This blog is meant for use by members of the Association for news and views. Send comments / suggestions / views to e-mail Id: aiaipasp.ors@gmail.com

Friday, March 29, 2013

CHQ News:-Inspector Posts Examination 2012 results...West Bengal Circle

On 28th March, 2013, Directorate has declared the result of Inspector Posts Examination 2012 held on 13th and 14th October, 2012. The result of West Bengal circle was held up due to vacancy problems in the circle. This Association has continuously persuade the issue with Directorate for early declaration of result. Total 21 candidates declared successful (17-OC, 2-SC & 2-ST) in the said examination. 

To view the list of successful candidate, please CLICK HERE FOR PAGE 1.   CLICK HERE FOR PAGE 2

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Consolidated instructions relating to action warranted against Government servants remaining away from duty without authorisation / grant of leave-Rule position.

To view Department of Personnel & Training OM No. 13026/3/2012-Estt (Leave) dated 28th March,2013 please  Click Here.

Recommendation of Department Relates Parliamentary Standing Committee on Compassionate Appointment-reg.

To view Department of Personnel & Training OM No.41013/1/2013-Estt. (D) dated 25th March, 2013 please Click Here.

Soldier, you've got mail....

Tarun Kumar Singha*

The location of armed forces personnel serving in forward areas is invariably classified. While mobile and internet may be the preferred means of communication for most today, this facility is not necessary available to the soldiers serving in borders of our nation. So how do family members and friends of soldiers communicate with them?
They simply write on an envelope or on an inland letter the soldier's name, his unit details and mail it "Care of" (C/O) 56 or 99 APO, depending on whether he is serving in the western or eastern sector. Whether standing vigil in a forlorn forward post or elsewhere where even eagles do not soar, Army Postal Service (APS) through their Army Post Office (APO) and subsidiary network of multitudes of Field Post Offices (FPO) ensures its timely delivery.

56 and 99 APO, incidentally are the two Central Base Post Office (CBPO) mail sorting hubs operating out of New Delhi (No. 1 CBPO) and Kolkata (No. 2 CBPO), respectively. Between them the entire postal needs of the armed forces and few other ancillary paramilitary organisations get taken care of within India.
The origins of these two famous forwarding mail hubs of APS has an interesting history. Subsequent to the victory over Japan by allied forces in August 1945, the 'Indian Army Postal Service' as it was then known, began the process of disbanding all its existing 137 FPOs.
56 FPO, which was raised in Secunderabad on June 30, 1941, was the last FPO left awaiting disbandment. Having just returned from Iwakuni, the British Commonwealth Occupation Force Air Base in Japan, it was however, left unscathed.
Redesignated on October 24, 1947, with a new coded security address "C/O 56 APO", it began as the new base sorting office in New Delhi to serve the postal needs of troops at Punjab and J&K, as a consequence of the Pakistani raidersinvasion on October 20, 1947.

Today, there are more than 350 FPOs under 1 CBPO that take care of mails addressed "C/O 56 APO", encompassing operations across the entire spectrum of our country except the eastern sector.
Meanwhile, "C/O 99 APO" came into being as the coded security address for all in the eastern sector including all the eight north-eastern states, West Bengal and the Andaman group of islands with the raising of 2 CBPO on April 1, 1964. It addresses all its postal operations through its network of nearly 130 FPOs.
The APS Corps celebrated its 41st 'Corps Day' on March 1, 2013. However, its origins go back as early as 1856 when APS was first conceived as a wartime organisation integral to the expeditionary forces that headed to Bushire in the Persian Gulf, and several other such missions elsewhere, later.
Till 1947, APS was a part of the 'Indian General Service', which was then disbanded. It was then affiliated to the 'Army Service Corps' as its postal branch until establishing itself as an independent Corps from March 1, 1972 onwards with a defined role. It includes, ensuring security by use of security address and by assisting censorship, implementing postal concessions and providing postal facilities to troops in operational areas.

