Constitution of the Seventh Pay Commission

On 25 September 2013, Central Government of India approved the constitution of the Seventh Pay Commission.

The recommendations of this Commission are likely to be implemented w. e. f. 01 January 2016.

It will benefit about fifty lakh Central Government Employees and about 30 lakh pensioners.

The fourth Pay Commission was implemented with effect from 01 January 1986, the fifth from 01 January 1996 and the sixth from 01 January 2006.

DA hike 10 percent

On 20 September 2013, the Indian Union Cabinet approved a double digit increase in DA from 80 % to 90 % w. e. f. 01 July 2013. This benefits fifty lakh Central Government employees and thirty lakh Central Government pensioners. Central Government employees and its pensioners became entitled to the hike in DA/ DR @ 90% of their basic pay. The two digit increase in dearness allowance earlier was in September 2010.

Prevention of Theft of Vehicles

Keep vehicles locked even when parked in your house compound. Don't park vehicles outside of the compound wall of your house.

While going out for shopping or any other purpose, park your vehicle in the vehicles parking lot or the place where there is a lot of people passing, good lighting or CCTV is available.
 
Equip your vehicle with an alarm and positively set it every time you exit the vehicle.
In case of theft of your vehicle, inform local police at the earliest.
 
 If you want to buy a used vehicle, compare the Registration number, Engine number and Chassis number with its RC book.
 
If you happen to notice an unattended or unknown vehicle parked for a day or more, inform local police.

Thieves steal by diverting attention

Attention Diversion:

Some one withdrew large amount from bank and kept the cash bag with him in his car. At traffic signal a stranger told him that his car’s rear tyre was found deflated. He came out leaving the cash bag in his car, checked and found the tyre was alright. Meanwhile, another person stole the cash bag from the car and fled away. Don’t alight from vehicle immediately after you are told some problem in the car.

Someone will divert your attention by throwing small currency notes on the floor and will ask you whether they belong to you. Don’t get your attention diverted if you have valuables with you.

Whenever you withdraw huge amount from bank, take someone with you.

Someone will approach you with a story that one of his relatives is admitted to hospital and he is likely to get money from someone. He will say that he is in need of a bank account number to get the money. He will request your bank account number.  This is only a start. Later you will lose your deposited money. Don’t get cheated.

If you stop your car and leave unattended for some times, midway of your long journey for any reason, someone may open your car dickey and steal.

Home Diversion Burglary

One burglar will approach occupant of a house as a stranger and divert his attention. Meanwhile another burglar by hiding himself will enter the house and steal all valuables.

Someone will approach some house and request drinking water or permission to use toilet. Later he will escape with valuables.

Keep any unknown person outside the home. Let the door remain under lock.

Natural Body Scrubber

Angular gourd when fully matured and dried will have its central core in the form of a cross woven network. This can be used while taking a bath (Peerkangai netru). After applying soap to our body, it can be used to clean our skin by making it wet in water and rubbing gently on our skin.

This natural skin cleanser was available in abundance for free of cost. Now it is sold in shops for Rs.3 to 5.  

Count currency notes

Indian currency notes are bundled without stapling or pinning. One hundred notes of similar denomination are put together, tied and a paper strip is wrapped tight on it. This is called a section. Ten similar sections form a bundle.

These worth to issue notes are machine counted. It is advised to count currency notes at the counter of bank itself. The same is printed on the wrapper strip of the section of notes as

“Before leaving the counter please ensure that the cash you have received is correct in every respect. No claim will be accepted thereafter under any circumstances”.

Useful way to advertise

There are three toll gates between Madurai and Salem in NH 7. One of them is Kodai Road Toll Plaza, by DS Toll Road Limited. Useful cautions and advices with advertisements can be seen behind toll charge receipts. Some samples…

‘Don’t drink and drive’

‘Life doesn’t have a reset button’, ‘Drive safe’

‘Slow down. Your family is waiting for you’

 Promulgation using behind bills is a good idea.

Tips to save properties from Thieves

Prevention of Theft

We must be careful to protect our belongings from thieves. We will discuss all the possible methods of prevention in this blog. I’ll keep posting regularly under different subheads.

