HIGH COURT DIRECTIONS TO AMEND LTC POLICY

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today asked the Centre to file its policy regarding grant of leave travel concession (LTC) to government servants while observing that there were “serious anomalies” in the scheme.

 “There are serious anomalies in it (LTC), not just with regard to airfare, but generally,” a bench of Justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Ashutosh Kumar said while hearing a PIL alleging misuse of the leave fare concession (LFC)/LTC scheme by employees of Syndicate Bank.

The court asked the Centre to file its LTC policy along with an affidavit, which would also include the “air travel component” applicable all over the country, on the next date of hearing on September 19.

The bench also suggested to the government to streamline the LTC policy to include air travel to foreign destinations, saying travelling to some overseas locations cost less than what it did to go to some places within the country.

It noted that air travel to Thiruvananthapuram was costlier than taking a flight to Nepal.

During the hearing, advocate Anuj Jain, appearing for the petitioner Yatendra Kumar Jain, contended that enquiry carried out into the alleged misuse of LTC scheme by bank employees was an “eyewash” as the travel agents who booked tickets were not traceable.

He also alleged that CBI was being reluctant to probe the matter, after which the bench also sought response from the agency on the issue.

The lawyer alleged that misuse of the scheme has caused a loss of Rs 450 crore to Syndicate Bank alone and the amount would be much more if all the 27 public sector banks in the country are taken into account.

The bank, meanwhile, filed an affidavit stating that to curb the alleged practice of travel agents presenting bills which were higher than that of the actual fare, it has started asking for copy of the ticket and boarding pass.

Jain has alleged that officials of the bank, even in higher scales of their rank, misused LFC by over-billing and excess-drawing hugely inflated fares, in league with private travel agents as well as the bank’s sanctioning authorities.

He has sought an investigation into the alleged misuse of LTC by the bank employees as well as disciplinary action or initiation of criminal proceedings against those held responsible.

 Let us hope for amendments in LTC policy so that staff will be benefited

GOVERNANCE THROUGH COMPLAINTS...

After liberalization, several changes and simplifications in all the taxes were not only announced by the GoI, but also implemented for the free movement of trade, trying to increase the trust levels between the tax-payers and the tax-collectors.

Recently a survey was carried out by the Wellingkar Institute of Management, Mumbai, on behalf of NACEN, Mumbai and the same was released by the Hon. Chairman, CBEC, Shri Najib Shah at Mumbai. Normally complaints are registered in Service Tax (the time taken for the Registration process) and in Customs (the time taken for clearing Customs by the passengers while coming from abroad at Airport) The report categorically say that around 3000 passengers arrive on a daily basis at Mumbai CSI airport and 99.6% of the passengers walk out of the Green Channel. Only the remaining 0.4% of the passengers are either declaring dutiable goods and paying some duty either on their own or when intercepted by the custom officers. Majority of the passengers express their ignorance of the Baggage Rules, which is hardly believable especially in this age of internet and smart phones. Because of the greater level of awareness, instead of honestly declaring what they carry, they are prompt enough to complain about the etiquettes, attitude, manners of the Custom officers, who is trying to do his duty diligently. In the era of RTI, CPGRAM and non-supportive attitudes by the seniors, the officers posted thereon have chosen a middle path and allow most of the passengers to walk through the green channel without any major checks.

Earlier the smuggling used to take place either through landings along the coastal belt of Maharashtra or through the ports and there was hardly any smuggling of gold through the Airport, because of the stringent check by Customs, inspite of the lack of sophisticated equipments like baggage scanner or the body scanner etc.

Since the last 2 to 3 years, the flow of Gold from the middle east has increased manyfold as the margin between the Indian prices and that of the middle east has increased from a few thousand rupees to three lakhs for a kilo of Gold which is smuggled into India.

Whatever seizures are taking place, represents only the tip of the iceberg. Perception has changed – officers should deal with the passengers with respect without causing any inconvenience as far as bonafide passengers are concerned. Equally, it should be ensured that pax should be law-bound and submit their true declaration of the details of their baggage, without having to intimidate the officers either through threats, dropping names etc. The Airport is not meant to be a place for facilitation or for salutations...

In our country, we prefer our children to go abroad, especially USA or European countries, for higher studies or for employment. There the rules are very clear and is applied without any discriminations, irrespective of their positions or nationality. They do not even spare the premier of any country and if any complaints are received, they defend their actions stating that it is as per the rules and do not take cognizance of such complaints. The false complainants are also dealt severely, which is not followed in our country. Officers posted at the Airport barely dare to do their duty to prevent evasion and check smuggling activity etc. because of the “complaint phobia” that is currently the most favourite stick being wielded by the Administration against our officers.

