Cabinet approved the proposal of Dearness Allowance (DA) to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) to pensioners

Release of additional installment of dearness allowance to Central Government employees and dearness relief to Pensioners, due from 1.1.2014

The Union Cabinet today approved the proposal to release an additional installment of Dearness Allowance (DA) to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) to pensioners with effect from 01.01.2014, in cash, but not before the disbursement of the salary for the month of March 2014 at the rate of 10 percent increase over the existing rate of 90 percent. Hence, Central Government employees as well as pensioners are entitled for DA/DR at the rate of 100 percent of the basic with effect from 01.01.2014. The increase is in accordance with the accepted formula based on the recommendations of the 6th Central Pay Commission. The combined impact on the exchequer on account of both dearness allowance and dearness relief would be Rs. 11074.80 crore per annum and Rs. 12920.60 crore in the financial year 2014-15 ( i.e. for a period of 14 months from January 2014 to February 2015).  PIB

Health workers of Directorate of Health Services of A & N Administration, goes on a two-day protest on Feb 20 and 21 for Patient Care Allowance

          The Association of Word Attended, Aayah, Safai Karamchari & other Health  workers of Directorate of Health Services of Andaman & Nicobar administration, goes on a two-day protest on Feb 20 and 21 from 12 noon to 12.30 pm in front of DHS office to press for their demand for extending Hospital Patient Care Allowance/Patient Care Allowance (HPCA/PCA). Member of the association was performed  their duties in the hospital wearing black badges. A peaceful rally / mass procession organized on 20^th  & 21^st February 2014, at 1230 hrs. and its route was started from vehicle perking of G.B.Panth Hospital, M. S. office, Cellular jail junction, DHS office, Ayush Hospital Bus Stand and conclude at mortuary of G. B. Pant Hospital.
          
    This demonstration guided by  "Government Employees Federation" under the leadership of Shri P. Kannan , President  and Shri S. K. Majumdar, General Secretary, of Government Employees Federation of these islands and also extended their full support to the affiliated above Health orkers  Association.

The Government is likely to take the decision of increasing the retirement age of Central government employees

The Business Standard reports that the Government is likely to take the decision of increasing the retirement age of Central government employees by two years, from 60 to 62 this week. This would be applicable from March 1.

The decision to be taken by the Cabinet will be one of the major and last one before the model code of conduct for the general elections kicks in. In the Thursday meeting, the Cabinet is also likely to recommend dates for the elections. These could be notified on March 5.

"The government may clear the increase in age this week," said a source. It is likely to be a part of the terms of reference of the Seventh Pay Commission, expected to file its report in 2017. The panel, however, can recommend an interim relief through the move.

The increase in retirement age would be happening after 15 years. In 1998, it was increased to 60 from 58 following implementation of the Fifth Pay Commission. Experts said it would defer payment of retirement benefits. However, sources confirmed this would not be applicable for employees retiring on February 28.

Double the normal Rates of Transport Allowance granting to Deaf and Dumb Employees

 Finance Ministry issued orders on granting of Transport Allowance to Deaf and Dumb Employees working in Central Government departments at double the normal Rates …

A parliamentary panel has urged the Centre to raise the retirement age to 65 years

The standing committee of Parliament on social justice and empowerment have recommended the government to raise the retirement of the employees age to 65 years. The recommendations is based on the fact that growing lifespan was adding to the need for "productive ageing". 

The recommendation for increase in retirement age comes with a reminder that senior citizens would form 12.4% of the total population in 2026 from 7.5% in 2001. 

"The committee feels that with the increase in life expectancy and relatively better state of health of people, the government needs to look at continuity of employment up to 65 years," said the report.

It also recommended that government look at greater post-retirement opportunities for senior citizens and create greater financial support. 

While suggesting immediate redressal for the ageing population, the panel sought to train the government's focus on the 60-plus group by pointing out that its growing numbers would be a serious challenge in health and social care. 

