Best Wishes for Muharram

Dear All,
Best wishes to all of our Muslim Brothers and Sisters on the occasion of holy Muharam.

"The Last Post" bags gold medal at The Stamps of India National Exhibition

Dear Comrades,
The contents of an article published in Orissa Diary is reproduced hereunder :-
Report by Orissa Diary bureau; New Delhi :

 “The Last Post” a short film made by Anil Dhir on the Dak Tonga of Jeypore, Koraput has bagged the Gold medal at the SINE 2010 held in New Delhi from the 10th to 12th December. The Film had earlier got the Silver Medal in Indepex 2009 at Chennai.

The film is based on the life story of Nila Nayak, his two horses Budhhu and Sania, and the rickety mail cart in which he carries the mailbags for the Post Office in the picturesque town of Jeypore in Odisha. It is a story of a small town man, caught up in the agony of existence, his own and his family’s, a man who has sacrificed his present and his future for the sake of the past.

Nila Nayak belonged to the breed of maverick individuals, for whom the quote “the meek shall inherit the earth” was very appropriate. The film is his story, the story of a man, who in spite of all adversities still maintains a family tradition that was set by his great grandfather, and in spite of all odds, he still trudges through and ekes out a meager living from a job that he and his family have being doing since his living memory.

The film encompasses the lives of Nila, his wife Chanchala, his son Padmanabh, the postal department and the people of the small town of Jeypore. This is the story of how, in spite of the radical changes that have happened in a century, Nila’s small microcosmic world remains unchanged, unaffected and pristine.

Why does Nila still do a job that is not remunerative? Why has he passed on the baton to his son and convinced him that his future too lay in carrying the mail? Why does the Post office, which boasts of modernising all its services, still carry the mail in the horse Tonga? These are the questions, which intrigued the film maker, and made him journey into Nila’s world. What Anil learnt has culminated in this short film.

This is not a story of man animal relationship, tradition versus modernity, modern postal history or of crumbling family and social values, but it is rather a human interest story which speaks of one mans determination to live life on a path set by his forefathers, his frustrations at the metamorphosing world where his mettle remains unchanged, the bleak uncertainness and chill penury which has driven him to drunkenness and despair, and a state where there is no silver lining behind the dark clouds that loom on his life’s horizon.

The proceeds and earnings of the film all went to the cart puller, with the abject intention that he and his mail cart keeps rolling, uphill and downhill, carrying the mail as has been done for nearly a century.

Postscript: Nila Nayak died on the 2nd of January 2008 , just two weeks after this film on him was completed. They say that he died of alcoholism, but by what all he shared with Anil during his short friendship, he says that he died of a broken heart. Unfortunately, he never got to see the film that was shot on him.

India Post, after viewing the film was kind enough to enhance his daily allowance from Rs 90/- to Rs 250/- and there is hope that it will be further increased soon. For Nila, it was too little and too late.

Nila’s son Padmanabh now runs the mail cart as has been done since the last eight decades. Just recently two of his horses died, he has just one horse left. The Mail Tonga, a tradition that has lasted nearly a century will come to an end if the horse is not replaced. Anil Dhir is trying to get him a pair of horses. It would be nice if the government or the public help him in this cause.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Pre-Induction Training of new PAs

Dear Comrades,

As per R.O., Berhampur instructions, 25 Nos. of new PAs will be imparted pre-induction training for 6 days i.e. from 20.12.2010 to 25.12.2010 at WCTC, HPO Building, Berhampur. They will have to report to the Divisional Office, Jeypore(K) on 27.12.2010 positively.

The second batch for 8 more PAs will commence from 27.12.2010 to 01.01.2011 at the same venue.

All India Postal Volleyball Tournament

Dear Comrades,

Bangalore: The 26th All India Postal volleyball tournament commences at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium here on Monday. Nearly 150 players, from teams representing 11 postal circles, are expected to participate in the four-day competition. The event will conclude on Thursday.

The teams:

Gujarat, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Army Postal Service, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, West Bengal, Orissa .

The Hindu, Monday, Dec 13, 2010

INDIA POST TO PRINT BEST TIGER STAMPS DESIGNED BY STUDENT

Dear Comrades,

Three thousand schoolchildren took part in a Save the Tiger stamp designing competition here Sunday. The six best designs will be issued as India Post stamps on Children’s Day, Nov 14, next year.The competition set the mood for the larger world philatelic exhibition, Indipex 2011, by the India Post next year, aimed at bringing together the philatelic community.

An exhibition will take place Feb 12-18 at Pragati Maidan in the capital. A total of 71 countries will participate in it, displaying their collection of stamps and other philatelic items.

