Enhancement of Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA) to Pensioners from Rs.300/- rejected by the Government.

HAPPY HOLLOWEEN DAY :-

What day is Halloween 2013? Will the big night fall on a weekend? See our chart below listing days for 2013, 2014, and 2015.

Halloween was a popular pagan festival of the dead (Samhain). The ancient Celts celebrated the new year on November 1. They believed that the souls of the dead returned to Earth the night before.

Samhain is Gaelic for “summer’s end,” a day to bid good-bye to warmth and light as day length shortens.

In an attempt to replace this festival, the church moved the celebration of All Saints to November 1. This is the day when all of the saints are honored, especially those who did not have a day of their own. This day was formerly known as Allhallowmas, hallow meaning "holy" or "holy person." All Saints Day is known in England as All Hallows Day.

CEPT NEWS.

Centre for Excellence in Postal Technology is looking for Programmers for development of software and for maintenance of the existing software that is being used by Post offices across the Country. 

Experience in ASP or VB, or .Net. and Sql is required.

In this connection, CEPT requested All Heads of Circles to forward the applications from volunteers to work as Programmer in CEPT from ASP or IP or PA cadre.

If you fulfil the above mentioned requirements, please send your application  to the General Manager, Centre for Excellence in Postal Technology through proper channel.  The format of application is enclosed.  

CEPT

Application to work as programmer CENTRE FOR EXCELLENCE IN POSTAL TECHNOLOGY, MYSORE – 570010 http://cept.gov.in
1.	NAME (IN BLOCK LETTERS)
2.	Designation Office – with Pincode Division
3.	Date of Birth
4.	Date of joining As PA/IP/ASP
5.	Work experience in the Department
6.	Educational Qualificatin & Experience (Attach proof of Tech Qualification) (a)  Academic (b)  Technical

Grant of Grade Pay of Rs 1800 to Group D /MTS who retired /expired from service after 31-08-2008 without having been imparted training

The cabinet has rejected the India Post proposal for starting commercial banking services on the ground that it does not have the expertise to handle banking operations as a result of which the venture was not likely to be viable.  Top government sources said the proposal for starting commercial banking services by India Post that was aimed at enhancing financial inclusion through the wide network of the organization has been dropped by the cabinet after the finance ministry expressed reservations over the proposal.  The proposal needed an immediate transfusion of Rs 1,900 crore by the government. However, the postal department has a poor financial track record. It has piled up huge losses over the last 11 years and has been losing badly to private couriers. India Post reported a loss of Rs 6,346 crore in fiscal 2011-12 which weighed against its credibility.   However, India Post is doing well on the savings front. Its outstanding balance under the Post Office Savings Scheme stood at Rs 6.05 lakh crore on March 31, 2013. This is half the deposits of State Bank of India and double that of the largest private lender ICICI Bank.   The postal department is one of 26 contenders for banking licenses. It had moved the proposal to the cabinet in order to enable it to meet the financial eligibility criteria of the Reserve Bank of India for new bank licenses to be issued by January next year.  India Post needs the government’s permission for the Rs 700 crore capital that is needed to set up the bank if it gets a licence. It will then require an additional Rs 1,200 crore in the first five years of its operations.   Unfortunately, over half of the population in rural India, do not have a bank account and the proposal for a postal bank would have a negative impact on government’s push to financial inclusion. The postal department has close to 1.55 lakh offices across country, with 1,39,040 in rural areas. India Post reported a loss of Rs 6,346 crore in fiscal 2011-12.

Latest information / News :-  (i) Postmaster (Gr-I) exam-2013 results expected to come in few days.   (ii) PA/SA final List come very soon.  (iii) MEE SEVA  Services available from GPO, Hyderabad likely to extend  other offices said CPMG.  (iv). Mobile money order Transfer System Launched and working. (v) Introduction of  Second delivery of  Regd articles in some selected post offices in  city. (vi) Introduction of  Cross bags for Heavy missent  mail receiving  offices. ( In this system no direct bag is closed to receiving office.  Separate beat is created at sending office for missent mail and  delivery slip sent to other office. At the time of evening delivery information collected through phone and returns will  be taken at sending office. Articles delivered at one office and  returns taken  at other office. This was implemented in some office in city causing problems for delivery of  mail.).

