The ministry has invited quotes for premium payments from non-life/health insurance companies, while an expert group advising the ministry on the scheme’s contours has met several times.

The insurance plan substantially adds to the current Central Government Health Scheme that covers only 24 districts and that too only for outpatients. It has a cumbersome system under which a CGHS-empanelled doctor can prescribe hospitalisation.

The introduction of Central Government Employee and Pensioners Health Insurance Scheme (CGEPHIS) will change all that.

“We have already floated the request for quotes from insurers on February 28. We expect the scheme to be finalised soon. The employee and his family will be covered for hospitalisation and surgical procedures for an amount of Rs 5 lakh,” said a ministry official close to the development.

There are an estimated 1.7 million families of serving employees and 700,000 retired employees under the CGHS. Sanjay Pande, managing director, Amicus Advisory said, employees will now have access to 3,000 hospitals and nursing homes under the new scheme.

The new scheme is being made compulsory for new entrants as well as those who retire after the launch of the planned scheme. It is optional for those retiring before the scheme is launched.

Source : Hindustan Times

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Similar situation of the times of D.S. Nakara case is around us consequent on implementation of 6th pay commission recommendations.

Click here for a detailed study on D.S.Nakara’s Case

Minimum Revised Pension:

The significant question involved in the said aspect is – What constitutes a Minimum Revised Pension in the absence of a single revised scale corresponding to a single pre-revised scale?  The question necessitated owing to introduction of pay band by grouping the 29 pre-revised scales into four independent pay bands.

What serving employees and post-2006 pensioners get:

In the case of  serving employees and Post 2006 pensioners the revised pay in pay band is determined using a fitment table that consists of revised pay for each stage in pre-revised pay scale. Here, it may be noted that pay in the pay band applicable, necessarily correspond with the pay drawn as on 1.1.2006 in the pre-revised scale that was held by serving employee or post 2006 pensioners.  In the case of retirement after 1.1.2006, fifty percent of pay in pay band and 50% of grade pay drawn is assured.

What Pre-2006 Pensioners get:

Whereas, in the case of pensioners retired prior to 2006, in accordance with the modified version of para 4.2 of initial OM dated 1.9.2008 clarified in the OM dated 3.10.2008, 50% of the minimum of the pay band plus 50% of grade pay corresponding to the pre-revised scale from which the pensioner had retired, only has been made entitled as minimum revised guaranteed pension w.e.f. 1.1.2006.

Illustration:

To illustrate, seven Old pay scales starting from S9-5000-8000 to S15-8000-13500 have been bunched as New Pay band called PB-2 with pay scale of Rs.9300-34800 with varied grade pays starting from Rs.4200 to Rs.5400.  So, if a pre-2006  pensioner who served in the pay scale equivalent to the pre-revised pay scale of S15-8000-13500 that carries grade pay of Rs.5400 would end up with minimum pension of Rs.7,350/- (50% of  minimum in the pay band  and grade pay) at par with an pre-2006 pensioner served in the pay scale equivalent to pre-revised pay scale of S-9-5000-8000 that carries grade pay of Rs.4200, who will receive a minimum pension of Rs.6750/- (50% of  minimum in the pay band  and grade pay)

While a person retiring with bottom of the revised pay after 1.1.2006 will be drawing 50% of the same as revised pension, a similar person retired prior to 1.1.2006 even at the top of the corresponding pre-revised scale, will get lesser pension than the said post-2006 retiree (the qualifying service for the pre-2006 pensioners being 33 years and for post-2006 pensioners, it is only 20 years – which is another aspect of the situation, kept reserved for discussion through a separate article for the time being).

Concept of Initial Pay as per Pension Order of Punjab State Govt:

Under the aforesaid circumstances surrounding the pre-2006 pensioners of the Central Government, at present, there comes an Order from the State Govt. of Punjab dated 22.2.2010,  which also follows the recommendations of the 6th CPC. As per the said Order, the full pension in no case shall be less than 50% of the initial pay against corresponding to pre-revised scale in which the pensioner had last worked.

