WOMEN EMPLOYEES IN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

As per the census of Central Government employees conducted by the Directorate General of Employment & Training, Ministry of Labour and Employment in 2004, 9.68 per cent of Central Government employees were women.

The percentage of women employees in Central Government at present, group-wise is not available. No forecast of the number of women employees at the end of eleventh five-year plan is available. However, their number is expected to increase as a result of women friendly policies of the Government.

This information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Shri Prithviraj Chavan in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.
Source:PIB

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PREVENTION OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF WORKING WOMEN

No.1101'3/3/2009-Estt. (A)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
(Department of Personnel and Training)
North Block,
New Delhi,

Subject : ' CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964 - Guidelines regarding
prevention of sexual harassment of working women in the
workplace.
The undersigned is directed to refer to Department of Personnel and
Training's a.M. No. 110,13/10/97-Estt. (A) dated 13.02:1998 and 13.07.1999,
OM. No. 11013/11/2001-Estt. (A) dated 12.12.2002 and 04.08.2005 and
OM. No. 11013/312009-Estt.(A) dated 02.02.2009 on the abovementioned subject and to say that it is necessary to have in place at all times an effective Complaint Mechanism for dealing with cases of sexual harassment of working women and to create awareness in this regard, particularly amongst working women. The saliient features of the Complaint Mechanism and inquiry procedure are as follows :..
(i) Rule 3 C of the' CGS (Conduct) Rules, '1964 provides that no Government servant shall indulge in any act of sexual harassment. of any Women at her work place. Every Government servant who is in charge of a work place shall take appropriate steps to prevent sexual harassment to 'any woman at ,such work place, "Sexual harassment" includes such unwelcome
sexually determined behavior, whether directly or otherwise, as --
a). Physical contacts and advances;
b).Demand or request for sexual favours;
c).Sexually colored remarks;
d).Showing any pornography or
(e) any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature.
(ii) Whether or: not such conduct constitutes an offence under law or a breach of the service rules, an appropriate complaint mechanism should be created in the. employer's organization. for redress of the complaint made by the victim. Such complaint mechanism should ensure time bound treatment of complaints.
(iii) The complaint mechanism should be adequate to provide, where necessary, a Complaints Committee, a special counselor or other support 'service, including the maintenance of confidentiality.
The Complaints Committee should be headed by a woman and not less than half of its member should be women Further to prevent the possibility of any undue pressure or 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.
The Complaints Committee must make an annual report to the Government
department concerned of the complaints and action taken by them.
The employers and person' in charge will also report on the compliance with
the aforesaid guidelines including on the reports of the Complaints Committee
to the Government department.
(iv). The Committee constituted for redressal of the complaints by the victims
of sexual harassmen should be headed by an officer sufficiently higher in rank
so as to lend credibility to the investigations. .
(v) The,Complaints .Comiittee ,established in each Ministry or Department
or Office for inquirjng into complaints Of sexual harassment shall be deemed
to be the inquiring Authority appointeq by the Disciplinary Authority and that
the Complaints Committee shall hold, if no separate procedure has not been
prescribed for the Complaints Committee for holding the inquiry into such
complaints, the inquiry, as for as practicable in accordance with the procedure
laid down in the .said rules.{In 2004,a proviso was added to rule 14(2) of the
Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965 (copy
.enclosed) to this effect].
(vi) The Complaints Committee in terms of Cabinet Secretariat's Order No.
1 dated 26.09.2008 will inquire into complaints made against officers of the
level of Secretary and 'Additional Secretary and equivalent level in the
Government of India in the Ministries/Departments and Organizations directly
under the control of the Central Government (other than the Central PSUs)
The existing Complaints Committee established in each Ministry or
Department or Office will, inquire into complaints of sexual harassment
against only those Government servants who are not covered by the Cabinet
Secretariat's Order NO.1 dated 26.09.2008.
(vii) ·It may be ensured that the Complaints Committee shall at all times be
in existence and changes in its composition, whenever necessary, should be
made promptly and adequately publicized. The composition of the Complaints
Committee· be.· also posted on the websites of the concerned
Ministries/Departments/Offices concerned.
3. All Ministries/Departments are requested to bring the foregoing to the notice
of all concerned.
(C.B. PALIWAL)
Joint Secretary to the Government of India

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CHILDREN EDUCATION ALLOWANCE

Children Education Allowance- Are the Procedures very simple?

