Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Incentive Structure for Agents and field Officers of PLI & RPLI - Dated – 18.09.2009
DIRECTORATE OF POSTAL LIFE INSURANCE
Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications &
Information Technology, Government of India
Chankyapuri Post Office Complex, New Delhi – 110021
No. 26-02/2009-LI Dated – 18.09.2009
All Heads of Circles
Directorate PSCI, Ghaziabad
All Regional PMsG
All Directors PTCs
Addl DG APS
Subject: Re-vitalization of PLI/RPLI Agency System
(i) Changes in the Agency System of PLI and RPLI:
(ii) Revision of the existing incentive Structure for Agents and field Officers of PLI & RPLI
In pursuance of decision of Postal Services Board in its 1st meeting held on 07.08.2009 as circulated under Department of Posts letter No. 1-1/2009-PSB dated 20.08.2009 the following orders are issued to have effect from 01.10.2009: -
(i) In partial modification of Postal Services Board (2007) decision as contained in PLI Directorate orders No. 26-02/2003-LI dated 20.09.2007 Divisional Head is now delegated the powers to engage PLI Direct Agents. A minimum number of 20 PLI Agents should be engaged per division;
(ii) PLI Agents /FOs (PLI) will be paid commission @ of 2% of renewal premium collected by them on PLI cash policies procured on or after 01.10.2009. This commission in over and above the existing commission based on sum assured of business procured;
(iii) In partial modification of postal Services Board decision as contained in PLI Directorate orders No. 26/02/2003-LI dated 20.09.2007, Divisional Head is now delegated the powers to engage the RPLI Agents including Angan-wadi workers, Mahila Mandal workers, Ex-servicemen, retired School Teachers, SHGs, Gram Pradhan/Members of Gram Panchayats etc, in order to expand the agency base of Rural PLI. A minimum number of 30 RPLI Agents should be engaged per Division;
(iv) RPLI Agents/Sales force will now be paid commission @ of 10% of first year premium and 2.5% commission on renewal premium collected by them on policies procured after 01.10.2009. An additional commission of 1.5% of premium will also be paid to group leaders/entrustees for collecting premum towards 1000 or more such RPLI policies procured on or after 01.10.2009.
2. The detailed procedure of empanelment of Direct Agents is given in Appendix to this letter. Heads of Circles are requested to issue necessary instructions to all Divisions /Regions to commence the process of empanelment of Agents forthwith so that required number of agents are in place from 01.10.2009.
3. These orders shall also be applicable to Agents already working.
4. Operating and Accounting procedure is being issued separately. Necessary modification in the Software is being made and is being communicated.
5. This issues with the approval of competent authority.
Sd/-
(Shekhar. K. Singha)
Chief General Manager
Postal Pensioners Programme of Action on Common and Sectional Demands of Pensioners!
Postal Pensioners Programme of Action on Common and Sectional Demands of Pensioners!
AIPRPA CWC RESOLVES TO HOLD ITS NATIONWIDE PROGRAMME OF ACTION ON THE CHARTER OF DEMANDS OF PENSIONERS
Both Common & Postal Sectional!
The CWC of AIPRPA held at Chennai has resolved to organise a nationwide Programme of Action by the Postal & RMS Pensioners to highlight the important issues of Pensioners as well as peculiar major issues of Postal Pensioners before the Central Government. The Charter of Demands and the Programme of Action finalized by the Central Working Committee is as follows:
Postal Pensioners Sectional Charter
AIPRPA shall undertake an All India Programme of Action to highlight the basic common issues of Pensioners and important sectional issues of Postal Pensioners viz.,
(a) Grant of Universal pension of minimum 3000/- to all Senior Citizens of India irrespective of the fact that they had worked in private sector or unorganized sectors as being demanded by the Central TUs.
(b) Scrap NPS to all CG Employees recruited from 1.1.2004 and bring them all under Defined Pension Scheme.
(c) Grant of Full Parity in Pension between the past, present and future pensioners akin to OROP granted to Pensioners of Armed Forces.
(d) Accept the recommendation of Option Number 1 given by the 7th CPC for pension Refixation by notionally adding the number of increments earned by the pensioner in the pre-revised scale of pay from which he/she had retired as the same is feasible by records either directly or by reconstruction.
(e) Correct the recommendation by changing the “nearest level” to “next level” in fixing the stages after each annual increment in the Pay Matrix for the employees (like 6th CPC formula) and Link the pension re-fixation under Option Number 2 with the Matrix to the next level on par with the employees.
(f) Grant of Refixation of Pension on the basis of the scale of pay of the cadre / post from which the Pre-2016 Pensioners had retired instead of only on the basis of the replacement scales to end the injustice being done to the retirees belonging to the cadres of Postman, IPOs, ASPOs etc in the Department of Posts.
(g) Ending the injustice perpetrated to HSG-1 Pre-2006 Pensioners by granting the benefit of 4600 GP as granted to serving employees from 1.1.2006 by accepting that the scale is only a replacement scale in the backdrop of feeder cadre is allotted the 4200 GP scale by 6th CPC.
(h) Issue of orders as agreed by the Department and also as ordered by the Supreme Court for the grant of pension re-fixation for all Post-1.1.1996 Pensioners of Postman cadre with two advance increments.
(i) Grant of minimum pension by delinking the condition of 33 years of qualifying service to compulsorily retired employees also w.e.f 1.1.2006 as envisaged by the original orders of the Department of Pension & Pensioners Welfare.
(j) Enhance the Fixed Medical Allowance to 2000/- per month.