Why initial Pay is relevant to pre-2006 CG Pensioners

Neither Pay Band/Pay in the Pay Band nor Grade Pay element is so crucial as that of initial pay in the revised structure, and ultimately for determining the minimum revised guaranteed pension as per para 4.2 of OM dated 1.9.2008, just like the initial pay as notified vide the Punjab Govt., the revised pay should be the crucial point for the pre-2006 pensioners of the Central Government.

This is so, because, the modified parity aspects had been very clearly specified vide para 5.1.46 of the 6th CPC recommendation and a precedence was set already by the DOP&PW vide their OM dated 17.12.1998 to the extent that 50% of bottom of the revised scale to be minimum revised pension.

The excuse that the 6th CPC revision do not have a single revised pay is totally incorrect, as long as there exists an INITIAL PAY in the revised structure for a serving employee. A loud speaking order has been issued by the Punjab State Govt. to dispel any sort of confusion or doubt that can arise in the minds of disbursing agency even.

Ultimately, while 50% of initial pay can emerge as minimum revised pension for a pre-2006 pensioner retired from the state govt. Of punjab, the same 50% of initial pay must very well emerge as minimum revised/assured/guaranteed pension w.e.f. 1.1.2006 for a pre-2006 pensioner of the central govt.

The views expressed in this article are those of the guest author and are not intended to represent the views of GConnect.

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The Guidelines and admission dates are same for all KVs in India and all Kendriya Vidyalaya Regional Offices situated in India.

The admission schedule in KV is divided into two rounds. First round will commence on 15th February 2010 and ends on 31st July 2010. The second round will be followed only if seats left vacant in first round.

This is official announcement of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, New Delhi, for admission schedule 2010-11.

Download instructions issued by Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, New Delhi, to all regional offices of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan.

This is admission procedure issued by Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, New Delhi for the year 2009-10

Download procedure for admission 2009-10 issued by Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, New Delhi.

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Yet use of ATMs and Internet banking for banking could be termed as a double-edged weapon.

If it is not handled properly you could end up in loosing your hard earned money.

We provide here various methods used by fraudsters to hoodwink the users of internet banking and ATMs.  We have also listed the safeguards suggested by bankers for safe use of internet banking and ATMs

Phishing

Phishing flow chart

Phishing is an attempt by fraudsters to ‘fish’ for your  Banking details. A phishing attempt usually is in the form of an e-mail that appears to be from your  Bank.

The e-mail usually encourages you to click a link in it that takes you to a fraudulent log-on page designed to capture your details.

Fraudsters send fake e-mails claiming that your information has been compromised, due to which your  Bank account has been de-activated/suspended.

They will ask you to hence confirm the authenticity of your information/transactions like credit card number, personal identification number (PIN), passwords etc.

In-Session Phishing

Typical fraudulent pop-up window

This fraudulent method is more sophisticated.  Even regular internet users could fall as prey.

In-session phishing is a method used by fraudsters where malware detects when the account holder enters into bank internet banking account by entering username and password.

After your open your bank website a pop-up window would open above your bank web page and would ask you type username and password.  This pop up window is not belonging to bank but to the fraudster who would steal your banking information.

Since the user has logged on to the  Banking website only a short while before, he is not likely to suspect the authenticity of this pop-up and is thus more likely to provide the requested details.

Spoofing

Spoofing Model for showing fake bank website

This is more sophisticated form of phishing.  Website spoofing is the act of creating a website, as a hoax, with the intention of performing fraud.

To make spoof sites seem legitimate, spoofers use the names, logos, graphics and even code of the actual website.

They can even fake the URL (website address) that appears in the address field at the top of your browser window and the Padlock icon that appears at the bottom right corner.

In this case just like phishing Fraudsters send e-mails with a link to a spoofed website asking you to update or confirm account related information.

This is done with the intention of obtaining sensitive account related information like your Internet  Banking user ID, password etc.

Fake Bank Login Page

Check for the Padlock icon: There is a de facto standard among web browsers to display a Padlock icon somewhere in the window of the browser For example, Microsoft Internet Explorer displays the lock icon at the bottom right of the browser window. Click (or double-click) on it in your web browser to see details of the site’s security.

