Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Shri Pawan Ku. Singh assumed the charge of DPS(HQ)
Shri Pawan Ku. Singh assumed the
charge of DPS(HQ), O/o the Principal Chief Postmaster General Odisha Circle, Bhubaneswar-751001
on 03-06-2013(A/N).
All India Association of
Inspectors and Assistant Superintendents of Posts, Odisha Circle Branch
congratulates the new DPS(HQ) and looks forward for his support and guidance.
Shri Suvendu Ku. Swain, DPS(HQ) relieved on 03-06-2013(A/N)
Shri Suvendu Ku. Swain, DPS(HQ),
O/o the Principal Chief Postmaster General Odisha Circle, Bhubaneswar-751001 has
been relieved on 03-06-2013(A/N) on his transfer. He has been posted as PMG, North Region, Muzaffarpur, Bihar Circle
vide Order No.1-3/2013-SPG dated 28th May,2013.
All India Association of Inspectors and Assistant
Superintendents of Posts, Odisha Circle Branch expresses sincere thanks to
Suvendu Sir for all the support, guidance, help
and freedom he has provided for the IPs/ASPs in Odisha Circle and wishes him the best for all his future endeavors.
Get to know your postman online
Sending letters may be passé.
But postmen are still depended on for bringing that odd greeting card or letter from grandparents, a job-interview letter or a money order.
In a bid to improve quality of services and popularise them, the postal department will soon make the details of postmen available online. There will also be information on the localities covered by individual postmen in Chennai.
The ‘Know your Postman’ concept was developed to build bridges between customers and postmen. Postmen are mostly anonymous and this measure is aimed at ensuring better security for residents in urban areas.
At present, details of postmen attached to the Anna Road head post office and the general post office on Rajaji Salai have been uploaded on www.chennaipost.gov.in.
Officials of the Chennai city circle said residents may log on to the website and check the details of postmen who deliver in their area.
Information on nearly 2,300 postmen, postwomen and gram dak sevaks, who are part-time staff members attached to 110 post offices in the city and suburbs, would be made available online in three months.
Welcoming the initiative of the postal department, residents said contact numbers of postal staff who deliver letters in an area regularly may also be provided for better coordination.
S. Seetha, a resident of Ambattur, said this measure would benefit people living in individual houses in the suburbs. The department could also include time of visit or the contact number of post offices, she said.
Officials of the postal department said this measure would enable them to keep tabs on those who engage outsiders to do their work.
Mervin Alexander, postmaster general (Chennai city region) said the details of the postmen would also be available at information kiosks in the post offices.
“We are also training postal staff to be more customer friendly and develop their soft skills. Postwomen contribute to nearly 10-20 per cent of the total strength of mail delivery staff,” he said.
Source:-The Hindu
Five ways to follow rules of office etiquette
Text: Shreya Biswas, ET Bureau
Around four months ago, a mid-level executive's casual dress sense cost him a plum posting in an international engineering and design company. The company couldn't risk having a leader whose team members didn't pay him any heed.
Employees need to constantly be aware of office etiquette, to avoid running into the bad books of colleagues, team leaders and the management. ET explores ways to fit in.
Dress Like a Professional
Even in a workplace where there is no dress code, one shouldn't go over the top.
"You shouldn't arrive in hot pants or pyjamas. Workplaces have some amount of seriousness attached to them," says Jitendra Singh, professor, organisational behaviour, XLRI, Jamshedpur.
Draw Relationship Boundaries
A senior woman executive at a north-based manufacturing company had to recently quit after she entered into an intimate relationship with a top boss.
The families of both the executives, who were married with children, blamed the company for not handling the issue well.
The incident had serious repercussions on the company's goodwill, besides destroying the executives' careers. "This is why one should clearly draw the line when it comes to office relationships," says Singh.
Be Careful with the Jokes
Jokes on physical appearances, caste, creed, religion, language and sexual orientation should not be used as stress busters in office.
"Not only it will brand you as an intolerant and narrow-minded individual, but it might earn you enemies at the workplace," says Sunil Goel, MD, GlobalHunt, India.