Before September 2008, the Assistance for education of children was available to all Central Government employees without any pay limit . The assistance was in the form of :-
i) Reimbursement of Tuition Fee of upto Rs.40 per month for students in Class I to X and Rs.50 per month for students in Class XI & XII. In case of physically handicapped and mentally retarded children, the maximum limit is Rs.100 per month.
ii) Children’s Education Allowance is payable at the rate of Rs.100 per month in case the Government employee is compelled to send his child to a school away from the Station of his posting.
iii) Hostel subsidy at the rate of Rs.300 per month is paid in case the employee is obliged to keep his children in a hostel away from the Station of his posting and residence on account of transfer.
In all these cases, the benefit is available up-to 3 children in respect of children born upto 31/12/1987 and 2 children born thereafter.

The Sixth Pay Commission recommended merger of Children Education Allowance and Reimbursement of Tuition Fee which will henceforth be reimbursement upto the maximum of Rs.1000 per child per month subject to a maximum of 2 children. Hostel subsidy may be
reimbursed up to the maximum limit of Rs.3000 per month per child. The limits would be automatically raised by 25% every time the Dearness Allowance on the revised pay bands goes up by 50%.Everybody felt happy about this recommendation.

But after the implementation of Children Education Allowance on September 2008, claiming the CEA is not that much easy as told in 6CPC recommendation and the DOP&T order. Bills submitted by the Govt staffs were rejected by some Govt establishments on various reasons. As a result of this the CEA for the Academic Year 2008-2009 was not paid properly.

The DOP&T order OM. No. 12011/03/2008-Estt.(Allowance) says that, ‘In order to ensure that Government servants have no difficulty in claiming reimbursement, the procedure under this scheme is being kept simple. Reimbursement should henceforth be made on the submission of original receipts on the basis of self certification by the Government servant.’

Since the RTF is named after an ALLOWANCE (CHILDREN EDUCATION ALLOWANCE), why shouldn’t it be paid as other Allowances like HRA, TA and DA?
Where ever procedure comes, Difficulty will enter there without invitation. So ‘In order to ensure that Government servants have no difficulty in claiming CEA, the procedure must be removed.’. Will the Government do the necessary amendments in the CEA order?
Any comments?

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PREPARATION OF APAR -DOP&T ORDER

No. 21011/1/2005-Estt (A) (Pt-II)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
(Department of Personnel and Training)
North Block, New Delhi,
23rd July, 2009

Subject:- Preparation and maintenance of Annual Performance Assessment Reports (APAR).

The undersigned is directed to invite the attention of the Ministries/Departments to the instructions contained in this Department's a.M. No. No. 21011/02/2009-Estt.(A) 16/02/2009 and a.M. of even umber dated 14.05.2009 on the subjects of timely preparation and proper maintenance of APAR and making the APAR transparent for representation for upgradation, if any, by the officer reported upon. The matter of preparation and maintenance of APAR has been further reviewed in this Department keeping in view the system in this regard in respect of All India services (AIS) and the undersigned is directed to convey the following decisions:-

