Retain ₹8 lakh EWS cap for admissions, suggests panel

Will Tweak Other Criteria Next Year: Govt To SC

Will Tweak Other Criteria Next Year: 

Govt To  SC

Dhananjay.Mahapaatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:03.01.2022

The committee set up to evaluate the ₹8 lakh income limit for economically weaker section candidates in admissions to educational institutions recommended retention of the qualifying mark and the Centre informed the Supreme Court that it accepts the reasoning. This development may set in motion the resumption of the counselling process for the NEET-PG seats that is currently held up.

The Centre on Sunday told the Supreme Court that it would stick to the ₹8 lakh annual income limit criteria that entitles EWS candidates to a 10% reservation in ad- missions to educational institutions, including medical colleges, and government jobs, but promised to tweak other EWS-related criteria a bit from next year.

The committee advised implementation of its recommendations from next year, which would mean the EWS quota admissions for medical admissions for the present academic year, which is yet to be completed, would be on the basis of the 2019 criteria. “The existing system, which is going on since 2019, if disturbed at the end or fag-end of the process would create more complications than expected both for the beneficiaries as well as for the authorities,” the committee said. › Family income,

Centre’s defence a double-edged sword

The Centre’s defence against lowering ₹8 lakh income cap may spark cheers among the upper caste but may adversely affect its moves on OBC ‘creamy layer’. The ministry of social justice has showed the contrast between the ₹8 lakh for EWS and the same limit as OBC creamy layer cap, and arguing that the former is much more strict. P 10

 

FCRA deadline extended but no relief for MoC

---

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:

01.01.2022

The home ministry on Friday extended the validity of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) licences expiring between September 29, 2020 and March 31, 2022. This move comes as a relief for NGOs and associations that have applied for renewal of their registration under the Act but are still awaiting a decision. The extension has been given until March 31, 2022 or till the disposal of their application, whichever is earlier.

The ministry, however, clarified that the FCRA licences of NGOs whose renewal plea has already been turned down, shall not be eli- gible for the extension. This essentially means that the Missionaries of Charity, an NGO founded by Mother Teresa, became ineligible for receiving any fresh foreign contributions or utilising foreign funds received by it, right from the day — December 25, 2021 — the MHA rejected its FCRA renewal application due to “adverse inputs”.

This is the third time that the MHA has extended the validity of FCRA registration certificates of NGOs who had applied for their renewal after September 29, 2020. The original deadline of May 31, 2021was extended to September 30, 2021. Thereafter, it was further extended to December 31, 2021.

Soon, use a single sign-in to access govt services and entitlements

Soon, use a single sign-in to access govt services and entitlements

Dipak.Dash@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:23.12.2021

Soon, you won’t need to remember different usernames and passwords to login and avail of a variety of government services across Union and state government departments. The Centre will launch a platform where you would need to login once to access a range of services. Government agencies are also working on a plan to have an option where the user, once logged in, will get details of the entitlements and services that would guide him/her to access them.

The single sign-on (SSO) service allows users to log in to multiple platforms and websites using one set of credentials via secure session and user authentication. Sources said the platform would be launched by August 2022.

SSO service will be one stop authentication platform

To expedite the initiative, the electronics and IT ministry on Wednesday held a long session with a dozen ministries and state government representatives on onboarding all citizen services offered by central and state governments as part of the ongoing ‘good governance week’.

The roll out of national citizen-centric portal and the creation of a “National Digital Profile” for all citizens would be used to pre-fill government forms and will be a tool for citizens to discover welfare benefits offered by governments.

The SSO service will be one stop authentication platform for government services and the identification and authentication can be done by using details of Aadhaar number, PAN number, DL, email or mobile phone.

Officials said this will be totally consent-driven.

‘Marriage law won’t make child marriage ab initio void’

‘Marriage law won’t make child marriage ab initio void’

Ambika.Pandit@timesgroup.com

New Delhi  22.12.2021

Soon after the government introduced a bill in Parliament to amend the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, some of those who were at the forefront of supporting the decision, however, lamented that the proposed legislation does not bring amendments to make child marriage void.

They pointed out that the proposed law will not make child marriage, in its present form, void at the outset and it will continue to remain voidable at the option of the contracting party who was a child at the time of the marriage.