Interact with Everybody
In today's world, when work is all about cross-functional participation, talking or interacting with a select group may cost you dearly.
Instead, reach out to people outside your team with equal interest
Cultivate Humility
Some employees - especially the better performers — often do not co-operate with colleagues, make people wait or even ignore requests made by other functions.
"But they might get back the same treatment they meted out to others, so people need to be careful while dealing with others," says K Sudarshan, managing partner — India and regional VP, Asia, EMA Partners International.
Source:-The Economic Times.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Political parties are under the RTI Act: CIC
Setting a new bench mark in transparency in politics, the Central Information Commission today held political parties are answerable under the Right to Information Act.
A Full Bench of the Commission comprising Chief Information Commissioner Satyananda Mishra and Information Commissioner M L Sharma and Annapurna Dixit held six parties--Congress, BJP, CPI-M, CPI, NCP and BSP--to whom RTI queries were directed, fulfill the criteria of being public authorities under the Right to Information Act.
A Full Bench of the Commission comprising Chief Information Commissioner Satyananda Mishra and Information Commissioner M L Sharma and Annapurna Dixit held six parties--Congress, BJP, CPI-M, CPI, NCP and BSP--to whom RTI queries were directed, fulfill the criteria of being public authorities under the Right to Information Act.
Source:-PTI
Income Tax department to scan salary slips of top executives for TDS
Income Tax department has decided to scan the salary structure of top executives of large corporates and PSUs to examine hidden tax opportunities in the perks and reimbursements made to them.
The department, during its recent deliberations with top I-T and CBDT officials here, decided to strengthen its Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) obtained from salaries of employees, regime in order to collect more revenue under this category.
The department is particularly bolstered by the fact that a big chunk of 41 per cent, in the total tax collections in the last fiscal, came from the TDS category alone.
During financial year 2012-13, Rs 2,30,188 crore tax was collected under the TDS category while the total direct taxes collections stood at 5,58,970 crore.
The department has tasked its TDS collection offices to focus on the "full salary structure" of top executives of big companies, Public Sector Units and those firms which employ a large workforce.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) also asked its TDS commissioners to check the categorisation of certain employees in these firms as "consultants" and look for taxing opportunities in the allowances, perks and reimbursements made to them.
Not only employers, the department now plans to mount effective vigil to obtain TDS tax from universities and educational institutions which make payments to guest lecturers. Payments made to event managers and to medical transcription companies will also be brought under strict regulation of TDS, a senior I-T official said.
"This will be done under 194J of the I-T Act which deals with fees for technical or professional services," the official said.
The department will also ensure collection Tax Collected at Source (TCS) from buyers of scrap and mineral companies at the rate of 1 per cent while the rate would be 2 per cent in this category for awarding the lease for parking lots and toll plazas.
The department, during its recent deliberations with top I-T and CBDT officials here, decided to strengthen its Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) obtained from salaries of employees, regime in order to collect more revenue under this category.
The department is particularly bolstered by the fact that a big chunk of 41 per cent, in the total tax collections in the last fiscal, came from the TDS category alone.
During financial year 2012-13, Rs 2,30,188 crore tax was collected under the TDS category while the total direct taxes collections stood at 5,58,970 crore.
The department has tasked its TDS collection offices to focus on the "full salary structure" of top executives of big companies, Public Sector Units and those firms which employ a large workforce.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) also asked its TDS commissioners to check the categorisation of certain employees in these firms as "consultants" and look for taxing opportunities in the allowances, perks and reimbursements made to them.
Not only employers, the department now plans to mount effective vigil to obtain TDS tax from universities and educational institutions which make payments to guest lecturers. Payments made to event managers and to medical transcription companies will also be brought under strict regulation of TDS, a senior I-T official said.
"This will be done under 194J of the I-T Act which deals with fees for technical or professional services," the official said.
The department will also ensure collection Tax Collected at Source (TCS) from buyers of scrap and mineral companies at the rate of 1 per cent while the rate would be 2 per cent in this category for awarding the lease for parking lots and toll plazas.