It also adopted the 'flying swan', the mythical carrier of messages in several Indian epics, including the Mahabharata, as its emblem with the motto "Mel Milap" (in Hindi) meaning 'union through mail'. Swan is a graceful bird known for its strength, courage, speed and ability to reach inaccessible places, an appropriate symbol of what APS stands for.
For the benefit of the troops, APS provides all the services that 'India Post' - National Postal Network - offers to its client base. These include, besides routine postal service, services such as Speed Post, Express Parcel Post, Postal Life Insurance, E-Post, Post Office Savings Bank, Public Provident Fund among others. It is set to introduce several 'core banking solutions' and 'value-added services' relieving soldiers of their anxiety while serving in forward areas.
Contrary to perceptions that cellular connectivity and internet must be denting the mail volume in present times, statistics indicate that it has, infact, steadily risen. Brigadier (APS) at Eastern Command, B Chandrasekhar, ascribes this phenomena to the rise in the volume of official and business mail offsetting imbalances, if any.
Amplifying further, Col Akhilesh Pandey, Commandant No. 2 CBPO says, "The mails from various service providers such as financial institutions including banks, insurance and investment companies, towards their business transactions is on the rise. The services also extensively use the 'Scheduled Despatch Services' (SDS) for despatch of all their secure official mail."
But the organisation that is manned by volunteer officers drawn from the Indian Postal Service on deputation, together with three-fourth of its personnel drawn from the Postal Department, does not easily sit on its laurels. They are constantly evolving newer 'value-added services' to retain their trusted clientele base, the Indian soldier, who knows that his 'flying swan' comrades will always keep him connected with his family and friends, irrespective of his remote or classified location.
Perhaps one of the best depiction of the emotions of soldiers when they receive their mail from their near and dear ones was enacted in the JP Dutta film "Border" with the iconic chartbuster song "Sandeshe aate hainhamei tadpaate hain, to chithiaati hai.." That really is what the caring flying swans do, bring smiles and draw emotions.
  (PIB Features.)
*****
*Group Captain CPRO, Ministry of Defence, Kolkata

SS-50/SF-50/28-03-2013

Revision in Interest Rates of Small Savings Schemes w.e.f 1st April 2013

To view SB Order No.4/2013 regarding revision in interest rates of Small Savings Scheme w.e.f. 1/4/2013 please Click Here.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Sotheby's to come up with a sale of stamps from The British Postal Museum & Archive

KOLKATA: Sotheby's is coming up with a sale of stamps from The British Postal Museum & Archive (BPMA) in London on July 11, 2013. The auction will comprise material duplicate to the archive collection, with proceeds to benefit the new home of The British Postal Museum & Archive, which will be situated at Calthorpe House on London's Mount Pleasant site and is scheduled to open in early 2016. 

A second sale, comprising entirely different duplicate material to the first auction, is scheduled to take place at Sotheby's in London in February 2014. Stamps from 'Registration' or 'Imprimatur' sheets are among the most highly prized items among stamp collectors. Only two of these special sheets were ever produced for each stamp in this sale. The BPMA is to retain the original sheet which, due to its protected status, will never be sold; Sotheby's will present for sale elements of the duplicate Registration sheets. 

Sotheby's auction is a unique event, since no other examples of these items will be made available, and as such, represents a once-in-a-lifetime event for collectors. 

In the July sale, collectors will have a choice of selected issues from the reigns of King George V (Seahorse issues), King Edward VIII and King George VI (definitive issues). The auction comprises 191 lots and is estimated to bring in excess of £5 million. 

Commenting on the collection of stamps to be offered for sale at auction, Richard Ashton, Sotheby'sworldwide philatelic consultant, said in an email statement: ""This selection of material from The British Postal Museum & Archive includes numerous items that are of the utmost rarity. Now in my 50th year as a professional philatelist, I have never seen such an important sale of its type. Many are the only examples of their kind ever to come on to the market. Quite aside from their rarity, these extraordinary stamps are also of great beauty - engraved to the highest standard by leading masters of the day. There are magnificent sheets of the 'Seahorse' stamps of King George V, and important blocks with Registration Certificates on the reverse of the reigns of King Edward VIII and King George VI. Collectors will never again have such an opportunity to purchase such rare and beautiful items."" 

