Central Government has unequivocal commitment in implementing One Rank One Pension- Defence Minister

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has conveyed the NDA government’s “unequivocal commitment” in implementing ‘One Rank One Pension’ (OROP) when a delegation of ex-servicemen, who are on a strike for past 19 days pressing for its execution, met him.

Not happy with Parrikar’s assurance, the agitating ex-servicemen said the question of ending the protest does not arise without a government announcement on implementing the long-pending demand.

“A six member delegation of United Front of Ex-Servicemen (UFESM) met the Defence Minister last night. Parrikar conveyed unequivocal commitment of the party (BJP)and the government towards implementation of OROP,” said Col (retd) Anil Kaul, spokesman of the Front.

He said Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag was also present at the meeting.

Authorities should accept self -attested certificates – Dr. Jitendra Singh

The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh has called for use of self – attested certificates since this has been approved by the Government of India for over last eight months. He was presiding over a review meeting of Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), here today. Dr. Jitendra Singh has urged the State governments to encourage this practice and also appealed to the common people, particularly youth, to bear in mind that whenever they approach an office with documents, they should bring to the notice of the authorities that the Government of India now allows self attestation of certificates by the candidate himself.

Dr. Jitendra Singh informed that a circular to this effect had already been sent to the State governments and though most of the states have responded positively, yet in many cases, the information is still not fully percolated to the lower levels of administration. He said that introduction of self attested certificates was one of the most historic measures introduced by the Modi government soon after it took over. The decision was universally hailed both by administration as well as by public.

This revolutionary step not only lessened a lot of hardship faced by the youth applying for jobs or higher education but also conveyed a bigger symbolic message that the Modi government had the capacity to trust the youth of this country, he added.

Recalling from his personal experience, Dr. Jitendra Singh stated that he had personally been a witness to a number of hardships that the youth went through looking for a gazetted officer, a notary, etc., for attestation. Moreover, in certain remote areas of the country many a time, a gazetted officer or a notary was not readily available in the vicinity to perform the task of attestation, he added.

On occasions, there were also complaints that young aspirants had to shell out meager amount in their pockets for accomplishing the task of getting the huge pile of certificates attested. This is particularly ironic in the present age of high technology and biometric facility, he observed and added that in certain areas and departments, however, where statutory, legal or security nature are involved, the earlier practice of getting attestation from an authorised authority has nonetheless been allowed to carry on.

During the review meeting, an assessment was also made of the number of other recent initiatives by DARPG department which include introduction of a pension portal, “Jeevan Praman” initiative, “Anubhav” programme, biometrics and new methods for ease in governance. The Secretary DoPT, Shri Sanjay Kothari, the Secretary DARPG, Shri Alok Rawat and other senior officers of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions have participated in the meeting.

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From the data collected from 66,000 households by the National Sample Survey on their utilization of, and expenditure on education and health show that people are spending far beyond their means on these requirements and growing dominance of the private sector in health and education.

Allopathy dominates in both rural and urban areas and across all income groups. This despite the fact that treatment in a private hospital costs four times as much as it does in a public hospital on an average, with the treatment of cancer and cardiovascular disease proving to be most expensive. It can cost a person in the poorest 20 per cent of the country over 15 times their usual monthly expenditure.

Even among the richest 20 per cent, hospitalization tends to cost over five times of the person’s monthly expenditure.

Yet 85 per cent of the people have no health expenditure support, either from a government scheme or through an employer or private insurance. As a result, over two of three householda dip into their savings to pay for hospitalization.

                                                                                              (Source: The Hindu.)

The first Socio Economic and Caste Census in India since 1934, SECC 2011 has been released on 3rd July, 2015  by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

Among the crucial findings of the exercise, conducted by the Ministry of Rural Development, was that 30% of rural households are landless and derive a major part of their income from manual casual labour.

Nearly 19 per cent of India’s rural population in 2011 lacked one of the seven parameters used to estimate deprivation that include source of income, the presence of an able and literate adult and quality of dwelling.

The extent of and approach to deprivation captured by the SECC, 2011 contrasts with the poverty estimates of the erstwhile planning Commission, which were income based.

                                                                                                     (Source: The Hindu)

Next month we are going to celebrate the 68th Independence Day. But according to data collated during the survey in urban areas for the Socio Economic and Caste Census, 50 lakh households have no water connection, 20 lakh households have no electricity supply and no water sealed toilets.

This is in sharp contrast to the 86 lakh households that own a refrigerator, washing machine, a landline telephone and two wheelers. This reflects the widening disparity in the country.

There are 35 lakh households with no income and one lakh households survive on begging.

                                                                                                      (Source: The Hindu.)

The Socio Economic and Caste Census released on 3rd July, 2015 gives a grim picture on rural India. 36 per cent of the 884 million people in rural INDIA  are illiterate. According to the Census of India, 2011, it was 32%,and there is an increase of 4% in illiteracy in rural India. And even among the 64% literate more than one fifth have not even completed primary education.

Further the poor state of rural education is reflected in the fact that 23.5% of rural households had no adult above the age of 25 who are literate.

State wise , Rajasthan tops with 47 per cent rural illiterates while Lakshadweep has the lowest illiteracy of 9.3% followed by Kerala-11.4%.

                                                                                                   ( Source: The Hindu) 

Final decision on merger of BSNL and MTNL will be taken after getting report of IIM, Bangalore – says Secretary, DoT.

Shri Rakesh Garg, Secretary, DoT has stated that the government has directed the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Bangalore to prepare a feasibility report on the merger of BSNL and MTNL. The Secretary, DoT, has stated that the report of the IIM, Bangalore, is likely to be submitted shortly. He has further stated that it would take 4 to 5 months for the government to take a final decision on the issue, after receiving the IIM report. It may be recollected that the Forum has opposed the merger of BSNL and MTNL, without settling the disinvestment and financial liability issues of MTNL.

(Source: PTI)

On 3rd July, 2015 BSNL has launched a pre-paid card linked mobile wallet service which would allow the customers to transfer money, pay for services and  cash withdrawal up to Rs. 1 lakh.

The wallet service enables a customer to load money even if he does not have a bank account. The money thus loaded in mobile wallet can be transferred to a bank account and withdrawn from bank branches or BSNL outlets.

Minister for Communications and IT Shri. Ravi Shankar Prasad inaugurated the service. Shri. Anupam Shrivastava, CMD, BSNL said that BSNL customers who don’t have bank account, can also load money by visiting any BSNL retail outlet.

The service is launched in partnership with IT company, Pyro.

                                                                                             ( Courtesy: The Hindu )