Doors and Windows

• Keep the main door closed even in daytime. Provide it with a peephole.
• Fix a metal grill or collapsible gate outside the main door, which will provide visibility without exposing threats.
• Install magic eye and safety chains on doors. Look through the magic eye and ensure the door chain is secure, before opening the door to a stranger.
• Ensure that the window grills are not screwed into the frames, but embedded in the cement work.
• Whenever you move into a new house, change the locks of doors.
• Provide additional grills outside of ventilators and fittings of air-conditioners.
• Sleep away from open windows to avoid loss of property through 'window snatching'.
• Do not keep valuables, purses, mobile phones, and wristwatches openly visible from outside. If possible fix mosquito nets, fly proofing nets, etc.
• Fix Electronic burglar alarms with telephone for warning.
• Inform your neighbours about your absence from your home for a long or short period.
• Don't keep keys in places like under the door mat, flower pot, etc. It will allow access to strangers.
• Don't allow any stranger to enter your house, when you are alone without finding out his identity. Always authenticate. Always identify a visitor before opening the door. Never allow young children to open the door to visitors.
• Beware of persons coming to your house under the pretext of repairing/selling things, conducting electrical or water meter readings etc.
• Do not express that you are on holiday or away.
• Don't keep huge amount of cash and ornaments in the house; Use Bank lockers.
• Don't disturb the scene, if you notice theft in your house, wait for the arrival of police otherwise it will lead to tampering of evidence like fingerprints, footprints etc.

DA hike from January 2013

Increase in DA

Increase in 8% Dearness Allowance is sanctioned by Parliament Committee today.

Central Government Employees and its pensioners will enjoy this benefit.

The DA percentage is increased from 72% to 80%.

DA Arrears will be paid from January 2013.

Look at the table below that compares DA between V and VI Pay Commission.

What do you think?

Discussion in the form of comments is welcome. 

Dearness Allowance Comparison: Fifth and Sixth Central Pay Commission

Fifth CPC DA		Sixth 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%

This is the time to buy gold as an investment.

General Duties of Security Guard

Dos and Don’ts:

• The Guard is responsible to Security Officer or Assistant Security Officer as the case may be while on duty. He will be in proper uniform and in proper turn out. He will:-
• Remain on duty as specified.
• Not sleep while on duty.
• Open and close the doors for entry and exit of staff/visitors on instructions from Control Room after identifying.
• Have thorough knowledge of frisking procedure to carryout search on all who enter and leave the area you are guarding.
• Ensure registering of entries by all visitors irrespective of status or appointment.
• Hold visitors politely in ‘Reception Area’ till cleared by security Officer for further action.
• Carry loaded weapon in ‘sling arm’ position and be responsible for their safe custody. Treat the weapon as part of body.
• Never leave the arms (gun/rifle/revolver/pistol) and ammunitions unattended.
• Senior Guard to takeover duties of Security Officer, in his absence.    
• Be healthy, punctual, alert, vigilant and enthusiastic.
• Handover and takeover the duty with thorough briefing as to what has happened, what is in progress during the tenure of his duty, including passing of new orders, instructions and messages if any, related to guards.
• Be aware of all security gadgets and report any un-serviceability and untoward incidents.
• Ensure the gates and doors are locked except when needed.
• Report any unexpected situation.
• Load and unload gun with great care.
• Keep updated your self about functional processes and procedures.
• Ensure that the premises are secured both during and after business hours.
• Carry a torch while on night duty.                                                                                                                       
• Keep a list of important telephone numbers.
• Be aware of the actions to be taken in case of emergencies.
• Draw the attention of others in the vicinity in case of breech of security or in case of any untoward incidents with or without the help of whistle.
• Report any breaches of security immediately.
• Ensure proper key management.
• Ensure availability of ‘First Aid Box’ and its contents. Have knowledge of the effective use of medicines.
• Be aware of the operating procedure of fire extinguishers.
• Secure the belongings of the authorised visitors and return the same while leaving.
• Never be intoxicated.
• Never smoke.
• Never compromise security.
• Never get attracted with distracting materials like newspaper, radio, music system or T.V while on duty.   
• Never allow any person to carry anything in and out without valid authority.
• Ensure the switching on/off of the standby power supply system as per requirement.
• Go for firing practice periodically.
• Maintain weapons. Keep guns in serviceable condition.

Duties of unarmed guard, gatekeeper, watchman, sentry, patrolling guard or sentinel may be worked out based on requirements.

Forms of Communication

Types of Communication

(1) Letter: This is used for correspondence generally.

(2) Office Memorandum: This is generally used for correspondence with other Divisions or in calling for information from or conveying information to employees. This is also used in communicating instructions/decisions in certain cases. It is written in the third person and bears no salutation except the name and designation of the officer signing it.

