Extension of validity of empanelment of All Health Care Organizations empanelled under CGHS cities outside Delhi/NCR upto 16th November, 2014: CGHS Order
Govt unveils austerity drive; bars First Class travel
New Delhi, Oct 30, 2014, (PTI):
Unveiling an austerity drive to cut non-plan expenditure by 10 per cent, government has barred bureaucrats from travelling First Class on overseas visits and have been asked to use video conferencing as much as possible.
With an aim to restrict fiscal deficit to 4.1 per cent of GDP in 2014-15, the Finance Ministry has barred officials from holding meetings in 5-star hotels and put a freeze on fresh appointments and filling up posts lying vacant for over one year.
"While officers are entitled to various classes of air travel depending on seniority, utmost economy would need to be observed while exercising the choice keeping the limitations of budget in mind. However, there would no bookings in the First Class," said the office memorandum.
The facility of Video Conferencing, it said, "may be used effectively".
The Finance Ministry said purchase of new vehicles to meet operational requirement of defence forces, Paramilitary forces and security organisations are permitted but ban on purchase of any other vehicles would continue.
"Such measures are intended at promoting fiscal discipline, without restricting the operational efficiency of the government. In the context of the current fiscal situation, there is a need to continue to rationalise expenditure and optimise available resources," it said.
The government proposes to lower the fiscal deficit to 3 per cent of GDP by 2016-17. The deficit which had touched a high of 5.7 per cent in 2011-12, was brought down to 4.8 per cent in 2012-13 and further to 4.5 per cent in 2013-14 by way of austerity measures.
"The task before me is very challenging because we need to revive growth, particularly in manufacturing sector and infrastructure," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had said in his budget speech. He added that choice has to be made whether or not to be victims of mere populism and wasteful expenditure.
The Finance Ministry said that the "mandatory 10 per cent cut" in plan expenditure will exclude interest payments, repayment of debt, defence, capital, salaries, pensions and grants to the state.
"No re-appropriation of funds to augment the non-plan heads of expenditure on which cuts have been imposed, shall be allowed during the current fiscal," it said.
It said the austerity measures would also apply to autonomous bodies, adding that no fresh commitments would be made over and above what was provided in the Budget.
Only seminars and conferences that are absolutely essential should be organised, it said, adding that "holding of exhibitions/seminars/conferences abroad is strongly discouraged except in case of exhibitions for trade promotions."
It said in all cases of air travel the lowest air fare tickets available for entitled class are to be purchased. "No companion free ticket on domestic/international travel is to be availed of," it added.
Referring to jobs in government departments, it said there will be a total ban on new posts and those that have remained vacant for more than a year will not be filled except "under very rare and unavoidable circumstances".
The Finance Ministry has also asked the departments to avoid bunching up expenditure in the last quarter to ensure that there is no infructuous or wasteful spending.
It said the Secretaries would be responsible to ensure compliance of the austerity measures and the Financial Advisors would be required to submit reports to the Finance Ministry on a quarterly basis.
The non-plan expenditure of government deals with outlay on subsidies, interest payment, salary, among others.
For the current fiscal, the government has proposed a Plan expenditure of Rs 5.75 lakh crore, while that for non-Plan expenditure is over Rs 12.19 lakh crore.
Total budgeted expenditure estimates, including Plan and non-Plan stand at Rs 17,94,892 crore, higher than revised estimates for 2013-14 at Rs 15,90,434 crore.
The meeting of the COC Karnataka will be held at ITEF room, Income tax office Bangalore on 12th November 2014 (Wednesday) at 6.30 pm to discuss the following agenda.
1) Preparations for study camp including formation of committees.
2) Mass Dharna program on 18th November 2014.
3) JCM convention at New Delhi on 11th December 2014 on DA merger , IR, Date of effect of 7th CPC.
4) Financial position of COC.
All members are requested to participate in the COC meeting at ITEF room on 12th November 2014 (Wednesday) at 6.30 pm
The meeting of the COC Karnataka will be held at ITEF room, Income tax office Bangalore on 29th October 2014 (Wednesday) at 6.30 pm to discuss the following agenda.
1) Preparations for study camp including formation of committees.
2) Mass Dharna program on 18th November 2014.
3) JCM convention at New Delhi on 11th December 2014 on DA merger , IR, Date of effect of 7th CPC.
4) Financial position of COC.
All members are requested to participate in the COC meeting at ITEF room on 29th October 2014 (Wednesday) at 6.30 pm .
Two days All India Trade Union
Workshop of Confederation of Central Government Employees & Workers
will be held at Bangalore on 5th & 6th January
2015. COC Karnataka will host the workshop. Total number of delegates will be
200. Affiliated organization-wise delegate quota will be published shortly.
Delegate Fee is fixed as Rs. 600 (Rupees Six hundred only) per delegate.
Meeting of the COC held at Bangalore was attended by Confederation CHQ leaders
Coms: S. K. Vyas, K. K. N. Kutty, M. Krishnan, M. S. Raja, Vrigu Bhattacharjee,
Giriraj Singh, R. N. Parashar, P. Suresh, R. Seethalakshmi etc. Detailed
circular will follow.