Specifically, it underlined that as per population projections, the 80-plus bloc, the most-vulnerable group, would see a sharper rise in numbers. 

The urgency of parliamentarians towards senior citizens comes amid growing global realization that increasing lifespan is creating a new demographic bloc requiring state intervention. 

Seeking government attention, the committee noted that senior citizens comprised 7.5% of the total population in 2001 but their share is likely to increase to 12.4% in 2026. Importantly, UN projections say while India's population will rise by 55% by 2050, that of 60-plus would increase by 326% and that of 80-plus would go up by 700%. 

The panel said special focus should be on the octogenarian bloc. "This age group is the most vulnerable and runs the risk of getting dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson disease, depression in their older years," it said, and asked the Centre to constitute an expert group of relevant government departments to devise specialized healthcare programme for them

Source : Times of india

GEF mourns Advocate A.S.ROY's demise...

                               

                                 The Patron, Shri Kuldeep Rai Sharma, President, Shri P. Kannan,  General Secretary, Shri S. K. Majumdar, Office bearers and all affiliated Associations of Government Employees Federation, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, have condoled the demise of Advocate,  A. S. ROY, of Calcutta High Court. He passed away at his residence at Kolkata on thursday the 6th February 2014. Advocate Roy was the senior legal advisor of GEF for more than a decade and his valuable advises and contribution extended for the development of Government Employees federation shall be remembered forever. In his demise, the GEF has lost a sincer, dedicated and admirable legal advisor.                                  The office bearers of Government Employees Federation have expressed their sorrow and observed two minutes silence in the Federation office at Gandhi Bhavan, Port Blair for the departed soul and prayed the almighty to give strength and courage to bear the irreparable loss to the family members.  

GEF has expressed its heartiest gratitude to Hon'ble Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh for has approved composition of the 7th Pay Commission

Prime Minister Approves Composition of 7th Central Pay Commission Under the Chairmanship of Justice Ashok Kumar Mathur, Retired Judge of the Supreme Court and Retired Chairman, Armed Forces Tribunal                                                                                                                    

                                                                                                                     04-February-2014 13:27 IST

The Finance Minister Shri P. Chidambaram has issued the following statement:

            “The Prime Minister has approved the composition of the 7^th Central Pay Commission as follows:

1.         Shri Justice Ashok Kumar Mathur                            -                          Chairman           

            (Retired Judge of the Supreme Court and Retired

            Chairman, Armed Forces Tribunal)

2.         Shri Vivek Rae                                                             -                          Member (Full Time)

            (Secretary, Petroleum & Natural Gas)

3.         Dr. Rathin Roy                                                             -                          Member (Part Time)

            (Director, NIPFP)

4.         Smt. Meena Agarwal                                                   -                          Secretary

            (OSD, Department of Expenditure,

            Ministry of Finance)”

Source: PIB 

                                                                          ************

                               Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has approved composition of the 7th Pay Commission, which will revise the salaries of over 50 lakh central government employees. "The Prime Minister has approved the composition of the 7th Central Pay Commission," the finance ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

Former Supreme Court Justice Ashok Kumar Mathur has been appointed as chairman of the Commission, with oil secretary Vivek Rae as full time Member. Rathin Roy (Director, NIPFP) will be part-time Member and Meena Agarwal (OSD, Department of Expenditure) its secretary.

Earlier in September 2013, the Prime Minister had approved setting up of the 7th Pay Commission.

The Commission has been mandated to submit its report in two years time and its recommendations would be implemented from January 1, 2016. The setting up of the Commission, whose recommendations will benefit about 50 lakh central government employees, including those in defence and railways, and about 30 lakh pensioners, comes ahead of the general elections.

The government constitutes Pay Commission almost every ten years to revise the pay scales of its employees and often these are adopted by states after some modification.

The sixth Pay Commission was implemented with effect from January 1,2006, the fifth from January 1, 1996 and fourth from January 1, 1986.