(k) Accept and implement the positive recommendations of 7th CPC without delay on extension of medical benefits to all Pensioners including the Postal Pensioners by (1) removing the unjust condition of Health Ministry to allow all Postal Pensioners into the CGHS without any discrimination; (2) granting reimbursement facilities of in-patient treatment to all Pensioners in non-CGHS areas on par with the serving employees of that area; (3) Merger of existing P&T dispensaries with CGHS without conditions; (4) Finalization of Medical-insurance schemes covering all non-CGHS pensioners to get cashless and hassle free medical treatment; and (5) Merger of different systems like CGHS, Railway and Defence Hospitals to create a centralized health system for better Medicare to all employees and pensioners.
(l) Revise the Pension by applying the orders for treating the training period as eligible service to get TBOP/BCR upgradations.
(m) Allot rent-free BSNL / MTNL land-line phone to all erstwhile P&T Pensioners without any condition on length of service as ordered by courts.
(n) Allot vacant Postal Staff Quarters not preferred by serving employees to willing Postal Pensioners on seniority basis instead of keeping the quarters vacant for long time.
Nationwide Programme of Action
(i) AIPRPA CHQ will write to the Chairman of the High Level Committee; Health Minister; and Finance Minister focusing the Charter of Demands immediately.
(ii) Demonstrations shall be held at all places by the AIPRPA on 19th September, 2016 and Memorandum will be forwarded to Health and Finance Ministers. (Draft Memorandum will be circulated to all through CHQ website)
(iii) Mass Dharna by Postal & RMS Pensioners on 21st October, 2016 to demand implementation of the Charter of Demands.
(iv) ‘Chalo Delhi’ by Postal & RMS Pensioners to conduct a ‘Mass Demonstration’ in front of Parliament on 21st February (Date will be subject to finalisation in consultation with NCCPA to synchronize with the National Convention against NPS proposed by NCCPA) and to submit the Memorandum to the Prime Minster of India.
We call upon our rank & file Districts and Divisions to take the call seriously and start hectic preparations for all the Programmes including “Chalo Delhi” Parliament Dharna! Without our active protest like the Pensioners of Armed Forces who got their OROP through struggles, no advancement can be expected from the Government.
Source : http://postalpensioners.blogspot.in/
7th Pay commission latest news – Group A cadre restructure to be reviewed
The 7th Pay Commission report is still grabbing headlines as the various permutations and combinations are still being bandied about and discussed threadbare and now it spans a big controversy that has to do with the near monopoly currently enjoyed by the IAS and how to end it, once and for all.
Moving forward, as per the requirement of the report, the Narendra Modi government has set up a task force to review the cadre structure of all Organised Group A Central Services.
This controversy has acquired increased urgency after the turf war between the officers of the Indian administrative and revenue services (IAS and IRS) recently reached a flashpoint after several IRS officers huddled together in Mumbai last month bringing matters to a head and this set alarm bells ringing at the highest echelons of the government.
The 7th Pay Commission task force will be headed by Department of Personnel and Training additional secretary T Jacob and he will submit the report in 3 months. What he will have on his hands will deal with 4 basic factors that include 1) the ideal structure for posts of joint secretary and above, 2) percentage of reserves in organised Group A services, 3) ideal recruitment policy and 4) way forward in mitigating stagnation level.
There are 49 Organised Group A Services ranging from the IFS, the Indian Postal Service, the five Accounts services and Indian Revenue Service (IT) to the 13 engineering services under the railways, CPWD, telecom, power, water and defence forces.
This move comes courtesy 7th Pay Commission panel chairman, Justice (retired) A K Mathur calling for an end to the dominance of IAS officials. However, there were divergent views in the panel on ending the IAS superiority.
Under the scanner especially was the joint secretary-and-above-level positions in the central staff. The 7th Pay Commission threw up the data: out of a total of 91 secretary level posts, 73 (80%) were occupied by IAS; out of 107 additional secretary level posts, 98 (92%) were with the IAS and of 391 joint secretary level posts, 249 (64%) were with the IAS.
The 7th Pay Commission said IAS officers get two extra increments at promotion stages and it wanted to extend the same to the IPS and the Indian Forest Service. Other all-India services and central services (Group A) are not getting proper representation either. The IAS officers always had a two-year edge compared to other services
The solution that the 7th Pay Commission panel unveiled said that all personnel who have put in 17 years of service should be given equal opportunity for central staff. The panel was overwhelmed by the reactions of Group A Services, who demanded that the services should have equal opportunities to man the senior-most posts and it should not be the preserve of a small group.
(PTI)
Implementation of 7th CPC pension revision: Clarification on the points raised by banks
Implementation of 7th CPC pension revision: Clarification on the points raised by banks in the meeting held on 22.08.2016
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
DEPARTMENT OF EXPENDITURE
CENTRAL PENSION ACCOUNTING OFFICE
TRIKOOT-II, BHIKAJI CAMA PLACE,
NEW DELHI-110066
CPAO/IT&Tech/7th CPC (Clarification)/2016-17
Dated: 24th Aug, 2016
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Applicability to absorbees
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Para 7 (a) of the OM No. 38/37/2016-P&PW (A) (ii) dated-04.08.2016 issued by DP&PW stipulates that “Where the Government servants on permanent absorption in Public Sector Undertakings/ Autonomous Bodies continue to draw pension separately from the Government, the pension of such absorbees will be updated in terms of these orders. In cases where the Government servants have drawn one time lump sum terminal benefits equal to 100% of their pensions and have become entitled to the restoration of one-third commuted portion of pension as per the instructions issued by this Department from time to time, their cases will not be covered by these orders. Orders for regulating pension of such pensioners will be issued separately”.
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Applicability of family pensions for absorbees
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Para 7 (b) of the OM No. 38/37/2016-P&PW (A) (ii) dated-04.08.2016 issued by opapw stipulates that “In cases where, on permanent absorption in public sector I undertakings/ autonomous bodies, the terms of absorption and/or the rules permit grant of family pension under the CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 or the corresponding rules applicable to Railway employees/ members of All India Services, the family pension being drawn by family pensioners will be updated in accordance with these orders."
