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, July 29, 2016

CBDT extends the due date for filing income tax returns for the State of Jammu & Kashmir

As per provisions of Section 119 of Income-tax Act, 1961(‘Act’) , Central Board of Direct Taxes extends the due date for filing income-tax returns from 31st July, 2016 to 31st August ,2016 , in case of Income-tax assessees in the State of Jammu & Kashmir who are required to file their return under Section 139(1) of the Act. This extension is given on consideration of reports of dislocation of general life in certain areas of the State of Jammu & Kashmir. 

Source:-PIB

CBDT extends the date for filing income tax return for Assessment Year 2016- 2017 from July 31st to August 5th, 2016

As per provisions of Section 139(1) of Income-tax Act 1961, Central Board of Direct Taxes extends the due date for filing returns of Income for Assessment Year 2016- 2017 from 31st July, 2016 to 5th July,2016 , in case of taxpayers throughout India who are liable to file their Income-tax by 31st July, 2016.

This extension is given in order to avoid any inconvenience to the taxpayers while making payment of taxes pertaining to returns of income for Assessment Year 2016- 2017 by 31st July, 2016 due to reports of Bank strike on 29th July,2016(Friday) and 31st July,2016 (Sunday), being a Bank-Holiday . 

Source:-PIB

Delegation of powers to Financial Advisers of administrative Ministry/ Departments to accord exemption for air travel in airlines other than Air India in individual cases of autonomous

To view please Click Here.

Implementation of the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission - fixation of pay and payment of arrears - instructions

To view please Click Here. 


"The arrears as accruing on account of revised pay consequent upon fixation of pay under CCS (RP) Rules, 2016 with effect from January 1, 2016, shall be paid in cash in one installment along with the payment of salary for the month of August, 2016, after making necessary adjustment on account of GPF and NPS, as applicable, in view of the revised pay," 


Making available publically scores and ranking of candidates in recruitment examinations through portal - reg.

To view please Click Here.

Declaration of Assets and Liabilities by public servants under section 44 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 - filing of Returns by public servants - extension of last date - regarding.

To view please Click Here.

Declaration of Assets and Liabilities by public servants on or before 31st December, 2016 - regarding.

To view please Click Here.

Retirement on Superannuation

Shri Simanchal Kar, SPOs, Mayurbhanj Division, Baripada is retiring on 31st July, 2016(A/N) on superannuation. 

On the occasion of his retirement from Govt. Service, All India Association of Inspectors and Assistant Superintendents of Posts , Odisha Circle Branch bids him a respectful farewell and wishes him a good-health and peaceful life in his post-retirement days.

Thursday, July 28, 2016

UPU News:- Reform your Posts’ business, DG tells Africa

PU Director General Bishar A. Hussein has urged African governments to reform the operations of their designated postal operators to make them more responsive to modern realities and meet changing customer demands.

UPU Director General Bishar A. Hussein (left) meets with Cameroonian Prime Minister Philémon Yang (right) to discuss African postal services.
He said the Post in Africa should be revamped to contribute more to the national economic and social development of their respective countries.
“Africa is the top emerging market not only for the Post, but also most other economic activities, and I would like to urge leaders on the continent to reform their designated operators with a view to making them contribute more to their national economies,” Hussein said.
The UPU Director General told the 35th Pan African Postal Union Conference in Yaoundé, Cameroon, that the UPU has spent almost 40 per cent of its multi-year integrated project budget to assist African Posts. He  said, however, that such assistance was not enough and called on the continent’s governments to invest more in the development of their respective Posts.
“The UPU is committed to helping African Posts achieve their full potential with technical advice and  assistance. The success of Africa’s postal network, however, depends on its leadership, focus and investment,” said Hussein.
At the same time, Hussein thanked African ministers for their very positive response to participating in the UPU Ministerial Conference that will take place alongside the UPU Congress. He also urged African countries to update their membership status so as to be able to fully participate in the Union’s decision-making forums.

Support

During the PAPU high-level decision-making conference, delegates unanimously supported the proposal for reforming the UPU and pledged to back it at the forthcoming 26th Congress.
The proposed reform would include merging the Council of Administration and Postal Operations Council into one body, the UPU Council, to speed-up decision-making, reducing the number of meetings and minimizing work duplication.
Hussein also called on African governments to partner with the Post and use its vast network to deliver services to their citizens during a meeting with Cameroonian Prime Minister Philémon Yang in Yaoundé. Hussein underlined that such partnerships would enable governments to access citizens even in the most remote areas and offer services at lower costs.
The prime minister said Cameroon’s Post was in a good position to partner with its government on government services because of its well-connected network, which would enable easy access to information. Furthermore, he requested that the UPU assist with capacity-building for the country’s postal personnel to help them achieve this goal.

