MEDITATION

There is some good news for those who have tried meditation, in vain, to get rid of life's worries. Open eye meditation (OEM) may be of help. Open your eyes to meditation (Getty Images)



Based on 3D technology, OEM does not require a person to close his/her eyes, nor is it time-consuming. "You need to look at a chart printed using 3-D techniques. After a few seconds, a hidden religious symbol will appear on the chart. Your meditation is complete and you will be relieved by just seeing the symbol for five minutes a day,'' says Ramesh Kamath, a consultant of open-eye meditation for the last eight years.

Aura meter technology is used to assess the intensity and kind of problems a person faces, he added. The medium can be used to deal with anxiety, stress-related problems and depression

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CBSE-ONLYGRADE-2011

In far-reaching reforms that will impact lakhs of students, government today announced abolition of compulsory CBSE Board exams for class X from next academic year (2010-11) and introduction of grading system from current year.

However, students wanting to opt for the Board exams in class X can do so under the "exam on demand".

Over eight lakh students appearing for their class X exams in March 2010 have to take Board exams whose results will be declared through grading system replacing the marks system.

From 2011, the grading system will continue but the Board exams will be conducted only on demand by a student, an option which will be available to all.

The Class X examinations of CBSE will be abolished from 2010-11 while the grading system will be introduced from 2009-10 (current academic year), Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal told reporters here
SOURCE;PTI

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NEW PENSION SCHEME-FAQ-2

What is "Annuity Scheme Provider"...?


What is the New Pension Scheme?

The New Pension Scheme is an investment option which will help an individual, plan for his or her retirement. The key difference between the old government pension scheme and the New Pension Scheme is that the old pension scheme was based on a defined benefit principle and the new pension scheme is based on a defined contribution principle.
In a defined contribution scheme, an individual invests a defined amount in the scheme until he or she retires. On retirement, the individual has the option to withdraw the money or buy an annuity from an insurance company.

2. Whether a retiring Government servant is entitled for leave encashment after retirement under the NPS?

The benefit of encashment of leave salary is not a part of the retirement benefits admissible under Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972. It is payable in terms of CCS (Leave) Rules which will continue to be applicable to the government servants who join the government service on after 1-1-2004. Therefore,the benefit of encashment of leave salary payable to the governments/to their families on account of retirement/death will be admissible.

3 Why is it mandatory to use 40% of pension wealth to purchase the annuity at the time of the exit (i.e. after the age of 60 years) from NPS?

This provision has been made in the New Pension Scheme with an intention that the retired government servants should get regular monthly income during their retired life.

4. Whether any minimum age or minimum service is required to quit from Tier-I? Exit from Tier-I can only take place when an individual leaves Government service.

5. Whether Dearness Pay is counted as basic pay for recovery of 10% for Tier-I?

As per the New Pension Scheme, the total Dearness Allowance is to be taken into account for working out the contributions to Tier-I. Subsequently, a part of the “Dearness Allowance” has been treated as Dearness Pay. Therefore, this should also be reckoned for the purpose of contributions.

6. Whether contribution towards Tier-I from arrears of DA is to be deducted? Yes. Since the contribution is to be worked out at 10% of (Pay+ DP+DA), it needs to be revised whenever there is any change in these elements

7. Who will calculate the interest PAO or CPAO?

The PAO should calculate the interest.

8. What happens if an employee gets transferred during the month? Which office will make deduction of Contribution?

As in the case of other recoveries, the recovery of contributions towards New Pension Scheme for the full month (both individual and government) will be made by the office who will draw salary for the maximum period.

9. Whether NPA payable to medical officers will count towards ‘Pay’ for the purpose of working out contributions to NPS?

Yes. Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has clarified vide their O.M. no. A45012/11/97-CHS.V dated 7-4-98 that the Non-Practising Allowance shall count as ‘pay’ for all service benefits. Therefore, this will be taken into account for working out the contribution towards the New Pension Scheme.

10. Whether a government servant who was already in service prior to 1.1.2004, if appointed in a different post under the Government of India, will be governed by the CCS (Pension) Rules or NPS?

