.: March 2023

Friday 31 March 2023

Best wishes & hearty congratulation to Com. Ajay Kumar Patra,our beloved Circle President

Best wishes & hearty congratulation to Com. Ajay Kumar Patra,our beloved Circle President of AIPEU Postmen and MTS Odisha Circle on the day of his retirement from service on superannuation today.As a talented trade union leader,his contribution towards the Postal Employees Union will be remembered for ever.He is of course such a leader can not remain silent after his retirement to guide & advise the future leaders to make the Organisation. I wish him a happy,healthy & peaceful retirement life.💐💐💐

M C S Rao

Circle Secretary

27th AIC of Confederation - Reception Committee Circular

Referral to empanelled hospitals for consultation / endoesement

emergent Circle Working Committee Meeting of AIPEU Postmen and MTS Odisha Circle

NOTICE

Dear Comrades,

An emergent Circle Working Committee Meeting of AIPEU Postmen and MTS Odisha Circle will be organized through Virtual mode, on date 02.04,2023at 06 PM (Sunday) Sharp, All CWC members and Divisional Secretaries are requested to attend the meeting positively, without any plea . The Meeting is most urgent to discuss the following agendas . Data should be intact in the Mobile .

1) 26 the April, 2023 - Chalo Bhubaneswar - Join in en masse with Family members to :-Hatao NPS , Restore OPS

2) To Discuss Next CWC to be held at Cuttack.

3)Any other with the permission of the Chair .

Our beloved senior leadership will be attended CWC,Com R N Dhal President ,Confederation, General Secretary AIPRPA Odisha State, Com B Samal , General Secretary Confederation Odisha state and Com D B Mohanty General Secretary CHQ also attend the Virtual Meeting ,therefore all are requested to join in the meeting in time.

Link will be provided before meeting,

M C S Rao

Circle Secretary

Postal Savings Interest Rates

Postal Savings Interest Rates for 1st quarter of 2023-24 ( i.e., 01/04/2023 to 30/06/2023

Advances to Government Servants — Rate of interest for purchase of Computer during 2023-24 is 9.1%

F.No. 5(2)-B(PD)/2023

Government of India

Ministry of Finance

Department of Economic Affairs

(Budget Division)

North block, New-Delhi

Dated the 29th March, 2023

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Advances to Government Servants — Rate of interest for purchase of Computer during 2023-24.

The undersigned is directed to state that the rate of interest for advance sanctioned to the Government servants for purchase of computer during 2023-24 i.e. from 1st April, 2023 to 31st March, 2024 is as under:

Rate of interest per annum

Advance for purchase of Computer 9.1%

(Sanjay Rawat)

Under Secretary (Budget)

Wednesday 29 March 2023

Promotion to PS Group "B" Cadre against vacancies for the year, 2023

Click to View PDF ( 38 Pages)

One Nation, One Pension - Article by Shri. Bruhaspathi Samal, Odisha

ONE NATION, ONE PENSION

The Central Govt. employees including Railways and all the State Govt. employees along with teachers are in continuous struggle since the New Pension Scheme, now National Pension Scheme (NPS) was given effect from 01.01.2004 and became applicable to all new entrants to central government services (except the Army, Navy and Air Force) only with an Executive Order on 22.12.2003 as a part of the implementation of the new economic policy following the IMF-World Bank policy on pension reforms. Subsequently PFRDA Act was passed in 2013 in the Parliament and legally came into force with effect from 01.02.2014 through a Gazette Notification. While some State Governments like Odisha implemented it from 01.01.2005, some like West Bengal and Tamilnadu are still under Old Pension Scheme (OPS). Further, due to the rigorous agitational programmes of the employees and workers, some State Governments like Jharkhand, Rajastan, Chhatisgarh, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh have already declared to rollback to OPS. The Govt. of Andhra Pradesh has offered its employees a guaranteed pension of 33% of the last basic pay without any monthly deduction from the employees’ salary as done under the NPS, i.e. 10% of employee’s salary every month in addition to 14% similar contribution by the employer. Similarly, the Govt. of Maharastra is now thinking to exit from NPS.