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List of absorbees to be provided on banks login.
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List has been uploaded on banks login by NIC
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Interpretation of para 6 of OM dated 04.08.2016 on dearness relief to employed/ re-employed pensioner.
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It has been clarified by Director, DP&PW that “As is clear from para 7(a) of the OM dated 04.08.2016, the pension of those pensioners who are re-employed and were not drawing dearness relief before 01.01.2016, is also required to be revised w.e.f. 01.01.2016 in terms of the said oM. However, dearness relief on revised pension will not be admissible during the period of re-employment”.
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Format of reporting through e-scrolls of 7th CPC
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It has already been mentioned in para 3 of CPAOs OM No. CPAO/lT&Tech/Revision (7030/19 Vol-III/2015-16/109 dated-11th August, 2016 that “after paying the revised pension and arrears, banks have to flag the revised cases in the Format-A of e-Scrolls to be submitted to CPAO so that revised cases may be identified at CPAO. To enable the banks for flagging of such cases, necessary modifications have been made in the Format-A of e-Scroll by changing the heading of column -18 to “Applicable Pay Commission”. Under this column, banks have to fill “7” for the cases which have been revised under 7th CPC by them”. Further, in the Column No. 27 of Format-F in e-scroll titled “Pay Commission" 7th CPC may be incorporated and sent alongwith Format-A. Each CPPC must attach Format-F with each e-scroll.
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Who would do Ex-gratia payment revision?
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The DP&PW oM No.38/37/2016-P&PW (A) (ii), dated 04.08.2016 is meant for revision of pension only of pre-2016 pensioners/family pensioners for which banks have been authorized to revise the pensions and make payment accordingly. Revision of ex-gratia payment is to be dealt with in accordance with para 12.1 of DP&PW oM No. 38/37/2016-P&PW (A) (i), dated 04.08.2016. The ex-gratia revision cases are required to be dealt with by the Department concerned and not by banks
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Specific case of the Chief Election Commissioner
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In this context para 2.3 of DP&PW OM No. 38/37/2016-P&PW (A) (ii), dated-04.08.2016 clearly states that these orders do not apply to the retired High Court and Supreme Court Judges and other Constitutional/ Statutory Authorities whose pension etc. is governed by separate rules/orders.
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How to deal with cases where pension is being paid on 5th CPC rates.
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Following categories:-
i) Employees suspended before 2006 and also retired before 01.01.2006. ii) Employees suspended before 2006 but retired after 01.01.2006. iii) Employees who retired before 2006 and against whom departmental/judicial proceedings were pending at the time of retirement. were allowed to draw provisional pension in the pre-2006 pay scales.
Later on DP&PW vide 38/6/2010-P&PW (A)(pt) dated18.03.2013 had decided to revise all such cases of provisional pensions in terms of their OM No. 38/37/08-P&PW (A) dated-01.09.2008. As such these cases may be referred to the concerned Ministry/Department for revising them first as per 6th CPC before they are revised under 7th CPC.
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Applicability of 7th CPC revisions to various categories of pensioners.
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As per para 2.1 of DP&PW OM No.38/37/2016-P&PW(A) (ii) dated-4th August, 2016, “These orders shall apply to all pensioners/family pensioners who were drawing pension/family pension before 1.1.2016 under the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972, Central Civil Services (Extraordinary Pension) Rules and the corresponding rules applicable to Railway pensioners and pensioners of All India Services, including officers of the Indian Civil Service retired from service on or after 1.1.1973. A pensioner/ family pensioner who became entitled to pension/ family pension with effect from 01.01.2016 consequent on retirement/death of Government servant on 31.12.2015, would also be covered by these orders”.
The categories of pensioners further clarified by Director, DP&PW to SBI is as under:-
i) The pension of Defence Civilian Pensioners, Postal and Telecom Pensioners under CDA category is regulated by CCS (Pension) Rules. These pensioners are, therefore, eligible for revision of pension under OM dated 4.8.16. However the absorbee pensioners of BSNL/MTNL who are getting pension under IDA category are not covered by this OM. The absorbee pensioners who had taken lump-sum in lieu of their monthly pension and are getting only one-third restored pension are also not covered by this OM.
ii) The State Government pensioners are not eligible for revision of pension under this OM. However the All India Service officers and employees retired from CAG/AGs/Audit & Accounts Departments in States are covered under this OM.
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Applicability of Additional Pension on attaining the age of 65 years to the pensioners of UT Chandigarh on the pattern of Punjab State Government
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A clarification has been sought from IS (UT), MHA and DP&PW Central Government instructions allow additional pension only on attaining age of 80 years and above. Therefore, the additional payment on attaining the age of 65 years in case of UT Chandigarh pensioners banks should not grant additional pension on attaining the age of 65 years instead of 80 years until a
clarification regarding applicability is received. | ||||||||||||
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Contact Official in CPAO for 7th CPC clarification
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http://cpao.nic.in/pdf/clarification_raiseedby_banks22082016.pdf
DEFINITION OF IMPORTANT POSTAL TERMS ASKED IN DEPARTMENT EXAM
Definition of Important Postal Terms asked in Department Exam
V-SAT Stations.- Important Head Post Offices are identified as Very Small Aperture Terminal Stations. From these Post Offices, money orders are transmitted using V-SAT technology.
Extended Satellite Money Order (ESMO).- These stations are working as extension counters for booking and transmission of money orders through V-SAT stations.
Hybrid Mail Service.- This involves electronic transmission of written material from one place to another using computer terminals connected through VSAT which can be delivered to one or more than one addressee at the receiving station.