After the bill was introduced in Lok Sabha, Vikram Srivastava, founder “Independent Thought” and Convenor, Campaign against Child Marriage, said, “The special and secular character of PCMA having an overriding application is a welcome step. The consequential amendments to other laws will end the otherwise ambiguity and provide the much needed protection to girls through a uniform law.”

“The 2021 amendment to the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, however leaves the most controversial and complicating gap of ‘void ab-initio’ clause unresolved. It is unclear how this increase in age would resolve or restrict solemnisation of marriage, if it remains to be valid,” Srivastava said. In the ‘Independent Thought’ case judgment of 2017, the Supreme Court had declared sex with minor wife as rape.

Dr Renu Singh Country Director, Young Lives India, said that bill sets forth the rationale for increasing the age of marriage for girls to 21 years based on the principle of equality (same age for men and women) and the need to increase the age so as to ensure that the “physical, mental and reproductive health” of women is protected.

Meanwhile, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board came out to reject the bill and said they would request the government to not go ahead with it. In a statement, the board argued that “Islam doesn’t prescribe any age for marriage. This is left to the persons who have attained the age of adolescence or to their guardians”.

Move to raise girl’s marriage age causing pain to some: PM

Move to raise girl’s marriage age causing pain to some: PM

‘UP Women Were Biggest Sufferers Of Lawlessness Under SP’

Rajeev.Mani@timesgroup.com

Prayagraj:  22.12.2021

“Everybody is seeing who is having problem with the move to raise the marriage age of girls from 18 to 21,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, taking a swipe at the opposition parties at an event at Prayagraj for women empowerment on Tuesday.

“We are trying to increase the age of marriage of girls to 21 years, so that they can have time to study and progress. The country is taking this decision for its daughters. Everyone is seeing who is having problems with this,” he said, adding that “women are happy with the government’s decision”.

Samajwadi Party MPs Shafiqur Rehman Barq and ST Hasan have recently made adverse comments on the Centre’s move to increase the legal age of girls’ marriage though party president Akhilesh Yadav distanced himself from their statements.

“Prayagraj has been an iconic city to show the strength of women empowerment. Now, it is witness to a Kumbh of empowered women who have turned up at this event,” he said at the well-attended event.

Lauding the state government on the law and order front, especially the steps taken for women’s security, Modi said that five years back, roads of UP had mafiaraj and criminals held sway in the government.

“The women of UP were the biggest sufferers of this state of affairs. However, the government of Yogi Adityanath has sent these criminals to their rightful place (jails),” the PM said.

“Out of the 30 lakh houses constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY) in the state, 25 lakh have been registered in the name of women beneficiaries,” he said.

“In families where there was no property in the name of women for generations, they now have a house in their name. This is true women empowerment. In the village ‘swamitva scheme’ is underway in which property papers were given to house owners and women are being given priority,” he said.

“This is our bid to provide equal rights to women just the way we did through schemes like Ujjwala and Swachh Bharat to construct toilets,” the PM said, highlighting the measures of the Centre and UP governments like triple talaq law, Kanya Sumangla Yojana and crackdown on criminals to help women. The PM transferred ₹Rs 1,000 crore to bank accounts of self-help groups (SHGs) to benefit around 16 lakh women.

Govt works to raise legal age of marriage for women to 21

Govt works to raise legal age of marriage for women to 21

Cabinet OKs Proposal To Amend Prohibition Of Child Marriage Act

Ambika.Pandit@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:17.12.2021

With the Cabinet approving the proposal to raise the legal age of marriage for girls from 18 years to 21, bringing it at par with men, the government has set in motion the process for a major change in law that has been a point of debate for long.

The big test for the bill will be passage in Parliament as any change in age will have far reaching implications. Despite a decline over decades, underage marriages remain a concern even though there is a long-standing prohibition on child marriage. As many as 23.3% of women aged 20-24 were married before they turned18, the legal age of marriage, as per National Family Health Survey-5 (2019-21). The latest survey shows the problem is more prevalent in rural India at 27% whereas in urban regions, underage marriage accounted for 14.7% of all marriages.

The government sees the proposed legislation as a strong measure to bring women on equal footing with men in keeping with the vision of the Constitution on gender equality. “As India progresses, further opportunities open up for women to pursue higher education and careers. There are imperatives for lowering Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR), Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and improvements of nutrition levels as well as increase in Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB). These are the main reasons for effecting the proposed legislation,” an official source said. The move is also being cited as a step that will allow women to attain psychological maturity before marriage, exercise their reproductive rights better and take decisions on family planning and use of contraceptives.