(i) All cadre authorities shall include a box in the APAR for reflecting by the reporting officer the pen picture of the officer reported upon where the reporting officer will be required to indicate his comments on the overall qualities of the officer including areas of strengths and lesser strength and his attitude towards the weaker sections. A column will also be added in
the section relating to the reviewing authority for giving the reviewing authority's remarks on the pen picture reflected by the reporting officer. There will be no other separate column in the APAR for overall assessment apart from the pen picture.
(ii) A provision may be made in the APAR in the relevant section for remarks by
the reviewing officer to indicate specifically the differences, if any, with the assessment made by the reporting officer, and the reasons therefore.
(iii)Numerical grading are to be awarded by reporting and reviewing authorities for the quality of work output, personal attributes and functional competence of the officer reported upon. These should be on a scale of 1-10, where 1 refers to the lowest grade and 10 to the highest. The guidelines given in Annexure- I shall be kept in mind while awarding numerical gradings.
(iv)The format for the purpose of numerical grading in the three areas of work output, assessment of personal attributes and assessment of functional competency is in Annexure-II. For Group 'B' and 'C' officials however, suitable changes may be made by the concerned cadre authorities in the items of assessment as per functional requirements of the job and the next promotional post for them. The overall grade on a score of 1-10 will be based on 40%
weightage on assessment of work output, and 30% each for assessment of personal attributes and functional competency. The overall grading will be based on addition of the mean value of each group of indicators in proportion to weightage assigned.
(v) Wherever 'accepting authority' has been prescribed in the existing system in the cadre, columns may also be provided for such authority to give his comments on the remarks of the reporting/reviewing authority and details of difference of opinion, if any, with reasons for the same. In such cases, the accepting authority will also give overall grade on a score of 1-10.
(vi) A schedule for completion of all activities relating to the APAR is given in
Annexure-III.
2. The above provisions would be applicable for the APAR from the reporting year 2009-10 onwards. The concerned authorities may accordingly make necessary changes in the APAR format for numerical grading to be given by reporting and reviewing officer. This O.M. does not in any way affect the part to be filled in by the officer reported upon and other existing columns in the APAR format like attitude towards SC/ST/OBC, relations with public (wherever applicable), integrity, training requirement etc. for descriptive remarks.
3. All Ministries/Departments are requested to bring to the notice of all the offices under them for strict implementation of the above instructions.


(C.A. Subramanian)
Director

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ENHANCEMENT OF CHILD ADOPTION LEAVE

Child Adoption Leave Increased From 135 Days to 180 Days-DOP&T Order
No. 13018/1/2009-Estt.(L)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Department of Personnel & Training

Subject:-Enhancement of Child Adoption Leave from 135 days to 180 days
and extension of the facility of Patemity Leave to adoptive fathers.

The undersigned is directed to refer to this Department's O.M. No.
13018/4/2004-Estt.(L) dated 31st March, 2006 regarding grant of Child
Adoption Leave for 135 days to female Govemment servant on adoption of a
child upto the age of one year, on the lines of matemity leave admissible to
natural mothers. Mter implementation of the Sixth Central Pay Commission
recommendations, the period of matemity leave was enhanced from 135 days
to 180 days. Subsequently, this Department has received representations
requesting for enhancement of the period of Child Adoption Leave from 135
days to 180 days in line with the matemity leave. The matter has been
examined in this Department and it has been decided to enhance the period
of Child Adoption Leave from 135 days to 180 days.

2. A female Govemment servant in whose case the period of 135 days of
Child Adoption Leave has not expired on the date of issue of these orders
shall also be eligible for Child Adoption Leave of 180 days.

3. It has also been decided that a male Govemment servant (including an
apprentice) with less than two surviving children, on valid adoption of a child
below the age of one year, may be sanctioned Paternity Leave for a period of
15 days within a period of six months from the date of valid adoption.

4.These orders shall take effect from the date of issue.

5. In so far as persons serving in the Indian Audit and Accounts
Department are concemed, these orders issue in consultation with the
Comptroller and Aditor General of India .

(Simmi R. Nakra)
Director

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60% ARREARS OF SIXTH PAYCOMMISSION EXPECTED SOON

60% ARREARS ON 6TH PAYCOMMISSION REVISED PAY EXPECTED SOON
INDWF Sources revealed that at the time of Independence Day Celebration our Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh may announce about the payment of 60% arrears on revised pay to Central Government Employees.

