Passport office to work on Saturday, Sunday to clear backlog

To ensure prompt delivery of passports, the postal department has been roped in.

NEW DELHI: The TOI campaign on the passport logjam has made the government put reforms on the fast track. In an unprecedented move, the ministry of external affairs on Thursday announced a 'Passport Mela' this weekend at many PSKs countrywide - the kendras will remain open on Saturday and Sunday and people can just walk in, without an appointment. This practice will continue till the entire backlog has been cleared.

In a special briefing to TOI, Raghavendra Shastry, adviser to external affairs minister S M Krishna, gave details of fresh measures that are expected to address the concerns raised by the people - and reported by this newspaper to help make the new passport application process smoother and transparent.

The ministry has also reviewed the online appointment process, and from Friday, an additional 30% slots are being released. This will take the number of daily slots in the capital from 1,650 to 2,050. Moreover, appointments will now be given for up to 30 days instead of 15. "This way, we believe we will be able to process 6 lakh applications in the country this year," said chief passport officer and joint secretary in MEA Muktesh Kumar Pardeshi.

"We have taken the suggestions given by TOI seriously and want people to know that we are working hard on them. There has been a huge backlog of applications due to the holiday rush, which is why we are having this passport mela. MEA is doing it for the first time in the country. This will help us smoothen the service in about six weeks from now," said Shastry.

"We will entertain walk-ins only on weekends. And people need not form queues early in the morning. They can come anytime after 10am," said Basant K Gupta, additional secretary, consular passport & visa division, MEA.

The ministry has reiterated its promise of revisiting its website. "There has been a lot of confusion over the passport application website. The older site, www.passport.gov.in is no longer functional but people have been visiting it. Therefore, we are going to redirect traffic from there to our functional portal, www.passportindia.gov.in. We are also going to prepare a fresh list of documents required for applying under various categories. There will be no ambiguity in %the process anymore," Gupta said.

Does this mean that there will be no more surprise demands for additional documents by PSKs? "Yes. TCS staff will no longer decide what documents are needed. Now, only government officials will check if all documents are in place and if anything else is required," said Gupta.

So far, the applicants who were turned back by PSKs for lack of documents had to try their luck again with %the online appointment system to book a slot. "This will not happen anymore. If there is any requirement of a document, an applicant will be given three days to return with the papers," Pardeshi said.

To ensure prompt delivery of passports, the postal department has been roped in. "The postman will be given an incentive of Rs 50 per delivery. He will call up or send an SMS before coming to ensure that the passport is delivered to the person to whom it is issued," said Raghavendra Shastry, advisor to minister of external affairs.

He said that the system will be implemented across the country and S M Krishna will personally write to all state chief ministers to ensure implementation of the revised rules.

Apart from Delhi, passport melas will be held at the following places: RPO, Koramangla, and PSKs at Sai Arcade, Lalbagh, Mangalore and Hubli in Bangalore; RPO and PSKs at Nelson Manickam Road, Saligramam, and Tambaram in Chennai; RPO and PSKs at Begumpet, Ameerpet, Toli Chowki, Vijayawada, Tirupati and Nizamabad in Hyderabad; RPO and PSKs in Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, and Gorakhpur; and passport office at 14 Mall Road in Amristar.

Source : The Times of India, June 22, 2012

Fixed Medical Allowance to Railway pensioners / Family pensioners

Fixed Medical Allowance to Railway pensioners / Family pensioners

NFIR (National Federation of Indian Railwaymen) writes a letter to the Member Staff of Railway Board on 20.6.2012 regarding the issue of Fixed Medical Allowance to Railway Pensioners/Family Pensioners.

General Secretary of NFIR Shri.M.Raghavaiah has revealed in this letter, the Retiring / Retired Railway employees are eligible to receive Fixed Medical Allowance originally Rs.100 per month which has subsequently been revised to Rs.300 per month with effect from 1.9.208. The retired employees are facing difficulties in getting the Fixed Medical Allowance from the Banks where they are receiving monthly pension.

The main reason for non-payment of the Fixed Medical Allowance as experienced by the Retired Railway employees, is non-endorsement to this effect on the PPO, even though the undertaking form as circulated by the Railway Board with letter dated 7.6.2011 is filled and given in duplicate to the Bank (Pension Disbursing Authority) as mentioned in the instructions of the Railway Board.

He added, to overcome the difficulty being experienced by majority of the retired employees, NFIR suggests that following endorsement either printed or with rubber stamp may be made while issuing PPO to the retired/retiring employees…

"Shri/Smt/Miss —————————————-(Name of the Retiring/Retired person) is to be paid Fixed Medical Allowance Rs.300 per month as per Railway Board’s order PC-V/2011/A/Med/1 dated 7/6/2011."

