EMPHASIS ON TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY

COMMITTED TO RESPONSIVE PEOPLE-ORIENTED MODERN ADMINISTRATION

ASSURED CAREER PROGRESSION SCHEME LAUNCHED

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION BILL INTRODUCED

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Three Years of Government

The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions is the coordinating agency of the Central Government in personnel matters especially issues concerning recruitment, training, career development, staff welfare as well as post-retirement dispensation. The Ministry with its three Departments namely, Department of Personnel & Training, Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare and Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances is also concerned with the process of a responsive people-oriented modern administration.

Central Vigilance Commission Bill 1999

The Government had introduced the Central Vigilance Commission Bill, 1999 in the Lok Sabha on December 12, 1999. This Bill was referred to the Joint Committee of Parliament for examination and report. The Joint Committee of Parliament presented its Report to the Parliament on November 22, 2000. In its Report, the Joint parliamentary Committee made certain recommendations and the Government had considered the various recommendations and also the Central Vigilance Commission Bill, 1999. The matter is now before the Lok Sabha for its consideration and passing of the Central Vigilance Commission Bill, 1999.

The Lokpal Bill 2001

The Government has introduced the Lokpal Bill in the Lok Sabha on August 14, 2001. This Bill inter alia seeks to bring the Prime Minister within the purview of the Lokpal. However, this Bill stands referred to the Department-related Parliamentary Committee on Home Affairs for examination and report.

Freedom of Information Bill 2000

In order to make the Government more transparent, and accountable to the public, the Government of India appointed a Working Group on Right to Information and Promotion of Open and Transparent Government under the Chairmanship of Shri H.D. Shourie. The Working Group was asked to examine the feasibility and need for either full fledged Right to Information Act or its introduction in a phased manner to meet the needs of open and responsive governance. The said Working Group submitted its report in May, 1997, along with a draft Freedom of Information Bill, to the Government.

The draft Bill submitted by the Working Group was subsequently deliberated upon by the Group of Minister constituted by the Central Government to ensure that free flow of information was available to the public, while inter-alia protecting the national interest, sovereignty and integrity of India, and friendly relations with foreign States. Based on the recommendations of the Group of Ministers, the "Freedom of Information Bill, 2000" has been finalised by the Government and introduced in the Lok Sabha on July 25, 2000.

The Bill, as introduced in the Lok Sabha and pending therein, was referred to the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs for examination and report thereon. The Standing Committee has since presented its report to both the Houses of Parliament on July 25, 2001.

Assured Career Progression Scheme

On the recommendations of the Fifth Central Pay Commission and consultation with the Staff Side (National Council), JCM, the Government introduced an Assured Career Progression scheme effective from August, 9, 1999 as a `Safety Net' to stagnating Central Government Civilian employees who could not be promoted for long periods due to non-availability of vacancies in the promotional grades in the hierarchy. The ACP Scheme provides for grant of two financial upgradations in the hierarchical grades on completion of 12/24 years of regular service, respectively, to an employee purely on a personal basis where he has not been offered one/two regular promotions before completion of these periods. This upgradation is, however, subject to certain conditions as specified in the Scheme, including fulfillment of all promotional norms. The Scheme is applicable to all employees who are directly recruited to Group B, Group C and Group D, posts/services. It is not applicable to employees directly recruited to Group A posts/services. However, holders of all isolated posts, including Gr. A isolated posts, are also covered under the Scheme. Scale of Rs. 14,300-18,300 is the highest scale available under the Scheme.

Amendment to Constitution

The article 16(4A) of the Constitution has been amended to provide for consequential seniority to the Government servants belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the case of promotion by virtue of rule of reservation.

States' Reorganisation

Three new States of Jharkhand, Uttaranchal and Chhattisgarh have been carved out of the States of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh respectively as the 26th, 27th and 28th State under the Union of India. The creation of the new States required allocation of service personnel between the mother and successor States. The provisional allocation orders of nearly 40,000 State Service Personnel other than AII-India Services have been issued by the Central Government. The final allocation is being decided by three State Advisory Committees, one each for Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The State Advisory Committee, headed by a senior retired Civil Servant of the rank of Chief Secretary or equivalent, will finalise the list for final allocation to the successor States and would also consider representations from State government employees.

Centre for Public Policy

A UNDP supported project for setting up a Centre for Public Policy, as a part of IIM, Bangalore, has been started. The objective of this is to provide high quality academic training in the area of public policy and also Indianise many of the long-term foreign training programmes being conducted at prestigious institutes like Harvard University. This project is estimated to cost Rs. 30.40 crore out of which Rs. 9.13 crore (US$2.15 million) would be met from UNDP grant assistance and Rs. 8.82 crore will be met from budgetary support of the Government of India. The remaining contribution is from IIM, Bangalore in terms of Land, Faculty Resources, etc.

Regional Seminars on Citizen's Charter

Regional Seminars on Citizen's Charter were organised at various parts of the country. The main objective of the Seminar was to share experiences with the State governments in the area of implementation of Citizen's Charter, develop consensus for future action to make the initiative more effective and motivate State organisations which have not yet issued Citizen's Charters.

New Pension Scheme

The High Level Expert Group on Government Pensions has recommended a restructured two-tier pension scheme. The first tier will be the mandatory tier and the second an optional tier. The first tier pension will be a defined benefit at 50 per cent of the average emoluments for the last 36 months prior to superannuation. The Government servant may make a contribution to the second tier but this will be matched by the Government by an equal contribution only upto 5 per cent of basic pay and DA. As regards the second tier, the amount on retirement can be either taken as a lump sum or converted into annuities at the choice of the individual. However, a decision on when the New Pension Scheme is likely to be in place is under the process of examination.