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India Post's gadgets to streamline NREGA payment
NEW DELHI: India Post will provide gadgets such as biometric fingerprint scanners , magnetic strip readers and thermal printers to its 1,30,000 rural offices to smoothen the process of verification and payment under the national rural employment guarantee scheme .

It has charted out an ambitious rural information technology (IT) plan that will make the wage disbursement under the scheme paperless, said an official with the department who asked not to be named. Although NREGA is administered by the ministry of rural development, payments under the UPA government's flagship job safety programme are routed through the postal network and bank branches. The postal department services more than half of the wage earners under the scheme in most states of the country.

The government has allocated Rs 40,100 crore for NREGA in 2010-11 . It is estimated that the rural development ministry will be able to utilise only about Rs 35,000 crore in the current year. A total of 179,43,189 families have been provided employment under the scheme till June 30 this year.


The devices offered to the post offices will have an in-built global positioning system (GPS) to determine the frequency of the postal staff's visits to the villages, which will ensure accountability on the part of the branch post masters. This will also help the department map its delivery territory.


The move will help the hugely popular scheme to check leakage of funds owing to fake attendance under the scheme.
In some states of North East, it was found that funds were transferred under the scheme to even doctors and engineers. In Uttar Pradesh alone the leakage is estimated at . 850 crore annually.


The department has invited participation of private players in this regard. The IT revamp, which will happen in phases, is expected to be completed in two years, said an official with the ministry of communications and information technology.


To ensure that the process is made hassle-free, the devices will have portable web cameras with enabling features such as Bluetooth and wifi access for seamless transfer of data that may be required under the verification process for accounts.


Transactions under the scheme will happen only when the wage earner's biometric information is matched with data stored in the department's electronic database.


"Our devices will be compliant with standards issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India," said YP Rai, deputy director general (rural business) at India Post.


As network availability in most rural areas is inconsistent, the devices will have facility to function both online and offline. To address the problem of inadequate power supply, the devises will have an in-built battery with solar chargers.

30 Nov, 2010, 06.16AM IST, Souvik Sanyal,ET Bureau


Monday, November 29, 2010
Sub: Introduction of Postmaster Cadre in Postal Wing.
MOST IMMEDIATE
No.4-17/2008-SPB-II
Government of India
Ministry of Communications & IT
Department of Posts

Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg
New Delhi-110001
Dated, 22nd November, 2010

To

All Chief Post Masters General.

Sub: Introduction of Postmaster Cadre in Postal Wing.

Sir/Madam,

I am directed to say that Department of Posts operates mainly through its about 25500 Departmental Post Offices. The services it offers have grown in the traditional areas of sale of stamps, booking of Money orders and Registered letters as also in Savings Bank functions, especially where Post Offices disburse NREGA wages to beneficiaries. In many post offices these activities are carried out electronically, new services like e-payment, e-post etc is also offered. Further the Department has also entered into agreements with private players like Western Union for money transfers. In the areas of mail, both express, parcel and traditional, the Department of Posts faces tremendous competition. It has to offer excellent services by way of continuous upgrades in quality and in the add on value of its mail products, like IOD, national billing, same day delivery of corporate mail etc.

2. In spite of the long existence of the Post Offices and challenges being faced by the Department from private players in the field there had never been an exclusive cadre for Postmasters. The Postal Assistants, LSG/HSG-II, I etc. are posted to man the posts of Postmasters. This system served the Department quite well till some time back. But now in order to improve/upgrade the functioning of the Post Offices, meet the present day requirement of specialization in Postal office management in the wake of introduction f technology, challenges from market and to increase productivity it has absolutely become essential to ensure that key Post Offices are headed by professional managers. Thus. in order to ensure that professionally qualified, trained and meritorious officials head the key Post Offices, it has been decided to introduce a separate cadre of Postmasters comprising the following grades by carving out the posts from existing General Line posts as ordered vide this Directorates letter No.13-2/2010-PE-I dt. 03.02.2010:

I. Senior Postmaster 116 Posts
(Rs.9300-34800+Rs.4800 Grade Pay).

II. Postmaster Gr-III 495 Posts
(Rs.9300-34800+4600 Gr. Pay)

III. Postmaster Gr-II 511 Posts
(Rs.9300-34800+Rs.4200 Gr. Pay)

IV. Postmaster Gr-I 2097 Posts
(Rs.5200-20200+Rs. 2800 Gr. Pay)

3. The Recruitment Rules of the above stated grades have since been framed and notified. A copy of the Recruitment Rules called the Department of Posts, Senior Postmaster (Group B Gazetted), Postmaster (Grade 'III and II'-Group B non-Gazetted) and Postmaster (Grade I-Group C non-Gazetted) Recruitment Rules, 2010, dated 9th September,2010 is forwarded herewith.

4. The number of posts in the various grades of the Postmaster carved out of the existing General Line posts in various Postal Circles is being issued separately.