General Post Office.- The first class Head Office situated at the Headquarters of the Head of a Circle or, where there are more than one such Head Office, the one attached to the Headquarters, is termed General Post Office. NOTE.- Classes of Head Offices: First Class Head Offices under the control land supervision of Senior Time Scale Officer. He is called Chief Postmaster. Second Class Head Offices under the control and supervision of a Group ‘B’ Officer. He reports to Sr. Superintendent of Post Offices.
Transit Office.- Any Post Office which is situated on a line of through mail communication, and receives and sorts bags intended for offices in advance, without opening them, is a transit office. The bags which are thus forwarded onwards unopened are termed forward bags. The transit bags addressed to a transit office are opened there, and the forward bags contained in them are sent onwards, either loose or enclosed in other transit bags. The use of a transit office is to reduce the number of loose bags.
Transit Mail Office.- A branch of RMS where closed bags are received and dispatched, sorting of letters is not done in this unit. Mail Agent or Mail Guard is in charge of this unit. This can function in number of sets depending upon requirements. E.g. Bangalore City TMO Set No. 1 – 06.00 to 14.00 Bangalore City TMO II – 14.00 to 21.40 If TMO is functioning in the night set, the set works throughout the night. One batch of officials who are working on a particular night will not work in the following night. Another batch of Officials will work in the following night. Both these batches will alternatively work.
Computerized Transit Mail Office.- In certain cities, computers have been provided to handled the work of the Transit Mail Office. These Offices are called Computerized TMOs. 10. Sorting Office.- An office charged with the duty of opening the sorting mail bags received by its and disposing of their contents is termed as Sorting Office. A Sorting Office may receive articles of all kinds in sorting. The use of a Sorting Office is (a) to simplify the work of sorting in other offices, (b) to reduce the number of bags exchanged between Post Offices, and (c) to reduce the weight of mails carried on mails lines.
Automatic Mail Processing Centres.- In important cities where mail traffic is high, sorting machine have been provided which have high speed of sorting. At present, these machines are functioning in Mumbai and Chennai.
Computerized Registration Centres.- The Registration Branch of the Mail Office, where the processing of registration work is done on computers, is called Computerized Registration Sorting Centre (CRC). A CRC can be situated in the Mail Office itself or in a separate location.
Nodal Post Office - In important cities and towns, some Post Offices are authorized to receive letters from neighboring Post Offices and sort the mail as per the sorting diagram given by the RMS Superintendents. This is to reduce the peak hour pressure in the local sorting offices. Such offices are identified as Nodal Post Offices.
Central Bagging Unit/ Kendriya Bagging Unit. - This Unit is a branch of RMS Office. Here the bundles prepared by the Post Offices/ Mail Offices grouped and enclosed in a direct bag. For instance, if there are 80 :Post Offices in a city and each Post Office is preparing 20 bundles for 20 Post Offices/ Districts/Circles/Mail Offic es, all these bundles will reach Central Bagging Unit/KBU in ‘L’ Bag/’R’ Bag. KBU/CBU will open the ‘L’/’R’ bags, group the bundles with reference to the destination, i.e. Circles-wise or District-wise or PO-wise or Mail Office-wise and include them in respective bags for the PO/Sorting Office concerned for delivery/further transmission, as the case may be.
Office of Exchange, Offices of exchange of transit bags, Foreign Post Offices and Sub-Foreign Post Offices.- (a) A Post Office or Sorting Office or Section which exchanges mails with offices in foreign countries is known as an “Office of Exchange”. It is referred to as the dispatching office of exchange in respect of mails it makes up and addresses to an office of exchange in another country, while it is called the receiving office of exchange in respect of mails addressed to it by an office of exchange from another country. The term “outward office of exchange” and “inward office of exchange” are also used to describe them. Even offices functioning as both inward and outward offices of exchange may function in one of the capacities only for certain countries. (b) An Office of Exchange on the border which only receives and dispatches closed bags addressed to or received from other offices of exchange in India is known as an “Office of Exchange of transit”. Such an office will not close bags for foreign countries or open inward foreign bags. Its function is only to exchange mails with the carrier or with the officials of a foreign administration. ( c) A “Foreign Post Office” is an office of exchange in which the work of assessment of customs duty on foreign mails is also carried out. Although mails may be intercepted (and articles not suspected to contain anything dutiable released) in many exchange offices, the work of actual assessment of duty (and opening of articles for this purpose where necess ary) is done only in the Foreign Post Offices. Articles received in one office of exchange and suspected to contain dutiable goods, for delivery from an office nearer another office of exchange are directed to the latter for actual examination and assessment of duty. (d) A “Sub-Foreign Post Office” is an office which is not an exchange office (i.e., which does not close bags for other countries and which does not receive from foreign countries bags addressed it) but in which the work of customs examination, assessment and accounting of customs duty is carried out. Such sub-Foreign Post Offices are opened mainly for the convenience of senders and addressees who may be required to present documents, etc., for the release or dispatch of their foreign articles.
Transit Sections - Transit Sections are traveling offices of the Railway Mail Service working on Railway or river steamer lines. The officer-in-charge of a set of a transit section is called a Mail Guard or Mail Agent. NOTE.- Sections are numbered serially and designated by the name of the RMS Division followed by the Serial No.
Mail Office.- Mail Offices are stationary offices of the Railway Mail Service and are of two kinds, viz., Sorting Mail Offices and transit Mail Offices. T he principal point of difference is that, while the former deal with the contents of mail bags addressed to them as well as with closed forward bags, the latter deal only with closed bags. The officer in-charge of a set of a Sorting Mail Office is designated a Head Sorting Assistant and the officer in –charge of a set of transit Mail Office, a Mail Agent irrespective of the status of the incumbent.