Inclusion of Ministries in the four Clusters (Social/Economic/Infrastructure/Regulatory) - regarding

To view please Click Here.

Willingness of Accountant for posting on deputation in the PTC Darbhanga, Bihar

To view please Click Here.

I-T department to consider March 31 for senior citizen eligibility

While considering the higher exemption limit of tax liability for senior and very senior citizens, a person will be considered to have attained a particular age on March 31 if his or her birthdate is a day later on April 1, the CBDT today said. 

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) issued a clarification on the issue, relying on a Supreme Court ruling of 1986, as it directed all its Assessing Officers (AOs) to henceforth "ascertain the age while computing tax liability of a taxpayer falling in individual category, being an Indian resident" by the new ruling. 

"The CBDT...hereby clarifies that a person born on April 1 would be considered to have attained a particular age on March 31, the day preceding the anniversary of his birthday. In particular, the question of attainment of age of eligibility of being considered a senior/very senior citizen would therefore be decided on the basis of above criteria," it said. 

The Board said the apex court, while giving the said ruling, had observed that "while counting the age of the person, whole of the day should be reckoned and it start from 12 O' clock in the midnight and he attains the specified age on the preceding, the anniversary of his birthday." 


The I-T department, for tax returns filing purposes, considers 60 years of age for a person to be considered senior citizen and 80 years for very senior citizen. 

While no income tax is to be paid by senior citizens up to annual income of Rs 3 lakh the same limit for very senior citizens is Rs 5 lakh. 


Source:-The Economic Times

Claiming tax relief on salary arrears? Don't forget to file Form 10E

Receiving salary or pension in arrears might change your tax situation. You may fear it's going to move you up a tax slab. Or tax rates may be higher in the year arrears are received as compared to the year to which they belong. To protect you from any additional tax burden, due to delay in receiving income, the tax laws allow a relief under Section 89(1). This relief can be directly claimed in your income tax return, if you have received any portion of your salary in arrears. 

The Income Tax Department has made it mandatory to file Form 10E if you want to claim relief under Section 89(1). As per Section 89(1), tax relief is provided by recalculating tax for both the years; the year in which arrears are received and the year to which the arrears pertain. Your taxes are adjusted assuming arrears were received in the year in which they were due. 



Let's understand this calculation in detail. Tax for the year in which arrears are received is calculated both inclusive as well as exclusive of arrears. The difference is the tax on additional salary, let's call it x. Now tax is computed for every year to which the arrears pertain- including as well as excluding arrears. The difference is arrived at, let's call it y. If x is more than y, relief is available to the taxpayer. 



Here are some important things to remember while claiming relief on arrears: 



Form 10E must be filed online on the Income Tax Department website www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in . Taxpayers who claimed relief last financial year but did not file Form 10E received a notice from the department for non-compliance. Your return is not processed until you submit this form. 



You must submit Form 10E before filing your income tax return. 



Many taxpayers are confused about which assessment year to choose while filing Form 10E. Arrears may pertain to earlier years, however, one has to choose the assessment year in which arrears have been received. For example, if arrears are received in financial year FY 2015-16, choose assessment year as AY 2016-17. 



Form 10E has to be submitted online and no copy is required to be attached with your tax return. However, you must file and keep all documents safely in your records. 



Your employer may ask for confirmation of submission of Form 10E before adjusting your taxes and allowing tax relief. It is not mandatory to submit this form to the employer. You can claim tax relief by filing this form at the time of submitting your tax returns. 



Salary is usually taxable when it is due or when it actually received, whichever is earlier. Arrears are usually announced from a back date and therefore cannot be taxed when due. 



Relief under Section 89(1) is also allowed to those who receive family pension in arrears. The calculation is the same as mentioned above. Do remember this very important step while filing your returns if you have received arrears during the financial year. 


(By Archit Gupta, Founder & CEO, ClearTax.com) 

Source:-The Economic Times

Recommendations of the Seventh Central Pay Commission - DoPT seeks comments of the State Governments

Department of Personnel & Training has sought for comments of the State Governments on the proposed recommendations by 3rd August, 2016 relating to the revision of pay scales of AIS Officers. 
To view please  Click Here.