The Indian National Defence Workers Federation has decided to observe a Nation wide Protest week from 10-7-2009 to 14-7-2009 demanding to fully implement the orders of Revised Pay on the recommendation of VI CPC and its related issues including the payment of 60% arrears on VI CPC revised pay. Hence it is quiet obvious that on 15th August an announcement over 60% Arrears is inevitable.

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JOURNEY BY AIR -LTC -CLARIFICATION

No.31011/2/2006-Est1.(A)
Government ofIndia
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pension
Department of Personnel & Training

Subject:- Regulation of Journey by air while availing Leave Travel Concession - clarification regarding.

The undersigned is directed to refer to Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure O.M.No. I9024/1/2009-E.lV dated 13/7/2009 modifying the O.M. No. 7(2)/E.Coord/2005 dated 23rd November, 2005 and superseding ofO.M.No. I9024/l/E.lV/2005 dated 24/3/2006. It has been decided by the Department of Expenditure that in all cases of air travel both domestic
and international where the Government of India bears the cost of air passage, the officials concerned may travel only by air India. The matter whether these orders will apply in cases of LTC has been considered in consultation with Ministry of Finance, Department of expenditure
and it is confirmed that these orders/conditions will apply in cases of LTC also.
This issues in consultation with Ministry of Finance (Department of expenditure) vide their ID No. 39/DS(EG)/2009 dated 20/7/2009.

(Smt.Raj Bala Singh)
Under Secretary to the Govt. of India

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THE AGE OF SUPERANNUATION-PROVISIONS IN F.R.56

DOPT issued a notification regarding retirement age under the heading 'Extracts Of Existing Provision in F.R.56'.It is as follows;-
F.R. 56(a) Except as otherwise provided in this rule, every Government servant shall retire from service on the afternoon of the last day of the month in which he attains the age of sixty years. Provided that a Government servant whose date of birth is the first of a month shall retire from service on the afternoon of the
last day of the preceding month on attaining the age of sixty years.

Provided further that a Government servant who has attained the age of fifty-eight years on or before the first day of May, 1998 and is on extension in service, shall retire from the service on expiry of his extended period of service.

Or on the expiry of any further extension in service granted by the Central Government in public interest, provided that no such extension in service shall be granted beyond the age of 60 years.

(b) A workman who is governed by these rules shall retire from service on the afternoon of the last day of the month in which he attains the age of sixty years.

bb) The age of superannuation in respect of specialists included in the Teaching, Non-Teaching and Public Health Subcadres of Central Health Service shall be 62 years.
" Provided that for the specialists included in the Teaching sub-cadres of the Central Health Service who are engaged only in teaching activities and not occupying administrative positions, the age of superannuation shall be sixty-five years:

Provided further that such specialists of the Teaching sub-cadre of Central Health Service who are occupying administrative positions shall have the option of seeking appointment to the teaching positions in case they wish to continue in service up to sixty-five years."
(c) omitted
(d) No Government servant shall be granted extension in service beyond the age of retirement of sixty years:

Provided that a Government servant dealing with budget work or working as a full-time member of a Committee which is to be wound up within a short period of time may be granted extension of service for a period not exceeding three months in
public interest;

Provided further that a specialist in medical or scientific fields may be granted extension of service up to the age of sixtytwo years, if such extension is in public interest and the grounds for such extension are recorded in writing.
Provided also that an eminent scientist of international stature may be granted extension of service up to the age of 64 years, if such extension is in public interest and the grounds for such extension are recorded in writing.

Provided also that the Appropriate Authority shall have the right to terminate the extension of service before the expiry of such extension by giving a notice in writing of not less than three months in the case of a permanent or a quasi-permanent
Government servant, on, of one month in the case of a temporary Government servant, or pay and allowances in lieu of such notice.