Indipex 2011 director Harpreet Singh said a letter-writing competition on the subjects ‘Save the Tiger’, ‘What steps you and your parents are taking to make your home more environments friendly’ and ‘What India can do to preserve the earth for future generations’ was also held. He said the aim of organising the event was to augment students’ interest in philately and develop the power of writing. “This generation is increasingly exposed to the e-world with access to all information on web,” he said.

“We hope that through the exhibition we develop an interesting and educative way to shape people’s mind to think innovatively and individually about the growing concerns of today and our rich diversity of culture and heritage through philately,” he added. The competition was held for three categories of students - those up to Class 5, from Classes 6 to 8 and from Classes 9 to 12. The postal department will organise more such competitions and events across the country.

12 December 2010 16:39:06 by IANS

SEBI TIGHTENS PROMOTER NORMS

DEAR COMRADES,

The capital markets regulator, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has made some significant changes in the capital market regulations. It has tightened the framework for preferential allotment of shares to promoters' groups to prevent misuse of preferential allotments, warrants, and convertibles to manipulate share prices.

 

SEBI has also prescribed a specific pre-announced date for the credit of dividend and bonus shares so that investors can manage their cash or securities flow efficiently. Companies that make an acquisition just after the end of the latest disclosed financial year as stated in their draft offer documents, would henceforth be required to include a proforma financial statement, revealing materiality of the acquisition in terms of total book value in the balance sheet or the proportion of the acquired entity's income to total income.

SEBI also paved the way for insurance companies to list on the bourses. It said that insurance companies will have additional disclosures relating to the specific nature of the business. The market regulator also accorded qualified institutional bodies (QIB) status to insurance funds set up by the Department of Posts such as Postal Life Insurance Fund and Rural Postal Life Insurance Fund.

12 Dec, 2010, 01.04AM IST, Ashish Gupta,ET Bureau

Amendment to RTI Rules

Dear Comrades,

DoPT vide the following OM has made few amendment to RTI Rules. Details are reproduced hereunder.

File No. 113512008-IR

Government of India

Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions

Department of Personnel Training

North Block, New Delhi-110001

Dated 10th December, 2010.

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject : Amendment to RTI Rules.


The Government proposes to notify Right to Information Rules in supersession of the existing rules, namely, the Right to Information (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005 and the Central Information Commission (Appeal Procedure) Rules, 2005. Comments if any, on the proposed Rules may be sent at e-mail address, usrti-dopt@pic.in by 7th December, 2010.


(R.K. Girdhar) US(RT1)

For complete details on the above mentioned OM please click the following link:-

http://persmin.gov.in/WriteReadData/RTI/RTI_rules_01122010-1.pdf

Putting a Stamp On It

Dear Comrades,

Extract of Article published in Indian Express.

Look out for some rare stamps at this philately exhibition in the Capital.

In the world of philately, there are few stamps more coveted than a print of the Queen’s head that was erroneously printed upside down, of which only 20-30 copies were printed in India in 1854, and only two copies exist in the country today. Or for that matter, the rare British postal notice conveying condolences to the relatives of the Indian postmen who were on the historic ship, Titanic, that sank way back in 1912. Specimens of these will be on display at the Stamps of India National Exhibition, which opened in the Capital yesterday, at the NSIC Exhibition Hall in Okhla. The two-day exhibition is the first national exhibition being organised by an independent organisation in the city after a gap of 29 years.

“Philately is booming. If you see the options even on eBay, you’ll see how well it is doing. Stamps are the perfect investment,” says Harish Gupta, industrialist and a third generation stamp collector, who is in the city for the event. The exhibition will have 200-plus exhibitors and more than 1,000 frames with some of the best international award-winning exhibits.

DOP released syllabus for Dept. Exam in respect of Postmaster Gr-I

Dear Comrades,

The syllabus for Departmental Examination in respect of Post Master Grade- I in Postal Wing has been released by DOP.

No. 137-8/2009-SPB.II

Government of India

Ministry of Communications & IT

Department of Posts

Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg

New Delhi, Dated the 08 December, 2010

To,

All Chief Postmasters General

Subject: - Syllabus for Departmental Examination in respect of Post Master Grade- I in Postal Wing.

Sir/Madam,

I am directed to refer to Directorate’s letter No. 13-2/2010-PE.I, dated 03.02.2010 whereby a separate cadre of Postmaters has been constituted in the grades of Senior Postmaster, Postmaster Grade-III, Postmaster Grade –II and Postmaster Grade-I, by carving out the posts from existing General Line posts in Postal Wing.