Press Note:Regarding Fake website for Recruitment in Department of Post

To view please Click Here.

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Seventh Central Pay Commission - Revision of Pay - Directorate Endorsement

To view Directorate endorsement please Click Here.

Payment of Salary to Central Government employees on 28th July 2016 instead of 29th July 2016 due to bank strike called by UBFU

To view Directorate order please Click Here.

Regular Promotion to ASP Cadre and Region allotment thereof

The following Inspector of Posts promoted to ASP Cadre on regular basis and allotted Region as mentioned below vide C.O. Memo No. ST/24-15(1)/2016 dated 26-07-2016 :-


Sl. No.
Name               

S/Shri
Present Place of Posting
Region/Unit to which allotted
1.
Bijaya Ku. Sahoo
IP, Balugaon Sub-Division
Berhampur Region
2.
Brajendra Hembram
IP, Jaleswar East Sub Division
Sambalpur Region

Transfer and Posting in ASP Cadre in Bhubaneswar HQ Region

The following transfer and posting order in ASP cadre has been issued vide CO, Bhubaneswar Memo No.ST/24-15(2)/2016 Dated 26-07-2016.


Sl No
Name of the Officer S/Shri
Present place of Posting
Posted on transfer
1
Niranjan Mohanty
ASP(HQ), Puri Division
ASP(OD), Puri Division
2
Asit Ku. Nayak
ASP(HQ), Cuttack North Division
Allowed to continue in partial modification of CO Memo No. ST/24-15(2)/2015 dated 19-04-2016

Not appropriate to compare seventh pay panel with previous ones: Government

The government said it is "not appropriate" to compare the increase in minimum pay suggested by the 7th Central Pay Commission with that of the previous commissions. 

According to the 7th Pay Commission, the real increase given in 1996 and 2006 in minimum pay was 31 per cent and 51 per cent. As compared to that, the commission recommended an increase of 14.29 per cent. 


"The 7th Central Pay Commission has worked out its recommendations on pay based on all relevant factors having a bearing on the prevailing circumstances and, therefore, viewing the increase on this occasion in the light of the circumstances obtaining 10 and 20 years ago is not appropriate," Minister of State for Finance Arjun Ram Meghwal said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha. 

He further said that the ratio between the minimum pay of Rs 18,000 per month and pay of Rs 2,25,000 per month in the apex grade works out to be 1:12.5. 

"In order to enhance the income of other categories of workers, both central and state governments are required to fix, review and revise the minimum wages of the workers employed in scheduled employment under their respective jurisdictions at an interval not exceeding five years. 

"The minimum rate of wages are also applicable for the workers engaged on contract basis," he said while replying to another question. 

The pay commission, he added, recommends changes regarding the principles governing the emoluments structure of central government employees and allied services. 

Source:- The Economic Times

Government raises appraisal benchmark for hikes and promotions to 'very good' from 'good'

The government has prescribed a stiffer benchmark for annual increments for its employee and approved a provision to withhold benefits if performance is not up to mark after first 20 years of service while notifying the Seventh Pay Commission award, which lifts lowest level salary to Rs 18,000 a month from Rs 7,000. 

The benchmark for performance appraisal for promotion and financial upgradation has been raised to 'very good' from 'good' under the Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP) scheme, putting pressure on employees to better their performance. 

This follows as strong recommendation from the Pay Commission that had even suggested more stringent criteria such as clearing of departmental examinations or mandatory training before grant of MACP. "The commission recommends that this benchmark, in the interest of improving performance level, be enhanced from 'good' to 'very good', the commission had said in its report. 

The government has also accepted the Pay Commission's proposal of withholding annual increments in the case of those employees who are not able to meet the benchmark either for the Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP) or a regular promotion within first 20 years of service. 

"There is a widespread perception that increments as well as upward movement in the hierarchy happen as a matter of course," the commission had said while suggesting this measure as a "deterrent for complacent and inefficient employees". 

"The perception is that grant of MACP, although subject to the employee attaining the laid down threshold of performance, is taken for granted. This commission believes that employees who do not meet the laid down performance criterion should not be allowed to earn future annual increments," it said. 

The MACP scheme will continue to be administered at 10, 20 and 30 years of service as before. 

Under the revised scheme, the highest cabinet secretary-level salary will rise to Rs 2.5 lakh a month from Rs 90,000. In actual terms, the increase is not that steep as it subsumes 125 per cent dearness allowance that was rolled into the salary along with the Pay Commission increase. 

