EDITORIAL -- POSTAL CRUSADER

NAKED NEPOTISM AND ARBITRARY DISCRIMINATION

In an unprecedented move, the Government of India, Ministry of Communications & IT, Department of Posts, has issued orders on 24.06.2014, granting trade union facilities to the Bhartiya Postal Employees Federation (BPEF) and all its affiliated Unions. Even though in the order it is mentioned as limited trade union facilities, it effect almost all the facilities granted to recognized Federations / Unions is extended to BPEF also, including channel of communications, meeting with senior officers and office accommodation subject to availability.

We vehemently oppose the above decision of the Government, not because trade union facilities are granted to BPEF, but because of the way in which it is granted, flouting all the existing rules. Government of India has issued the New Recognition Rules (NRR) in the year 1993 viz., the CCS (RSA) Rules, 1993 and it clearly stipulates certain conditions for grant of recognition and trade union facilities to Federations and Unions. As per the CCS (RSA) Rules - 1993, membership verification shall be conducted under check-off system once in five years. Those unions getting minimum 35% will be recognized as the first Union and those getting minimum 15% membership will be granted recognition as second union. Accordingly last membership verification was conducted in the Postal Department in the year 2010 and those NFPE Unions got 35% and FNPO Unions got 15% are granted recognition and trade union facilities.

Most of the BPEF Unions except one Union in Postal Accounts got less than 5% membership only and hence they were not granted recognition and trade union facilities. Now in blatant violation of the provisions of NRR and also circumventing the rules for recognition, Government of India has issued an executive fiat granting trade union facilities to BPEF and all its affiliated Unions. Thus, those who are the custodians of the law themselves have violated it. This is nothing but naked nepotism and hence we protest and oppose the order.

Secondly, it is a case of arbitrary discrimination. FNPO affiliated Unions which failed to secure 15% membership in the last verification are not granted any trade union facilities so far. Similarly, the request for grant of recognition and trade union facilities to the newly formed Gramin Dak Sewaks Union of NFPE, AIPEU GDS(NFPE) is still pending before the Government, even though it commands support of more than 60% membership of Gramin Dak Sevaks. How can the Government single out BPEF Unions alone for trade union facilities? Why such facilities are denied to similarly placed Unions? Where is the provision for such arbitrary discrimination? It reminds us the famous writings of George Orwell – “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”.

Thirdly, when the Writ Petition of BPEF Unions for grant of recognition and trade union facilities as well as challenging the provision of CCS (RSA) Rules, 1993 was rejected by the Honourable Madras High Court in the year 2010, and consequently the Government of India, the Department of Posts had completed the membership verification under the CCS (RSA) Rules, 1993 and granted recognition to the eligible Federations and Unions, how the Executive can ignore the judicial pronouncement and grant trade union facilities to BPEF Federation and Unions?

NFPE vehemently oppose this arbitrary orders issued by the Government, which smacks of nepotism and discrimination. We demand the Government to review the orders and ensure justice and fair play. 

(M. Krishnan)
Secretary General
NFPE

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Kerala - Joint Biennial Circle Conferences of NFPE Unions - Kannur

23-06-2014 (Day - 2)

Subject Committee meetings : Venue
AIPEU Gr.C                     : RUBCO Auditorium
AIPEU PM&MTS/Gr.D     : Gurumandiram
AIRMS MMSEU Gr.C      : Science Park
AIRMS MMSEU MG/MTS: NGO's union building
AIPEU GDS (NFPE)         : Sikshak Sadan
AIP SBCOEA                   : Sikshak Sadan
AIPCPCCWF                   : P & T Society

AIPEU GDS (NFPE) : Delegate Session :

  Com.K.V.Sridharan addressing:

Com.Seetha lakshmi addressing:

Com.B.R.Jagdeesh, Asst. Genl. Secretary, AIPEU GDS (NFPE) CHQ addressing :

Trade Unions Seminar (at 04-30pm) RUBCO Auditorium :
Leaders from the following Organizations/Associations attended and graced the Joint Conferences of NFPE, Kerala

Chair Person : Com.Ankan Balan (CITU)

Confederation of Central Govt. Employees & Workers
AITUC
BEFI
NGO's Union
Kerala School Teacher's Association(KSTA)
Kerala Govt. Officer's Association
All Kerala Govt. College Teacher's Association
All Kerala Private College Teacher's Association
Kerala Govt. Nurse's Associaton
Kerala Municipal Corporation Staff Union
Kerala Public Service Commission Employees Association
Kerala Secretariat Employees Association
Central Govt. Pensioner's Association
All India BSNL & DoT Pensioner's Association.