Commenting on the sale in the statement, Adrian Steel, director of the BPMA, said: ""As well as offering collectors an exciting opportunity to acquire rare and important philatelic material, we are thrilled that this sale will directly support the development of the BMPA's new home. Whereas currently our world-class collections are held in storage and therefore largely hidden from public view, the new British Postal Museum & Archive will make our collections, and the story they tell of British communication, industry and innovation, available to everyone. We hope that everybody who supports this sale will feel proud to be playing their part in restoring Britain's postal heritage to its rightful place on the national and international stage.""

Source:-The Times of India

Small savings schemes to fetch you less this year

The small savings schemes will fetch a marginally lower return in the next financial year. The government has lowered the rate of return on most of these schemes by ten basis points, or 0.1 percentage points, in line with the lower yield on government bonds last year.

Based on the recommendations of the Shyamala Gopinath Committee, the government had benchmarked the interest rates on small savings to yield on government securities. The public provident fund (PPF) will now fetch 8.7% return against 8.8% last year, the finance ministry said on Monday in a statement.

PPF is one of the few small saving schemes in which the interest earned is tax free, making it one of the most attractive investments. Investment in the scheme is also eligible for tax rebate.

The rates on savings deposit schemes and on fixed deposit of up to one year run by post offices have not been cut. These new rates will be applicable for the entire financial year 2013-14. The new rates are notified at the beginning of the financial year.

Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia defended the reduction in rates after West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee crticised the cut.

"In real terms, inflation is much lower than it was two years ago. So, in real term, the interest rate is more favourable," Ahluwalia said, adding that rates on small savings could not be delinked from other rates in the country.

He also said that the reduction was necessary for overall lowering of interest rates. "If you want low (interest) rate environment, you cannot say, "I want higher interest rate for savers and low interest rate for borrowers". They have probably moderated (interest rate) a little bit in line with the softening of interest rates," he said.


Small savings schemes to fetch you less this year
Source:-The Economic Times

Revision of Interest Rates for Small Savings Schemes with Effect from 1st April, 2013

To view Ministry of Finance, Department of Economic Affairs (Budget Division) OM No. 6-1/2011-N.S II (Pt) dated 25th March, 2013 please Click Here.

Shri Kapil Sibal Release the National IPv6 Deployment Roadmap Version – II

The ‘National IPv6 Deployment Roadmap Version – II, a document containing policy guidelines for IPv6 transition prepared by NT Cell, Department of Telecom (DoT), was released by Union Minister for Communications & IT, Shri Kapil Sibal here today. 

Shri Sibal said that Internet is an important tool to connect not only people but people and devices. The explosive growth of mobile subscribers and exponential growth of data has made it imperative to transit to IPv6 to move to smart knowledge society. He emphasized that IPv6 is a limitless highway and the challenge is to bridge the gap between IPv4 and IPv6. He further added that Internet of Things (IoT) offers an immense opportunity for India whereby products & services based on IPv6 can be manufactured here and exported globally. He said that IPv6 based innovative applications in areas like rural emergency healthcare tele-education, smart metering, smart grid, smart building, smart city etc. have tremendous potential to boost the socio-economic development of the country. 

Shri R. Chandrashekhar, Secretary (T), DoT underlined the need for a planned and gradual transition. The Roadmap will pave the way for bridging the digital divide as it is vital for achieving the broadband growth. Shri R.K. Bhatnagar, Member (Technology) presented an overview of IPv6 scenario in the country. He further briefed about proposed India IPv6 Centre of Innovation to be set up by DoT for facilitating IPv6 transition in the country as per the Roadmap. Shri Latif Ladid, President, IPv6 Forum, in his congratulatory message received through e-mail said that IPv6 would make the Indian digital space smart and fertile leading to a better like for everyone. 