In cases where Government servants apply for posts in the same or other departments and on selection they are asked to render technical resignation, the past services are counted towards pension under CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972. Since the Government servant had originally joined government service prior to 1-1-2004, he should be covered under the CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972.

11. What are the minimum and maximum contributions that can be made to this scheme?

The minimum amount to be invested per contribution is Rs. 500 and a minimum of Rs. 6000 needs to be contributed per year. Also, a minimum of four contributions need to be made per year. Therefore, if you are making a monthly contribution of Rs. 500,you will need to make twelve contributions.There is no upper limit to the amount of contributions or the number of times the contribution is made.

12. How will the money contributed to NPS be invested?

The NPS currently offers three investment funds to choose from:
Asset Class E - stocks, fixed income instruments
Assent Class G - debt securities issued by the central as well as the state governments
Asset Class C - debt securities issued by entities other than the state and central government, liquid funds of mutual funds, fixed deposits of banks etc.
In case if the individual is unsure about the investment mix, the default option - auto choice lifecycle fund - will see the investment mix change according to the age of the investor. If the individual’s age is 18 years, auto choice invests 50% in Asset Class E, 30% in Asset Class C and 20% in Asset Class G. This remains unchanged till the individual turns 36, when the ratio of investment in Asset Class E and Asset Class C will decrease annually, while the proportion of G rises till the age of 55, when Asset Class G will account for 80% of the corpus, while the share of Asset Class E and Asset Class C will fall to 10 per cent each.

13. Who handles the investment of the money contributed to an NPS?

The money invested in an NPS is managed by professional fund managers. Currently, the fund managers involved in handling contributions in NPS are:
ICICI Prudential Pension Management
IDFC Pension Fund Management
Kotak Mahindra Pension Fund
Reliance Capital Pension Fund
SBI Pension Funds
UTI Retirement Solutions
While filling out the forms for account opening, you would need to specify one of these fund managers for the form to be accepted. In case you are not satisfied with the chosen fund manager, you have the option to switch managers.

14. Are there any tax benefits for investing in NPS?

At present the, NPS investments are covered under section 80CCD. However, tax is levied if you make a withdrawal.
Response to the New Pension Scheme has been lukewarm because of the tax incentives currently being offered. However, experts believe that with some time, the scheme will gain popularity and what with the Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority (PFRDA) asking the government to treat the NPS at par with EPF, PPF etc. so that there are better tax incentives, the NPS is a good investment option to plan your retirement.

15. What and How are the returns scheduled for this scheme?

Contributions will not earn any specified rate of return. The PFM will invest your savings in a scheme of your choice. The returns earned by the PFM on the scheme selected by you will be credited to your account.

16. What is Annuity Service Provider (ASP)?

ASPs would be responsible for delivering a regular monthly pension to the subscriber for the rest of his/her life.

On receipt of personal and banking information details of subscriber from CRA and of specified sum from the trustee bank the ASP would use its access codes to confirm receipt. ASP would then begin payments of annuities to the subscriber. 17. What is "Immediate Annuity Scheme"? Let watch this brochure of ICICI Prudential Life Insurance co.
SOURSE;GEN

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TEACHERS DAY

Taking you from darkness to light, a true teacher imparts knowledge to pupils and dispels the clouds of ignorance.


"See the world through our eyes," is the message Jaya Goyal, has for her students on the occasion of Teacher's Day. A lecturer by profession and the director of Gayatri Vidya Academy , she feels teachers can bring about a big big change if each teacher makes a small effort. "Allow the students to see the world through your eyes," she tells her colleagues.

"But to do this each of us will have to practice the values we have been taught since our childhood ," she specifies. "Being punctual, being honest and truthful at all times and most of all being impartial : small values which can go a long way," she says.

Motivation is sometimes lacking in teachers and it is then that the profession becomes boring and mundane. She is frank when she says, "Motivation should not come from those who run the institution. A bigger pay package should not be the motivation. Motivation has to come from within a teacher. It is important that teachers attend Faculty development programmes and "Training of trainers (ToT) programmes should be given utmost importance."

"Explain to a child what his/her role in life is," says Anupama Bhutani, principal Joyride school in Sector 15 Faridabad. "Allow the child to behave like a child when he/she is in the age group of 3-6 years. Teach them their responsibilities at every stage taking care not to load them with something which they are too young for. Allow them to live their childhood.