Actual Bank Login Page

It is important for you to check to whom this certificate has been issued, because some fraudulent websites may have a padlock icon to imitate the Padlock icon of the browser.  Check the webpage URL. When browsing the web, the URLs (web page addresses) begin with the letters “http”. However, over a secure connection, the address displayed should begin with “https” – note the “s” at the end.

For example: if a bank’s login page url is http instead of https there is every possibility that the login page you have entered is not genuine.  Note here only login page will have this secured connection while the home page or other pages of your bank website addresses (URL) will start as http only.

Vishing

Vishing Model

Vishing is a combination of Voice and Phishing that uses Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology

In this method fraudsters would be feigning to represent Banks.  Usually a recorded voice would seek for your bank details.

It is an attempt to trick unsuspecting customers into providing their personal and financial details over the phone.

If the bank or credit details are entered though telephone system those details will converted into data by the machine and sent to fraudsters.

Skimming

Typical tampered ATM

Skimming is a method used by fraudsters to capture your personal or account information from your credit  or ATM card.

Your card is swiped through the skimmer and the information contained in the magnetic strip on the card is then read into and stored on the skimmer or an attached computer.

Fraudsters insert a skimming device to the ATM’s card slot. This device scans the card and stores its associated information.

While a customer keys in his PIN, the wireless skimming device transfers the data to the fraudsters.

This information is then used by the fraudsters for online shopping or to make counterfeit credit cards.

At restaurants and shopping outlets, the credit card is swiped twice, once for the regular transaction and the other in the skimmer that captures the personal information which is retrieved later by the fraudsters.

Money Mule

Once the fraudster has captured personal information using anyone of the ways mentioned above, they need an account to which they can transfer funds from the compromised account. This is where a “Money Mule” comes into picture. A Money Mule is an unwitting participant in the frauds who is recruited by fraudsters to launder stolen money across the globe.  Fraudsters contact prospective victims (money mules) with job vacancy ads via spam e-mail, Internet chat rooms or job search Web sites. Jobs usually are advertised as financial management work, and ads suggest that no special knowledge is required.  Once recruited, money mules receive funds into their accounts.  Mules then are asked to take these funds out of their accounts and forward them overseas.

Tips for safe internet and ATM Banking:

• Bank will never send e-mails that ask for confidential information. If you receive an e-mail requesting your Internet  Banking details, you should not respond.
• Always type in the URL yourself in the browser (say internet explorer) whenever you access bank site for internet banking. Don’t use bookmarks, links, shortcuts etc.
• Never click on any links or attachments present in an e-mail that seems suspicious.
• Do not open multiple browser windows when you  Bank online to avoid In-session phishing.
• Never type in your account details, user ID, password, etc. in any pop-up that may appear when you  Bank online.
• Always log off and close the Internet browser window after you have finished your online  Banking session.
• Never provide your bank details or credit card number over phone though the person talking on the other side is staff of bank or credit card company.  Also do not call and leave any personal or account details on any telephone system that you are directed to by a telephone message or from a telephone number provided in a phone message, an e-mail or an SMS especially if it is regarding possible security issues with your credit card or  Bank account.
• Sign on the reverse of your credit card as soon as you receive it.
• change ATM pin frequently to avoid skimming
• Keep a cap on the amount that you deposit in the bank, the ATM card of which you use to withdraw money often.  In other words, do not deposit your entire savings in the bank which you transact often though ATM card.  Instead you can deposit only the amount that is required for your monthly expenses in the account for which you use ATM card often.  Your savings could be made in the account for which you never use ATM card.
• Collect your receipts at ATM’s, restaurants and shopping outlets.
• Use your card with merchants that you know and can trust. Never allow a shopkeeper to take your card to a different shop/room for swiping.
• The law states that cardholders are not liable for fraudulent transactions as long as the original card is still in their possession.   The problems arise when a card is stolen or lost and is then used fraudulently.