The age of marriage for women was increased from 15 to 18 in 1978 by amending the erstwhile Sharda Act of 1929. The first indication of an upward revision in the age of marriage of girls came in PM Narendra Modi's speech on Independence Day last year. On Wednesday, the Cabinet approved the introduction of ‘Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021’ for amending ‘The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 (PCMA)’. The bill is expected to be taken up in Parliament soon.

According to sources, the bill once approved by Parliament, will be followed by consequential amendments in laws relating to age of marriage. These include personal laws governing marriage of Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Parsis and ‘the Special Marriage Act, 1954’ and ‘the Foreign Marriage Act, 1969’. Under scrutiny are related laws like ‘Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956’ and ‘Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956.’ In his Independence Day speech last year, the PM said, “To end malnutrition among girls, to assess what should be the age of marriage, we have set up a committee.”

Keep close watch on dist-level Covid clusters: Govt to states

Keep close watch on dist-level Covid clusters: Govt to states

‘Check Areas With 10% Positivity Rate, 60% Bed Occupancy On O2 Support’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:  12.12.2021

The Centre has asked states and UTs to strictly monitor and implement measures at district level clusters of new Covid-19 cases, with a particular focus on areas reporting over 10% positivity rate or over 60% bed occupancy on either oxygen support or ICU.

The health ministry has also raised concern over districts with high positivity rate in three states — Mizoram, Kerala and Sikkim. The three states have eight districts reporting more than 10% positivity.

Besides,19 districts in Kerala, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Puducherry, Manipur, West Bengal and Nagaland have been reporting positivity rates between five and10% in the last two weeks. “Thus, these 27 districts need to be monitored very closely,” health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said in a letter to states and UTs on Saturday.

“In case of any district reporting a surge in cases, or rise in positivity rates, intensive action and local containment as per the containment framework must be initiated,” Bhushan said.

The Centre suggested specific containment measures to ensure there is no sudden surge in cases and healthcare systems are not burdened.

The government maintains that at present the health systems are not burdened due to Omicron. However, there are clusters where cases are increasing rapidly. While Delta continues to be the dominant variant, the Centre has stressed on states to continue genome sequencing of positive samples.

“The strategic containment interventions in identified areas with test positivity rate of over10 per cent or over 60 per cent bed occupancy on either two oxygen-supported or ICU beds, include night curfews, restricting intermingling of people, prohibition of congregations (social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural, religious, festival-related), curtailment of attendees in marriages and funerals or last rites, etc,” Bhushan said.

Testing and surveillance interventions include ramping up testing and active case search, testing of influenzalike illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases through rapid antigen tests (RAT) and retesting by RT-PCR of symptomatic RAT negative tests.

Centre shifts 42 IAS officers in mega rejig

Centre shifts 42 IAS officers in mega rejig

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:  05.12.2021

In one of the biggest-ever appointments of top- and mid-level bureaucrats at the Centre, the government on Saturday issued orders for fresh posting, insitu elevation, and lateral shift of 42 IAS officers across different departments.

This is also perhaps for the first time that a long list of appointments, which consists of only IAS officers, has been issued, unlike in earlier instances when almost every list of appointment orders for additional secretary- and joint secretary-level posts included some non-IAS officers.

The six secretary level appointments include Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS Sanjay Bandopadhyay’s posting as chairman of Inland Waterways Authority of India; Jharkhand cadre IAS Sundeep Kumar Nayak’s appointment as director general of National Productivity Council; and Bihar cadre IAS Dharmendra S Gangwar as secretary of border management department in the home ministry. Tamil Nadu cadre IAS Anita Praveen has been appointed as special secretary in the food processing industries ministry, who will take over as secretary from January 1.

Foreigners can now submit registration requests online

Foreigners can now submit registration requests online

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:17.11.2021

The home ministry has allowed all applications and information related to registration of foreigners in India to be submitted to the registration officer through the electronic mode.

A new rule has been added to the Registration of Foreigners Rules, 1992, providing registration reports of foreigners to be submitted electronically. Any application or information under the rules can be filed online , after which the registration officer will verify its genuineness.

Only if necessary will the applicant or informant be called for a personal appearance for the purpose of this rule.