Corporate Mail Office or Bulk Mail Centre (CMO/BMO).- Consequent on the increase of corporate mail, RMS units, viz., Corporate Mail Offices/Bulk Mail Centres are opened in big cities. Each bulk Mailer, i.e., a firm which is capable of posting of 5000 unregistered articles/250 registered articles at a time is identified a bulk mailer. These bulk mailers are supplied with customized sorting list. Bundles are prepared by the bulk mailers as per the customized sorting list. The details of bundles prepared are entered in one invoice which is prepared in duplicate and brought to Bulk Mail Centre. The officer in-charge of the center verifies bundles received from each bulk mailers with reference to invoice received and group them destination-wise for further despatch.
Mass mailing Centre (MMC).- In order to help the customers who are regularly posting maximum number of letters, Department of Posts started assistance centres which are called Mass Mailing Centres in bigger cities. The responsibility of this Centre is to receive the loose letters, circulars and blank envelopes separately from the customers and help them in writing the addresses, enclose the circulars/letters inside the envelopes and if necessary, affixing the postage stamps/franking the mail. For this purpose, Mass Mailing Centre may engage the assistance of college students, house-wives, pensioners, etc., on payment of some amount on hourly basis. To meet this expenditure, the customers will have to pay extra in addition to the postage as decided by the Department from time to time.
Press Sorting Office (PSO).- This sorting office is situated on the premises of the Newspaper. The entire expenditure towards wages for the establishment is borne by the Newspaper publisher apart from providing required stationery for working the sorting office. This office works to suit t he dispatch timing of the newspaper and closes direct letter bags to the Post Offices/sorting offices concerned which are dispatched through local regular sorting offices. NOTE- Mail offices located at Railway Stations are designated by the names of the stations followed by the letters RMS while those not so located are designated sorting offices, e.g., Delhi RMS Hindustan Times Press Sorting Offices.
Record Office.- A Record Office is a stationary office of the Railway Mail Service where the work-papers of the sections attached to it are prepared, checked and placed on record, and by which all forms, bags and stationery required for the use of those sections are supplied. The official in-charge of a Record Office is designated a Record Officer.
Head Record Office.- It is a stationary office situated at the Headquarters of RMS Division which, in addition to the ordinary duties of a Record Office is entrusted, with the preparation salary and contingent bills for the entire Division and the accounts connected therewith is termed a Head Record Office. The official incharge of a Head Record Office is designated a Head Record Officer.
Sub-record office.- A sub-record office is a stationary office of the Railway Mail Service, situated at the same station as a Mail Office, where the workpapers of the Mail Office as well as the sections, if any, attached to the Sub-Record Office are prepared, checked and place on record and by which all forms, bags and stationery required for the use of the Mail Office and the sections are supplied. The official in-charge of a Sub-Record Office is designated a Sub-Record Officer. A SubRecord Officer may also work as Head Sorting Assistant or Sub-Sorting Assistant or Mail Agent.
Bag Office.- For avoiding unnecessary movement of bags, the new system of bag accounting has been introduced classifying PO/RMS Office into Bag Office: the office handling it as under:-
Unit Bag Office (UBO).- Every Post Office other than Branch Post Offices and EDSOs is identified as Unit Bag Office. This office is given a minimum/maximum bag balances once in a year by the Superintendent of Post Offices concerned preferably on 1st July. Each office will maintain a day bag book and submit a daily bag balance report to its District Bag Office.
District Bag Office (DBO).- Every HRO/SRO in RMS is identified as a District Bag Office. This Office will maintain bag account for all types of bags category-w ise not only in respect of bags received and dispatched by the Sorting Offices and TMOs attached too them but also in respect of UBO attached to them. In exceptional cases, Head Post Offices can also function as DBO.
Circle Bag Office (CBO)- The Postal Stores Depot situated at the Headquarters of Postal Circle is identified as Circle Bag Office. This office is responsible for inspection of DBOs and UBOs and verification of balances. This office is also responsible for procurement of bags, distribution of bags, repair and auction of bags.
Central Bag Office.- ‘D’ Section of Postal Directorate works as Central Bag Office. This does not deal with any bags but only deals with the correspondence relating to procurement and distribution of bags. NOTE- Wherever the terms “Record Office’ and “Record Officer” are used, they include Head and Sub-Record Offices and Head and Sub-Record Clerks, respectively, unless there is anything to the contrary in the extent.
Sorting Assistant.- The term Sorting Assistant is used to designate all officials in the Railway Mail Service other than Supervising Officers, Mail Guards and Class IV servants.
Subsidiary Sorting Assistant.- A Sorting Assistant who works with a Sorting Office over only a portion of its working hours to assist the set where the work is heavy is called a Subsidiary Sorting Assistant.
Set of Section.- The establishment of RMS Sorting Assistants which works together throughout the beat of the same section in both directions is termed a set of that particular section. Sets are numbered serially and are designated by their serial numbers preceded by the name of the section. Thus A-26/Set No. 4 denotes the fourth set of A-26 Section. Each set of the same section has the same working hours, same number of officials and the same mail exchange arrangement. The number of set of a section are determined on the basis of weekly working hours.
Set of a Mail Office.- The establishment of RMS Sortin g Assistants which is on duty at the same time in Mail Office is termed a set. The sets of Mail Offices are numbered in a consecutive series, Set No. 1 commencing at or immediately after zero hours. Thus, Nagpur RMS/1 denotes the first set of Nagpur RMS working in the morning. Unlike the sets of a section, each set of a Mail Office has different working hours, different mail and sorting pattern. The strength may also vary depending upon the volume of work. In the case of the sets of a Mail Office working on alternate nights with the same number of officials and the same mail and sorting pattern, the words ‘Batch A’ and ‘Batch B’ shall be used in addition to the usual consecutive number. Thus: Nagpur RMS/Set No. 3 Batch ‘A’ Nagpur RMS/Set No. 3 Batch ‘B’ The batches ‘A’ and ‘B’ will be working on alternate night. NOTE- Suffixes like “Parcel’, “PSO”, “Regd. Packet”, “TMO”, etc., may be used to denote the Sorting Offices with particular functions and separate serials may be used for numbering Sets of such Sorting Offices as “Chennai Sorting Parcel Set 2”, “Bangalore City TMO Set 1” and “Bangalore City TMO Set 2”.