Above all, always use reputed anti-virus and anti-spyware tools to keep your computer virus/malware/trojan free. Because these unwanted installations may prompt you to provide your personal and bank details, which will then be sent over internet to the fraudsters.

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What is Greenhouse Effect?

Life on earth depends on energy from the sun. About 30 percent of the sunlight that beams toward Earth is deflected by the outer atmosphere and scattered back into space. The rest reaches the planet’s surface and is reflected upward again as a type of slow-moving energy called infrared radiation.

The heat caused by infrared radiation is absorbed by “greenhouse gases” such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone and methane, which slows its escape from the atmosphere.

Although greenhouse gases make up only about 1 percent of the Earth’s atmosphere, they regulate our climate by trapping heat and holding it in a kind of warm-air blanket that surrounds the planet.

This phenomenon is what scientists call the “greenhouse effect.” Without it, scientists estimate that the average temperature on Earth would be colder by approximately 30 degrees Celsius (54 degrees Fahrenheit), far too cold to sustain our current ecosystem.

Natural Greenhouse Effect and influence of mankind

How the rhythm of natural greenhouse effect is changed?

The problems begin when human activities distort and accelerate the natural process by creating more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere by burning natural gas, coal and oil that raises the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Unwanted Industrial gases emission, and deforestation contribute more greenhouse gases.

Ultimately, more greenhouse gases means more infrared radiation trapped and held, which gradually increases the temperature of the Earth’s surface and the air in the lower atmosphere.

Scientists agree that even a small increase in the global temperature would lead to significant climate and weather changes, affecting cloud cover, precipitation, wind patterns, the frequency and severity of storms, and the duration of seasons.

Carbon Dioxide Emissions are the Biggest Problem:

Currently, carbon dioxide accounts for more than 60 percent of the enhanced greenhouse effect caused by the increase of greenhouse gases, and the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is increasing by more than 10 percent every 20 years.

Here comes the Savior:  Salp  jelly fish

Salp Jellyfish in chain

While mankind is least bothered about the increase of carbon-dioxide, according to scientists a jellyfish known as salps, about the size of a human thumb, swarming by the billions may be transporting tons of carbon per day from the ocean surface to the deep sea.

The oceans absorb excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in many ways. One of the main  sources that absorb Carbon-di-oxide from the atmosphere is marine plants as they consume this gas and store it in their body parts. In turn, Salps eat these marine plants.

Salps are semi-transparent, barrel-shaped marine animals that move through the water by drawing water in the front end and propelling it out the rear in a sort of jet propulsion. The water passes over a mucus membrane that vacuums it clean of all edible material. Salps swim, feed, and produce waste continuously, scientists say. They take in small packages of carbon and make them into big packages that sink fast.

Biologists Laurence Madin of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and Patricia Kremer of the University of Connecticut and colleagues have conducted four summer expeditions to the Mid-Atlantic Bight region, between Cape Hatteras and Georges Bank in the North Atlantic, since 1975. Each time the researchers found that one particular salp species, Salpa aspera, multiplied into dense swarms that lasted for months.

Solitary form of salp jellyfish

Each species consist of two forms. the solitary and the aggregate. The solitary form as the name indicates lives on its own, whereas aggregate forms lives in chains consisting of 100–150 members. They can form large swarms consisting of thousands of individuals.

swarm of salp jellyfish

One swarm covered 100,000 square kilometers (38,600 square miles) of the sea surface. The scientists estimated that the swarm consumed up to 74 percent of microscopic carbon-containing plants from the surface water per day, and their sinking fecal pellets transported up to 4,000 tons of carbon a day to deep water. The scientists also showed that when salps die, their bodies also sink fast in to the deep sea with considerable amount of carbon.

Salpa aspera swims long distances down in daylight and back up at night in what is known as vertical migration. Salps stay at depths of 600 to 800 meters (1,970 to 2,625 feet) during the day, coming to the surface only at night.

At the surface, salps can feed on phytoplankton a carbon rich marine plant. Then, salps release fecal pellets in deep water. This enhances the transport of carbon into the deep sea from the atmosphere.