“The purpose of the amended rules is to ease travel and stay by foreigners in India by eliminating the outdated procedures and replacing them with digitised formats. The initiative fits in with the ‘ease of living’ and ‘ease of doing business’ theme of the Modi government,” said a spokesperson for the ministry.

The latest amendments in the Registration of Foreigners Rules, 1992, according to a gazette notification dated November 12, omits Rule 7(1) specifying the procedure of registration and to whom the registration report must be presented.

‘FCRA tightened to stop funds transfer biz’

‘FCRA tightened to stop funds transfer biz’

22.10.2021

New Delhi:

The Union government on Thursday informed the Supreme Court that no NGO had a fundamental right to receive funds from abroad and argued that the provisions of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) to stop the NGOs from making chain-transfers of foreign funds a business. In its response affidavit, the Centre said the amended section 7 only restricts transfer of foreign contributions

NGOs have no basic right to get foreign funds: Centre

NGOs have no basic right to get foreign funds: Centre

FCRA Update To Ensure Money Goes To Stated Use

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:22.10.2021

The Union government on Thursday informed the Supreme Court that no NGO had a fundamental right to receive funds from abroad and argued that the provisions of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act to stop the NGOs from making chain-transfers of foreign funds a business.

In its response affidavit to petitions by several NGOs alleging that the new provisions would stifle their funds and consequently impede their social work, the Centre said the amended section 7 only restricts transfer of foreign contributions to other persons/NGOs once received in India. “An NGO has to utilise it for the purposes for which it has been given a certificate of registration or prior permission by government and there is no discrimination against any NGO in receipt of foreign contribution from any foreign donors,” it said.

On the difficulty posed to thousands of NGOs spread across India by an amendment mandating opening of bank account only in main branch of SBI in New Delhi for receipt of foreign contributions, the Centre said, “Prohibition on transfer of foreign contribution, receipt of foreign contribution in the main branch of SBI in New Delhi and obtaining Aadhaar number, etc of the office bearers, key functionaries and members would improve compliance mechanism, enhance transparency and accountability in the receipt and utilisation of foreign contribution and would not impinge on any fundamental rights of the petitioners. It is directly relatable to activities/programmes detrimental to the sovereignty and integrity of India, public order and interests of general public and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.”

It said, “There exists no fundamental right under which any right, legal or otherwise, can be said to include the purported right to receive foreign contributions. Parliament, representing the will of the people, has enacted the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010.”

Centre hikes dearness allowance & relief by 3%

Centre hikes dearness allowance & relief by 3%

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:22.10.2021

The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved 3% hike in the dearness allowance (DA) and dearness relief (DR) for central government employees and pensioners “to compensate for price rise”. The hike will benefit around 47.14 lakh central government employees and 68.62 lakh pensioners just ahead of the Diwali when people have additional expenses.

This latest DA instalment to the serving employees and DR to the pensioners will be effective from July 1, 2021, Union information and broadcasting minister, Anurag Thakur said while sharing the details of the Cabinet decision with reporters.

He said after this hike, the allowances will increase to 31% of the basic pay and the decision will have an additional burden of around ₹9,488.7 crore per annum on the exchequer.

Prior to this, the Centre had approved an increase in DA and DR from 17% to 28%.

In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, the government had frozen additional instalments of the DA and DR in 2020 due to a shortfall in revenue collection after the pandemic devastated the economy.

Full report on www.toi.in

Central govt staff to get ad hoc bonus for FY21

Central govt staff to get ad hoc bonus for FY21

New Delhi:13.10.2021

The government has sanctioned non-productivity linked or ad hoc bonus for central government employees for fiscal year 2020-21.

In an office memorandum, the department of expenditure under the finance ministry said the employees of central para military forces and armed forces too would be eligible for the bonus.

Employees who were in service as on March 31, 2021, and have rendered at least six months of continuous service during 2020-21 fiscal year would be eligible for this ad hoc bonus.

The non-productivity linked bonus (ad hoc bonus) would be paid to the central government employees in Group C and all non-gazetted employees in Group B, who are not covered by any productivity- linked bonus scheme. The calculation ceiling for payment of this bonus would be monthly emoluments of Rs 7,000.