Source:-The Economic Times
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Telegrams: Only for the record now
When Samuel Morse invented telegram it began the communication revolution in the 19th century with messages flying through wires. Now, in the era of 3G mobiles, even though they are sent through Internet telegrams travel at a snail's pace. Among the fastest mode of communications till well into the 1990s, telegrams were shot off to even stall executions in jails. At homes, the telegram deliveryman evoked anxiety as it had the repute of being a harbinger of sad news.
Now at Rs 28 per message, when it costs more than the per-minute-rate of many international calls, the wire is a preferred means for communication only for a few. More than a quick service, it is now a means of ensuring that no matter the message reaches in time or not, the sender has a proof of sending it.
The Central Telegraph office (CTO) at Civil Lines today has only a single window from where the service is available. No longer are people queuing up to use this mode of communication. As against more than 2000 telegrams till two decades ago, today barely 40-45 are transmitted.
Unfortunately, the old machines which ran on Morse keys are not available either at the CTO or any of the post offices. The original structure which housed the telegram section in 1929 has been dismantled following which the machines disappeared.
The odd person who turns up at the counter is usually a lawyer's representative or a government servant. "Telegrams are often used by respondents in court matters. Messages to seek exemption from hearing or adjournment are sent by telegrams. This serves the purpose as the person has a record of the telegram sent even though when it reaches the addressee cannot be determined," said a lawyer.
"Government servants use the telegram to seek extension of leave," said a source at the CTO. "Some banks and financial agencies too use the telegram when it comes to producing official records."
The army even today continues to be one of the major clients of the BSNL's telegraph service. "After Nagpur the only other telegraph office is at the Kamptee cantonment," the source said.
During TOI's visit to the CTO, this reporter met a Rajesh Hore who wanted to send a telegram to his grandmother in Aurangabad. "She doesn't use telephones or mobiles, so this is the only option," he said.
The telegram no longer travels on electric wires through Morse keys. It has become an e-mail with the printout being delivered at the address. Unfortunately, the new technology has not made it faster. Today, a telegram or e-mail goes to a central server of the BSNL from where it is disbursed to the various centres. Each major city and a district place have a code to where it is redirected from the hub. With delivery men heading towards extinction, the telegrams are sent through regular post too.
Tehsils and other remote places do not have a code nor telegram offices. In such cases, the printout of the telegram is sent by post and then its delivery is at the hands of the postman.
The CTO at Nagpur has only one telegram delivery man as against a dedicated cadre that they used to have once upon a time. Earlier, post offices in villages too had facilities to receive telegrams. But, with the post and telegraph departments now separated, post offices have discarded the telegram equipment. So the printouts are sent through post. At times even the telegrams within the city go this way. Ironically, the new mode is called web-based messaging system (WBMS).
"Till almost mid-1990s the CTO continued to depend on the original Morse keys even though there were tele-printers which ran simultaneously. "Teleprinters were used when the lines were busy, on a slack day they would revert to the Morse keys," the CTO source said.
Lt Colonel (retd) Sunil Deshpande recalls the time when he was posted on the eastern border when he got to know about the Bhopal gas tragedy on Bangladeshi television. A worried Deshpande tried to call up his sister who lived in the same locality where the gas leak had the highest impact. Even the army lines were down, but it was a telegram saying she was safe which gave him relief even though it was delivered 10 days after it was sent.
Deshpande has still preserved the telegram he received from the defence secretary when he go the Vishisht Seva Medal. He also recollects the terse words 'rejoin duty forthwith' on the telegram when the Indo-Pak war of 1965 broke out. For grain trader Pratap Motwani, the telegram was the means to confirm the recipe of delivery of consignments or even pointing out the defect in the goods received.
"I have never seen or heard of a telegram," said 18-year old Aman Baraiya, a hotel management student. "It is some kind of a postal service, and I guess can be sent like a fax," was how engineering aspirant Mrunmayee Kotpalliwar reacted.
Now at Rs 28 per message, when it costs more than the per-minute-rate of many international calls, the wire is a preferred means for communication only for a few. More than a quick service, it is now a means of ensuring that no matter the message reaches in time or not, the sender has a proof of sending it.