2. Reference is also invited to Directorate’s letter of even number dated 22.11.2010 forwarding therewith copy of Recruitment Rules, namely, Department of Posts, Senior Postmaster (Group B Gazetted), Postmaster (Grade- ‘III and II’ – Group B non-gazetted) and Postmaster (Grade- I Group C non-Gazetted) Recruitment Rules, 2010, dated 9th September, 2010. It was stated inter-alia in the said letter that initial constitution of the various Grades of Postmasters shall be done by inviting options/applications from the existing incumbents of LSG, HSG.II, HSG.I in Post offices and PS Gr, ‘B’. In case, after filling up the posts as per the provisions of the Recruitment Rules certain number of posts still remain unfilled, the same would be filled up as per the provision contained in col. 12 of the respective Recruitment Rules.

3. The Recruitment Rules for the Grade of Postmaster Grade-I provides for filling up of the vacancies by promotion through Limited Departmental Competitive Examination from amongst the Postal Assistants working in Post offices with five years of regular service in the grade. Thus, the unfilled posts, after the initial constitution, if any, and regular vacancies subsequently will be filled up on the basis of Limited Departmental Competitive Examination. The Pattern and scheme for Limited Departmental Competitive Examination decided by the Competent Authority to fill up the vacancies in the grade of Postmaster Grade-I is forwarded herewith as in the Annexure.

4. It is requested that the provisions of the Recruitment Rules and the Syllabus may be brought to the notice of all concerned.

Encl: As above

Yours faithfully, Sd/-, (Suraj Bhan), Assistant Director General (SPN)

ANNEXURE

Syllabus for Departmental Competitive Examination for the post of Post Master Grade-I in Post Offices

The examination for Postmaster Grade – I will consist of two papers of 100 questions; 90 minutes duration each. The questions will be on the pattern of objective type Multiple Choice Question (MCQ).

2. Syllabus for these two questions papers is given as under:

PAPER – I

(i) Customer Service & Grievances

a) Post Office Guide – Part I

b)Compendium of Processing and Disposal of Public complaints

c)Knowledge about DOPG, DOARPG and RTI cases

d) Consumer Forum/Post Forum/Citizen Charter

e) Central Civil Services (Classification, Control & Appeal) Rules,

f) Conduct Rules

g) General Financial Rules

(ii) Postal Operations

a) Postal Manual Volume V

b) Postal Manual Volume VI (Part I, II & III)

c) FHB Volume II
d) POSB Manuals (Volume I, II and III) OR compilation of POSB Manual Volume I & II written by Kawaljit Singh, AD (FS) Department of Posts
e) Project Arrow-Blue Book

PAPER – II

a)Knowledge of products and services of Departments of Posts

b) Marketing: Principles of marketing assessment of related products and services

c) PLI/RPLI, Post Office Insurance Fund Rule, outline knowledge about Insurance Schemes, Mutual Fund and other financial products and services in the market.

d) General Awareness and current affairs including general mental ability test covering logical reasoning (verbal and non verbal), numerical analysis (arithmetic) and basic mathematical equations and statistical tools like mean, median, mode, graphical representation of data, comprehension and basic language skills.

e) General principles of technology;

Basic technology requirement – computer, server, laptop connectivity of computers.

Courtesy: AIPEU P3 CHQ

Senior citizen fights the system to claim tax refund

MUMBAI: A senior citizen overcame bureaucratic indifference to claim refund for wrong tax deduction carried out on his investment under a scheme floated by the Government of India. His successful fight will help scores of investors who may have lost their hard-earned money to faulty tax deduction.

P H Sampat, a 76-year-old resident of Cuffe Parade, had invested several lakhs under the department of post's Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS). Sampat said, "Somewhere in 2005, the Central Board of Direct Taxes issued a directive that the postal department should deduct tax at source while paying quarterly interest."

Sampat, who began investing in the scheme in 2004, said, "On the scheme's maturity, the postal department paid me the principal amount, but after deducting Rs 5,266, which they claimed had to be adjusted towards non-deduction of tax for the interest paid during financial years 2004-05 and 2005-06."

 

Sampat said the postal department did not entertain his protests. Finally, he approached income tax officials.

Vindicating Samapat's stand, income-tax officer (TDS) Dilip M Sale, in his order, ruled, "As per the provision of Section 194 A(1) of the I-T Act, TDS has to be deducted at the time of credit of such income to the account of payee or at the time of payment thereof in cash or by issue of cheque or draft or by any other mode, whichever is earlier. Thus, the TDS deducted on May 25, 2010, on payment made during financial years 2004-05 and 2005-06 on account of Taj Mahal post office is found to incorrect/ wrong." Sampat said he flashed this order before postal department officials, who then agreed to refund the deducted amount.

 

M S Badwe, assistant director, postal services, said, "We will only refund the amount to those who approach us with their documents, which can prove that their case is similar to Sampat's."