Source: PIB

GS writes to Secretary (Posts) regarding repatriation of PS Gr. B officers to Home Circle

No. GS/IPASP/Repatriation/2013                               dated    26/3/2013

To,
Ms P Gopinath,
Director General,
Department of Posts,
Dak Bhavan, Sansad Marg,
New Delhi 110 001.  

Sub : Repatriation of PS Gr. B officers to Home Circle – Reg. 

Ref.  : Directorate file No. 9-11/2013-SPG  Dt. 15.02.2013

Respected Madam, 

          This Association would like to bring to your kind notice that Directorate vide memo No. 9-23/2012-SPG dated 28/12/2012 has issued promotion and postings in Postal Service Group “B” cadre for the vacancy year 2012-13 for 210 officers and again unexpectedly list of 6 officers was issued on 5/3/2013. It may be seen from file at Directorate that, this Association had issued series of letters for timely convening of DPC for the promotion to PS Gr. B cadre but every year DPC for promotion to PS Gr. B cadre was delayed for one or other reasons thereby effecting efficiency of the department.  

Directorate while sensing worsening position of PS Group ‘B’ cadre in Punjab and Karnataka and to cope up with the shortage problem, favourably issued repatriation/re-allotment orders of some of the PS Group “B” officers against future vacancies arising upto 31/3/2013. During the course of informal meeting with Hon’ble Secretary (Posts) on 6/2/2013 this vital and appreciable issue was discussed in detail citing the worsening position of Tamil Nadu circle occurred due to enblock promotion in PS Group “B” through LDCE. It was assured by your honour that the officers who have completed one year service will be repatriated to their home circle against the existing vacancies. Despite bringing this fact to the notice of Directorate vide letter of even number dated 1/3/2013, nothing has been heard till date what to say of repatriation before completing one year.  

Madam, you will agree that a large number of STS/JTS vacancies are lying vacant in Circles since long and PS Group “B” officers are officiating against these posts creating resultant vacancies in Group “B” in circles and imbalance thereof upto ASP/IP level affecting timely promotion in each cadre. Only repatriation can minimise the imbalance occurring in the circles and bring respite to the affected persons. It is pertinent to mention here that hitherto General line officials promoted through LDCE have been given same Circle for the last two years ignoring the right of IP Cadre promotees who always have had acted as a part of Administration shouldering the responsibilities for implementation of Govt policies and discharged them at all cost. Punjab and Andhra Pradesh Circle are set examples of this discrimination. Resultantly, immense hard work of 25 years in IP Cadre could not bring any solace in one’s career progression and our members are left to join at a distant place or forced through backdoor to give refusals and to work in IP/ASP cadre only. In this way, discrimination has been handed over to our members being no fault of them.  

It is understood that Directorate vide letter No. 9-11/2013-SPG dated 15.02.2013 had issued directions to circles for completion of joining process of promotion ordered by targeted date 28.12.2012 and submission of vacancy reports by 8/3/2013. The exercise has since been completed now. It is therefore once again requested to kindly look into this matter sympathetically and cause issue of repatriation orders at the earliest.         

With seasonal greetings,

Yours sincerely, 

Sd/-
(Vilas Ingale)
General Secretary

Restricted Holiday for Holi on 28th March, 2013.

28th March, 2013 has now been declared as Restricted Holiday. But, the Holiday for Holi will be on 27th March, 2013 as declared earlier.

Abolition of Gr-B, C & D posts of Annual Direct Recruitment Plan for the year 2005, 2006, 2007 & 2008 under the scheme of optimization of Direct Recruitment vacancies.

The post of IP(PG), Aska Division, one IP cadre post,  has been identified for abolition. 