JCM STAFF SIDE NATIONAL CONVENTION ON 11TH DECEMBER 2014 AT NEW DELHI. WILL DECLARE JOINT PROGRAME OF ACTION ON CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES COMMON DEMANDS.
JCM Staff Side leadership has decided to organize a National Convention of all Central Government Employees (Railway, Defence & Confederation) on 11th December 2014 at New Delhi from 12 PM to 4 PM. Convention will adopt a joint resolution on the common demands of the Central Government Employees viz; Merger of DA, Interim Relief, Inlcusion of GDS under 7th CPC, Scrap New Pension Scheme etc and will declare joint programs of action. Further details regarding number of delegates to be participated from each affiliated Organisation & State C-O-Cs of Confederation will be published shortly.
The COC Karnataka meeting will be held on 13th October 2014 at 6.30 pm at City RMS Bangalore to discuss the preparation of study camp to be held at Bangalore in January 2015 and 7th CPC issues especially on DA merger and IR issues. The Central leaders will be addressing the COC meeting including Com M.Krishnan Secretary General Confederation of CG Employees and Workers, Com KKN Kutty President Confederation of CG Employees and Workers and other Confederation leaders.
In this connection all Comrades are requested to attend the COC meeting on 13th October 2014 at 6.30 pm at City RMS Bangalore without fail.
In the Meeting of the COC Karnataka held at city RMS Office on 3rd September 2014 it was decided to conduct the all India study camp at Bangalore in November 2014, the proposed study camp has been postponed to first week of January 2015.
I request all to affiliates to co-operate in smooth conduct of all India study camp at Bangalore during Jan 2015.
"Presently, we consider the interim report as essential due to the important reasons given below:
1. The 50% DA merger that was allowed in the 5th Pay Commission is not made available now for Central Government employees after 6th CPC report was implemented.
2. Also the inflation rate is the range of 7 to 11 % in last 8 years is very high.” The actual price rise is more than 200% and DA we got as on 1/1/14 is 100%. we are not fully compensated by DA , what should have been 100% neutralization, now it is just 50% neutralization of price rise. Price rise is happening in every sector not only in food items, the rise is more in housing & service sector.
The terms and references of the 7th Central Pay Commission was approved by the cabinet on 28.02.2014. In the terms and references document, in paragraph (h), it has been said that if needed an interim report can be recommended.
“h) To recommend the date of effect of its recommendations on all the above. The Commission will make its recommendations within 18 months of the date of its constitution. It may consider, if necessary, sending interim reports on any of the matters as and when the recommendations are finalised.″
After the 7th Central Pay Commission was set up, it obtained terms and references from various stakeholders using the 1st phase of interactions. Now, through the 2nd phase of interactions, inputs are received through meetings held in various important cities of India.
The expectation of many Central government employees now is: “is there a possibility of the 7th Central Pay Commission interim report being released?” In the 5th Pay Commission, considering the inflation rates, when the DA reached 50%, it was merged with the basic salary. If 50% DA is merged there will be an increase of 20 to 30% in salary will be there by DA Merger alone. which have immediate effect on salary structure. The basic salary increase should be more than 3.5 times considering 100% DA merging into it and current price rise.
National Council JCM Staff Side has made a demand to 7th PAY Commission for Interim Relief and Merger of DA with Basic Pay on 21/8/2014 on this issue. CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS.
However, in the 6th Pay Commission, nothing about the 50% DA merger has been mentioned. Moreover, comparing the DA increase due to inflation in the 5th Pay Commission, the DA that was given during the 6th Pay Commission taking into account the inflation rate is much higher. I have attached a table below to explain this.
5TH CPC DA
6TH CPC DA
01.01.1996
0%
01.01.2006
0%
01.07.1996
4%
01.07.2006
2%
01.01.1997
8%
01.01.2007
6%
01.07.1997
13%
01.07.2007
9%
01.01.1998
16%
01.01.2008
12%
01.07.1998
22%
01.07.2008
16%
01.01.1999
32%
01.01.2009
22%
01.07.1999
37%
01.07.2009
27%
01.01.2000
38%
01.01.2010
35%
01.07.2000
41%
01.07.2010
45%
01.01.2001
43%
01.01.2011
51%
01.07.2001
45%
01.07.2011
58%
01.01.2002
49%
01.01.2012
65%
01.07.2002
52%
01.07.2012
72%
01.01.2003
55%
01.01.2013
80%
01.07.2003
59%
01.07.2013
90%
01.01.2004
61%
01.01.2014
100%
01.03.2004
DA Merger
NO DA Merger
01.07.2004
14%
01.07.2014
107%
Total % DA
75%
Total %DA
107%
Presently, we consider the interim report as essential due to the important reasons given below:
1. The 50% DA merger that was allowed in the 5th Pay Commission is not made available now for Central Government employees
2. Also the inflation rate in the 6th Pay Commission is very high.
Due to these factors all the Central Government employees naturally expect if they could get any interim relief through an interim report of the 7th Central Pay Commission w.e.f 1/1/2014. For this we should mobilize and educate our members for more struggles. Which will make Government & 7th CPC to rethink and grant us DA merger and interim relief from 1/1/2014.