Provided also that notwithstanding anything contained in anyrule, the Central Government may, if considered necessary in public interest so to do, give extension in service to a Cabinet Secretary in the Central Government for such period or periods as it may deem proper subject to the condition that his total term as
such Cabinet Secretary does not exceed three years:

Provided also that the Central Government may, if it considers necessary in public interest so to do, give extension in service to the Defence Secretary, Home Secretary, Director, Intelligence Bureau, Secretary, Research and Analysis Wing and
Director, Central Bureau of Investigation for such periods as it may deem proper on case-to-case basis, subject to the condition that the total term of the incumbents of the above posts, who are given such extension in service, does not exceed two years.

Provided also that notwithstanding anything contained in the fifth proviso, the Central Government may, if considers it necessary, in public interest, so to do, give an extension in service for a further period not exceeding three months beyond the said period of two years to the Home Secretary and the Defence Secretary.

"Provided also that, the Central Government may, if considered necessary in public interest so to do, give extension of service to the Secretary, Department of Space and the Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy, for such period or periods as it may
deem proper subject to a maximum age of 66 years."

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ONE RANK ONE PENSION FOR OFFICERS TOO..

Defence Minister A K Antony clarified in the Lok Sabha that "one rank, one pension" recommendation of the Cabinet Secretary-led panel had been accepted by the government for jawans as well as officers.

The government has accepted recommendations of the panel on "one rank, one pension" and other related matters concerning the armed forces, the Lok Sabha was informed today.

The decision is now nearer to the goal of “one rank, one pension” demand of nearly 1.5 million personnel, Antony said during question hour.

The total financial implications on account of benefits to the personnel would be Rs 2,144 crore, the minister said.

The committee has recommended inclusion of Classification Allowance for the Personnel Below Officer Rank (PBOR) from January 1, 2006, and removal of linkage of full pensions with 33 years from the same date, he said.

The committee also recommended revision of pension of Lt Generals after carrying out a separate pay scale for them, bringing parity between pension pre and post October 10, 1997, for PBOR pensioners and further improving PBOR pensions based on award of Group of Ministers in 2006.

With regard to the separate pay commission, the minister said it had been agreed, and as and when necessary it would be set up in the future.

Antony said the government had also accepted the committee's recommendations regarding raising the pension amount for those disabled or injured in war.

"After considering all aspects of the issue, the committee made several recommendations to substantially improve pensionary benefits of Personnel Below Officer Rank and Commissioned Officers, which have been accepted by the government," the minister added.

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CELLPHONE RADIATION NOT HARMFUL-COAI

Seeking to set at rest the fears of health hazards due to use of cellphones, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) today claimed that radiation from mobile phones and cellular towers had no adverse effect on the human body.

COAI, a representative body for GSM operators in India, said there are many "misconceptions and apprehensions" with regard to radiation from mobile phones and base stations and it has time and again emphasised that these are "not injurious" to the human body.

"It has been repeatedly brought out by ICNIRP review papers and WHO fact sheets that RF radiations from mobile phones and cellular towers have no adverse effect on the human body," COAI said in a statement.

International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) is a body of independent scientific experts that works closely with World Health Organisation.

source;PTI

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LIFE COVER OF Rs 1 CRORE FOR JUST Rs.15000

There is a quiet rate war raging among insurers that has brought down the cost of Rs 1 crore cover to Rs 15,000 from over Rs 50,000 per annum a decade ago. A big chunk of the reduction has happened in recent months.
Without much publicity life insurance companies have drastically reduced premium rates on high-value term insurance policies of Rs 1cr and above.

As against a premium of over Rs 50,000 for a Rs 1 cr cover for a 30-year old woman charged by Life Insurance Corporation a decade ago, private life insurer Birla Sun Life are offering a similar cover for an annual premium of around Rs 15,000.

Other private life insurers, such as ICICI Prudential life and HDFC Standard Life, have also reduced their term insurance rates. The term rates for LIC policies, too, have come down drastically as compared to 10 years ago.
Today, one can avail of a LIC term policy with a sum assured of Rs 1cr for an annual premium of nearly Rs 25,700-32 ,000. But unlike LIC whose rates are available to most buyers, Birla Sun Life has stringent underwriting norms and the rates are available to only those in the best of health.