TCS wins $43 m deal from Norway Posts

Norway Posts, on Monday, said it had awarded contracts worth $43 million each to software services provider Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and outsourcing services firm Capgemini for operating and managing its applications.
 “The new contracts will make it possible to reduce costs considerably, and gives us access to relevant expertise from two large, recognised global players. We’ve now paved the way for new and future-oriented IT solutions for Norway Post,” Posten Norge AS CIO Morten Stødle said in a statement.
 The estimated value to each of the suppliers, Capgemini and TCS, during the contract period is around NOK 250 million ( $43 million), it added.
 The six-year contract includes delivery of a wide range of application development and support services across Norway Post’s—which delivers over 36 million packages and 2.2 billion letters every year—core portfolio of 55 applications.
 “Apart from being selected to deliver application services across the core postal value chains, TCS will also co-ordinate and drive the overall transition across multiple vendors,” TCS said in a separate statement.
 Capgemini, in a statement , said, “Capgemini will support Norway Post to achieve integration across different Nordic countries and business cultures into one set of seamless operations. The contract includes outsourcing of central applications, such as ERP and data warehousing.”

Source:-The Hindu

You've got mail... on foot power!

PURULIA: When was the last time you got mail? No, not the one your boss sent you five minutes ago that you checked on your smartphone, but mail of the paper variety, written with pen and paper - snail mail, in other words. In case you had forgotten, paper mail still exists and there are people who deliver them... on foot!

It's hard to believe in the age of Facebook andGmail, but a dozen men still perform a job dating back to the days of the Raj. Anath Singh Sardar, Kalipada Mura, Bhondu Gope, Bibhuti Bhushan Pramanik, Dusshasan Machowar, Santa Mahato, Suranjan Kalindi, Rajen Gorai, Mathur Chandra Gorai, Prasanta Sahish, Mongol Chandra Mandi and Dijen Sahis are runners, who deliver letters and parcels on the trot.

They are an anachronism in this e-age but provide a crucial service in an area where cellphone signals are feeble and the Internet is unheard of. Come rain or cyclone or a cruel sun, these men deliver mail for the Baghmundi post office and 11 sub post offices under it in the Ayodhya Hills, about 50km from Purulia town.

Each sub post office has an average jurisdiction of 10 to 15 villages in the remotest corner of the Ayodhya Hills, which was, till recently, a hotbed of Maoist activities.

A typical working day for each of these 12 runners starts before the sun begins to shine. They take the letters in a bag on their shoulders and, armed with a lathi, deliver them to the recipients in the course of the day.

And if most postmen have only pet dogs to worry about, spare a thought for the runners, who have to take anything from bears to Maoists in their stride. "There are wild animals like python, cobra, hyena, wolf, wild dogs, wild boars , elephants and bears in the forest. Sometimes, we have also come across heavily armed Maoists. These days, we don't carry spears like our predecessors did, but still managed to deliver every single letter," said Anath Singh Sardar.

Anath became a runner after his father, Dhananjoy Sardar, died a few years ago.

The tremendous hardship of their job is obvious, and since the runners are not full-time postal employees, all they want is a little understanding and better working conditions. Kalipada Mura of Baghmundi said that they are paid about Rs 7,000 per month. "We don't get any retirement benefits as we are casual staff. The department should make all of us staffers as we are doing this crucial job where even mobile signals are not available," he said. "What will happen to our family if something happens to us while on duty," he wondered. The runners have also demanded bicycles to make their job a little easier.

Bibekananda Mahato, the head of Ayodhya sub post office, agrees in principle to their demands.

"Yes these 12 runners are assets to the postal department. They travel alone to remote places like Silinga, the Turga falls, Saharjuri, Usuldoomri and Bondhghotu during extreme summer, winter and monsoon and never say no," he said.

Bidhan Acahrya, the superintendent of Purulia, said he would forward the runners' demands to higher-ups.

Source:-The Times of India

FAQ - General Entitlement of leave

To view FAQs on General entitlement of leave issued vide Department of Personnel & Training No. 21011/08 / 2013-Estt(AL) please Click Here.

FAQ - Children Education Allowance Scheme (CEA)

To view FAQs on Children Education Allowance Scheme (CEA) issued vide Department of Personnel & Training No. 21011/08/2013-Estt.(AL) please  Click Here.