INDIAN  POSTAL ACT (IPO ACT, 1898) AMENDEMNTS  COMING  SOON :-

New Postal Act could deal a severe blow to the $2 billion courier industry

In what could significantly up the operating cost of corporations and have huge implications for $2 billion Indian courier industry as well as for the individual consumers, the Department of Post (DoP) is in advanced stages of proposing amendments to the over hundred year old Indian Postal Act. The amendments which will soon be moved to Parliament for a discussion, will mandate courier companies to charge atleast Rs 70 per for every non-local courier. This is double of minimum Speed Post rate currently and significantly higher than what courier companies normally charge for small packets. source:  Business Standard Tuesday, September 24th, 2013

Postal services need a boost to compete with New Age tech

MUMBAI: Governments across the world need to support reforms in postal services, stated senior officials of the United Nations who expressed concern about the survival of physical post offices at a time when technology is rapidly revolutionalising channels of communication.

There are an estimated 600,000 postal offices across the world and the sector is among the world’s biggest employers with more than 5 million staffers employed across the globe. While physical letters generate about half of post’s revenues as per UN estimates, post offices like in India have been forced to diversify into areas such as e-commerce and financial services to sustain.

Read more: Times of India. Monday, October 14th, 2013

Race between  IT companies for   supplying Hand held devices to DoP :-

NEW DELHI: IT companies Wipro and HCL Infosystems are in race for supplying 1.3 lakh handheld devices to post offices under a project that is estimated to cost Rs 1,500 crore. "Wipro and HCL Infosystems have qualified for technical bids for supplying 1,30,000 handheld devices to Department of Posts. The vendor for this project as per DoP is expected to be finalized by end of this month," a senior government official told PTI.  The DoP has floated tender for supplying of handheld devices to 1,30,000 post offices located in rural area as part of its modernization project.  The postal department has almost computerized about 25,000 of its departmental post offices but rural post offices will be provided handheld devices for digitalizing records. 

"The handheld devices will be connected to postal departments' network and software. These devices will be used for carrying out financial transactions like booking and receiving money order, speed post and other services provided through Post Offices and for which a receipt or record is must," the official said. Any transaction made using the device will get updates in core system of Post offices.  The device will have bio-metric module to identify individual having Aadhar number, power panel for charging in absence of electricity and thermal printer to immediately print and handover receipt to customer.//times of India//

Grant of Dearness Relief to Central Government pensioners/family pensioners - Revised rate effective from 1.7.2013.

Click Here

USPS - Postage Pricing :-

Recently, USPS announced potential price changes for 2014. Some of the proposed changes include:

§               Letters (1 oz.) — 3-cent increase to 49 cents

§               Letters additional ounces — 1-cent increase to 21 cents

§               Letters to all international destinations (1 oz.) — $1.15

§               Postcards — 1-cent increase to 34 cents

The changes, which would go into effect in January 2014, are intended to generate $2 billion in incremental annual revenue for the Postal Service.

The Postal Service isn’t alone in adjusting its pricing. Last week, Post Danmark announced it was raising First-Class prices by 12.5 percent and Standard Mail by 8.3 percent. During that same week, France’s La Post also announced it would be increasing prices, with its retail letter costs rising by 5 percent. Both changes take effect in January 2014.

Cashless treatment may be stopped for central government employees

Corporate hospitals across the country have threatened to stop cashless treatment to lakhs of central government employees from January 1.

Protesting against ‘unviable’ rates being given to them under the CGHS (Central Government Health Scheme), the Association of Healthcare Providers (India) has said that it will give three months time to the Government to revise the rates. “After that we will stop all cashless services at our hospitals. We will however continue to provide services on paying cash (at the hospital rates). They can seek reimbursement later,’’ the association leaders said.

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, they said that the government should come out with a scientific method to arrive at proper packages for various treatments.

Source: The Hindu Business Line

Click to view - 60- DAYS PLB to Postal Employees orders issued :

SOLVED QUESTION PAPERS (KEY)- IPO 2013- LDCE:-

Inspector Posts (LDCE)-2013 held on 14.09.2013 & 15.09.2013. Solved Key: Department will issue KEY for this exam which is final. Some answers in this key may be wrong. Only rough tally for aspirants this is usuful.Check with reference books for correct answers if you have any doubt on this key.

IPO exam paper	Key
PAPER - I	KEY FOR PAPER-I,  PAPER-II  &  PAPER - III WILL BE POSTED SOON.
PAPER - II
PAPER - III
PAPER - IV