Labelled bundle.-
A labelled bundle is a collection of faced unregistered articles of the letter mail securely tied with a check-slip at the top. It is treated in sorting as a single article, and is opened by the office or section to which it is addressed.
Labelled bundle s are of two classes, viz., station bundles and sorting bundles:- (i) A station bundle contains station unregistered articles, and may be either a paid articles bundle, consisting of only paid articles, or an unpaid articles bundle consisting of only unpaid articles. Station bundles are prepared, ordinarily, when the number of articles – either paid or unpaid – for any office exceeds fourteen. (ii) A sorting bundle contains both paid and unpaid unregistered articles which are not included in station bundles. Sorting bundles may be of two kinds, viz., express bundles and deferred bundles. An express bundle contains articles which require to be sorted immediately on receipt by the Mail Office or Post Office to which they are consigned, and a deferred bundle contains articles which can be disposed of later. When a sorting bundle is prepared for a state, a clearly defined tract of country, or a foreign country, it is termed a territorial bundle. Territorial bundles are prepared when the number of articles is 25 and more.
Labelled bundles are not due. Pre-sorted bundles.- These are received from the customers as well as from Post Offices. These should not be opened if they are station bundles and can be opened and sorted, only if they are sorting bundles.
Check-slip.- A check-slip is a label tied to the top of the labeled bundle: the from is printed on paper of different colours, pink for ordinary paid and unpaid bundles, white or ordinary sorting bundles and blue with the words “Air Mail” for foreign air mail bundles. The white check-slip is used for both express and deferred bundles, the slip being marked on the face with 2 diagonal lines in blue pencil, for express bundle. The slip being marked on the face with 2diagonal lines in green colour for local articles, yellow strip in corner for Rajdhani and blue strip in corner for Metro bundles. Every check-slip bears the name and date stamps of the office which prepares the bundle, the name of the office to which it is addressed and signature infull of the officer by whom it is made up. In case of a territorial bundle, it also shows the name of the State, Territory, etc., to which the articles in the bundle are addressed as well as the office by which it is to be opened, thus:- (Delhi Air Sorting) Check-slips are designated to fix responsibility for the mis-sending of any article wrongly included in a labeled bundle.
Money Order Check-slip.- A check-slip (M.O. 70) printed in red ink on white or Badami paper is prescribed for use in preparing money orders bundles for dispatch to destination. The number of money orders included in the bundle is required to noted on this check-slip.
Mail bags.- (1) A mail bag is a bag containing unregistered and registered articles of the letter mail, viz., letters, postcards, and book and pattern packets: and also unregistered parcels, the registered articles being enclosed in a registered bag: but when a registered packet bag is prescribed, heavy registered packets, are dispatched inside the registered packet bag and not inside the mail bag. When parcel bags are not prescribed, mail bags may also contain articles of the parcel mail. A mail bag exchanged between a Branch office and a Post Office other than its accounts office, mail office or section, with which it is in direct communication contains all fully prepaid articles except V.P. and insured articles and those on which customs duty is to be realized. There are three kinds of mail bags, viz., station mail bags, sorting mail bags and combined mail bags, Mail Bags are due bags. (2) Mail bags exchanged between a cash office and the sub-office which it finances will also contain inside the registered bag, a cash bag. These mail bags are denoted in the due mail lists of the cash office, of the sub-office and of the offices through which they transit by a distinguishing symbol “F”. NOTE – In any case in which the Head of the Circle or the Heads of the Circles concerned consider it advantageous that the Registered bag should not be sent inside the mail bag, the Registered bag may be forwarded outside. All bags including those in the nature of ‘L’ bags should invariably be sealed. The arrangement will be clearly indicated in the Due Mail and Routing List.
Airmail bag.- A mail bag containing unregistered and registered articles to be carried by any air service under the All Up Scheme is called an airmail bag. The bag should not contain articles not intended to be carried by air. A blue dosuti bag should ordinarily be used for closing an airmail bag. NOTE 1.- If on any occasion there is no article for dispatch in a particular air mail bag, a bag with ‘nil’ contents need not be closed, but a suitable entry should be made in the delivery bill that no bag has been closed as there was no content. If the number of articles to be dispatched is less than fifty and there is also no insured article or air parcel for dispatch in an airmail bag, an airmail cover of suitable size should be used instead of a bag. NOTE 2- When an air parcel is sent inside an airmail bag, the label of the bag should bear the superscription “C.A.P” to indicate that it contains air parcel. NOTE 3.- Registered articles should not be enclosed in a bag unless their number exceeds 25 or they are bulky or there are insured articles for dispatch. But they should be bundled and tied up crosswise along with the registered list, with a suitable check-slip prominently marked ‘REGISTERED’ and the bundle should be sealed with the registration seal on the knot which should come on the check-slip. This bundle is to be tied lengthwise and breadth wise to ensure that no article gets loose and mixed up with unregistered articles. This bundle may then be placed in the air mail cover of bag. Whenever registere d bags are used in enclosing registered articles for dispatch inside air mail bags, normal rules for closing registered bags should be followed. Whenever a bag is used for enclosing registered articles not exceeding 25 due to their bulk and unusual size, a remark should invariably be passed on the registered list to that effect. NOTE 4.- The weight of an air mail bag or air TB should not exceed 30 kg.