Marks, heavy bags, forceful participation in extra curricular activities only puts pressure and more pressure on toddlers," says Anupama who is against children growing up before their age. Each one of us has a duty towards our children, our families and the society as a whole, feels the ever smiling lady, and she appeals to every citizen to do his or her best and contribute in whatever way they can and make the world a happy and clean place to live in.

Jyoti Khera feels children are a reflection of their parents and teachers. "In today's fast moving society it is important to do a balancing act. Too much indulgence in just anything is to be avoided," says the pre primary teacher on the occasion of Teacher's day.
SOURCE;TIMES OF INDIA

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MISSING EMPLOYEES PENSION

CAT orders to missing employee's pension, job to girl


The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) issued directives to the Centre, Defence Ministry’s Department of Defence Production and Ordinance Factory Director General to grant full family pension of the missing father of the applicant from the Ordinance factory Hospital.

While hearing the petition of Ms Sonia Angre, 21 year old daughter of Mr Ramesh Angre an Ordinance Factory Khamaria employee. who was declared missing from August 25, 1988 from the Factory Hospital, a bench of Justice Ranbir Singh and Judicial member Mukesh Kumar, ordered to the OFK General Manager that the pension arrears interest and other benefits of Mr Angre to be given pay to his legal heir Sonia, within 45 days.

It also directed them to contemplate the application of compassionate appointment to her within three months as per the Defence Service Rules.

Ms Sonia’s mother was carrying her when her father disappeared and in 1995, her mother was also expired when she was just seven years old.

She filed a petition demanding full arrears of her missing father’s pension and other interests on May 1, 2007.
Source: UNI

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AFTER 2004 RECRUITERS

New employees behind the lapse of grant of 60% arrears.....


Employees who mustered into Central Government establishments after 1.1.2004 has ten percent of their salary (Basic Pay + Dearness Allowance + Dearness Pay) deducted as result of their induction into the New Pension Scheme.

Bearing no knowledge of this New Pension Scheme and having five years rolled by, beginning of this year the government has brought into issue an application form. Requesting PRAN (Permanent Retirement Account Number) number in this application, it has questioned to what scheme (Scheme ‘A’, ‘B’, and ‘C’) and percentage should their savings be invested.

With no whereabouts of any knowledge of this question in their mind they have given filled up application on their part. Some instead of returning the application filled up, they have kept it themselves. Moreover the Government by itself has not taken any steps regarding this.

By the instance, the Government has given equal amount to the deducted amount as by the New Pension Scheme. The doubled amount along with the interest has been given as statements to them. Last year 40% arrears have also been disbursed.

Everyone has been taken aback by shock by the Government decision in the scenario of expectation of the remaining of 60% arrears.

Having not singed the New Pension Scheme registration form the Government has announced that their (Employees appointed on or after 1.1.2004) 60% arrears would not be granted.

FILLED WITH DREAMS AND FASCINATIONS THIS ORDER HAS STRUCK DOWN UPON AS THUNDER THEM..!

WHO HOLD THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS…!SOURCE;STAFF NEWS

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SPECIAL INCREMENT

Lump-sum incentives - Increments to outstanding sportspersons
No.6/2/2008-Pay-1

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions

(Department of Personnel & Training)

New Delhi, 3rd September, 2009

OFFICE MEMORANDUM


Subject:- Incentive increments to sportspersons for outstanding sports achievements at National and International levels.

Reference is invited to this Department's OM of even number dated 26th August, 2008 and subsequent reminder dated 3rd October, 2008 and 12th September, 2008 whereby it has been requested to furnish views regarding the quantum of lump-sum incentives to be granted to sportspersons who win a Gold, Silver or Bronze medal in the National / International Tournaments. A copy of the OM dated 26th August, 2008 has been uploaded on the DOPT website.

2. All the Ministries/Departments are again requested to expedite the matter and furnish their considered views at the earliest to enable this Department to review the existing provisions for grant of incentives to Government servants who achieve excellence in the sporting events of National / International importance.

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