It goes without saying, this tiny marine life teaches mankind how to keep the earth safe. Yet we don’t realise and keep on convening Summit Meetings on global warming that are seldom useful.

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He feels that this order though relates to Pensioners of Government of Punjab might draw the attention of Central Government in certain aspects.

Download order No: 3/39/09-3FPPC/201 dated 22.02.2010 issued by Government of Punjab for revision pension of Pre-2006 pensioners

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In the Budget proposals for the year 2010-11 presented by Finance Minister Mr.Pranab Mukarjee, Income tax rates for individuals have been modified to a greater extent.  Yet in the background of inflation and implementation of sixth pay commission report the salaried class feels that measure is half-done.  This is because though the widening of the slab for 10% Income tax is a welcome move, the exemption limit of Rs.1.6 lakhs, Rs.1.9 lakhs and Rs.2.4 lakh for men, women and seniors respectively were not raised.  Salaried Class in the lower income bracket therefore cannot take their salary home free of taxes.

CGHS Contribution to be eligible for deduction under Section 80D:

The proposal to make CGHS contribution as one eligible deduction under Section 80 D at par with premium paid towards health insurance schemes is another welcome move as far as central government employees are concerned.  In this connection, the income tax proposals for the assessment year 2011-12 says:

“The Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) is a medical facility available to serving and retired Government servants. This facility is similar to the facilities available through health insurance policies.  It is, therefore, proposed to also allow deduction in respect of any contribution made to CGHS by including such contribution under the provisions of section 80D. The deduction will be limited to the current aggregate as mentioned in the section”

Benefit provided to Senior Citizens paying Health Insurance premium:

The finance minister has also made a change in the quantum of eligibility of premium paid towards Health Insurance Scheme under Section 80 D of Income Tax Act.  Under the existing provisions of section 80D, deduction in respect of premium paid towards a health insurance policy up to a maximum of Rs. 15,000 is available for self, spouse and dependent children. A further deduction of Rs. 15,000 is also allowed for buying an insurance policy in respect of dependent parents. The deduction is enhanced to Rs. 20,000 in both cases if the person insured is of age of 65 years or above.  This amendment is proposed to take effect from 1st April, 2011 and will accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 2011-12 and subsequent years.

Marginal Increase in deduction eligibility limit when invested in long term infrastructure bonds:

The much expected enhancement of deduction eligibility limit of Rs. 1 lakh under Section 80C, 80CCC, 80CCD etc., were not taken care of in this budget.  However, in tune with the policy thrust of promoting investment in the infrastructure sector, it is proposed to insert a new section 80CCF in the Income-tax Act to provide that subscription during the financial year 2010-11 made to long-term infrastructure bonds (as may be notified by the Central Government), to the extent of Rs. 20,000, shall be allowed as deduction in computing the income of an individual or a Hindu undivided family. This deduction will be over and above the existing overall limit of tax deduction on savings of up to Rs.1 lakh under section 80C, 80CCC and 80CCD of the Act.  Again, this amendment will in relation to the assessment year 2011-12.

If Readers could find any other specific benefits out of this budget to salaried class, they can share their views in the form of comments to this article.

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II. In case of individual being a woman resident in India and below the age of 65 years at any time during the previous year:-

III. In case of an individual resident who is of the age of 65 years or more at any time during the previous year:-

Surcharge: The surcharge on Income Tax for Individuals for total income exceeding Rs.10 lacs stands removed.

Education Cess: 3% of the Income-tax.

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Income up to Rs 1.6 lakh – nil

Income above Rs 1.6 lakh and up to Rs 5 lakh – 10 per cent

Income above Rs 5 lakh and up to Rs 8 lakh – 20 per cent

Income above Rs 8 lakh – 30 per cent.

New tax rates would offer relief to 60 per cent of taxpayers, the finance minister said.

Additional deduction of Rs 20,000 allowed on long-term infrastructure bonds for income tax payers; this is above Rs one lakh on saving instruments allowed already.
Investment linked tax deductions to be allowed to two-star hotels anywhere in the country.