While our hon’ble MPS and MLAs are enjoying multiple pensions under OPS, it is a matter of surprise that apart from NPS and OPS, there are some categories of employees in various States and Establishments who have no pension at all (NoPS). The Nation has also One Rank One Pension scheme (OROP) scheme under which uniform pension is paid to armed forces personnel retiring at the same rank with the same length of service, regardless of when they completed their service or retired. Further, recently in January 2023, the High Court of Delhi came in the case of Srinivas Sharma vs Union of India and held that that personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) comprising BSF, Assam Rifles, CISF, CRPF, Indo Tibetan Border Police, National Security Guard (NSG) and Seema Suraksha Bal with total of 11,09,511 shall be governed by the OPS. On the other hand, various Trade Unions of the country are in action mode to demand a minimum guaranteed pension of Rs.9000/- for the workers in the unorganized sector.

Thus, during the period of last 20 years from 2003 to 2023, the struggle for OPS is getting momentum. Now under the banner of National Joint Council of Action (NJCA), all the Central Govt. employees including Railways and all the State Govt. employees along with teachers are accelerating the movement. On the backdrop of such movements on one hand and the decision of various State Governments to rollback to OPS on the other, now, the Hon’ble Finance Minister on 24th March, 2023 has declared to set up a Committee to propose changes for improvising NPS. But the demand of the employees and workers is not to improve, but to scrap NPS including PFRDA Act, 2013 and restore OPS. Since 2024 is the year of General Election, it is quite evident and familiar with the ruling parities to come up with several promises and manifestos in the pre-election year for motivating the voters. Thus, there is nothing for the employees to be surprised with the formation of the proposed NPS Committee. Since the employees have several bitter experiences how the Govt. has moved away from its written assurances earlier with regard to pay and pension, now the functionality of the proposed Committee on NPS seems to be quite apprehensive. It is just an eye-wash to overcome the election year only.

In a democratic welfare country like India, there shouldn’t be separate principles at least with regard to pension, i.e. one for the people and another for the people’s representative, one for the defence personnel and another for the civilians, one for the organized sector, another for the unorganized sector etc. Pension is neither a bounty, nor a matter of grace depending upon the sweet will of the employer, nor an ex-gratia payment. It is a payment for the past services rendered. It is a social welfare measure rendering socio-economic justice to those who in the heyday of their life ceaselessly toiled for the employer on an assurance that in their old age they would not be left in the lurch. Any kind of discrimination amongst employees and workers should be forbidden. The Right to Equality, one of the Fundamental Rights enshrined both in the Preamble and under Article 14 to 18 of the Constitution of India states that the State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India. Equality before the law means like should be treated alike. The right should be exercised without distinctions of race, religion, wealth, social status or political influence. Thus, there should not be several categories of pension in a welfare country like India. The Govt. of India is now giving several clarion calls like; One Nation - One Ration Card, One Nation – One Election, One Nation – One Identity Card, One Nation – One Fertilizer, One Nation – One Uniform, One Nation – One Language etc. In the same analogy, why can’t we go for One Nation – One Pension? Since the law says to treat equally all, now time has come to think in this regard more seriously to provide equal pension to all without any distinctions in the category of employees or political influence.

Hope, the proposed NPS Committee will study in details the drawbacks of various

pension systems now prevailing in the India, viz; NPS, OROP, NoPS etc., guide the Central Govt. for ensuring a single pension system irrespective of categories of employees and workers with a minimum guaranteed amount subject to maximum 50% of the last pay drawn as given under OPS to honour the Constitution and to suggest for repealing NPS under PFRDA Act 2013.

Friday 24 March 2023

The Fight Will Continue Till The Restoration Of The Old Pension Scheme - Com Shiv Gopal Mishra

The Fight Will Continue Till The Restoration Of The Old Pension Scheme - Com Shiv Gopal Mishra

Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman issued a statement today that a committee will be constituted under the chairmanship of the Finance Secretary on the new pension scheme and the committee will give its suggestions, while expressing its reaction, the General Secretary of All India Railwaymen's Federation, Shri Shiv Gopal Mishra Said that this statement is an act of misguiding the Central and State employees as it is completely of no use to all the Government employees who are in Government service since 01.01.2004, despite the considerable improvement in the New Pension Scheme and the New Pension Scheme in them There is a lot of resentment against the pensioners and they are very worried about their future after their retirement because their life after retirement is in darkness due to non-availability of 'Defined Old Pension Scheme'.