Term insurance is a cover where the only benefit is a payment if the insured dies during the term of the policy is the most basic form of life insurance. The cover is now almost a commodity with web-based aggregators offering quotes from all insurance for term protection.

ICICI Prudential Life appointed actuary Avijit Chatterjee said the decline can be attributed to better mortality experience in the recent past.

This is another factor, industry-watchers feel, that has worked in favour of the rich. Since such policyholders have access to quality healthcare and lead a relatively superior lifestyle, their life expectancy is high, and this translates into lower rates.

"Over the last six months, some insurers have reduced the term insurance rates. The price reduction is limited mainly to high value policies targeted at the HNI segment, that is, people earning over Rs 1 lakh per month, who seek policies entailing a sum assured of more than Rs 25 lakh," said a senior executive with a private life insurance company.

HDFC Standard Life Insurance, for instance, has reduced the premium rates of its term plan by around 25% across different premium and age bands.

source:The Economic Times

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TATKAL RESERVATION PERIOD REDUCED

Railway’s Tatkal Reservation Period to be reduced from 5 to 2 days
It has been decided to reduce the Advance Reservation Period (ARP) under Tatkal Scheme from five days to two days (excluding the date of journey) for journey commencing w.e.f. 01.08.2009. This decision was announced by the Minister of Railways, Kumari Mamata Banerjee while presenting the Railway Budget 2009-10 in the Parliament earlier this month. The new decision will be implemented as per the following course of action:-
Reservation under Tatkal Scheme as per earlier ARP of five days shall continue till 26.7.2009.
For journey commencing w.e.f. 01.08.2009, the ARP shall be two days by reducing ARP gradually w.e.f. 27.7.2009 as per details given below:-

Date ARP Reservation available for journey commencing upto
26.07.2009 5 days 31.07.2009
27.07.2009 4 days 31.07.2009
28.07.2009 3 days 31.07.2009
29.07.2009 2 days 31.07.2009
30.07.2009 2 days 01.08.2009
31.07.2009 2 days 02.08.2009
01.08.2009 2 days 03.08.2009
Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS), under the Ministry of Railways, has been instructed to make necessary changes in the software for this purpose under intimation to all Zonal Railways as well as Railway Board.
Suitable instructions to all concerned are being issued to ensure smooth change-over to the new time limit.

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Payment of Dearness Relief To Re-Employed Pensioners and Employed Family Pensioners

F.No.38/88/2008-P&PW(G)

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions

(Department of Pension & Pensioners' Welfare

3rd Floor, Lok Nayak Bhavan
Khan Market,New Delhi,
dated: 9th July, 2009

OFFICE MEMORANDUM



Sub: Payment of Dearness Relief to re-employed pensioners and employed family pensioners.




The undersigned is directed to say that the grant of DR to re-employed pensioners and employed family pensionersis presently regulated in accordance with the instructions contained in this Department's OM No.45/73/97 P&PW(G) dated 2.7.1999. Consequent upon the revision in ignorable amount of pension from Rs.1500/- to Rs.4000/- in terms of DOPT OM no. 3/13/2008-Esst,(PAY-I) dated 11.11.2008, the amount of Rs.1500/- appeared in OM dated 2.7.1999 is revised as Rs.4000/-. The other conditions for grant of DR to re-employed pensioners and employed family pensioners remain the same: :

2. In so far as persons serving in the Indian Audit Accounts Department are concerned, these orders are being issued after consultation with the CAG of India.

3. This issues with the concurrence of Misnistry of Finance, Department of Expenditure vide their UO No. 132/EV/2009-Esst.(Pay II) dated 21.4.2009 and DOP&T vide their UO No.3/16/2009-Esst.(Pay II) dated 23.6.2009.