Finally, the above suggestion of the NFIR required quick attention to help and sort out the difficulties of the Railway employees.

Courtesy L http://cgstaffnews.com/

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3	Online Transactions (9)	All systems with Sanchay Post Software, running the respective modules.	SP5\OT	21/06/2012
4	SOSB Online (5)		SP5\SOSB	21/06/2012

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Source : http://tamilnadupost.nic.in/sdc/sblan.htm

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MODEL QUESTION FOR IPO EXAM - POSTAL MANUAL VOLUME II (QNo 1-25)

POSTAL MANUAL VOLUME II (QNo 1-25)

1.         A criminal prosecution in a non-cognizable case should not be instituted without the previous sanction of the

            a)         Head of the Circle/Regional PMG                        b)         SSP/SP

            c)         Sub divisional inspector                             d)         None of these           Ans:a

2.         Which of the following is cognizable case?

            a)         Highway robbery                                          b)         Theft

            c)         Criminal breach of trust                              d)         All the above             Ans:d(129)

3.         Which of the following is non-cognizable case?

            a)         Theft                                                               b)         Cheating , forgery

            c )        Half murder                                                   d)         All the above             Ans:b(129)

4.         The security deposit account in POSB, PO certificates or Govt securities should be pledged by an official to the appointing authority, if of a

            a)         LSG states                                                     b)         HSG States

            d)         Gazetted status                                            d)         None of these           Ans:d(225)

5.         Security deposit account should be maintained in form

            a)         ACG 43                                                          b)         ACG 38

            c)         ACG 54                                                          d)         ACG 48                      Ans:a(227)

6.         Mark the correct option

a)                 When an official is transferred permanently to the jurisdiction of another office, the officer in charge of the office in which his bond is kept will forward the bond to the proper office in a regd cover.

b)                 When an application is received for the refund of the balance at credit of a security deposit amount, in no case should be refund be authorized before the expiry of six months after the vacation of his office by the employee

c)                  All bonds of permanent or temporary officials will be entered in the prescribed register Form Sec. 19.

d)                 All the above                                                                                         Ans:d(230-34)

7.         Custody of security bonds register Form Sec 19 in

            a)         Custody of divisional supdt.         

            b)         Custody of the postmaster

            c)         Joint custody of the postmaster and accountant

            d)         Custody of treasure                                                                                     Ans:c(232)

8.         The security furnished by an official will be liable to forfeiture by

            a)         Director General                                           b)         Head of the circle

            c)         Any officer authorized by DG Post           d)         Both the A & C         Ans:d(258)

9.                  The security furnished by an official will be liable to forfeiture when

a)                 An  employee quitting the service without properly accounting for all money,

b)                 store and valuables in his custody

c)                  An employee quitting the service without permission

d)                 An employee quitting the service without giving at least three month’s notice

e)                 All the above                                                                                                 Ans:d(258)

10.       When the whole or the part of the security deposit of an official is to be forfeited the form of security bond must be

a)                 Kept in safe locker

b)                 Kept in custody of postmaster

c)                  Sent to Head of the circle or Administration office                               

d)                 Either  A or B                                                                                                            Ans:c(259)

11.       Deposits of employees that remain unclaimed for ____ years after their refund becomes admissible are to be credited to Government under head________

a)                 Two years, UCR

b)                 Three years, UCP

c)                  Three years, Miscellaneous revenue

d)                 Five year, Miscellaneous revenue                                                                       Ans:c(260)

12.       Mark the incorrect option

a)                 The articles of stock such as plant and machinery, furniture and fixture are classed as “Dead stock”

b)                 Consumable and perishable articles come under the term “Stores”

c)                  Both the A and B

d)                 None of these                                                                                            Ans:d(269b)

13.       The inventory should ordinarily be maintained at the site of the dead stock and should be checked once in______ year by the ________

a)                 A year, Head of the circle

b)                 Two year, Head of the office

c)                  A year, head of the office/ any other office selected by the head of the circle

d)                 None of these                                                                                            Ans:c(269b)

14.       The stock book maintained in the form

            a)         SK-2                                                   b)         SK-1

            c)         SK-3                                                   d)         SK-4                                    Ans:b(269b)

15.       The stock book SK 1 should be used in maintaining the inventories of

            a)         Dead stock                                        b)         Stores

            c)         Both the A and B                             d)         None of these                       Ans:c

16.       A detailed record of all losses of stock and stores should be maintained and an annual statement submitted to the

            a)         DG Post                                             b)         Head of the circle

            c)         Divisional office                               d)         Audit office                          Ans:d(269c)

17.       The _______of an office must daily examine the condition of the locks of the main doors leading into the office and at least once a ­­­_____that of the locks of the boxes, etc., in the office and note the result of the examination in the ______as the case may be