Transfers and postings of Senior Administrative Grade (SAG) officers of the Indian Postal Service, Group A

To view Department of Posts (Personnel Drvision) Order No. 1-312013-SPG dated 25th March, 2013 please Click Here.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

UPU News: Youth asked to write about why water is precious

As the world marks World Water Day, the UPU is urging youth to think about water’s role on this planet as part of the 42nd edition of its global competition.

42 years and counting... the UPU letter-writing competition began in 1971.
This year the competition asks young people up to age 15 to write a letter about why water is precious. Up to 60 UPU member countries and an estimated 1.5 to 2 million youth normally participate in the competition annually.
“Coming from Africa, I fully appreciate the importance of water for our planet and the social and economic implications this resource can have in countries and the world,” says UPU Director General Bishar A. Hussein, who hails from Kenya. “We are delighted that our competition is focusing attention on a very relevant global issue among millions of people around the world, and we’re looking forward to reading about young people’s perspective on the matter.”
Participating member countries are currently holding the competition at the national level. They have until 30 April 2013 to submit the letter that will represent them at the international level. International finalists will vie for the UPU’s gold, silver or bronze medals.
This year, the compositions will be judged by a jury of experts including Ivan Draganic, water programme specialist at the United Nations Development Programme Office in Geneva, Stefanie Neno, communications manager at UN-Water, Adrián Puigarnau, programme manager at the Stockholm International Water Institute, and Ryan Rowe, communications officer at The Water Institute of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Winners are expected to be announced in August 2013.

Access to water

The 2013 competition theme was chosen to coincide with the International Year of Water Cooperation and the International Decade for Action “Water for Life” 2005-2015. Access to water ensures the health and well-being of humans and protects nature. According to the United Nations, the world has achieved the Millennium Development Goal of halving the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water. Despite this, 11% of the world population still does not have access to safe drinking water.
Since 1971, millions of young people all over the world have participated in the competition at national and international levels. The competition aims to make young people aware of the role postal services play in our societies, develop their skills in composition and the ability to express their thoughts clearly, and foster their enjoyment of letter writing.

IT Modernisation Project- India Post 2012: A Story about Change_Chapter 1-

To view please Click Here.

Roles of a Change Agent- IT Modernisation Project- India Post 2012.

To view please Click Here.

Transfers and postings of Junior Administrative Grade (JAG) officers of Indian Postal Service, Group'A'

To view please Click Here.

Ms. Manisha Mishra (lPoS-1997), Ex-DPS(HQ), Bhubaneswar now Director, Kolkata GPO, West Bengal Circle has been transferred and posted as DPS, Gurgaon, Haryana Circle.

Shri Lalitendu Pradlhan (lPoS- 1993), DPS, South Bengal Region, West Bengal Circle, will hold the additional charge of DPS (HQ), Assam Circle

To view the order please Click Here.

Fixation of inter-se-seniorjty of PS Group B officers promoted vide Orders No. 9-55/2008_SPG dated 05.04.2011

To view please Click Here.

Saturday, March 23, 2013

CHQ News:-Authorization of financial power to Sub Divisional Heads under Kolkata Region


Chief PMG West Bengal Circle Kolkata 700012 vide memo No EST/B/D-45/F.Power/Kol.Region dated 18.03.2013 has authorized financial powers of Divisional Heads to the “ASP Sub Divisional Head” under Kolkata Region.

To view the memo issued by West Bengal Circle, please CLICK HERE. 

On the basis of above memo, all Circle Secretaries are requested to take up this issue with their Circles for delegation of financial powers to ASPs working as Sub Divisional Head in the circles. 

This Association thanks to Chief PMG, West Bengal Circle, Kolkata for delegation of financial powers to ASPs working as Sub Divisional Head.