Shri Mishra said that under the leadership of NJCA, the Joint Front for Restoration of Old Pension Scheme (JFROPS) has been formed, under the leadership of all government autonomous institutions, teachers, and organizations of the Central and State Governments, our old pension scheme will be restored. The demand for restoration will continue until the 'old pension scheme' of government employees is not restored by the government.

*Com Shiva Gopal Mishra*

*General Secretary*

*New Delhi - 24 March 2023*

Thursday 23 March 2023

42% Dearness Allowance for Central Govt Employees from 1st Jan 2023

The Union Cabinet Committee is expected to make a decision on the proposed 4% increase in Dearness Allowance for Central Government employees, pensioners, and family pensioners, to be effective starting 1 January 2023.

42 percent Dearness Allowance for Central Government Employees with effect from 1.1.2023 and 42% Dearness Relief for Central Government Pensioners and Family Pensioners with effect from 1.1.2023.

The calculations for Dearness Allowance for the month of January 2023 have concluded. The sixth and last calculation of Dearness Allowance since issuing the AIPCIN for December 2022 is done. Central Government employees, pensioners, and family pensioners are now receiving 38% of their basic salary/pension as DA and DR every month. Following the Union Cabinet’s approval to increase DA from January 2023, orders will be issued from the Finance Ministry for payment of the revised DA/DR!

Wednesday 22 March 2023

PRESS RELEASE

22nd March 2023

CITU DENOUNCES GOVT’S ARROGANCE SEEKING TO BAN

ALL PROTESTS BY GOVT EMPLOYEES & DEMANDS SCRAPPING OF THE DoPT ORDER

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) condemns the arrogance of the Central Govt in cautioning of Govt-employees against participating in any form of protests and demands the immediate scrapping of such atrocious instructions issued by the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) to the secretaries of all Central Government departments on 20.3.2023 immediately.

The instruction seeks to prohibit participation of the Government employees in any form of collective expression like strike, mass casual leave, dharnas etc, practically all forms of protests in a democratic manner and threatens with the warning in the form facing serious consequences in case of participating in any protests. This is nothing but an authoritarian attempt to ban on the Government employees on their democratic rights for collective assertion/expression from participating in any form of protests pressing for their legitimate entitlements and demands relating to their rights and service conditions to which every Indian citizen is entitled to as per the Indian Constitution.

The Modi led BJP Govt known for its anti worker destructive policies, has gone desperate in the face of surging protests across the nation in one after another state from almost all section of working people across the sectors including the central and state Govt employees. It is so while the organized protests and agitation for Old Pension Scheme (OPS) urging for scrapping of New Pension Scheme (NPS) particularly by the government employees is becoming louder and widespread is gradually turning out to be a political challenge to the Modi Govt and the BJP ruled states. Such desperation has given rise to such arrogance seeking to ban all forms of democratic protests by the Govt employees. This order has also to be seen in the back ground of the Modi Govts atrocious and illegitimate stand of not returning the NPS corpus, which wholly belongs to the employees, to the states reverting to the OPS and has to be fought back relentlessly.

CITU reiterates that such an order has been issued by the Govt with the satanic motive to thwart the planned district level rallies across the country demanding restoration of Old Pension Scheme decided by the National Joint Council of Action (NJCA). But this cannot deter the waves of struggles and their success in getting the OPS restored in some states by their Govts. CITU calls upon the employees to go ahead with their united struggles and stands by the struggling workers and employees for their just demands and extends its fullest solidarity calling upon the entire trade union movement to extend all support and solidarity to the united struggles of the Govt employees and fight back the authoritarian arrogance of the ruling dispensation.

Issued By,

Tapan Sen

General Secretary

Press Meet and Mass Rally of NJCA / JFROPS, Odisha in Khurda Road Junction on 21.03.2023

Newspaper publications on 22.03.2023 on NJCA Odisha's agitational activities.

FinMin Approval for creation of new posts in DOP for providing bank facility

Creation of new posts in the Department for providing banking facilities within 5 kilometers in all villages in the country

update your mobile number in your Post Office Account

All post office account holders are advised to update your mobile number in your Post Office Account immediately to ensure the security of your account. It is mandatory to update the mobile number by 01 April 2023.

