernible principle.

5. Any other order or direction deemed fit and proper in the facts and circumstances of the case may also kindly be issued in favour of the applicants.

    It is learnt from Punjab Circle that next date of hearing in the said case will take place on 11/04/2013.

CHQ News:-Filling up CAT case for upgradation of GP of IPs at Ernakulam Bench....update

As per the decision taken in last CWC Meeting held at Shirdi, CHQ has already moved the matter to lawyer and preparation of draft OA is at final stage. Donations from few circles are still awaited. GS has repeatedly made appeal to them for remittance of donation of their quota as decided in CWC Meeting. Secondly, few circles have also not remitted their usual CHQ quota since last two years. CAT case is likely to be filled in Ernakulam Bench very shortly. 

Transfer and Posting in IP Cadre in HQ Region.

Shri Debaraj Sethi, Manager, NSPC, Bhubaneswar has been transferred and posted as Manager(BD), Circle Office, Bhubaneswar with immediate effect vide CO Memo No.ST/20-13/2011/Ch-II dated 4/2/2013.  

Official Amendments to Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill 2011

Salient features of amendments to lokpal and lokayuktas bill 2011 approved by the cabinet on January  31, 2013 are  as below:-

Ø            Collegium for Selection of Lokpal:  The Bill provides for selection of Members of Lokpal by a Selection Committee comprising the Prime Minister, Speaker (Lok Sabha), Leader of Opposition (Rajya Sabha), Cheif Justice of India or a Supreme Court judge nominated by CJI and an eminent jurist nominated by the President.  The Select Committee has recommended that the fifth member of the Selection Committee (i.e., eminent jurist) may be nominated by the President on the basis of recommendation of the first four members of the Selection Committee. Government has accepted this recommendation.

Ø            Jurisdiction over bodies receiving donations from public:  The Select Committee has recommended exclusion of bodies and institutions receiving donations from the public from the purview of Lokpal.  Government has decided to exempt only such bodies or authorities established, constituted or appointed by or under any Central or State or Provincial Act providing for administration of public religious or charitable trusts or endowments or societies for religious or charitable purposes registered under the societies Registration Act.  Other non governmental bodies receiving donation from the public would thus remain within the purview of  Lokpal.

Ø            Power to order investigation straight away:  Select Committee has recommended that the Lokpal should be given power to order an investigation straightaway (without first ordering a preliminary inquiry) in case Lokpal finds that a prima facie case exists.  Government has accepted this recommendation subject to the modification that theLokpal should, before coming to a conclusion that there exists a prima facie case for entrusting the matter for investigation, call for the explanation of the public servant and then decide whether there exists a prima facie case for ordering investigation.

Ø            Opportunity of Hearing to public servant:  The Select Committee has recommended that the seeking of comments from the public servant during the preliminary inquiry by the investigating agency should not be mandatory [clause 20 (2)].  Committee has also recommended that the opportunity of hearing by Lokpal before ordering investigation may be dispensed with [clause 20 (3)].  The affording of an opportunity to the public servant and to the government/competent authority at the preliminary inquiry stage and before ordering formal investigation would help clear doubts in several cases and would substantially reduce the number of cases going for regular investigation. Therefore,  Government has decided not to accept this recommendation of the Select Committee and move an officialamendement for the purpose.

Ø            Power to order prosecution of public servants:  The Select Committee has recommended that the power to grant sanction for prosecution of public servants could be shifted to the Lokpal in place of the Government.  The Select Committee has also recommended that Lokpal may be required to seek comments of the competent authority and the public servant before taking such decision.  Government has decided to accept this recommendation of the Select Committee.

Ø            Strengthening of CBI:  The Select Committee has recommended a number of amendments in the Bill for strengthening the CBI.  These include-

(i)           The setting up of a Directorate of prosecution headed by a Director of Prosecution under the overall control of Director, CBI;

(ii)         The appointment of the Director of Prosecution on the recommendation of the Central Vigilance Commission;

(iii)      Maintenance of a panel of advocates by CBI, other than the Government Advocates, with the consent of the Lokpalfor handling Lokpal referred cases;

(iv)      Provision of adequate funds to CBI for investigating cases referred by Lokpal;

(v)         Transfer of officers of CBI investigating cases referred by Lokpal with the approval of Lokpal.

Government has decided to accept all these recommendations except the last one, i.e., seeking approval of  Lokpalfor transfer of officers of CBI investigating cases referred by the Lokpal , which is proposed not to be accepted as it would affect the smooth functioning of the CBI.

Other salient features of the Bill

Ø     Powers of supervision over CBI : The Bill confers powers of superintendence on the Lokpal over the Delhi Special Police Establishment (CBI) in respect of matters referred by the Lokpal for inquiry/investigation.

Ø     Appointment of Director, CBI:  A high powered Committee chaired by the Prime Minister will recommend selection of the Director, CBI.

Ø     Attachment/confiscation of ill-gotten property:  The Bill contains provisions for attachment/confiscation of property acquired by corrupt means, even while prosecution is pending.

Ø     Enhancement of punishments under Prevention of Corruption Act:  The Bill proposes to enhance punishments under Prevention of Corruption Act:

(a)  Maximum punishment from 7 years to 10 years

(b) Minimum punishment from 6 months to 2 years.

Source:-PIB