Source:-CHQ Blog

Views of CS, AIAIASP, Odisha Circle

When there is no discrimination in schedule of Administrative Powers of a Sub-Divisional Head whether it is  ASP Sub-Division or IP Sub Division then why there is discrimination in delegating financial powers?  Apparently it is linked to Gazetted status. We all know the greed for Gazetted Status is the primary hurdle against the merger which could have been possibly paved the way for up-gradation of Grade Pay. I do believe in uniformity, and therefore, would like to request the GS to take up the issue at Directorate level for delegation of "Financial Power" to Sub-Divisional Heads irrespective of ASP Sub-Division or IP Sub Division. 

RTI applications for NRIs simplified

The Government of India took a major step forward in enabling Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to file applications under the Right to Information Act this week, announcing that it has launched a service called “elPO,” or Electronic Indian Postal Order. Using this, NRIs across the world may now be in a position to file RTI applications conveniently via direct payment of fees for the same.
According to an Office Memorandum put out on Friday by the government’s Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, the Department of Posts service will permit NRIs to purchase an Indian Postal Order electronically by paying a fee on-line through e-Post Office Portal i.e.http://www.epostoffice.gov.in. It could also be accessed through India Post website www.indiapost.gov.in, the memorandum explained.
Lokesh Batra, a retired commodore and an RTI activist who was said to be one of the principal campaigners behind the move, said, “At last eIPO launched today. Indian Citizens Abroad can now file RTIs and participate in Nation Building. The Journey that started for me in October 2008 in the U.S. (Boston) 54 months ago has reached its destination today.” He was also quoted as saying that the eIPO would allow Indians abroad to enjoy the same rights as those living in the country."
According to reports it was his frustration with the difficulties in filing an RTI application from the U.S. during a two-month visit there to see his daughter four years ago that led Mr Batra to start an online petition to make it easier for to buy IPOs or demand drafts in Indian rupees. He was said to have moved the Central Information Commission which in 2010 reportedly ordered that a system be put in place to make it possible for Indians living abroad to file RTIs.
The Ministry’s note clarified that at present the facility was provided only for Indian citizens abroad across the globe to facilitate them to seek information from the Central Public Information Officers (CPIOs) under the RTI Act, 2005, and debit and credit cards could be used to purchase the elPO.
In terms of process users are required to get themselves registered at the website, select the Ministry or Department from whom they desire the information under the RTI Act and then elPO so generated can be used to seek information from that Ministry or Department only. Further, the memorandum explained, a printout of the elPO is required to be attached with the RTI application, or if the RTI application was being filed electronically, the elPO must be attached.
As a caveat it should be noted that all the requirements for filing an RTI application as well as other provisions regarding eligibility, time limit and exemptions, as provided in the RTI Act, 2005 will continue to apply. CPIOs are required to maintain a record of the elPOs so received from Indian citizens abroad, but eIPO details can be verified from the website of India Post.
In emailed comments to The Hindu, Somu Kumar, a volunteer with the AID NGO based in Washington said that an activist, Vishal Kudchadkar, conducted the first transaction using the ePIO facility and filed an RTI immediately.
Regarding his experience on using the system Mr. Kudchadkar said, “The ePIO system was very simple and straightforward. It will be nice to have all PIO email IDs also in the list so that we can easily mail the RTI application along with ePIO transaction.”
Source:-The Hindu

RTI: Department of Posts Launches e-IPO for Indian Citizens Abroad

Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications & IT, on 22/3/2013 in association with Department of  Personnel and Training launched Electronic Indian Postal Order (eIPO) to enable Indian citizens abroad to pay RTI fee online. This is a facility to purchase an Indian Postal Order electronically by paying a fee on-line through e-Post Office Portal i.e. https://www.epostoffice.gov.in. It can also be accessed through India Post website www.indiapost.gov.in.

At present, this facility is available only for Indian Citizens abroad across the globe to facilitate them to seek information under the RTI Act, 2005. Both Debit and Credit Cards of any Bank powered by Visa/Master can be used for this purpose. All the requirements for filling an RTI application as well as other provisions regarding eligibility, time limit, exemptions etc; as provided in the RTI Act, 2005 will continue to apply.