Vote of thanks : Com.M.V.Janardhan

            

Disbursement of interest on the amount of Fixed Deposit of a person with disability by Money Order

No.110-01/2012-SB

Ministry of Communications & IT

Department of Posts

(F.S. Division)

Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg, 

New Delhi, Dated 16.11.2012

To
The Chief Commissioner
O/o The Chief Commissioner For Person with Disabilities
Min of Social Justice and Empowerment
Department of Disability Affairs
Sarojini House, 6, Bhagwan Dass Road
New Delhi -110001

      Sub: Disbursement of interest on the amount of Fixed Deposit of a person with disability                  by Money Order.

Kindly refer to your office letter No. 29/1102/12-13 dated 12.09.2012 on the subject.

The undersigned is directed to say that there is a scheme called Monthly Income Scheme in post offices where money is deposited for a fixed period of 5 years and interest is paid on the monthly basis @8.5%.  In this Scheme, payment of monthly interest can be taken either by coming to post office or by giving a Standing Instruction for credit of monthly interest into post office savings account of the depositor standing in same post office.

Keeping in view the requirement of the customer and the circumstances mentioned in the representation forwarded by your office, this office has taken a decision to provide additional facility of payment of interest at the doorstep through Money order after deducting MO Commission and cost of MO forms.  In this connection, instructions have been issued to all post offices to offer this facility as and when any customer requests for the same.

It is requested that the Sh. Kanan may be advised to approach any nearby post office to avail this facility.

This issues with the approval of DDG(FS)

Yours faithfully,

sd/-

(Kawal Jit Singh)

Assistant Director

Savings Bank

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Kerala Circle - Joint Biennial Circle Conferences of NFPE - Kannur

Joint Biennial Circle Conferences of NFPE unions viz., AIPEU Gr.C., AIPEU PM&MTS/Gr.D., AIRMS MMSEU Gr.C., AIRMS MMSEU MG/MTS., AIP SECOEA, AIPEU GDS (NFPE), AIPCCPCWF  is being held at Kannur from 22nd to 24th June 2014.

22-06-2014 (Day 1)

Flag hoistation : NFPE flag hoisted by Com.M.Krishnan, Secretary General, NFPE at 09.30am.

Homage to Matyrs' column - with floral tributes by all leaders and delegates.

Inaugural session : Com. Venkatesh Athreya made an inaugural speech on the eve of the 36th Biennial Circle Conferences of NFPE Unions, Kerala Circle in RUBCO Auditorium, Kannur.
NFPE Leaders attended :
Com.C.C.Pillai, Former Secretary General, NFPE
Com.M.Kirshnan, Secretary General, NFPE
Com.K.V.Sridharan, Former General Secretary, AIPEU Gr.C
Com.R.Sivannarayana, President, AIPEU Gr.C (CHQ)
Com.R.Seethalakshmi, General Secretary, P-4
Com.Giriraj Singh, General Secretary, R-III
Com.P.Suresh, General Secretary, R-IV
Com.P.Pandurangarao, General Secretary, AIPEU GDS (NFPE)
Com.P.Mohan, General Secretary, AIPCPCCWF
Subject Committee meetings of all Unions were inaugurated by the General Secretaries of respective Unions.

(FLAG HOISTATION)

                                                   

(HOMAGE AT MARTYRS' COLUMN)

Com.P.V.Rajendran welcoming the Leaders & Guests to the dias)

(Com. Prakasham Master, Chairman, Reception Committee on Welcome speech)

(Dr.Venkatesh Athreya - inaugural speech)

(Com.C.C.Pillai, Former Secretary General, NFPE addressing)

(Com.Balakrishnan Master, FSETO, Kannur)

(Com.K.Mohanan, BSNLEU addressing)

(Com.M.Krishnan, Secretary General, NFPE addressing)

Colourful gallery

(P&T Trade Union History  written by Com.P.V.Chandrasekharan, CoC, Kerala released) 

(Com.P.V.Chandrasekharan addressing)

(Vote of thanks : Com. M.Sahadevan, General Convener, Reception Committee)

GDS (NFPE) SUBJECT COMMITTEE MEETING : SIKSHA SADAN

CULTURAL PROGRAMMES :

Com.Prabhaverma Addressing: 

 

Snail mail costs postal department Rs 4,000 in consumer court - NEWS

The next time your mail arrives late, don't fume, just do what Mumbaikar Prakash Sheth did.

Based on his complaint, a consumer forum recently pulled up the postal department for failing to deliver his parcel on time and directed it to pay Sheth Rs 4,000 as compensation.