If our officers are allowed to do their duty and are protected from false complaints, threat of suspension, mis-behaviour by the pax, we are sure that the actual smuggling of gold will come down and the image of our country and the reputation of our officers will become at par with other European countries (not asian countries). No one will dare to induce our officers, who will be duty bound, even as the systems/governments change and the office and the officers are not taken as granted. The airport should not be run on the basis of complaints received from the passengers but should be run on the basis of laws passed by the Parliament.

The maximum time of international passengers, after landing at any Indian airport, is the time spent clearing immigration formalities and not at Customs… How is it that the passengers are tolerant of the more time taken at Immigration, but not the time spent at Customs or is it that the Department in charge of Immigration do not take cognisance of frivolous complaints received…

For a more hilarious look at attitudinal issues of Indians, please click this link : http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31821&articlexml=Terminally-ill-behaviour-27072016021022

The Commissioner of Customs (Airport), Mumbai, is under orders of transfer and in his place new Commissioner is likely to assume charge in the 1^st week of August-2016. CESA, Mumbai hopes that under her command the Customs officers will be motivated and regain their courage and strength and will prove that they are the best and tighten the noose on syndicates and lobbies working in Mumbai International Airport.

Lets hope for the best…

**************

ELEVEN YEARS AGO...

Mumbai continues to abuse the Mithi river and devour saltpans, mangroves to satiate real-estate frenzy. It was on this day July 26, in 2005, that a cloudburst brought the country’s financial capital to a standstill.  The three-day deluge and its aftermath claimed the lives of more than 500 people, damaged 20,000 cars, 2,500 buses and more than one lakh houses.

The worst affected: Localities around the Mithi river, especially those living at BandraKurla Complex and near the airport. Reason: The course of the river had been re-aligned twice at right angles to expand the runway. Eleven years later, there is no guarantee that the river, which originates at Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) and meets the sea at Mahim, won’t flood its surrounding areas again in case of heavy rainfall.

 

 

But what can be guaranteed is that 11 years later, no corrections have been made to the faulty urban planning and dilution of stringent rules. The areas still have encroachments running parallel to the river. The river, which was a natural drainage system during monsoon, has been reduced to a sewage carrier, with effluents from illegal settlements and industries flowing directly into the river.

Nearly Rs1,600 crore has been spent to desilt, widen and deepen the river. But the work is far from over. A retaining wall constructed in 2009 along the stretch has converted the river into a canal.

Even after the devastating floods, land-starved Mumbai has devoured mudflats, saltpans and mangroves to satiate its real estate frenzy. Environment clearance, coastal regulatory zone are still circumvented by builders to get the plans approved. Plans are afoot in the ambitious development plan 2034 to allow private developers to construct affordable housing on more than 13,000 hectares of No-Development Zone (NDZ) land and salt pans. Adding to the misery is the multi-authority involvement in rejuvenating the Mithi.

Of the 17.8 km stretch, 6km is handled by the MMRDA, while the rest is the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) responsibility. But the division of work has not resulted in better coordination, just a war of words. At least four studies have concentrated on flood prevention and urban planning methods in Mumbai with scores of observation and recommendations and warnings, but another 26/7 deluge still remains a very real possibility.

 

Extacted from Hindustan Times, Mumbai Edition for 26-July-2016.

********************

SECRET PASSAGE...

 

SAD NEWS...

 

SUPDT. JACOB ABRAHAM

(28-Oct-1957 to 19-July-2016)

A sad news friends, Shri Jacob Abraham, Superintendent of Central Excise, is no more.

 

He was suffering from cancer and was admitted to the Lake Shore Hospital at Ernakulam, near Kochi, Kerala. He breathed his last at 9.45 pm yesterday. He is survived by his wife Sherly and 2 sons.

 

The funeral is scheduled for 11 am on Friday, the 22-July-2016, at Haripadd, near Allepuzha, Kerala.

He joined the Dept. as an UDC and rose up the ranks. Though he was, slim, not very tall, not a very muscular person and keeping a very low profile, but his network of informers & timely action made him one of the best "jaanbaaz" officers of Mumbai.

 

He has worked in almost all the other sister organisations of the Department, right from M&P wing, Enforcement Directorate and was one of the most successful officers in DRI, Mumbai.

