India's Parliament... 60 years on

Today is the 60th anniversary of the first sitting of India's Parliament.

Most interesting facts and factoids

Parliament Building

Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker. The foundation stone was laid on February 12, 1921 and the building was formally inaugurated by the then governor-general Lord Irwin on January 18, 1927. The total cost of construction: Rs 83 lakh.

Inside parliament are the Central Hall, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. There is also a four-storeyed circular building that houses committee rooms, parliamentary offices and rooms for media persons who come to cover parliamentary proceedings. The parliament library is the second largest in India. While the Central Hall is air-cooled, the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and reading rooms are air-conditioned. There are six lifts in the complex.

Central Hall

On normal parliament days, Central Hall is where MPs congregate for informal discussions. But it has a more formal role. Visiting heads of states address MPs here; the president of India gives a speech to members at the beginning of the first session after general elections as also the first session of each year.

Voting
Voting in parliament is done electronically. Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have an integrated microphone management system. Every member's seat has a voting console with coloured buttons - green for "Aye", red for "No" and yellow for "Abstain".

Question Hour

Usually parliament starts work at 11 am. The first hour (ie, till 12 noon or so), MPs can ask questions regarding government activity, policy, etc.

Zero Hour

Takes place just after Question Hour. Usually around 12 noon. MPs can bring up any topic for discussion during this period. However, they have to inform the Speaker by 10 am.

Questions

During Question Hour, MPs grill the government. The most common way is by asking "starred" or "unstarred" questions:

Starred questions are those that need a verbal reply from the concerned minister. MPs have the option of asking supplementary questions. For unstarred questions, a minister can give written answers. No supplementary questions are entertained.

Privileges

Because they are people's representatives, MPs have some rights and immunities. These privileges can not be challenged in court. The Parliamentary Privileges Committee, made up of MPs, is the sole arbitrator.

Secretariats

Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have separate secretariats under the Speaker and Rajya Sabha chairman. There are also two secretary generals to oversee the running of the secretariats. Parliamentary staff have the same rank as their central government counterparts. Recruitment is done by the secretariats. Parliamentary expenditure comes from the Consolidated Fund of India.

Source:-The Times of India

Central Govt Employees Holiday Home at PortBlair

PortBlair, May 8 (PTI) The Central Government Holiday Home here was inaugurated by additional director general of Central Public Works department R S Sheoran, official sources said today, Sheoran inaugurated the Holiday Home located in the Central Government Offices Complex in Lamabaline, Port Blair yesterday. Inaugurating the Holiday Home, Sheoran said the Holiday home will attract more central Government employees to these islands and thereby boosting up the tourism development of the region. He said the government employees find difficulties in getting comfortable accommodation at reasonable rates at Port Blair owing to acute shortage of accommodation in the administration as well as CPWD Guest houses. He hoped that with the opening of the Holiday Home, the serving and retired Government employees will be benefited to a greater extent. He also announced that the online booking of accommodation at the home will be started soon and the allotments will be given with effect from May 15. PTI COR

INDIA POST CELEBERATES 25 YEARS OF SPEED POST SERVICE

Shri Kapil Sibal gives away Awards to Top Postal Circles

            Shri Kapil Sibal ,Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology today inaugurated the two day annual conference of Heads of Circle of the Department of Posts. A special cover to mark 25 years of Speed Post was also released by the Minister on the occasion. The Minister gave away prizes to top three Postal Circles for generating highest rate of revenue growth in Speed Post during 2010-11, on the occasion.

            While Karnataka Circle walked away with the first prize and DG Post’s Rolling Trophy, Jammu and Kashmir Circle and Jharkhand Circle secured the second and third position respectively. Speed Post is the premium Express Mail Service of India Post. It was launched in August, 1986 to meet the “felt-need” of the developing Indian economy. It offers a time-bound and assured delivery of letters, documents and parcels up to 35kg across the nation and around the world.

            The Speed Post network is the largest Express Service Network in India. It covers all major towns & cities. Web-based Track and Trace service is provided for Speed Post articles on the India Post website (www.indiapost.gov.in). Insurance facility is also available for sending valuable items under Speed Post, Regular customers enjoy free pick up, credit facility under Book Now Pay Later Scheme and attractive volume based discounts.