The South Mumbai district consumer disputes redressal forum directed the postal department to not only refund the cost of postal charge (Rs 267), it has also ordered it to pay Sheth Rs 3,000 for mental agony caused and another Rs 1,000 for litigation costs.

According to his complaint, Sheth sent three articles by speed post to three different locations in New Delhi on August 24, 2010. As per its norms, the postal department would deliver any consignment within two days, and would refund the client if it failed to do so. "I approached the postal department to send my parcel to New Delhi. They failed to deliver it on time and even delayed it by a day," Sheth told dna.

On September 13, 2010, Sheth had addressed a letter to the postal department requesting them to refund the postal charges. However, the department on October 19, 2010, rejected his request, claiming that there was no delay from its end, and that the delay was caused because Sheth had failed to mention the correct pin-code on the parcel.

Sheth however claimed that the pin-code was wrongly mentioned by an employee of the postal department who had accepted the parcel.

He finally approached the forum and filed a complaint. After going through the complaint, the forum asked the department to file its reply, in which it stuck to its stand.

After going through the evidence, the forum held the postal department guilty of failing to provide the services promised to its consumers, and penalised it for the same.

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BJP plans crash course in 'How to conduct yourself and influence people... in Parliament' -- NEWS

The BJP is planning a two-day crash course on Parliament functioning for its first-time MPs, which incidentally includes Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself.

The party is considering June 28 and 29 as tentative dates for the training programme, ahead of the budget session of Parliament. The dates are yet to be finalised, sources said.

The idea, according to sources was mooted by Modi himself while talking to some party leaders. The session, which may be held outside Delhi, is likely to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister.

The training programme will include sessions on how MPs should conduct themselves during question hour, zero hour and on attendance in the House, sources said. Modi had emphasised on being present in the House when he addressed the BJP's Parliamentary party earlier this month.

While the invitations are likely to be sent to all MPs, the session will mainly be for the new entrants into Parliament, a BJP leader said. The party had held a similar training programme around four years ago.

With the Modi government busy with the Union budget, to be presented in Parliament next month, it would have to be seen if the dates suit the schedule of senior leaders. Both Modi and finance minister Arun Jaitley have been focusing on the budget, sources said, adding that the government was giving priority to the economy and containing price rise. Given the high expectations of the people, the budget is going to be viewed as a litmus test for the government.

That the new government is facing teething troubles is evident from protest against the rail fare increase, which has brought the Modi regime under severe attack from the Opposition. In defence of the government, home minister and party chief Rajnath Singh said on Saturday in Khajurao, where he inaugurated a training camp for Madhya Pradesh's new legislators, that policies are not made in 10-15 days. "Measurement of our government's work cannot be done in a few months," he said.

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THINK DIFFERENT: (An interesting story) : Positively

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat.

A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.

Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?"

The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what u said but in a different way."

What he had written was: "Today is a beautiful day & I cannot see it."

Do you think the first sign & the second sign were saying the same thing? Of course both signs told people the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?

Moral of the Story :

Be thankful for what you have.

Be creative. 

Be innovative. 

Think different and positive.

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CHANGE IN THE NOMENCLATURE OF SPEED POST HUBS :

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On some postal products - NEWS

A postcard which is sold for 50 paise actually costs the government Rs 7, according to an RTI response from the postal department listing the costs incurred by it on such services which are proving to be loss-making propositions for it.

In the year 2012-13, the per unit revenue earned from the sale of postcards was 50 paise whereas, to keep the service running, the per unit cost came to Rs 7.18, down from Rs 7.50 during 2010-11, the department said in its RTI response. 

Similarly, the printed postcard was bringing a revenue of Rs 6 although the cost incurred on it was Rs 7.19 per unit in the year 2012-13. The RTI query further found that the cost of a letter card was Rs 7.18 per unit whereas the revenue earned from it was Rs 2.50. 

The postal department also incurs a loss in dispatching registered newspapers with the per unit cost for a single dispatch being Rs 10.59 while Rs 20.79 is the cost for sending newspaper bundles. However, the revenue earned is a meagre 59 paise for single and Rs 1.63 for bundled dispatches, the reply said. 

The postal department also said that while insurance is offered at Rs 55.24, its cost was almost three times at Rs 141.82 during 2012-13. Each dispatch of a book packet costs the department Rs 9.51 but the revenue earned by it for every delivery is Rs 2.90. 

Each parcel brings revenue of Rs 40.69 while the cost incurred for sending the same is Rs 46.58. Printed books gave a revenue of Rs 2.90 to the department while the cost of dispatching such material was Rs 12.44, it added. 