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WOMEN REPRESENTATION IN SELECTION COMMITTEES

Women Representation in Committees For selection of Group C&D Posts
No.35021/212009-Estt.(C)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
(Department of Personnel & Training)
North Block, New Delhi,
Dated the 30th June,2009

Representation of Women Members on the various Committees/
Boards concerned with selection to Group C&D posts in Central Government.

The undersigned in directed to refer to this Department's O.M..
No.35021/1/85-Estt(c) dated 8th November,1985 (Copy enclosed) on the subject
mentioned above and to say that the matter has been further considered and
reviewed by this Department and it has been decided that all appointing authorities may be instructed to scrupulously observe the following guidelines:-

(i) The composition of selection Committees should be representative. It
should be mandatory to have one woman member in the Selection
Boards/ Committees for making recruitment to ten (10) or more
vacancies and lady candidates are expected to be available for the
service / Post.
(ii) Where the number of vacancies against which selection is to be made is
less than 10, no efforts should be spared in finding a lady officer for
inclusion in such Committees / Boards. '
(iii) In the event of such an officer not being available in the Ministry /
Department itself, there is no objection to nominating lady officer from
any other office at the same station.
(iv) Wide Publicity should be given to all appointments in Government,
Advertisements should be issued in the language (s) spoken by large
number of people of the State/UTS, apart from English and Hindi.
Further, for Group'C: level Posts, having only basic qualifying
requirements, information about vacancies for recruitment should also
be disseminated through schools and colleges in that area, in addition to
normal channels.
(P.PRABHAKARAN)
Deputy Secretary to the Govt. of India
Tele:- 23093176

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MINIMUM 30 LAKH NEEDED TO BE CALLED' WEALTHY'

The government today doubled the threshold for calling a person or entity wealthy, saying the wealth tax would be imposed only on those having a net wealth exceeding Rs 30 lakh.

Under the existing provisions, wealth tax is charged on "every individual, Hindu undivided family and company at the rate of one per cent" of the amount by which their net wealth exceeds Rs 15 lakh.

However, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today proposed to amend the relevant section of the Wealth Tax Act. Pursuant to this, for every year commencing on and from April 1, 2010, the one per cent wealth tax will be charged on the amount by which the net wealth exceeds Rs 30 lakh.

Besides, the Finance Minister has also proposed to amend certain provisions related to agreement for avoidance of double taxation with respect to wealth tax.

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INCOME TAX EXEMPTION LIMIT INCREASED

With a view to providing interim relief to small and marginal tax payers and senior citizens the budget 2009-2010 has increased the personal income tax
exemption limit by Rs 15,000 from Rs 2.25 lakh to Rs 2.40 lakh for senior citizens. Similarly it has aslo raised the exemption limit by Rs 10,000 from Rs 1.80 lakh to Rs 1.90 lakh for women tax payers and by Rs 10,000 from Rs 1.50 lakh to Rs 1.60 lakh for all other categories of individual taxpayers. Further, it has also increased the deduction under section 80-DD in respect of maintenance, including medical treatment, of a dependent who is a person with severe disability to Rs 1 lakh from the present limit of Rs 75,000.

In the past, surcharges on direct taxes have generally been levied to meet the revenue needs arising from natural calamities. The Government has set up the National Calamity Contingency Fund to build up resources to meet emergency situations. As a corollary, surcharge on direct taxes should be removed. However, this has to be balanced with the revenue needs of the Government. Therefore, the budget has phased out the surcharge on various direct taxes by eliminating the surcharge of 10 per cent on personal income tax.

There is no change in corporate taxation.

Deduction in respect of export profits is available under sections 10A and 10B of the Income-tax Act. The deduction under these sections would not be available beyond the financial year 2009-2010. In order to tide over the slowdown in exports, I propose to extend the sun-set clauses for these tax holidays by one more year i.e. for the financial year 2010-11.

The budget has aslo abolished the Fringe Benefit Tax that wa sintroduced in the Finance Act, 2005 on the value of certain fringe benefits provided by employers to their employees.

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