Registered bundle.- (1) A registered bundle is a collection of faced, uninsured registered articles of the letter mail placed, together with a registered list, in a prescribed form of envelope, carefully gummed and sealed, or if necessary, in a dosuti bag, tied and sealed in the ordinary way, with the label showing distinctly that it is a “registered bundle” and not a ‘registered bag’. Registered bundles are not due, but are made up, ordinary, when the number of registered articles to be enclosed exceeds two; they are treated in sorting as single registered articles. 27-A. Registered bundles from customers.- The customers booking their articles in bulk prepare station and TB bundles in the same manner as discussed above and present them at the sorting office.
Registered bag.- (1) A registered bag contains cash bag, ordinary and V.P. registered letters and packets, insured envelopes, registered bundles, insured bundles, ordinary and V.P. money order bundles tied with a check-slip, and a registered list. NOTE – The registered bag inside a mail bag indicated by symbol ‘P’ in the D.M. list will also contain a cash bag. (2) A registered bag is a due bag and must be prepared, together with a registered list, whether there is a cash bag or registered articles for dispatch or not. (3) The registered list sent in registered bags which are prescribed to contain a cash bag must invariably bear, in addition to the Registration Date-Stamp impression, the impression of the treasury date-stamp of the office closing the bag, or in offices where there is no treasury date-stamp, the round money order stamp of the SubPostmaster.
Speed Post Bag.- This bag contains Speed Post articles, Speed Post Money orders and a Speed Post list. In the Speed Post list, the number of articles and the office of booking in invariably written and totals are struck at the bottom.
Insured bundle.- (1) An insured bundle is a collection of insured letters enclosed, together with a registered list, in an insured envelope, or if necessary, in a dosuti bag, properly closed and sealed, showing distinctly on the envelope or the label of the bag that it is an “Insured Bundle”. Insured bundles are not due, but are made up ordinarily, when the number of insured letters for dispatch to a Post Office is more than one; they are treated in sorting as single insured enve lopes. When the number of insured letters and I.Bs to be disposed of through a Mail Office is usually more than ten, a separate insured letter bag addressed to that mail office may be prescribed to be closed as a separate due bag. The insured letter bag should be dispatched inside the registered bag with suitable remarks in the registered list.
Parcel bag.- A parcel bag contains ordinary registered parcels, V.P. parcels and insured bags. It also contains a parcel list in which all the registered articles of the parcel mail are entered in detail. Parcel bags are not due bags, and when dispatched they are treated as unusual mails.
Insured bag.- An insured bag is intended to give cover to insured parcels (including insured V.P. parcels) so as to afford them greater security. Insured bags do not come under the category either of due or unusual bags nor do they contain any list of their contents, these being detailed in the ordinary parcel list. An insured bag is never dispatched loose, but is always enclosed in a parcel bag or mail bag. It is placed inside the parcel bag when a parcel bag is made up for the office or section to which it is addressed; when a parcel bag is not made up, it is placed inside the mail bag. However, in large parcel sorting offices, when insured parcel bags are closed separately, double canvas bags should be used for the purpose of ensuring security.
Registered packet bag. – (1) A registered packet bag contains heavy registered packets and a registered list. Registered packet bags are prescribed when justified. They are treated as due mails and entered under the column for entries of mail bags in the mail list with the remarks ‘RP’ against the entry. When prescribed, they must be closed irrespective of the fact whether there are any registered packets or not. Such registered packet bags may also be closed, though not due, when the Registered packets intended for any office or section cannot, due to their bulky size, be included in the registered bag. In such cases, a remark ‘RP bag closed’ is to be given in the registered list of the due registered bag. (2) Packet bag.- Bags returned empty to UBO/DBO/CBO/PO or sacks containing such bags are treated as packet bags. Packet bags are not due bags and when dispatched they are treated as unusual mail.
Transit bag.- A transit bag is used to enclose several bags sent to the same office or section thereby affording protection to them, and securing the disposal in transit of only one bag in place of several. A transit bag must contain a mail list. Transit bags are due bags.
Account bag. - An account bag is used between a sub-office and its Head Office to enclose cash bags and articles, documents, etc., connected with accounts as well as correspondence unconnected with accounts, from the Head Office to one of its sub-offices and vice versa. When sent by the Head Office to the sub-office, it contains the S.O. slip and when sent by the sub-office to the Head Office, it contains the S.O. daily acc ount. Account bags may be loose or enclosed in mail bags made up by Post Offices and Mail Offices. Account bags are due bags. They should contain all types of postal articles posted in SOs deliverable at HO and vice versa.
Branch office bag. - A branch office bag is used between a branch office and its account office to enclose cash bags and all articles, documents, etc., exchanged with the account office. Branch office bags may be sent loose or enclosed in mail bags made up by Post Offices and Ma il Offices. Branch office bags are due bags.
Cash bag. - A cash bag is used to enclose remittances of cash between Post Offices. Cash bags are not due bags. They are ordinarily dispatched enclosed in account bags, registered bags, or branch offic e bags, but may also be sent loose in the charge of postman, village postman, overseer, or other subordinate.
Special bag.- A special bag is used to enclose correspondence of the high officers of Government mentioned in the Post Office Guide, Part-I, as entitled to the privilege, and the correspondence of the Director-General of Posts when on tour. A special bag contains unregistered and registered articles of the letter mail, the latter being tied in a separate bundle with the registered list in which they are entered placed on top. Special bags are not due bags, but when dispatched they are treated as unusual mails.
Camp bag. - A camp bag is used to enclose the office files and other official papers, and is closed by the Secretariat or Headquarters offices of the high officers mentioned in Clause 198 of Post Office Guide, Part-I, for the High Officer-inCamp, and vice versa. Camp bags are not due bags, but when dispatched, they are treated as unusual mails.