The response provided to applicant SC Agrawal said, "It is submitted that no annual profit and loss account is prepared in this section. However, allocation of expenditure and revenue to around 30 services is being maintained every year as an annual costing exercise on the basis of data received from different sections of the directorate.

Source:  Business Standard (19-06-14)

PENDING DEMANDS AND NEW GOVERNMENT

              New Central Government under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi has taken charge with a clear majority in the Lok Sabha election.  People of the country and the Central Government employees who suffered a lot under the UPA Government, have voted for a change.  Now it is the turn of NDA Government.  Coming days will prove whether the selection made by the voters is correct or not.        

           Central Government employees have to take a cautious approach towards the new Government.  As the new Government has just taken over charge and expectations are very high, jumping into any sudden conclusion may not be correct on our part.  We have to give reasonable time to the new government to make its stand clear on the issues agitating the minds of the Central Government employees.  Let us hope that our past experience in the 2000 December 14 days Postal strike when the NDA Government was in power, the support extended by the party leading NDA to the UPA Government for introducing and passing the PFRDA Bill in Parliament, the infamous downsizing order of 2001 issued by the NDA Government which paved way for abolition of thousands of vacant posts in Central Government Departments and refusal to concede any of the main demands of Gramin Dak Sevaks will not be repeated by the new Government.

               The maiden budget of the new Government to be presented in Parliament in July 2014 may give us an idea on the thinking of the Government and also the attitude of the Government towards the problems faced by the common people and the Central Government employees.  Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers has placed our demands before the new Government.  JCM National Council staff side has also written to the Finance Minister and Cabinet Secretary.  Our demands are not new.  Demands raised before the UPA Government are again placed before the NDA Government.

               While constituting 7^th Central Pay Commission the UPA Government has refused to include the main demands of the Central Government employees in the terms of reference viz: (1) Grant of merger of DA (2) Grant of interim relief and (3) inclusion of Gramin Dak Sevaks under the purview of 7th CPC.  Confederation has conducted 48 hours strike in February 2014, just before the General Election is declared, demanding settlement of the 15 points charter of demands which includes the above three main demands also.  As General Election was declared we could not move further.  Central Government employees expect that the new Government will consider positively, the demands raised in the 48 hours strike.

               If the new Government also take the same stand as that of previous UPA Government and refuse to concede our genuine demands, the Central Government employees will be forced to tread the path of struggle again.  Before embarking upon such a struggle, our prime duty is to build up largest unity among all sections of the Central Government employees.  Confederation is making all out effort in this direction especially to build up total unity among JCM staff side organisations.  We are even ready to make certain compromises for the sake of unity.

               We have to give enough time to the new Government and we are ready to wait.  But we cannot wait indefinitely.  7^th CPC has already commenced its work and has fixed target dates for submission of memorandums by Federations and Unions/Associations.  Chairman, 7th CPC, has also made it clear that unless the Government refer the issues of DA merger, Interim relief and GDS issues to the Commission, it will not consider these issues.  Hence the ball is now in the Government’s court.  Let us see how the things move.  Let us also be ready to face any situation.

M. Krishnan

Secretary General

MTS from Open Market Examination (01-06-2014)-TN Circle

MTS Open market recruitment examination is scheduled on 01-06-2014 in Tamil Nadu Circle.

Temporary Status MTS candidates filed  a Case in CAT Madras Bench to stay the examination for open market recruitment.

CAT delivered that : 

"any selection made or to be made will be subject to the final out come of the OA"

Copy of the Order:

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GREETINGS

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on 12 June 2014 declared final result of Civil Service (Main) Examination 2013. A total of 1122 candidates have been recommended for appointment to Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service, Indian Police Service, and Central Services, Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’

 Shri. R. Elangovan s/o Shri V,Rajaram, Retd. Accounts Officer,  Dept. of Posts, (Madurai Region, Tamilnadu Circle) has declared successful in the said examination and secured 562 Rank.

V.Rajaram, Retd. Accounts Officer, Mobile No. 9443163766

GREETINGS

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on 12 June 2014 declared final result of Civil Service (Main) Examination 2013. A total of 1122 candidates have been recommended for appointment to Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service, Indian Police Service, and Central Services, Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’

Shri. GURAV ABHIJIT DILIP 

s/o Shri Dilip Gurav Branch Postmaster Gopalpur B.O. (Solapur Dist. Pune Region Maharashtra Circle) has declared successful in the said examination. He appeared under Roll No. 053189 and secured 672 Rank.

His Brother Shri Gajanan Dilip Gurav also working in DOP as Divisional System Administrator in Pandharpur Division Pandharpur (Pune Region)

Source: SAPOST