The applicant needs to register on the website to create his/her profile for the first time. He has to select the Ministry/Department from whom he desires to seek information under the RTI Act and the eIPO so generated can be used to seek information from that Ministry/Department only. A printout of the eIPO is to be attached with the RTI application sent in hard copy. In case RTI application is filed electronically, eIPO is required to be attached as an attachment.

Source:-PIB

To view Department of Personnel & Training OM No.1/44/2009-IR  dated 22/3/2013 on the subject please Click Here

Friday, March 22, 2013

Internet can’t be governed, Sibal says

Union communications and information technology minister Kapil Sibal on Thursday said that the internet was a necessity in India and an important medium that gave a chance to people to be heard. 

"The internet is necessary for India ... it gives a chance for the voiceless to be heard," said Sibal at Google Big Tent, an event in Delhi. "Internet is the most important and transformative forum." 

He said, "Internet governance to me is an oxymoron. How can you govern anybody on the net, you cannot. The net must govern itself ... It's a platform where we need to talk to each other on a daily basis. And also adhere to certain rules of the game. You cannot play cricket without rules, you cannot play baseball without rules." 

Sibal's comments came at a time when Indian government was facing a criticism over its perceived attempts to censor the web and social media. Last year the government reportedly asked Twitter to block certain accounts as well as told Google to remove a few YouTube videos. 

Google's data reveals that the number of requests that Indian authorities make, asking the company to remove data, is increasing. In the first half of the last year, Indian authorities made 596 requests to Google for removal of content. In comparison, only 255 such requests were made in the second half of 2011. In the second half of 2012, Indian government made 2,431 requests to Google to get information on 4,106 users and accounts. 

Sibal, however, assured that the government was committed to the freedom of the web users. "We are wedded to the freedom of expression and will do nothing to diminish that freedom," he said. 

The minister also talked about enabling easy access to the web for all Indians and said the government would connect 1,55,000 post offices in India electronically. 

Sibal's comments, however, did not impress India's netizens. On Twitter, people claimed his government's record in upholding freedom of speech on the web had not been stellar. 

"Kapil Sibal says govt believes internet is a liberating forum for transformation of country. We are wedded 2 freedom ... subject to 66-A limit?" tweeted a Twitter user. The user was referring to the Article 66A of the Indian IT Act that has been used by the police recently to book people critical of politicians.

Source:-The Times of India

CHQ News:-Delegation of Financial power to Heads of circle in the Department of posts

To view the copy issued by Directorate under Memo No. 6-1/2005-FC(Posts) (Pt) dated 13/3/2013, please Click Here.
 

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Soft drinks kill lakhs of people every year

Sugar-sweetened sodas, sports drinks and fruit drinks may be associated with about 180,000 deaths around the world each year, according to a research.

The study presented at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism 2013 Scientific Sessions pointed pit that sugar-sweetened beverages contribute to excess body weight, which increases the risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and some cancers.

The data collected as part of the 2010 Global Burden of Diseases Study.

Researchers linked intake of sugar- sweetened beverages to 133,000 diabetes deaths, 44,000 deaths from cardiovascular diseases and 6,000 cancer deaths.

Seventy-eight percent of these deaths due to over-consuming sugary drinks were in low and middle-income countries, rather than high-income countries.

Researchers calculated the quantities of sugar-sweetened beverage intake around the world by age and sex; the effects of this consumption on obesity and diabetes; and the impact of obesity and diabetes-related deaths.

Of nine world regions, Latin America/Caribbean had the most diabetes deaths (38,000) related to the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages in 2010.

East/Central Eurasia had the largest numbers of cardiovascular deaths (11,000) related to sugary beverage consumption in 2010.

Among the world's 15 most populous countries, Mexico, one of the countries with the highest per-capita consumption of sugary beverages in the world had the highest death rate due to these beverages, with 318 deaths per million adults linked to sugar-sweetened beverage intake.

Japan, one of the countries with lowest per-capita consumption of sugary beverages in the world, had the lowest death rate associated with the consumption of sugary beverages, at about 10 deaths due to per million adults.

Source:-The Times of India