“The quantum of ad hoc bonus will be worked out on the basis of average emoluments/calculation ceiling whichever is lower,” the department of expenditure said. To calculate ad hoc bonus for one day, the average emoluments in a year will be divided by 30.4 (average number of days in a month).

This will, thereafter, be multiplied by the number of days of bonus granted. Giving an illustration, the memorandum said given the calculation ceiling of monthly emoluments of Rs 7,000, the nonproductivity linked bonus or ad-hoc bonus for 30 days would work out to be Rs 6,908.

It also clarified that in case of employees who resigned, retired from service or expired before March 31, 2021, the ad hoc bonus would be paid only to those who superannuated or retired on medical grounds or died before March 31, 2021, but after completing at least six months regular service during the year. AGENCIES

The calculation ceiling for payment of this bonus would be monthly emoluments of ₹7,000

More time to renew FCRA registration

More time to renew FCRA registration

NGOs can do so till December 31, 2021

01/10/2021

Special Correspondent New Delhi

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has extended the deadline till December 31 for NGOs to apply for renewal of their Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) registration certificates.

The registration is mandatory for associations and NGOs to receive foreign funds. The Ministry had earlier given a relief up to September 30 to NGOs whose registration was expiring between September 29, 2020 and September 30, 2021. The latest order says the deadline for NGOs certificates or registration expiring between September 29, 2020 and December 31, 2021 could apply for renewal till December 31, 2021.

The certificates of around 80% of NGOs are expected to expire on October 31 and as per norms they have to apply at least six months before the expiry of registration.

Registered NGOs can receive foreign contribution for five purposes — social, educational, religious, economic and cultural.

The FCRA registration is renewed every five years. The NGOs also have to compulsorily open an account with the SBI in Delhi to receive funds.

Govt to table bill on OBCs to restore states’ powers

Govt to table bill on OBCs to restore states’ powers

New Delhi:  05.08.2021

The government is set to table a bill in Parliament to restore the powers of states to identify local OBCs, a mandate negated by the Supreme Court’s Maratha reservation judgement of May 5.

The move will test the opposition which has declared that it will not allow the proceedings till its demand for a discussion on Pegasus is met. TOI reported the government plan on July 23 and  26. 

Union Cabinet Tuesday approved “the Constitution (127th) amendment bill-2021” to tweak clauses 1 and 2 of Article 342A and also introduce a new clause 3. The bill will also amend the Articles 366 (26c) and 338B (9) - all designed to clarify that the states can maintain the “state list” of OBCs as was the system before the SC judgement. Crucially, sources said, the “state list” will be completely taken out of the ambit of the President and will be notified by the state assembly. Shashank Ratnoo, a lawyer specialising in backward reservation, said, “The move is welcome, without which the system of OBC lists will go haywire.”

Sources said the bill may be tabled in Lok Sabha at the earliest, possibly on Thursday. TNN

Govt finalises 3 tweaks for state OBC powers

Govt finalises 3 tweaks for state OBC powers

TNN | Jul 26, 2021, 02.25 AM IST

NEW DELHI: Aiming to overturn the Supreme Court judgment and restore the rights of states to identify the OBCs for local purposes, the Modi government is embracing the very changes to the 102nd Constitutional amendment that it had rejected from the opposition during the parliamentary process.

The Union Cabinet may clear the amendment bill this week in a sudden move that appears designed to break the opposition blockade in Parliament. It is learnt that the social justice ministry will make three changes to Article 342A, which governs the process of identification of OBCs. While Clause 1 will specify that the President will identify the OBCs in the “central list” which will be considered as backward in a state, a detailed explanatory note to Clause 2 will make it clear that “Central list” mentioned in the Clause pertains to the OBC list prepared by the Government of India for reservations in the services under the GOI.

The difference between “central list” and “Central list” is to clarify that the former refers to what has till now been called the “State list”.

To stress the point, a new Clause 3 is being added to underline that every state can prepare its list of OBCs for reservation in the state government jobs.

Ironically, these were roughly the suggestions given by the opposition parties during the tortuous debate in Parliament on 102nd amendment in 2017-18. While the government had rejected them, they were flagged by the Supreme Court in its May 5 judgement where it ruled that the 342A implies that only the Centre can identify the backwards for the Central list as well as the state lists.

The SC judgement denuding the states of their power to identify the OBCs for local reservations, as had been the case since 1993 when Mandal reservations came into force, triggered a major controversy.

