DOPT has issued Notification regarding amendment to Joining Time for Central Government Employees :

MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS
(Department of Personnel and Training)

NOTIFICATION

New Delhi, the 27th March, 2015

G.S.R. 229(E) – In exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to article 309 read with clause (5) of article 148 of the Constitution and after consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor General of India in relation to persons serving in the Indian Audit and Accounts Department the President hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Central Civil Services (Joining Time) Rules, 1979, namely :—

1. (1) These rules may be called the Central Civil Services (Joining Time) (Amendment) Rules, 2015.

(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

2. In the Central Civil Services (Joining Time) Rules, 1979,-

(i) In rule 4, for sub-rule (4), the following sub-rule shall be substituted, namely:—

“(4) For appointment to posts under the Central Government on the results of a competitive examination or interview or both open to Government servants and others, the Central Government employees and permanent or provisionally permanent State Government employees shall be entitled to joining time under these rules, if such Government servants opt for having their past service m the Central Government or State Government counted for all purposes in the Central Government”;

(ii) In rule 5, in sub-rule (4), for the existing Note, the following Notes shall be substituted, namely:—

“Note 1: Distance means actual distance travelled and not weighted mileage for which fare is charged by the Railways in certain ghat or hill regions.

Note 2: In case of transfer of a Government servant to or from Eastern Region, including Sikkim, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep and Ladakh, two days additional time shall be admissible over and above the normal joining time reckoned on the basis of actual distance between their old and new place of posting”;

(iii) In rule 6, for sub-rule (1), the following sub-rule shall be substituted, namely:—

“(1) The period of unutilized joining time shall be regulated in terms of the provisions of sub-clause (ii) of clause (a) of sub-rule (1) of rule 26 of the Central Civil Service (Leave) Rules, 1972″;

(iv) after rule 7, the following Notes shall be inserted, namely:—

Note I: The sanction of the admissible joining time shall be accorded by the competent authority exercising the administrative control over the Government servant proceeding on transfer.

Note 2: The joining time pay shall be paid for by the new administrative authority where such Government servant joins on transfer”.

[F. No. 19011/03/2013-Estt.(AL)]

MAMTA KUNDRA, R. Secy.

Note: The principle rules were published in the Gazette of India, Part-II, Section 3, Sub-section (i) vide G.S.R. No. 695 dated the 15th September, 1979, and subsequently amended- vide notification number G.S.R. 90 dated 27th December, 1982 and notification number G.S.R. 197 dated 10th March, 1989.

6th Central Pay Commission (2006 – 2015) – Why was it special?

6th Central Pay Commission (2006 – 2015) – Why was it special?

Six Pay Commissions were formulated by the Central Government until now. The 6th Pay Commission had some salient features that were never seen before. Let’s find out why this particular Pay Commission was so monumental.

The recommendations made by the previous five Pay Commissions were interrelated to each other. People who had studied these would know that despite the similarities, the recommendations were not exactly generous.

“Weightage” was the most-frequently used terminology in all previous pay commissions. New employees wouldn’t be aware of this. Weightage was all about calculating a certain percentage of the basic pay and adding it to the new basic pay (Basic Pay Weightage, Fitment Weightage or Fitment Benefit). This was the method prescribed by the five Pay Commissions before.

Even more pathetic was “Increment Weightage”. Particularly the 5th Pay Commission didn’t consider all the increments that the employee had received. According to the recommendations of 5th Pay Commission, it was given on the basis of one out of three increments.

As well, those were the days when promotions were rare. For years, employees were getting meager amount as annual increment. Only disappointment remained because the employees felt as if their ten years’ progress was unfairly evaluated.

Since no significant changes were made in the calculation of DA in the 5th Pay Commission, for the entire ten years, percentage of Dearness Allowance had increased by only 74%.

Until the 5th Pay Commission, House Rent Allowance was given in four categories – 5%, 7.5%, 15%, and 30% or as consolidated amount.

Lack of generosity was also obvious in areas like Tuition Fees, Transport Allowance, and Leave Travel Concession.

The 6th Central Pay Commission was special because it was radically different from its predecessors.

“Grade Pay was introduced, and, although there were MACP confusions due to the new Hierarchy system, since its pluses outnumbered its minuses, we feel that there is nothing wrong in recollecting the good points that the Commission had recommended. This article will help the next generation employees understand why the 6th Pay Commission was so unique.”

Multiplication Factor : This is considered by many as a transparent approach. 

Children’s Education Allowance : From a meager Rs.40 per month, it was raised to Rs.1000. This reflected genuine interest and concern about the future generation. 

3% Increment : The decision to calculate the annual increment at 3% of the current basic pay continues to be applauded even now.

Transport Allowance : Although Convenience Allowance was clubbed with this, it was a good decision to have made the revision of transport allowance dependent on the dearness allowance.