(3) Demi-Official letter: It is also called DO letter or DO. (It is not Dummy Official letter)

(a) This is generally used in correspondence between Officers to supplement or explain matter which has been referred officially or is proposed to be referred officially.

Demi-official correspondence may also be used not merely to supplement, but in place of official

correspondence, in cases of extreme secrecy, where it is considered necessary to run no risk and in certain classes of personal questions, and occasionally in cases of urgency or importance for inviting the personal attention of the Officer concerned;

(b) It is to be written in the first person in a personal and friendly tone and it should be addressed by an officer who is ordinarily not more than one or two levels below the Officer to whom such communication is addressed. Such letters should not be more than a page or two in 1.5 space.

(c) When instructions, which should be on record have been given in the first instance demi-officially, they should be supplemented by an official letter. Similarly, when a demi-official letter has been used instead of an official letter because of urgency, a supplementary official communication should be sent if the information is ought to be an official record. This procedure must invariably be complied with;

(d) Demi-official correspondence should not be quoted in official communications or be noticed officially in any way;

(4) Inter-departmental note: This is generally used for obtaining advice, views, concurrence or

comments of other Divisions/Sections or Departments on a proposal or in seeking clarification of the existing rules, instructions, etc. This form can be used in either of the following ways:-

(a) by sending the file itself with a note recorded thereon; or (b) by sending a self-contained note or memorandum.

(5) Memorandum: This is used for conveying information, calling for explanation, etc. not amounting to an order to subordinate authorities. This system is particularly applicable to urgent cases.

(6) Office order: This is normally used for issuing instructions meant for internal administration, e.g., grant of regular leave, distribution of work among officers and sections, holidays and other orders of general nature.

(7) Order: This is generally used for issuing certain types of financial sanctions and for

communicating Orders in disciplinary cases, etc., to the officials concerned.

(8) Notification: This is mostly used in notifying the promulgation of statutory Rules and

Orders, election of Members, vacation of seats, appointments and promotions etc., through publication.

(9) Endorsement: (a) This is made use of when a paper is returned in original to the sender or is

referred to another department or subordinate office for information, remarks or disposal, or where a copy of a communication is to be forwarded to others in addition to the original addressee.

(b) Copies of financial sanctions where required to be communicated to the audit authorities are also sent by means of an endorsement.

 (10) Telegram: This is used for communicating with out-station offices/parties in matters of

urgency demanding prompt attention, when fast airmail, speed post, telex and E-mail services are not available.

(11) Express letters/savingram: This is used in communicating with out-station offices and

parties in matters warranting urgent attention at the receiving end but not justifying the expense of a telegram. It is worded exactly like a telegram but transmitted through a post office instead of a telegraph office.

(12) Fax: This mode of communication is used when copy of the signed ommunication is required to be sent so urgently that it cannot await postal service. This facility is available only for addresses who have fax facilities and it enables transmission of the letter/communication like a photo-copy at the other end. It is particularly useful in conveying drawings, diagrams, etc. or where an individual’s writing or signatures need to be transmitted. It is also now increasingly being used in order to reduce the typing work involved in telex/E-mail but this should not be encouraged when Telex or E-Mail is possible as fax to outstation locations uses STD lines and is a comparatively expensive mode of communication.

(13) E-Mail: Email facility uses computers and the users are linked through satellite. Transmission is Instantaneous. It can be availed free of cost. E-mail of routine communication is now-a-days encouraged as a replacement for written communication.

(14) Telephone: (a) appropriate use of telephone may be made for intra and inter-departmental consultation and for communication of information between offices, and parties situated locally.

(b) In matters of urgency, one may communicate with out-station offices/organisations also over the telephone. Fixed line, Land line, mobile phones are varieties.

(c) Some organisations use Radio Telephones (R/T).

(15) Press Communiqué/Note: This is used when it is proposed to give wide publicity to a

decision or an event. It is more formal in character than a Press note and is expected to be reproduced intact by the Press. A Press note, on the other hand, is intended to serve as a handout to the Press, which may edit, compress or enlarge it, as deemed fit.

(16) Circular: This is used when important and urgent external communications received or

important and urgent decisions taken internally have to be circulated within the organisation for information and compliance by employees.

(17) Advertisement: This is used for communicating with public in General.

(18) Notice: This is used for communicating to Members regarding meetings of the Committees.