            Over the past 25 years, Speed Post has steadily continued to grow in terms of volumes with monthly volumes exceeding 2.5 crore articles in 2011-12. The Department of Posts set-up a Business Development Directorate in 1996 which was re-organized as Business Development & Marketing Directorate in 2005, to provide impetus to business activitie4s concerning Speed Post and a number of other business products.

            The last 25 years have been a journey of success for Speed Post with economical rates, safety and reliability as the hallmarks of the service.

BK/AT
(Release ID :83256)(PIB)

Modernisation of Post Offices

The Government plans to set up 1000 Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and carry out computerization of Post Offices in the country as part of its ongoing modernization and upgradation drive.

The Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Shri Sachin Pilot informed the Lok Sabha today that the Department of Posts proposes to set up 1000 ATMs. 820 Head Post Offices have been identified for setting up ATMs across the country. Shri Pilot said that remaining 180 Post Offices will be identified during implementation phase. Of these a maximum 100 ATMs would be set up in Andhra Pradesh.

The Minister said nearly 25000 Departmental Post Offices have been computerized. The Department offers a number of premium services like Speed Post, Express Parcel Post, Logistics Post etc. to generate additional revenue for the Department, he added.

Posting of redeployed surplus staff in IP Cadre in Sambalpur Region

The following candidates, under redeployment of surplus staff in the grade of Inspector of Posts vide DG (Posts) No.7-27/2011-SPB-II dated 20.12.2011, have been posted against the posts mentioned against each below vide R.O., Sambalpur Memo No. ST/RO/150-6(B)/2011 dated 12/4/2012.

Sl.No.	Name of the officer	Place of Posting
1.	Shri Samir Kumar Dutta	IP(PG), Sundargarh Division
2.	Smt. Rupa Ghosh	IP(PG), Sambalpur Division

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS & IT
DEPARTMENT OF POSTS
(ESTABLISHMENT DIVISION)
                                                                                                                      Dak Bhawan
                                                                                                                      Sansad Marg
                                                                                                                      NEW DELHI-110 001
No.14-01/2011-PAP Dt.12th April,2012

To
    All Chief Postmasters General,
    All G.Ms.(PAF)/Director of Accounts (Postal).

Subject::-  Payment of Dearness Allowance to Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS) at revised rates with effect from 01-01-2012 onwards - Reg.

Consequent upon grant of another installment of dearness allowance with effect from 01st JANUARY, 2012 to Central Government Employees, vide Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure O.M. No.1(1)/2012-EII(B), dated 3rd April, 2011, duly endorsed vide this Department's letter No.8-1/2012-PAP Dated 3.4.12, the Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS), have also become entitled to the payment of dearness allowance on basic TRCA at the revised rate with effect from 01-01-2012. It has, therefore, been decided that the dearness allowance payable to the Gramin Dak Sevaks shall be enhanced from the existing rate of 58% to 65% on the basic Time Related Continuity Allowance, with effect from 1st January, 2012.
2. The additional installment of dearness allowance payable under this order shall be paid in cash to all Gramin Dak Sevaks. The payment of arrears of dearness allowance for the month of January to March, 2012, shall not be made before the date of disbursement of TRCA of March, 2012.
3. The expenditure on this account will be debited to the Sub Head 'Salaries' under the relevant head and should be met from the sanctioned grant.
4. This issues with the concurrence of Integrated Finance Wing vide their Diary No.104/FA/12/CS, dated 12TH April, 2012

Yours faithfully
Sd/-
(KALPANA RAJSINGHOT)
DIRECTOR (ESTT

CLOSED HOLIDAY ON 14TH APRIL 2012 ON ACCOUNT OF BIRTHDAY OF DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR-REG.

CLOSED HOLIDAY ON 14^TH APRIL 2012 ON ACCOUNT OF BIRTHDAY OF DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR-REG.

Sub: Closed Holiday on 14^th April 2012 on account of birthday of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar-Reg.

D.G. Posts No. 21-01/2010-PE-II dated 11.04.2012.

I am directed to forward herewith a copy of O.M. No. 12/2/2012-JCA-2 dated 27.03.2012 received from Department of Personnel and Training, on the above subject mentioned above for information and necessary action.

2. HOC/Regions are requested to bring the above decision to the notice of all concerned.

Sd/-

(Kalpana Rajsinghot)

Director(Estt.)