Sources said the proposed Clause 3 will also negate the SC interpretation that 102nd amendment implies there will be a “single list”. Mentioned by three judges, it is seen as ordering that both the Central and State lists be merged to form one consolidated list. As reported by TOI, it has created uncertainty and the national commission for sub-categorisation of OBCs sought clarity on the issue, arguing it can’t move forward with its task till the meaning of “single list” was determined.

Arguing for the Constitutional amendment post-SC judgment, the Centre says it is necessary “to protect the federal structure of the country and to empower the state governments to maintain state list of OBCs”.

Govt seeks to tweak law on states’ OBC lists

Govt seeks to tweak law on states’ OBC lists

Subodh.Ghildiyal@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:

The Centre has moved a proposal to amend the 102nd constitutional amendment Act to overturn the May 5 Supreme Court judgment and restore the rights of states to identify the OBCs for the “state list” of castes eligible for Mandal reservations in education and employment under state governments.

Well placed sources said the social justice ministry has moved the Cabinet note. The swift move implies that the bill can be brought in the ongoing monsoon session itself. If so, it could be part of a strategy to break the blockade of Parliament proceedings by the opposition over the Pegasus snooping scandal.

Given the sensitivity of the issue and the rights of states involved, neither Congress nor regional parties can afford to block the bill. It may thus restore normalcy in the Parliament. However, the larger political aim of the Centre is to assure OBCs that their rights, as under state lists, were not being undermined. The move comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi placed emphasis on the OBC representation in the recent Cabinet reshuffle along with women, SCs and STs.

It is learnt that the proposal has suggested specific changes to be made to the Act to clarify that state lists and central list of OBCs are separate and under the jurisdiction of respective governments — as had been the case before the SC judgment. The apex court also rejected a government appeal against the order earlier in July.

While upholding the said Act (102nd) in the Maratha reservation case, the SC held that its provisions implied that OBCs for states and Central lists both were to be identified by the President (Centre) on the recommendations of the national commission for backward classes.

Cabinet lifts freeze on DA, increases it to 28% from 17%

Cabinet lifts freeze on DA, increases it to 28% from 17%

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:15.07.2021

The government on Wednesday announced an increase in the dearness allowance for central government employees and dearness relief for pensioners to 28%, from the current 17%, lifting the 18-month suspension to cover inflation.

The freeze that had been imposed in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak was expected to help the Centre save ₹38,000 crore — a little more than the ₹35,000 crore budgeted for the current fiscal year for vaccinating against coronavirus.

“The increase reflects the additional instalments arising on 1 January, 2020, 1 July, 2020 and 1 January, 2021. The rate of dearness allowance/dearness relief for the period 1 January, 2020 to 30 June 2021 shall remain at 17%,” an official statement said.

The development that was being closely watched by central government employees, immediately saw them pulling out calculators to work out the impact on their salaries and allowances.

A large section, however, was not pleased with the announcement. Some argued that “their contribution” in helping the Centre fight Covid-19 should be recognised by the government.

Others said that those who retired during the last few months would have lost out on some leave encashment and pension-related benefits.

Besides, many viewed the increase for the last six-month period to be inadequate, arguing that retail inflation had shot up and the price of auto fuel, edible oil and several pulses had soared to record levels.

Government officials had justified the freeze on DA, arguing that central government employees and pensioners too needed to contribute during a health emergency, which had resulted in companies slashing salaries.

Out: Prasad, Javadekar, Vardhan and Pokhriyal

Out: Prasad, Javadekar, Vardhan and Pokhriyal

Akhilesh.Singh@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:08.07.2021

The exit of 12 ministers came as a surprise element as well-known faces like health minister Harsh Vardhan, information and broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar and law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad left the government on Wednesday.

The factors that led to their exit seem to range from slow pace of meeting targets to inadequate communication of policy and political goals in respective ministries. The articulation about the Covid-19 situation in the country was seen to be “bureaucratic” and seemed to lag in countering the opposition allegations during the second wave.

