JCM Departmental Council meeting Dated 10.02.2012

Postal Department applies to RBI for banking licence

Minister for Communications and IT, Mr. Kapil Sibal with MoS, Mr. Sachin Pilot, at the FICCI round table on National Postal policy 2012 , in the capital on Wednesday.

NEW DELHI, FEB. 1: 

The Postal Department has applied to the Reserve Bank of India for a banking licence, the Communications Minister, Mr Kapil Sibal, said here on Wednesday.

Mr Sibal said he had written to the Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, to expedite the granting of licence.

Speaking on the sidelines of the postal policy round table organised by FICCI, Mr Sibal said, “A national postal policy targeting expansion and modernisation of the postal network would be announced during this year. The Government does not intend to issue licences to courier service companies, but would make it mandatory for them to register.”

Aimed at modernising postal services, the policy is expected to make the department adopt a more financially viable revenue model. It would also provide affordable services at all points in the country as part of its Universal Service Obligation, the Minister said.

The Department is also expecting large-scale private sector participation in providing value added services and extending its product range beyond the current core functions.

“There are tremendous opportunities for the private corporate sector to use its ingenuity to create innovative products and delivery mechanisms through the Indian postal network,” Mr Sibal said.

India currently has 1.55 lakh post offices, 95 per cent of which are located in rural areas.

Source : thehindu dtd 01/02/2012

Kapil Sibal Inaugurates Round Table on National Postal Policy

Shri Kapil Sibal, Minister of Communications and Information Technology inaugurated a Round Table on National Postal Policy here today. Speaking on the occasion Shri Sibal said that in view of IT revolution India Post has to embrace the changes and to be prepared for challenges of tomorrow.

Shri Sachin Pilot Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology said that Department of Posts has to revisit and reinvent itself in the light of rapidly changing scenario. Though Department of Posts is already engaged in plethora of activities, it may explore other revenue streams.

Earlier Ms. Manjula Prashar, Secretary Department of Posts introduced the theme. Draft agenda for the Roundtable included –

Ø  Vision, Mission and Policy

Ø  USO of the Postal Sector.

Ø  Organization and Market Research, environmental concerns and social responsibilities in the Postal Sector.

Ø  Expansion and Modernization of Postal Network in India.

Ø  Issues relating to Standardization of mail and National Address System.

Ø  Issues relating to development of institutional framework with right and responsibility of Government regulator, operator and customer.

Ø  Contours of Competition Policy in the Postal Sector.

Ø  Issues of strategies relating to capacity development in the Postal Sector.

Ø  Synchronization of domestic postal policies with WTO and other international norms.

Ø  Roadmap for the Postal Sector.

Ø   

The Round Table aimed at engaging in discussions with key stakeholders related to the Postal Sector. The conference was addressed by various stakeholders giving their inputs in order to frame a National Postal Policy which will address the interests and concerns of all. Indian postal sector requires a comprehensive policy document, representative of the interests of all the stakeholders and driving the postal sector to contribute to the social and economic development of the country.

                In order to have a National Postal Policy which reflects the views of the broadest possible range of postal stakeholders, the participants at the Round Table included stakeholders from Government, Operators Representative Associations, Think Tank, Academia, Users of Postal & Communication Services, Banks, Regulators, Transporters and stakeholders in international business besides senior officers of Department of Posts.

Source : PIB Release, February 1, 2012

The DA Rate w.e.f. 1.1.12 is 65% - increase 7% from the existing 58%.

Labour Bureau, Government of India has announced the All India Consumer Price Index for Industrial workers (AICPI (IW)) for the month of December 2011 as 197. In the previous month (November-2011), AICPI (IW) was 199.

A summary of All India Consumer Price Index for Industrial workers for the months from January 2011 to December 2011 is given below.

Month	Jan 11	Feb 11	Mar 11	Apr 11	May 11	Jun 11	Jul 11	Aug 11	Sep 11	Oct 11	Nov 11	Dec 11
AICPI	188	185	185	186	187	189	193	194	197	198	199	197

We know that to estimate Dearness Allowance Rate applicable for central government employees, All India Consumer Price Index for Industrial workers (AICPI (IW)) for the previous 12 months are required. So, based on the AICPI (IW) for the months from Jan-2011 to Dec-2011 we can easily estimate the expected dearness allowance for the Central Government employees with effect from 1.1.2012 using the following formula.

Dearness Allowance = (Avg of AICPI for the past 12 months – 115.76)*100/115.76

In the recent past, many were guessing the applicable DA rate with effect from 1.1.2012, using AICPI (IW) for the months from Jan-2011 to Nov-2011 only as the same for Dec 2011 was not announced. Since, the AICPI (IW) for December 2011 is also out last week, there is no need for any wild guess regarding the DA Rate for central government employees from 1.1.2012 any more. The DA rate with effect from 1st January 2012 by entering the AICPI (IW) for the month of December 2011 which is 197, in the relevant field.

                                                      

Thus, the applicable DA rate with effect from 1.1.12 is estimated to be 65%, which an increase of 7% from the existing DA rate of 58%.

The official announcement by the Government for eligible DA rate for central government employees with effect from 1.1.2012 can be expected in the month of March-2012.