Leave Travel Concession : Which was until then, given only for Class II travel, was elevated to AC- Tier III, and Tier II.

Child Care Leave : It was a blessing for female employees.

Military Service Pay : First time recommendation for the Armed Forces Personnel by 6th Pay Commission.

DA Calculation : The Dearness Allowance was calculated based on the All India Consumer Price Index published by Labour Bureau. Calculation method for arriving the percentage of additional Dearness Allowance was recommended by 6th CPC with important average index factor of 115.76 instead of 306.33. Dearness Allowance went up as high as 10% and earned an increase of about 120% in its ten years’ tenure.

Finally, All Central Government Employees Unions and Federations played a very important role in the revolutionary changes and liberal recommendations that were being offered to the employees. Let us not forget that it was our unified voice and determination that made it all possible.

Source: CGEN.in

FINANCE MINISTRY ISSUED ORDERS ON PAYMENT OF DA FROM 1.1.2015

LTC Claims – Need for observing prescribed procedures

G.I., Dept. of Pers. & Trg., O.M.F.No.31011/3/2015-Estt (A-IV), dated 01.04.2015

Subject:- LTC Claims – Need for observing prescribed procedures

This Department receives a large number of recommendations for relaxation of some or the other provision of the Central Civil Services (Leave Travel Concession) Rules, 1988, (hereinafter referred to as LTC Rules), in individual cases. It is seen that, in most cases the situation arises are due care had not been exercised by the Government servant and/or the administrative authority in claiming LTC or in examination.

2.The references mainly relate to:

a) Late submission of claims;

b) Booking of air tickets through an agency not authorized by the Government for this purpose;

c)Travel by private vehicles; and

d)Claims for wrong block of years.

3.In this connection it may please be noted that the primary responsibility for ensuring compliance with the rules is that of the Government servant. The of-repeated plea of ignorance of rules cannot be a valid ground for relaxation of rules. At the same time it has also been noticed that the administrative authorities have also shown laxity and due diligence on their part could have prevented such situations from arising.

4.Late Submission of Claim

4.1 In terms of Rules 14 and 15(vi) of LTC Rules, the time limit for submission of LTC claim is :

i) Within three months of completion of return journey, if no advance is drawn;

ii) Within one month of completion of return journey, if advance is drawn.

Powers have been delegated, as under, to the Ministries/Departments to relax these limits with the concurrence of the Financial Advisor.

a) Upto 6 months, if no advance is drawn;

b) Upto 3 months if advance is drawn, provided the Government servant refunds the entire amount of advance (not merely the unutilized portion) within 45 days of completion of return journey.

4.2 As per Rule 12(a) of the “Compendium of Rules on Advances to Government Servants”, it is the responsibility of the Head of Office to effect recovery of advances and also to see that the conditions attached to each advance are fulfilled. The Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) is required to keep a watch on the advances and furnish monthly statements to the AP&AO. In addition, the DDO is also required to adjust all outstanding short term advances at the close of financial year.

5.Booking of air tickets through agents other than Government approved agents

5.1 Government servants travelling by air under LTC are required to book their tickets either directly from the airline or through the approved agencies viz: M/s Balmer Lawrie & Co. Ltd/ M/s Ashok Tours & Travels Ltd/IRCTC. Booking through any other agency is not permissible.

6. Travel by private vehicles.

6.1 As per LTC rules, a Government servant may travel only by vehicles operated by Central/State Government or local bodies or by any corporation in the public sector owned/controlled by Central/State Government. Journey on LTC by taxi, auto-rickshaw etc, are permissible only between places not connected by rail. This is further subject to the condition that these modes operate on a regular basis from point to point with the specific approval of the State Governments/transport authorities concerned and are authorized to ply as public carriers.

7. Claims for wrong block of years

7.1 Whenever a Government servant applies for LTC advance, the administrative authority is required to verify from the service book and certify the entitlement of the Government servant. Cases of the type mentioned in para 2(d) would not arise, if this is properly done.

8. LTC Rules also provide that a government servant who has been granted LTC Advance is required to submit copies of the tickets within 10 days of drawal of advance. The administrative authority can at this stage itself check the date of commencement of journey; whether ticket has been booked direct from airline or through approved agency etc. Any discrepancy can be brought to the notice of the government servant so that he can take remedial action, if needed.

9. Even in cases where advance is not drawn, the Government servant is required to give prior intimation of his intention to avail LTC. The administrative authority can check the details indicated especially w.r.t entitlement. A watch can also be kept to ensure timely submission of claims.

10. All Ministries/Departments are requested to bring the contents to this O.M. to the notice of all concerned. It may also be noted that requests for relaxation of rules shall be considered by this Department only if it is established that the deviation is due to reasons beyond the control of the Government servant and there has been no laxity on the part of the administrative authorities concerned.