Click here for the details of the nearest Post Office: bit.ly/3TvlqVX

NPS to OPS for recruited against post/vacancy advertised/notified for recruitment, on or before 22/12/2003: List of Documents to be submitted with Option

F.No. 7(1)/NPS/2020-EC-II(A)/185
Government of India
Directorate General
Central Public Works Department

Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi
Dated: 20 March, 2023

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Coverage under Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, in place of National Pension System, of those Central Government Employees who were recruited against the posts/ vacancies advertised/notified for recruitment, on or before 22/12/2003.

The undersigned is directed to enclose a copy of Department of Pension and Pensioner’s Welfare, OM No.57/05/2021-P&PW(B) dated 03/03/23 on the subject mentioned above and to request all the eligible/willing Officers (SE & above) to submit their option, if they desire, before due date through their controlling officers.

2) All respective controlling officers are requested to forward options received with certified copies of following information/documents:-

Date of notification of examination
Date of examination held
Date of interview
Date of final result
Vacancy year against which appointment has been done.
Offer of appointment letter.
Period of extension requested for joining, if any.
Date of appointment of officer

(V.K. Tuli)
Assistant Administrative Officer

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CHQ Letter

IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATION OF GDS COMMITTEE ON SUBSTITUTE ARRANGEMENTS IN PLACE OF REGULAR GRAMIN DAK SEVAKS; AGAINST VACANT GDS POSTS.

IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATION OF GDS COMMITTEE ON SUBSTITUTE ARRANGEMENTS IN PLACE OF REGULAR GRAMIN DAK SEVAKS; AGAINST VACANT GDS POSTS.

Monday 20 March 2023

Central, State employees / pensioners join hands against NPS

Annual General Body meeting of NFPE, Bhubaneswar to implement 2023 year long programme of NJCA /JFROPS against NPS

A grand General Body Meeting of National Federation of Postal Employees, Bhubaneswar Divisional Branch was held today on 19.03.2023 in the premises of Bhubaneswar GPO under the guidance of Com. Bruhaspati Samal, General Secretary, Confederation of Central Govt. Employees and Workers (CCGEW) and Joint Convenor, National Joint Council of Action (NJCA), Odisha. A detailed discussion was held to implement the year long agitational programmes of the Joint Forum for Restoration of Old Pension Scheme (JFROPS) as scheduled by CHQ, New Delhi.

Apart from Com. B Samal, the meeting was addressed by Com. Rabindranath Dhal, President, CCGEW and NJCA, Odisha, Com. Pratap Chandra Dash, President, Odisha State Govt. Retired Employees Federation and Com. Prasanta Kumar Mohanty, President, Odisha State Govt. Employees Coordination Committee and Vice-President, NJCA, Odisha.

Addressing the meeting the leaders stressed upon the historic judgement on 17th December, 1982 of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in D S Nakra versus Union of India case which states, "Pension is neither a bounty, nor a matter of grace depending upon the sweet will of the employer, nor an ex-gratia payment. It is a payment for the past services rendered. It is a social welfare measure rendering socio-economic justice to those who in the heyday of their life ceaselessly toiled for the employer on an assurance that in their old age they would not be left in the lurch". According to the historic observation of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, pension creates a vested right subject to CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 which are statutory in character since enacted in exercise of the power conferred under proviso to Article 309 of the Constitution of India. Thus introduction of NPS just through an Executive Order at the sweet will of the Govt. has not only violated the statutory provision guaranteed under Constitution of India, but also the historic decision of the Hon’ble Apex Court as above.

At last, it was unanimously resolved to conduct a mass rally in the state capital, Bhubaneswar on 26th April, 2023 by NJCA, Odisha with the seven point charter of demands which includes the demand to scarp NPS and restore OPS, Constitution of 8th Central Pay Commission, Payment of 18 months D A Arrear, Regularization of Contractual, Contingent and Part-time Workers including Gramin Dak Sewaks with Status and Pension etc. The proposed rally will be participated by the employees, pensioners and their family members of all Central and State Govt. employees and pensioners including teachers, Railway employees and pensioners of Odisha and to submit a memorandum to the Hon’ble President of India through the Governor of Odisha. Before that a mass public lunch hour demonstration will be held in all work places on 21st March, 2023.

The meeting was successfully conducted under the leadership of Com. Dipti Ranjan Mohanty, Asst. Circle Secretary NFPE (P-III), Odisha Circle and assisted by Com. Lingaraj Sahoo and Com. Gobardhan Barik, President, NFPE (P-III) and NFPE (P-IV), Bhubaneswar Divisional branch respectively.