Monday, March 11, 2013

असत्यमें शक्ति नहीं होती, उसे अपने अस्तित्वके लिए सत्यका आश्रय लेना पड़ता है .

Falsehood has no strength. It has to depend on truth for its existence. 
                                                                                                  - Vinoba Bhave. 
असत्यमें शक्ति नहीं होती, उसे अपने अस्तित्वके लिए सत्यका आश्रय लेना पड़ता है . 
                                                              - विनोबा भावे 

Friday, March 8, 2013

Soon, babus who delay services may face fines


A Bill providing for time-bound delivery of services like passports, with a provision of penalty for default, will be considered by Union Cabinet on Thursday.
Mar 7, 2013, 04.50AM IST TNNRajeev Deshpande ]

NEW DELHI: The Cabinet on Thursday will consider a Bill providing for time-bound delivery of services like pensions, passports, caste certificates, ration cards and tax refunds with a penalty of Rs 250 a day subject to a maximum of Rs 50,000 for default.

The right of citizens for time-bound delivery of goods and services and redressal of grievances Bill is to be enacted under the concurrent list, which means all states have to offer the entire gamut of services listed by the Centre's citizen's charter.

Although many states offer time-bound delivery of certain services, the list is not as exhaustive as conceived by the Centre in response to the Anna Hazare agitation that shook the Manmohan Singh government through 2011.

Provisions of the bill allow a state or central grievance redressal commission to refer a case for criminal investigation or inquiry by Lokpal if the panel concludes there is evidence of corruption in delayed dispensation of services.

Public authorities required to provide services include constitutional and statutory bodies, public-private partnerships, notified entities, government-funded NGOs, government companies and private firms offering services outsourced by government.

The Cabinet is also likely to discuss the September 2012 Supreme Court order amending its 2G ruling. The court had relaxed its view that natural resources must be allocated only by auctions.

Official sources said the bill on delivery of services promises a more tangible sense of empowerment than a Lokpal as it deals with every day corruption and red tape that fuelled public support for the Hazare stir. "Problems like power bills and caste certificates will be covered, it will be applicable through out the country like RTI," they said.

The standing committee that examined the citizen's charter concluded that the Centre has the power under entry 8 of the concurrent list dealing with "actionable wrong" to legislate as long as the states are independent in implementing the bill.

The panel also examined the time-bound services bill introduced in the Lok Sabha in December, 2011, and in its report submitted in June, 2012, suggested several changes that have been largely incorporated by the bill.

The 15-month delay between the first version of the bill and cabinet clearance points to UPA-II's preoccupations and the glacial pace of legislation. But the government seems keener about this bill than the Lokpal legislation.

Once legislated, the bill will require public authorities to publish a citizen's charter specifying goods and services and the time limits for delivery. There will be grievance redress officers at central, state, district, sub-district, municipality and panchayat levels.

An aggrieved person can within 30 days file an appeal to a designated authority that has a further 30 days to dispose of it. This authority can impose a lump sum penalty that is to be recovered from the official responsible for delays.

Where it appears that the complaint is indicative for a corrupt action under the prevention of corruption act, the case can be referred to a competent authority to take cognizance. A person unhappy with the decision of the central redressal commission can approach the Lokpal or Lokayukta. 
http://m.timesofindia.com/india/Soon-babus-who-delay-services-may-face-fines/articleshow/18841602.cms

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Rules 2012


Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Rules 2012 @ RTE Cell (Notification on DOE website)



http://www.edudel.nic.in/upload_2013_14/471_485_dt_05032013.pdf

Friday, March 1, 2013

SBI chairman wants a reply to all email complaints within 48 hours




The new set of instructions from the bank authorities will lead to a big improvement in the way SBI handles its customers

State Bank of India's (SBI) chairman OP Bhatt is seeking fast and prompt action—at least a reply—to email complaints filed by the Bank’s customers. According to an email reply(copied to Moneylife), a deputy general manager (DGM) of SBI has said: “Please note that our Chairman desires that all the email complaints, forwarded from the Corporate Centre have to be replied to the Department within 48 hrs.”
In the past, when Moneylife has forwarded complaints to the SBI chairman's office, we were pleased to receive an immediate reply from the chairman's secretariat to the effect that the complaint would be looked into.
However, there has been complete silence thereafter. These complaints simply went into limbo and nothing was heard from SBI again. Hopefully, these new set of instructions from the top will lead to a big improvement in the way the bank treats its customers.
The DGM was replying to a complaint filed by Moneylife's Veeresh Malik regarding the garbage created by SBI's Defence Colony branch in New Delhi. Earlier, the branch manager told Mr Malik that the Bank only maintains the area in front of the branch and had given a contract to collect the waste from the bank on a daily basis.
Mr Malik replied saying that there is no difference between the front and side of the branch since customers have to walk through the side area to reach the front area. Also, the main signage for the bank branch overlooks the evolved garbage dump, he added.
The branch manager had also said, “We have requested the RWA, Defence Colony to make necessary arrangements so that this area will be well maintained and clean."
Mr Malik again wrote to the Bank authorities. He said, "SBI Defence Colony Branch is located within the DDA Moolchand Shopping Complex. To write to the Defence Colony RWA is like asking the neighbours to clean (up the mess due to) the result of your lack of attention to hygiene. The generator is on public land, with the exhaust pointing straight towards our home. Handing over garbage collection to a sub-contractor does not eliminate the responsibility of the SBI Defence Colony Branch. These issues are not addressed. Instead, an attempt to pass the buck seems to have been made, by stating that 'a letter has been written to the RWA'."
To this, a reply came from the DGM asking the SBI officials to reply in detail and instruct the branch manager to initiate immediate measures to rectify the position.