Source : NDTV

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Mr. Onkar Singh Riar, a Defence Services Civilian Pensioner living in  Jalandhar is the author of this guest article

IVth Pay Commission’s View on Pension Structure:

It was for the first time that the pension structure for pensionersboth past and future, had been entrusted for examination to the Fourth Central Pay Commission. Commission examined the case of past pensioners and  observed  that law of the land had been declared in Nakara’s case that pensioners formed one class by themselves and this class was not divisible for purpose of entitlement and payment of pension to those who retire ‘before’ and those who retire ‘after’ a certain date arbitrarily fixed for the purpose. Commission further stated that this being the law, it is a factor to reckon that any changed formula for computation of pension will work back all pensioners who retired earlier also.

Measures taken by Vth Pay Commission:

As a follow up of the basic objective of parity Vth Central Pay Commission recommended the pension of all the pre-1986 retirees to be updated by notional fixation of their pay as on 1-1-1986  by adopting the same formula as for the serving employees. Pay Commission termed it as ‘Complete Parity’. Thereafter all the pensioners who were brought on the Fourth CPC pay scales by notional fixation of their pay and those who retired after 1-1-1986 were treated alike in the consolidation of their pensions on 1-1-1996 by allowing the same fitment weightage as for the serving employees. Pay Commission termed it as ‘Modified Parity’.

Vth Central Pay Commission then enunciated a principle for the future revision of pensions to the effect that complete parity should normally be conceded  up to the date of last pay revision and modified parity (with pension equated at least to the minimum of the revised pay scale) be accepted at the time of each pay revision. The Vth CPC hoped that the enunciation of principle would imply that the time of next pay revision say, in the year 2006, complete parity should be given to past pensioners as between pre-1996 and post-1996and modified parity be given to pre-2006 and post-2006 pensioners.

Pension Structure after 6CPC:

Sixth Central Pay Commission stated that in order to maintain the existing modified parity between present and future retirees, it will be necessary to allow the same fitment benefit as is being recommended for the existing Government employees. In contradiction to their own statement; in violation of the law laid down by the Apex Court and ignoring the principles enunciated by the Vth CPC the Sixth CPC allowed different fitment formula for the  past and future pensioners.

Sixth Central Pay Commission thus disturbed the concept of parity between past and future pensioners. It defied completely the law laid down by the Apex Court regarding complete parity among pensioners. It also ignored the principles enunciated by 5th CPC for future revisions of pensions maintaining complete parity. It distributed roses of different colours viz: red, pink, white and yellow to different segments of the Pensioners which resulted in the creation of classes within the class. In this classification the past pensioners were given a fitment formula which can be called a Black Rose (Kala Gulab).

What Law of the land says:

Concept of parity among the pensioners is based on the various Judgments of the Honourable Supreme Court. In the India Ex-Services League and Ors 1991(2) SCC 104 Justice Verma interpreted the scope of Judgment in the D.S. Nakara case as detailed below:

“It was clearly stated that if the pensioners form a class, their computation cannot be by different formula affording unequal treatment solely on the ground that some retired earlier and some retired later. This is to us the decision in the Nakra case and no more.”

In the case of V Kasturi vs. MD, SBI, Bombay & Anr 1998 (2) supp. SCR 269 (Judgement dated 9-10-1998) following Judgement was pronounced regarding past pensioners:

“If the person retiring is eligible for pension at the time of his retirement and if he survives till the time by subsequent amendment of the relevant pension scheme, he would become eligible to get enhanced pension or would become eligible to get more pension as per the new formula of computation of pension subsequently brought into force. He would be entitled to get the benefit of the amended pension provision from the date of such order as he would be a member of the very same class of pensioners when the additional benefit is being conferred on all of them. In such a situation the additional benefit available to the same class of pensioners cannot be denied to him on the ground that he had retired prior to the date on which the aforesaid additional benefit was conferred on all the members of the same class of pensioners who had survived by the time the scheme granting additional benefit to these pensioners came into force. The line of decisions tracing their roots to the ratio of Nakara’s case (supra) would cover this category of cases.”