DOOR SHUT: The exit of 12 heavyweights has come as a surprise

Pokhriyal learnt to have quit largely over health issue

Edu minister Ramesh Pokhariyal is learnt to have quit largely on health grounds It was also felt that the Delhi leader (Harsh Vardhan) did not take on AAP on issues of oxygen shortages as was needed. Prasad, who was holding crucial departments, including law and IT, has been visible and vocal in the government’s showdown with social media giant Twitter. He has also been fielded often as spokesperson on policy and political issues. The persistent problems in the telecom sector and slow progress in the Bharatnet project are seen as problematic issues. As the party organisation may also be in for recast, the possibility of former ministers finding themselves in new roles cannot be ruled out.

Education minister Ramesh Pokhariyal is learnt to have had to quit largely on health grounds as he was struggling with post-Covid complications. The minister had to be hospitalised again after recovering from the infection. Though having helmed the new education policy, the leader may have been a little slow off the block in dealing with other issues relating to the ministry such as revision of school curriculum that is a major reform for the government.

Full report on www.toi.in

மத்திய அரசு அதிகாரிகள் அலுவலகம் வர உத்தரவு

மத்திய அரசு அதிகாரிகள் அலுவலகம் வர உத்தரவு

Updated : ஜூன் 15, 2021 08:42 | Added : ஜூன் 15, 2021 08:40

புதுடில்லி : மத்திய அரசு பணியில், சார்புச் செயலர் மற்றும் அதற்கு மேற்பட்ட பதவிகளில் உள்ள அதிகாரிகள் அனைவரும், நாளை முதல் அனைத்து வேலை நாட்களிலும் அலுவலகம் வந்து பணியாற்ற, மத்திய அரசு உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.

மத்திய அரசு பணியாளர்கள் நலத்துறை அமைச்சகம் நேற்று வெளியிட்டுள்ள அறிக்கையில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளதாவது:மத்திய அரசுப் பணியில், சார்புச் செயலர் பதவிக்கு கீழ் உள்ள பணியாளர்களில் 50 சதவீதம் பேர், நாளை முதல் அனைத்து வேலை நாட்களிலும் அலுவலகம் வந்து பணியாற்ற வேண்டும். இதர பணியாளர்கள் வீட்டில் இருந்து பணியாற்றலாம். சார்புச் செயலர் மற்றும் அதற்கு மேற்பட்ட பதவிகளில் உள்ள அதிகாரிகள் அனைவரும், நாளை முதல் அனைத்து வேலை நாட்களிலும் அலுவலகம் வந்து பணியாற்ற வேண்டும்.

கைகளை கழுவுதல், முக கவசம் அணிதல், தனிமனித இடைவெளி கடைப்பிடித்தல் உள்ளிட்ட கொரோனா தடுப்பு விதிமுறைகள் கண்டிப்புடன் கடைப்பிடிக்கப்பட வேண்டும். அலுவலகம் மூன்று நேரங்களாக பிரித்து செயல்படும்.மாற்றுத்திறனாளிகள், கர்ப்பிணியர் அலுவலகம் வருவதில் இருந்து விலக்கு அளிக்கப்படுகிறது. மறு அறிவிப்பு வரும் வரை அவர்கள் வீட்டில் இருந்து பணியாற்ற அனுமதி அளிக்கப்படுகிறது. கட்டுப்பாட்டு மண்டலங்களாக அறிவிக்கப் பட்ட பகுதிகளில் வசிப்பவர்கள், அந்த அறிவிப்பு விலக்கிக் கொள்ளப்படும் வரை வீட்டில் இருந்து பணியாற்றலாம்.

வீட்டில் இருந்து பணியாற்றுபவர்கள், தொலைபேசி அல்லது மற்ற மின்னணு தொடர்பு சாதனங்கள் வாயிலாக எந்த நேரத்திலும் தொடர்பு கொள்ளும் வகையில் இருக்க வேண்டும். அனைத்து கூட்டங்களும் 'வீடியோ கான்பரன்ஸ்' வாயிலாக மட்டுமே நடத்தப்பட வேண்டும். மிக முக்கியமான மக்கள் நலன் சார்ந்த பணிகளுக்கான கூட்டங்களை மட்டும் அவசியம் ஏற்படும் பட்சத்தில் நேரடியாக நடத்தலாம்.அலுவலகத்தில் வைத்து அலுவல் ரீதியாக வெளி ஆட்களை சந்திப்பது தவிர்க்கப்பட வேண்டும். இந்த உத்தரவுகள் அனைத்தும் நாளை முதல் நடைமுறைக்கு வருகின்றன. இவ்வாறு அதில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.