Telegraph cover.- A telegraph cover (Form T.I. 60) is used to enclose express telegrams, telegraph envelopes closed by Post Offices, telegraphic advices, etc., when their transmission in the ordinary course as service registered letters is likely to cause delay in their disposal, and one must always be used to enclose telegraph envelopes received from local telegraph office for dispatch to another telegraph office. The6y are treated as unusual mails and sent loose, but may in exceptional circumstances be enclosed in a mail or transit bag.
Changing station - A Railway Station, where the beats of two transit sections join and where the mails brought by one of them are handed over to the other, is called a changing station.
Connecting section.- A connecting section is an RMS section working in a train in immediate connection with another train in which another RMS section works. If the interval between the arrival of one section and the departure of another is sufficient to connect bags being made up by a mail office at the junction station, the sections are not termed “connecting sections”.
Overtime duty. - The expression overtime duty means the duty performed under the orders of the Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Inspector or Record Officer by a Sorting Assistant, Mail Guard, Van-Peon, Porter, or other staff of the RMS after the completion of prescribed term of duty.
Rest house.- Rest-houses are houses or rooms provided at terminal or changing stations for the accommodation of Mail Agents, Mail Guards and Van Peons where absolutely necessary.
Cage TB.- When a lot of bags are available at distant places, Cage TB facility is utilized. For instance, Chennai Central Station TMO has got 350 bags intended for the delivery at Howrah Station. If these bags are given to the Section leaving Chennai Central Section TMO, viz., TP-16-OUT, all these bags are required to be handled by TP-16-OUT and other intermediary sections, viz., V-10-IN, V-14- OUT and N-2-IN. If the Cage TB facility is used, the Chennai Central Station TMO can load all the bags in a partition in the Mail Van of the train (TP-16-OUT) and lock the partition so that TP-16-OUT and other intervening sections need not handle these bags. This partition which is locked sealed and labeled by Chennai Central Station TMO can be opened only by the Mail Agent at Howrah Station TMO after N-2-IN reaches Howrah Station. Cage TB facility avoids unnecessary handling of bags by intermediate sections.
Press packet.- A press packet is a packet containing newspapers intended for sale by a news-agent recognized as such and marked for delivery from the Railway Mail Service van at the Railway station to which it is addressed.
A Orders.- A orders are orders issued by a Superintendent, RMS prescribing changes in sorting lists.
B orders are orders issued by a Superintendent, RMS for the guidance of the subordinates in the performance of their duties in Mail Offices on all subjects except alternations in sorting lists. NOTE – The letter ‘T’ will be prefixed to the letter ‘B’ in the case of ‘B’ orders issued in connection with the disposal of camp articles and camp bags for high officials on tour.
Work-papers.- The expression work-papers means the documents received and dispatched by a set of a Transit Section or Mail Office as well as abstracts and other documents prepared by it while at work.
Due Mail and Sorting List.- The due mail list shows the details of bags to be received and dispatched by a Mail Office/ Transit Section. It will show (a) in what cases mail lists are to be dispatched and received with loose bags (b) transit bags are to be used (c) account bags and B.O. bags are to be sent or received in mail bags, (d) in the case of sub-office, the mail bags containing cash bags enclosed in registered bags. The sorting list will show (a) for what offices, mail bags and registered bags are to be made up (b) to what offices parcel mail articles may be sent direct and the manner in which they must be dispatched.
Due mails and unusual mails.- The term due mail comprises all the bags, articles and documents which must be dispatched every day or at regular intervals. The terms unusual mail comprises parcel bags, packet bas, special bags, camp bags, telegraph bags and any other bags not included in the term “due mail”.
Face and facing. - The face of an article is the side on which the address is written. The terms ‘facing’ means the arrangement of articles with the address-side upwards and the addresses turned in the same direction.
Beat.- The term beat used in relation to a RMS section means the portion of a Railway or Steamer line over which the section works. When used in relation to postal overseers and delivery agents, such as, postmen, village postmen, etc., it denotes the area within which they are required to perform their respective duties. A beat includes Post Office served by the official concerned..
Camp correspondence.- The expression camp correspondence means letters and other articles of correspondence addressed “camp” or with any other prescribed address, without the addition of the name of any post-town, and intended for high officers on tour.
Late letters and too late letters.- Late letters are letters presented at the window of a Post Office or Mail Office or posted in the letter box of a Mail Office after the prescribed hour of closing the mail but within the interval allowed for posting of such letters with the prescribed late fee affixed in addition to the postage. “Too late” letters are those posted within such interval but without having been fully prepaid with postage and late fee. These are stamped “Detained late fee not paid” and detained till the next dispatch.
Mis-sent and mis-directed articles.- A mis-sent article is an article which has been erroneously forwarded by an office to an office other than the office of destination or by a route other than the prescribed one. A mis-directed article is a vernacular article on which the incorrect destination has been written in English by the office of posting.
Trial cards.- Trial cards are service Post Cards [M 26 (a)] which are employed for the purpose of determining the relative advantage of alternative mail routes or the cause of detention to articles. A trial card contains on the back the following printed columns, viz., (1) Source of receipt (2) Remarks, misconnection, etc., (3) Manner of disposal, (4) Date stamp of the Office or Section, (5) Signature of Head Sorting Assistant/Postmaster/Supervisor. All these columns should be carefully filled in by the Head Sorting Assistant, the Postmaster or Supervisor of each office or section handling the card and on reaching the destination the Postmaster should also note the date and hour of the mail conveying the card and the date and hour of delivery of the card before the same is returned in a service cover to the officer by whom it was issued. The card should be forwarded by the route if any, marked therein and should not be included in any station bundle.