He has filed the largest number of DRI-Is amongst the officers of the Department. 

When in DRI, in the follow-up action of an Ahmedabad DRI case involving forged DGFT licences for import of coal, he was the officer responsible for not only detaining Gautam Adani, but also arrested his brother Rajesh Adani, in the year 1994, inspite of contrary directions from the then Chairman, CBEC.

Some of his note-worthy cases were made against the MORE group, who were running the biggest racket of forged DGFT licences, in 1997-98. Another case in 2006 was of antiques smuggling, among many others including numerous cases of Red Sanders smuggling.

In recognition of his services to the Department, he was conferred with the Presidential Award for meritorious service.

Currently, he was on deputation to NIA, New Delhi.
 

May his soul rest in peace.

 

May the Almighty also grant the family strength and peace during this trying time.

 

************

DECISION... DETERMINATION...

The Board vide its letter dated 11-July-2016, have called for folders and integrity certificate and vigilance status etc., for holding of DPC, for promoting officers from Grp-B to Grp-A for the vacancy year 2014-15.  So far no date has been fixed for holding the DPC for the vacancy year 2015-16 and regularizations from temporary to permanent posts of more than 500 posts of Grp-A.

In Supreme Court, a contempt petition was filed (CP 314/2016) which may have triggered the issuance of the letter for holding of DPC by the Board. The tussle for reservations in promotions has not yet been resolved even after several judicial pronouncements. The Board comprising of several dynamic officers are not able to proceed in the matter after the tongue-lashing given to them by the Committee. It is expected that law should prevail and the authorities should have the courage to prevail upon their detractors. Their office should not be burdened with a large number of vacancies, in spite of having officers who are eligible for promotions, even though it is at the fag end of their career.

Those who dare, their names will be written in history, and those who do not, will not even be found in the archives of history.

A desire changes nothing, a decision changes something, but determination changes everything.

*******************

सुकून की यादों में...

खवाहिश नही मुझे मशहुर होने की
आप मुझे पहचानते हो बस इतना ही काफी है
अच्छे ने अच्छा और बुरे ने बुरा जाना मुझे
क्यों की जिसकी जितनी जरुरत थी
उसने उतना ही पहचाना मुझे !!

ज़िन्दगी का फ़लसफ़ा भी कितना अजीब है,
शामें कटती नहीं, और साल गुज़रते चले जा रहे हैं !!

एक अजीब सी दौड़ है ये ज़िन्दगी
जीत जाओ तो कई अपने पीछे छूट जाते हैं,
और हार जाओ तो अपने ही पीछे छोड़ जाते हैं !!

बैठ जाता हूं मिट्टी पे अक्सर...
क्योंकि मुझे अपनी औकात अच्छी लगती है !!

मैंने समंदर से सीखा है जीने का सलीक़ा,
चुपचाप से बहना और अपनी मौज में रहना !!

ऐसा नहीं है कि मुझमें कोई ऐब नहीं है
पर सच कहता हूँ मुझमे कोई फरेब नहीं है !!

जल जाते हैं मेरे अंदाज़ से मेरे दुश्मन
क्यूंकि
एक मुद्दत से मैंने
न मोहब्बत बदली और न दोस्त बदले !!.

एक घड़ी ख़रीदकर हाथ मे क्या बाँध ली 
वक़्त पीछे ही पड़ गया मेरे !!

सोचा था घर बना कर बैठुंगा सुकून से..
पर घर की ज़रूरतों ने मुसाफ़िर बना डाला !!!

सुकून की बात मत कर ऐ ग़ालिब....
बचपन वाला इतवार अब नहीं आता !!

जीवन की भाग-दौड़ में -
क्यूँ वक़्त के साथ रंगत खो जाती है ?
हँसती-खेलती ज़िन्दगी भी आम हो जाती है..
एक सवेरा था जब हँस कर उठते थे हम
और आज कई बार
बिना मुस्कुराये ही शाम हो जाती है !!

कितने दूर निकल गए,
रिश्तो को निभाते निभाते..
खुद को खो दिया हमने,
अपनों को पाते पाते..

लोग कहते है हम मुस्कुराते बहोत है,
और हम थक गए दर्द छुपाते छुपाते..

खुश हूँ और सबको खुश रखता हूँ,
लापरवाह हूँ फिर भी सबकी परवाह करता हूँ..

मालूम है कोई मोल नहीं मेरा,
फिर भी,
कुछ अनमोल लोगो से रिश्ता रखता हूँ !!

************