           

            a)         Gp D, Month, Order book or in the error book

            b)         Officer in charge, Month, Order book or in the error book

            c)         Officer in charge, Daily, Order book or in the error book

            d)         None of these                                                                                                Ans:b(270)

18.       When locks get out of order or damaged or become unserviceable in any way, they should not be repaired locally, but should in all cases be returned to the

           

            a)         Circle office                                       b)         Head office

            c)         CSD                                                   d)         Depot                                     Ans:d(270)

19.       Whenever the cost of articles of stock lost or broken by postal officials is

a)                 Recovered from the official in false

b)                 Paid from postal collection

c)                  Paid from post office fund

d)                 New lock will be replaced with old                                                                        Ans:a(271)

20.       When steel almirahs, cabinets, cupboard or locker furnished with body locks (which are furnished by their manufacturer with duplicate keys) are supplied to any office, i.e. Post, Mail, Record or Divisional Office for storage of records, forms etc., the duplicate keys of the same should be kept locked up in the

a)                 Post office at postmaster custody

b)                 In circle office

c)                  Divisional office

d)                 None of these                                                                                               Ans:c(271)

21.       The duplicate key should be sent by

a)                 Hand of an responsible official                 b)         Ordinary post

c)            Registered post                                            d)         Insured post              Ans:d9271)

22.       Duplicate keys of all safes in the store depot should be kept in a locked safe in the store depot, in the joint custody of

a)                 The manager and the Superintendent

b)                 The manager and Head assistant of the circle office

c)                  Either A or B

d)                 Neither A nor B                                                                                            Ans:c(271)

23.       When steel almirahs, cabinets, cupboard or locker furnished with body locks (which are furnished by their manufacturer with duplicate keys) are supplied to any office, i.e. Post, Mail, Record or Divisional Office for storage of records, forms etc., the duplicate keys of the same should be kept locked up in the custody of

a)                 The manager and the Superintendent

b)                 Head clerk and Stock clerk of divisional office.

c)                  Both the A and B

d)                 None of these                                                                                               Ans:b

24.       Indent of furniture may be submitted by_____. Only after personal inspection by him or by ________, of the office for which the articles are required .

a)                 Head postmaster, SPM

b)                 Superintendent, Inspector

c)                  Inspector, SPM

d)                 None of these                                                                                               Ans:b

25.       In Circle where the Store Depot is located at a place different from the Circle Office, duplicate keys of the safes may be kept in the Circle Office itself in the joint custody of the _______and the ________dealing with the Stock or Stores Depot

a)                 Office Superintendent, Assistant Director of Postal Services

b)                 Manager, Head clerk

c)                  Both the A and B

d)                 None of these                                                                                               Ans:a

(Prepared & published by AB Kantharaja, Mobile 08969822340, http://abkantharaja.blogspot.in)

SEXUAL HARRASSMENT OF WOMEN IN THE WORK PLACE – FAQ ON REMEDIAL MEASURES

SEXUAL HARRASSMENT OF WOMEN IN THE WORK PLACE – FAQ ON REMEDIAL MEASURES

1. Whether there is any Rule for Prohibition of Sexual harassment of Working Woman?

Yes Rule 3 C of CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964 prohibits sexual harassment of any woman at her workplace.

2. What are the specific provisions of the Rule?

(1) No Government Servant shall indulge in any act of sexual harassment of any woman at her workplace.

(2) Every Government Servant who is in charge of a workplace shall take appropriate steps to prevent sexual harassment to any woman at such workplace.

Explanation: For the purpose of this Rule. ‘Sexual harassment’ includes such un-welcomed sexually determined behaviour whether directly or otherwise, as

(a) physical contact and advances;

(b) demand or request for sexual favour;

(c) sexually coloured remarks;

(d) showing any pornography; or

(e) any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature.

3. What are the guidelines and norms to be mainintained to prevent and deal with cases of sexual harassment in working place?

The Hon’ble Supreme Court has laid down guidelines and norms in this matter in the case of Vishakha and Ors.Vs State of Rajasthan & Ors (Jt.1997(7) SC 384). These guidelines and norms to be observed to prevent sexual harassment of working woman have been circulated to all Ministries and Departments vide DOPT’s OM No.11013/10/1997-Estt.A dated 13.02.1998. A copy of these guidelines are available on the website of Ministry at WWW.permin.nic.in. As per the above guidelines, there should be complaints Committee, a special Counsellor or other support service including maintenance of confidentiality.

(DOPT’s O.M.dated 21.07.2009 and 7.8.2009)

4. What is the Composition of Committee?

The Complaints Committee should be headed by a woman and not less than half of its members should be women. Further, to prevent the possibility of any undue pressure of influence from Senior levels, such Complaints Committee should involve a third party, either NGO or other body who is familiar with the issue of Sexual harassment.