The proposals will benefit over 47 lakh central government employees and 53 lakh pensioners. 

The government has deferred a decision on allowances, giving it some wiggle room in the current financial year. The impact will be less than Rs 1.02 lakh crore because of delay in roll out of allowances. 

"The recommendations on allowances (except dearness allowance) will be referred to a committee comprising finance secretary and secretary (expenditure) as chairman and secretaries of home affairs, defence, health and family welfare, personnel and training, posts and chairman, Railway Board as members," the notification said. The committee will submit its report in four months. 

Source:-The Economic Times

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

No annual increment for non-performing employees: Government

Non-performing Central government employees will not get annual increment if their performance is not upto the mark, the Centre has said. 

The benchmark for performance appraisal for promotion and financial upgradation has been enhanced to "very good" from "good" level, the Finance Ministry said in an order notifying implementation of Seventh Central Pay Commission's recommendations. 

The Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP) scheme will continue to be administered at 10, 20 and 30 years of service as before, the Ministry said as it "accepted" the pay panel's recommendations. 

The recommendation of "withholding of annual increments in the case of those employees who are not able to meet the benchmark either for MACP or a regular promotion within the first 20 years of their service" has been "accepted", it said. 

The pay panel had in its report to the Centre said that there is a widespread perception that increments as well as upward movement in the hierarchy happen as a matter of course. 

"The perception is that grant of MACP, although subject to the employee attaining the laid down threshold of performance, is taken for granted. This Commission believes that employees who do not meet the laid down performance criterion should not be allowed to earn future annual increments. 

"The Commission is therefore proposing withholding of annual increments in the case of those employees who are not able to meet the benchmark either for MACP or a regular promotion within the first 20 years of their service. This will act as a deterrent for complacent and inefficient employees," it had said. 

There are about 50 lakh Central government employees.

Source:-The Economic Times

CHQ News:- Acknowledgement from Directorate i/c/w demand of GP of Rs.4800/- to Inspector Posts

CHQ News:- Acknowledgement from Directorate i/c/w observations against proposed Recruitment Rules of PS Gr.B cadre

Inclusion of languages in Eighth Schedule

At present there are demands for inclusion of 38 more languages including Tulu and Rajasthani in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. These are:

(1) Angika, (2) Banjara, (3) Bazika, (4) Bhojpuri, (5) Bhoti, (6) Bhotia, (7) Bundelkhandi, (8) Chhattisgarhi, (9) Dhatki, (10) English, (11) Garhwali (Pahari), (12) Gondi, (13) Gujjar / Gujjari (14) Ho, (15) Kachachhi, (16) Kamtapuri, (17) Karbi, (18) Khasi, (19) Kodava (Coorg), (20) Kok Barak, (21) Kumaoni (Pahari), (22) Kurukh, (23) Kurmali, (24) Lepcha, (25) Limbu, (26) Mizo (Lushai), (27) Magahi, (28) Mundari, (29) Nagpuri, (30) Nicobarese, (31) Pahari (Himachali), (32) Pali, (33) Rajasthani, (34) Sambalpuri/Kosali, (35) Shaurseni (Prakrit), (36) Siraiki, (37) Tenyidi and (38) Tulu.

Many of these languages are spoken in several States, and their use is not restricted by State boundaries.

As the evolution of dialects and languages is dynamic, influenced by socio-eco-political developments, it is difficult to fix any criterion for languages, whether to distinguish them from dialects, or for inclusion in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India. Thus, both attempts, through the Pahwa (1996) and Sitakant Mohapatra (2003) Committees to evolve such fixed criteria have not borne fruit.

The Government is conscious of the sentiments and requirements for inclusion of other languages in the Eighth Schedule, and will examine the requests keeping in mind the sentiments, and other considerations such as evolution of dialects into language, widespread use of a language etc.

This was stated by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju in a written reply to question by Kumari Shobha Karandlaje and Shri Hariom Singh Rathore in the Lok Sabha today. 

