Central employees to download "Arogya Setu" App mandatorily

".......(i) All the officers, staff (including outsourced staff) working in Central Government should download 'Aarogyasetu' App on their mobile phones, immediately.
 (ii) Before starting for office, they must review their status on 'Aarogyasetu' and commute only when the app shows 'safe' or 'low risk' status.
 (iii) The officers/staff are advised that in case the App shows a message that he/she has a 'moderate' or 'high risk' calculated on the basis of Bluetooth proximity ("recent contact with infected person"), he/she should not come to office and self isolate for 14 days or till the status becomes 'safe' or 'low risk'....."
View the O.M. dated 29.04.2020

Central Government freezes D.A. for employees, pensioners

The finance ministry on Thursday decided to put on hold increment in dearness allowance (DA) for 50 lakh central government employees and 61 lakh pensioners till July 2021 due to the Covid-19 crisis. 
"In view of the crisis arising out of Covid-19, it has been decided that additional installment of dearness allowance payable to central government employees and dearness relief (DR) to central government pensioners due from January 1, 2020, shall not be paid. 
"The additional instalment of DA and DR due from July 1, 2020, and January 1, 2021, shall also not be paid," the department of expenditure said in an office memorandum. 

However, DA and DR at current rates will continue to be paid. 

Click here for the O.M.

According to sources, the combined savings on account of freezing of these instalments of DA and DR to central government employees and pensioners would be Rs 37,530 crore in the current financial year and 2021-22. 

Will the Central Govt. offices reopen on 20th April 2020?

Confusions growing on relaxation to be made available from 20th April 2020. Whether Central Govt. offices, will reopen ?
According to Ministry of Home order dated 15.04 2020, Offices like Income Tax to are to function with 100 % attendance of Deputy Secretary and levels above that. Remaining officers and staff to attend upto 33% as per requirement. (Para 18 of Page 7 of MHA order dated 15.04.2020.
Click here to view the above order
National Directive for COVID 19 management and Standard Operating Procedure for social distancing in work places, offices are also annexed with the order.

With response to the above order from MHA, JCA (An umbrella body of Income Tax promotee officers and staff association) asked the Chairman, CBDT to ensure following arrangements in order to reopen the office abiding by the instruction and guideline contained therein.
"In view of the above instructions/guidelines, your kind-self is requested to issue following necessary directions to all PCCsIT and other Officers In-charge: a) Obtain valid NOC or approval from States/UTs/District Administration that all preparatory arrangements as well as other sectoral requirements are in place and functional in appropriate manner. b) After obtaining the above approval/NOC, the local administration should ascertain as to how many Officers/Officials are residing in the declared Hotspots or adjoining states where revised relaxed guidelines are not applicable. Only after identifying such Officers & Officials, the PCCsIT in consultation with local administration and Associations, issues necessary orders for 33% functional requirement. c) Since, as per point No 1, no public transport, Metro Rail Services, Interdistrict and Interstate movement of Individuals is restricted to the activities permitted under these guidelines, all PCCsIT may please be directed to ensure arrangements of transport facilities for to and fro from Office with maintenance of Social Distancing."
Click here to view the above letter from JCA 
It is expected that other associations may request the authority to ensure above requirements in order to make office functional from 20th April 2020.

GPF Interest Rate slashed by 0.8%

GPF Interest rate slashed to 7.1% for the quarter April to June 2020.

Work from Home for C.G DDOs etc - relaxation in provision

"A situation has arisen in which there is a necessity to enable "Work from Home". The above situation necessities an amendment to Receipts & Payments Rules 1983 to ensure smooth payments by PAO/DDOs".
Click here for the O.M. dated 08.04.2020  

AICPIN : February 2020

The All:India CPI-IW for February , 2020 decreased by two points and stood at 328 (three hundred and twenty eight).