Space Act for the acts in the Space

This report TheHindu  dt 29-2-2016 )  may be of interest to you.

Budget 2016-17

You would have already heard the Budget speech by our FM and subsequent analysis by "experts" in the Channels.
Now I have only a couple of points for you to note .

No change in Income Tax Slabs. However there is  an additional Rebate of 3000/- on the tax payable making it a total of 5000/-  (for those in the 5 Lakh slab).

Budgetory provisions are included in the 2016-17 Budget  for the implementation of 7CPC.

Does that make you happy ?

Better than 7CPC recommendations

" TheHindu "  exclusive report says  quoting our Fin Minister :

The Govt would announce increases slightly more than the recommendations of 7CPC . The pay-outs  which will begin from April 1 will include arrears for three months. More than 1 Lakh Crore has been budgeted under this head.

Economic Survey and ISRO Retirees

Economic Survey  and  ISRO Retirees

Hey…. You thought  I am talking about  the  North and South poles ?  No …  Take it literally …   I am talking about all of us ISRO retirees and the Economic Survey presented  by the CEA yesterday. 

Why I am trying to mix the steel with water is,   it matters a lot for us.

First : 

The Economic Survey 2015-16 says that 7CPC and OROP implementation is a BURDEN on the exchequer.   

We all know that this is a burden and not a BURDEN !  

The  Once-in-a – decade Pay Commission  will certainly bring in burden on Govt finances.  Why did the Govt not understand that the wage/salary and pension revisions should be more frequent  ( every 2 or 3 years !).  Such revisions will bring in small increases in loads if atall they are loads on finances.

The Govt must be knowing that there has to be an increase in this load. Why didn’t you plan things to accommodate such increases ?   Why did you not plan to invest well for increased returns for meeting the burden ?  You made the burden a BURDEN. 

Well … I don’t like to say anything more  here .

Second :  

Before I tell you something on this , you should confirm yourself that you belong to this class .

All of us … no…. Most of us …. No …. Many of us … no … Some of us ….  Err… may be right … now  what’s right  among this ?  Let me say, many of us are Tax payers. So , Be proud ! We are good citizens !  We are among the 5.5 %  of the “well-off”  in India who pays tax. Rest of the well-off  are non-tax-payers .  As the Govt needs more Tax collection the net is about to be spread. So  no more raising the tax exemption threshold.  So…. 3 Lakh exemption in 2015-16 is  3 Lakh exemption in 2016-17.  Moreover since you are in the net  , you can continue to be in the comfort of the net in the future too.

Third :

The  media reports say  that there is a section in the Economic Survey  report called  “Bounties for the well-off” .  It says ,  there are 7 major areas where the well-off are subsidized.

Kerosene   5501 Cr.       Yes …  I think I am getting  a subsidy for my  ONE  Litre quota of Keresene from the Ration shop.  Dear FM ,  please take off that subsidy.

Railways    3670 Cr.        Yes … You are offering me 40% reduction in fares for my travel in Railway.  If you want us  (these old guys !)  to pay full for our once-in-a-while travel, no problem … Make it so…

Electricity    37170 Cr.       No…no… I don’t think I am getting any subsidized  Electricity .  Please find out who gives to whom.

LPG    40151 Cr.   Yes I understand that about Rs. 150/= per cylinder (and 10 cylinders in an year )  is paid back to me as subsidy.  OK… If you are so firm on it I don’t mind … Take it off  !

Gold    4093 Cr.   My God,  You should not offer any subsidy to buy Gold for any one.  Take it off immediately.. Right now !

Aviation Turbine Fuel     762 Cr.   I need not comment at all .  No need to subsidise  things like this ( By the by, who asked for this subsidy ? )

Small Savings    11900  Cr.     First you should know that Small Savings means  NSC, Post Office deposits and PPF.  I never knew that my small savings are subsidized.  I  thought these are Govt’s  competitive ways of fund collections from public.  Govt must be using these huge amounts for  investing in various programmes that generate income.  And so Govt is paying interest on the deposits ,  hardly 0.5 % more than the Bank deposits.  Ooh …  If you have a well-thought decision to take off the subsidy (?) ... Ok. But I am sure, your intentions will falter.

That’s the end of the story of  7 subsidies from the Economic Survey Report.  Now, let’s wait for Feb 29 !  We’ll listen to  Mr. Jaitly. He is ready with  more  subsidies. He'll  give and take subsidies. 

After all, let's pray  .. He should not  subsidise the 7CPC recommendations. 

7CPC Empowered Committee Meeting with Staff Side JCM

7CPC Empowered Committee Meeting with Staff Side JCM is on 01.03.2016.

Committee of Secretaries headed by Cabinet Secretary would meet Representatives of Staff Side JCM to discuss 26 Point charter of Demands on 7CPC.

NCCPA demands before 7CPC Implementation Cell

NCCPA demands before 7CPC Implementation Cell

National Co-ordination Committee of Pensioners Association is the apex organisation of Associations/Federations of Central Government Pensioners. 
NCCPA had submitted a detailed memorandum to the 7CPC on various demands, problems and grievances of the Central Government Pensioners. Here is a list of major issues presented to the Implementation Cell.

1. Parity between the past and present pensioners be brought about on the basis of the 7CPC recommendations with the modification that the basis of computation be the pay level of the post/grade/scale of pay from which the employee retired, whichever is beneficial to him.

2. Pension to be 60% of the last pay drawn and family pension to be 50% of the last pay drawn. Minimum pension to be 60% of the minimum wage and minimum family pension to be 50% of the Minimum wage.

3. Enhance the pension and family pension on the basis of the increased age of the pensioner. Grant 5% rise in pension for every addition of 5 years of age, 10% after attaining the age of 80 and 20% for those beyond 90

4. Restoration of Commuted value after 10 years and gratuity as per the provisions of the Gratuity Act.

5. Fixed Medical Allowance to 2000/-.

6. Grant of HRA for pensioners.

7. Grant of an increment prior to the date of retirement.

Free for Senior Citizens

Good News for Senior Citizens in Chennai !

Travel in buses (non-AC only) in Chennai is now FREE for Senior Citizens.  Tamil Nadu Chief Minister  is so kind  to implement this.