Source:-PIB

The 7th CPC:- Upgraded Level for Inspector Posts, Assistant Superintendents of Posts and Superintendents of Posts in Department of Posts

PART C 

UPGRADED LEVELS FOR CERTAIN POSTS IN MINISTRIES, DEPARTMENTS AND UNION TERRITORIES


The Level in the revised pay structure mentioned in column (5) for the posts mentioned in column (2) of the Table below have been approved by the Government and the initial fixation as on the 1st day of January, 2016 shall be made in accordance with sub-rule (2) of rule 7: 

Department of Posts


Sl. No.
Name of the Post
Existing Grade Pay
Revised Pay Structure
Existing Grade Pay
Grade Pay corresponding to which revised Levels have been recommended
Level in Pay Matrix
Para No. of the Report
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)

3.
Inspector Posts
4200
4600
L-7
11.8.21
4.
Assistant Superintendents of Posts
4600
4800
L-8
11.8.21
5.
Superintendents of Posts
4800
5400
(PB-2)
L-9
11.8.21

Government notifies pay panel report, Centrral Government Employees to get Salaries from next month

The Government on Tuesday notified the 7th Pay Commission report, which means Centrral Government Employees will get the new pay boost in their August salaries. 

There shall be two dates for grant of increment namely, 1st January and 1st July of every year, instead of existing date of 1st July; provided that an employee shall be entitled to only one annual increment on either one of these two dates depending on the date of appointment, promotion or grant of financial up-gradation. 

The recommendations on Allowances (except Dearness Allowance) will be referred to a Committee comprising Finance Secretary and Secretary (Expenditure) as Chairman and Secretaries of Home Affairs, Defence, Health and Family Welfare, Personnel and Training, Posts and Chairman, Railway Board as Members. 

Till a final decision on Allowances is taken based on the recommendations of this Committee, all allowances will continue to be paid at existing rates in existing pay structure, as if the pay had not been revised with effect from 1st day of January, 2016. 

The Military Service Pay, which is a compensation for the various aspects of military service, will be admissible to the Defence forces personnel only. 

As before, Military Service Pay will be payable to all ranks up to and inclusive of Brigadiers and their equivalents. 

Short Service Commissioned Officers will be allowed to exit the Armed Forces at any point in time between 7 and 10 years of service, with a terminal gratuity equivalent of 10.5 months of reckonable emoluments. 

They will further be entitled to a fully funded one year Executive Programme or a M.Tech. programme at a premier Institute. 
Here's a brief snapshot of what this means for government employees

1. There will be an overall hike of 23.55 per cent in the basic salary and allowances of government employees. 

2. The 23.55 per cent overall hike in salaries, allowances and pension would entail an additional annual burden of Rs 1.02 lakh crore, or nearly 0.7 per cent of the GDP, to the exchequer. 

5. Entry level pay will be raised to Rs 18,000 a month from the current Rs 7,000. 

6. The maximum pay - which is drawn by the Cabinet Secretary, has been fixed at Rs 2.5 lakh a month, up from the current Rs 90,000. 

7. This is the lowest pay hike for government employees, in terms of a pay panel report, in the last 70 years. 

8. While the Budget for 2016-17 fiscal did not provide an explicit provision for implementation of the 7th Pay Commission, the government had said the once-in-a-decade pay hike for government employees has been built in as an interim allocation for different ministries. 

9. Experts said the higher payout will boost consumption, especially of consumer durables and services.

Source:-The Economic Times

Department of Posts fails to pay tax, CBEC faults officials

The Department of Posts could not pay its service tax because of "unwarranted refusal" by the officials concerned who did not exercise their discretionary power in letting it pay the levy through cheque. 

The Service Tax Rules, 1994, stipulate that while every assessee shall pay the levy electronically through Internet banking, the jurisdictional deputy/assistant commissioner may for reasons to be recorded in writing allow the assessee to deposit service tax through any other mode. 

"In spite of these provisions, the Department of Posts (DoP) has informed that in certain jurisdictions, officers are not allowing them permission to pay by cheque," said a communication from the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) to its senior officials. 

DoP has been refused permission by Controller General of Accounts to open a current account, which in any case would have allowed electronic payment. 

"Under the circumstances, they can make a payment by cheque only," CBEC said. 

The Board, tasked with the responsibility to collect indirect taxes, including service tax, further said the assessee in question is a government department and "the question of jeopardy to revenue cannot exist". 

It noted that refusing permission to DoP amounts to "expecting them to comply with the law while simultaneously preventing them from doing so". 

"The purpose of giving discretion in the law gets defeated," CBEC noted while directing officials concerned to use powers vested in them "judiciously and rationally". 

Accordingly, whether it is Department of Posts or any other assessee, CBEC "directed" that discretion vested in the jurisdictional deputy/assistant commissioners should be exercised judiciously and rationally. 

Also, the supervisory officers should, from time to time, check such exercises of discretion so that there are no "unwarranted refusals", CBEC added.

Source:-The Economic Times