(enclosure of DOPT’s O.M. dated 13th Feb., 1998)

5. What about complaints against senior level officers?

For inquiring into complaints made against officers of the level of Secretary, Addl. Secretary and equivalent level of Govt. of India, a separate Complaints Committee has been set up by the Cabinet Secretariat with the approval of the Prime Minister.

(DOPT’s O.M.11013/10/97-Estt.A dated 13.07.2009)

6. What about Complaints against senior level officers?

For inquiring into complaints made against officers of the level of Secretary, Addl. Secretary and equivalent level of Govt. of India, a separate Complaints Committee has been set up by the Cabinet Secretariat with the approval of the Prime Minister.

(DOPT’s O.M. No.11013/3/2009-Estt.A dated 2nd Feb., 2009, Cab.Secretariat’s O.M.501/28/1/2008-CA.V dated 26.09.2008)

7. Whether separate Complaints Committee should be set up for each complaint of sexual harassment case?

No. It is necessary to have in place at all times an effective mechanism for dealing with cases of sexual harassment and to create awareness in this regard. There should be Standing Committee in each organization for inquiring into any such complaints. The Complaints Committee must make an Annual Report to the Government Department concerned of the Complaints and action taken by them. It would also be desirable of the Committees to meet once in a quarter even of there is no live case and review preparedness to fulfill all requirements of the Vishakha judgment in the Department/Ministry/Organisation concerned.

(DOPT’s O.M dated 21.07.2009, 07.08.2009, 3rd August 2009)

8. What is the status of the report of the Complaints Committee?

In its order dated 26.04.2004 in the Writ Petition No: 173-177/1999 in the case of Medha Kotwal and Ors.Vs UOI & Ors. the Hon’ble Supreme Court has directed that the Reports of the complaints Committee shall be deemed an enquiry Report under the CCS Rules. Thereafter, the Disciplinary Authority will act on the report in accordance with Rules. Sub-Rule (2) of Rule 14 of CCS (CCA) Rules, 1965 has accordingly been amended to provide that the Complaints Committee shall be deemed to be the Inquiry Authority for the purpose of these Rules by the Notification No. 11012/5/2001-Estt.A dated 01.07.2004 (GSR 225 dated 10th July, 2004). In view of the said amendment made to the CCS (CCA) Rules, the instructions contained in DOPT’s O.M.dated 12th Dec., 2002 stands modified and the report of the Complaints Committee should be treated as an inquiry report and not a preliminary report.

(DOP&T O.M. No.11013/3/2009-Estt. (A) Dated the 21st July, 2009]

[DOPT OM dated 12.12.2002 as amended by O.M. dated 4.8. 2005]

9. Is there any charge Sheet in such cases?

The Complaint forwarded by the DA to the Complaint Committee is treated as Charge Sheet. Specific Charge Sheet may also be made on the basis of complaints.

10. Is the procedure prescribed in the CCS (CCA) Rule 14 followed in such enquiries?

The Complaint Committee is the competent authority in such cases to decide the procedure. However, since the report of the committee is to be treated as the enquiry report under the CCS(CCA) rules and the Disciplinary Authority is to take action on that report as per the same rules (as mentioned at point 8 above) the procedure prescribed in Rule 14 of the CCS (CCA) Rules are to be followed as far as practicable. [DOP&T O.M.No.11013/3/2009-Estt.(A) dated 3rd August, 2009].

11. Whether copy of the report should be given to the Charged Officer / Complainant?

Yes, may be given.

12. Whether any special leave or transfer is to be granted to the complainant if such request is made by her?

As per existing Leave Rules, there is no special type of leaves that can be granted to the aggrieved woman. However, the can be granted any of regular leave that’s admissible to her under the provisions of CCS (Leave) Rules, 1972 (as amended from time to time). The victims of sexual harassment should have the option to seek transfer of the perpetrator or their transfer or their own transfer.

(DOPT’s O.M.No 11013/10/97-Estt.A dated 13th Feb., 1998)

13. Whether any amendment to the existing Rules / instructions is being made on this issue?

The existing Rules / Instructions / guidelines / norms / mechanisms have been formulated on the basis of direction of the Supreme Court in the case of Vishakha & Other vs. State of Rajasthan and Medha Kotwal Lele & Ors vs. UOI & Ors. as mentioned above. However, Ministry of Women & Child Development have introduced a Comprehensive Bill in the Parliament on the issue of sexual harassment at working place — Government, Semi-Government, Private Sector as well as unorganized sectors. After passing of the Bill in the Parliament detailed Rules vis-a-vis that Act may be formulated by the Government.-

Courtesy : http://katiharho.blogspot.in/