The Central Telegraph office (CTO) at Civil Lines today has only a single window from where the service is available. No longer are people queuing up to use this mode of communication. As against more than 2000 telegrams till two decades ago, today barely 40-45 are transmitted.
Unfortunately, the old machines which ran on Morse keys are not available either at the CTO or any of the post offices. The original structure which housed the telegram section in 1929 has been dismantled following which the machines disappeared.
The odd person who turns up at the counter is usually a lawyer's representative or a government servant. "Telegrams are often used by respondents in court matters. Messages to seek exemption from hearing or adjournment are sent by telegrams. This serves the purpose as the person has a record of the telegram sent even though when it reaches the addressee cannot be determined," said a lawyer.
"Government servants use the telegram to seek extension of leave," said a source at the CTO. "Some banks and financial agencies too use the telegram when it comes to producing official records."
The army even today continues to be one of the major clients of the BSNL's telegraph service. "After Nagpur the only other telegraph office is at the Kamptee cantonment," the source said.
During TOI's visit to the CTO, this reporter met a Rajesh Hore who wanted to send a telegram to his grandmother in Aurangabad. "She doesn't use telephones or mobiles, so this is the only option," he said.
The telegram no longer travels on electric wires through Morse keys. It has become an e-mail with the printout being delivered at the address. Unfortunately, the new technology has not made it faster. Today, a telegram or e-mail goes to a central server of the BSNL from where it is disbursed to the various centres. Each major city and a district place have a code to where it is redirected from the hub. With delivery men heading towards extinction, the telegrams are sent through regular post too.
Tehsils and other remote places do not have a code nor telegram offices. In such cases, the printout of the telegram is sent by post and then its delivery is at the hands of the postman.
The CTO at Nagpur has only one telegram delivery man as against a dedicated cadre that they used to have once upon a time. Earlier, post offices in villages too had facilities to receive telegrams. But, with the post and telegraph departments now separated, post offices have discarded the telegram equipment. So the printouts are sent through post. At times even the telegrams within the city go this way. Ironically, the new mode is called web-based messaging system (WBMS).
"Till almost mid-1990s the CTO continued to depend on the original Morse keys even though there were tele-printers which ran simultaneously. "Teleprinters were used when the lines were busy, on a slack day they would revert to the Morse keys," the CTO source said.
Lt Colonel (retd) Sunil Deshpande recalls the time when he was posted on the eastern border when he got to know about the Bhopal gas tragedy on Bangladeshi television. A worried Deshpande tried to call up his sister who lived in the same locality where the gas leak had the highest impact. Even the army lines were down, but it was a telegram saying she was safe which gave him relief even though it was delivered 10 days after it was sent.
Deshpande has still preserved the telegram he received from the defence secretary when he go the Vishisht Seva Medal. He also recollects the terse words 'rejoin duty forthwith' on the telegram when the Indo-Pak war of 1965 broke out. For grain trader Pratap Motwani, the telegram was the means to confirm the recipe of delivery of consignments or even pointing out the defect in the goods received.
"I have never seen or heard of a telegram," said 18-year old Aman Baraiya, a hotel management student. "It is some kind of a postal service, and I guess can be sent like a fax," was how engineering aspirant Mrunmayee Kotpalliwar reacted.
Source:-The Times of India
Post offices set for major revamp, minister says
The Centre is focusing onmodernization of post offices in the country to improve service delivery and enable them to compete with courier companies, Union minister of state for communications and information technologyKilliKruparani said today.
The Department of Posts has sanctioned Rs 4,700 crore for modernization of 1.55 lakh post offices, she said here.
Under the project, a provision of Rs 1,500 crore has been made to install computers in rural post offices, Kruparani said.
To overcome the delay in providing services, the Union government has embarked on a massive drive to upgrade postal infrastructure, Kruparani said.
She said all the post offices in the country will be soon providing online services.
The Minister was speaking after inaugurating the first all-women post office (Mahila Dak Ghar) in Andhra Pradesh which has come up in this port city.
"In the coming days, their will be more such post offices across the country for the convenience of women. The Centre intends to open Mahila Dak Ghars in every metropolitan city and big towns, especially where there is sizeable population of working women, Kruparani said.
Source:-The Times of India
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