5. Thus it may be noted that:

I. A separate cadre of Postmasters has been created at the level of LSG, HSG-II, HSG-I and PS Gr 'B' by carving out the cadre from the existing General Line Cadre posts in Postal Wing and PS Gr 'B' and designated as Postmaster Gr.I. Postmaster Gr.II, Postmaster Gr.III and Senior Postmaster.

II. Initial constitution of the various Grades of Postmaster shall be done by inviting options/applications from the existing incumbents of LSG, HSG-II, HSG-I in Post offices and PS Gr. 'B'.

III. In subsequent years all the vacancies in Postmaster Gr.I shall be filled up through a Limited Departmental Competitive Examination, from amongst PAs with 5 years regular service in the grade.

IV. All the vacancies in Postmaster Gr.II posts shall be filled up by promotion from amongst Postmaster Gr.I with 6 years regular service in the grade (including regular service in LSG, if any).

V. All the vacancies in Postmaster Gr.III posts shall be filled up by promotion from amongst Postmaster Gr.II with 5 years regular service the grade (including regular service in HSG II. If any)

VI. 25% of vacancies in the grade of Sr. Postmaster will be filled up by promotion of Postmaster Gr. III with 2 years of regular service in the grade (including regular service in HSG I, if any) and 75% by Inspector of Posts (IPOs) with 6 years of regular service in the grade on the basis of Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE).

VII. The officials in PS Gr 'B' and Senior Postmaster (Gazetted) would be eligible for induction in IPOs, Gr 'A' on the basis of a consolidated eligibility list.

6. To begin with the Postal Circles, as per the provisions of the Recruitment Rules, may call for the options/applications with their bio-data from the willing officials holding the posts in the equivalent grades for appointment as Postmaster grade I, II and III respectively. While inviting for the applications it may be categorically stated that:

I. Once an official submits his application he will not be allowed to withdraw the same.

II. Officials who are still left with at least two years of service to retire may only apply in order to avoid their dislocation at the fag end of their service.

III. In the event of their appointment as Postmaster their further career progression will be in the hierarchy in the Postmaster their further career progression will be in the hierarchy in the Postmaster cadre only as per the provisions in the relevant Recruitment Rules and not in the General Line.

7. The applications so received may be scrutinized to find out the eligibility of the applicants. Thereafter the applications of the eligible applicants may be placed before the Screening Committee mentioned under Col. 11 of the respective grades for assessing their suitability based on their ACRs and vigilance clearance provided they attain the minimum bench mark of 'Good'. Those who are found suitable they may be arranged in the order of seniority for appointment in respective grade of postmaster as they enjoyed in the General Line.
8. If after filling up the posts as per procedure mentioned in above paragraph certain number of posts still remain unfilled the same shall be filled up by promotion as per the provision contained in col. 12 of the respective Recruitment Rules. It may please be noted that in that event the unfilled posts in Postmaster Gr.I will have to be filled up on the basis of Limited Departmental Competitive Examination. The pattern and scheme for Limited Departmental Competitive Examination to fill up the vacancies in the grade of Postmaster Gr.I would follow shortly.
9. All the Postal Circles are requested to follow the time-line mentioned below to fill up the posts of Postmaster:
(i) Date of Issue of Circular calling for the options/application 14.12.2010
for appointment as Postmaster Grade I, II and III.
(ii) Lastdateforreceiptofoptions/applicationsalongwith Bio-data. 15.01.2010
(iii)Completion of scrutiny of applications and obtaining 31.01.2011
Vigilance Clearance and ACR dossiers.
(iv)Submission to Screening Committee 10.02.2011
(v) Receipt of minutes of the Screening Committee 25.02.2011
(vi) Submission of the minutes to the appointing 01.03.2011
Authority for approval
(vii) Issue of appointment orders 16.03.2011

10. Thereafter the Postmasters so appointed may be deputed for training immediately in consultation with the Training Division of the Directorate.

11. The receipt of the letter may please be acknowledged.
Yours faithfully,

sd/-
(V.C. KAJLA)
DIRECTOR (SPN)
Tel.No.23096092
Copy to:

1. PS to MOC&IT.
2. PS to MOS (C&IT) (K).
3. PS to MOS (C&IT) (P).
4. Secretary (Posts).
5. All Members of the Postal Services Board/JS&FA.
6. Secretary (PSB)
7. CGM (BD)/ CGM(MB)/ CGM (PLI)/ Director, Postal Staff College, India, Ghaziabad.
8. All DDGs.
9. Director (Staff): For taking necessary action regarding appointment of Senior Postmasters.
10. Pr. Director of Audit, (Postal), Delhi-54
11. Additional Director General, APS, R.K.Puram, New Delhi-66.
12. Chief Engineer (Civil), HQ
13. Director, PTC, Mysore, is requested to host this letter with enclosure on website.
14. All Directors, Postal Training Centers.
15. All recognized Unions.
Sd/- (V.C. KAJLA)
DIRECTOR (SPN)