Pensioner’s Case in the background of Merger of Posts by 6CPC :

Sixth Pay Commission recommended different rates of fitment benefits in case of pay and pensions. In case of pensions 40% increase on basic pension being actually drawn has been allowed and in case of pay, benefit of grade pay has been allowed to the employees as 40% of the maximum of the old higher pay scale bracketed in the same pay band even though neither the rate of pay nor the scale was being drawn by the employees. Now 50% of grade pay will constitute as pension of future pensioners; which is higher than 40% in all cases of pensioners. Pay scales of Rs 5000-8000, Rs 5500-9000, Rs 6500-6900 and  Rs 6500-10500, have been placed in the Pay Band -2 (9300-34800) with Grade Pay of Rs 4200/-. Grade pay of Rs 4200/- is the 40% of Rs 10500/- maximum of the pay scale of Rs 6500-10500/- This is neither, complete parity, nor modified parity, nor  disparity but conscious discrimination.

Sixth pay Commission merged the existing pay scales and posts and then prescribed a pay band and grade pay for each scale / band.  This has also caused injustice to certain pensioners who retired from these scales.

As an example the scales of pay of Rs 5000-8000, Rs 5500-9000 and Rs 6500-10500 have been merged. Excluding some post Pay Commission recommended merging posts in these scales also. Pay Commission recommended that in case it is not feasible to merge posts in these scales on functional basis, the posts in the scale of Rs 5000-8000 and Rs 5500-9000 should be merged, with the post in the scale of Rs 6500-10500 being upgraded to the next higher grade in the pay ban d PB-2 i.e. to the grade of pay of Rs 4600/-corresponding to pre-revised  pay scale of Rs 7450-11500, the post being upgraded from the scale of Rs 6500-10500 should be merged with the post in the scale of Rs 7450-11500.

In Department of Military Engineer Services under Ministry of Defence Vth Central Pay Commission had restructured the Administrative Cadre. The post of Administrative Officer Gde II (AO II) (Rs 2000-3200) was restructured as AO II (Rs 2000-3500) and then was prescribed the Vth pay Commission scale of Rs 6500-10500.The post of Administrative Officer Gde I (AO-1) (Rs 2375-3500) was restructured as AO-1(Rs 2500-4000) in line with general pattern. And now Ministry of Defence has not merged the post of AO-II with the posts in the Scales of Rs 5000-8000 and Rs 5500-9000. Thus this post is upgraded to the scale of Rs 7450-11500. But the post of AO-1 is in the scale of Rs 2500-4000 and thus it has to be merged with the Post of AO-1 in the scale of Rs 7500-12000.  But the benefit of this upgradation has not been passed on to the past pensioners. Pensioners in these scales and posts loose their identities in the jungle of pay scales pay bands and posts.

Radical Changes that affects Pre-2006 Pensioners:

Sixth Pay Commission introduced radical changes. Traditional pay scale culture has been replaced by Pay Bands, Grade Pay requiring new version of the posts and new recruitment rules. In such a situation it was essential to notionally fix the pay of pre-2006 retirees in the Pay Bands with grade pay. This would have been in consonance with the law laid down by the Apex Court and the principle enunciated by Vth Central Pay Commission. This towering anomaly needs to be solved.

Pre-1996 pensioners were due for complete parity. This has not been done. With the radical changes made in the pay structure now it is appropriate that all pre-2006 pensioners are given complete parity by fixing their pay in the new scales / bands notionally and then revising their pensions duly adding the grade pay.

And finally the Solution:

One RankOne Pension and One PostOne Pension is the rightful solution for ever. For its implementation pensioner’s identity with the posts shall have to be preserved. Till this is finalized, pre-2006 pensioners should be given complete parity by notionally fixing their pay in the New Pay Bands with grade pay and then fixing their pensions as in the case post-2006 pensioners. It shall also preserve identities of their posts, scales, pay bands and grade pay.

The views expressed in this article are those of the guest author and are not intended to represent the views of GConnect.

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