Reliance Jio may lose 50 million subscribers post April, here's why

Mumbai | NEW DELHI | KOLKATA: For the 100 million-plus consumers, lured by Reliance Jio's disruptive Welcome and Happy New Year free offers in six months, the party has finally ended. Starting April, they will have to choose to stay or leave the Jio network, which has lined up easy and attractive entry points.

Subscribers choosing Jio Prime will pay a one-time fee of Rs 99 and Rs 303 a month for services which were completely free. A cross section of phone users ET spoke to suggested many would like to wait and see the quality and speed of data before switching alliance.

Shovon Dasgupta, a retired general manager at a PSU in Kolkata said he will join Jio Prime but will be on the lookout for any lapse in its services. Dasgupta makes his calls from Vodafone and used his Jio sim for surfing data.

"I will go for Jio Prime since its price point is better than competitors and do not mind paying the charges, but if the quality deteriorates, then I go back to Vodafone," said the 69 year old.

Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries, on Tuesday said Jio will start charging subscribers from April 1, but with sharp discounts for a year for its existing users and those who subscribe by the end of March.

"I would love to continue with Jio at the price points mentioned for Jio Prime, provided the service improves before March 31. If it stays like it is right now, I'd rather pay a few hundred rupees more for a reliable network," said Shivam Lakhanpal, a 27-year-old social media marketer from Gurgaon.

From April 1 till March 31, 2018, Jio's current users and those who come on board between March 1 and March 31will continue to get 1 GB of data a day plus all of Jio's apps for Rs 303 a month and a one-time charge of Rs 99.

Market leader Bharti Airtel offers unlimited calling plus 1GB of 4G data for Rs 345 for 28 days and 30 GB of data for 90 days for Rs 1,495. For Rs 349, No. 2 telco Vodafone offers unlimited calling and 50 MB of 3G or 1GB of 4G data for 28 days.

"As a heavy data user, I'm particularly excited about Jio Prime, which looks like real value for money. What's even more assuring is that 'Prime' is a prepaid offer, which would ideally help a user control data consumption more effectively, also reducing the risk of inflated bills that, typically, happen in a postpaid scenario," said Shantanabha Das, a 32-year old professor in a government college in West Bengal.

Das is open to "switching full time to Jio" if the network coverage stabilises in coming months, though he said Airtel, Vodafone and Idea would be compelled to match Jio's rates to retain customers.

"If Vodafone matches Jio's Prime rates in the near future, leaving them will be a tough choice for me as their voice quality is definitely superior at present," he said. Consumer stickiness changes when free offers are withdrawn and analysts expect a 50% erosion of Jio's user base.

"There will be commoditisation of the brand now. India is not a data savvy country yet and giving extra data will not work," said brand consultant Harish Bijoor. Consumer becomes price conscious if he is using data for personal reasons like entertainment and is not paid by his office for professional cause, Bijoor adds.

"Some will change from Jio since the 'free' concept plays an integral role in consumers across the world. The moment you have to pay for it, you will feel the pressure to note the offers by incumbents," noted Santosh Desai MD of Futurebrands India.

"I used Jio because services were available for free. But I would choose an operator that keeps me connected even when I go to remote villages and offers just sufficient data," said Tulika Mazumdar, a 28-year old engineer based in Delhi. Low income group with data usage lesser than Jio's 1GB limit a day will still be attractive. So, when Ambani said he will match any competitive offer and give 20% more data, it may not impact them. "I don't use Internet much, so I will not want to pay Rs 303 just for unlimited voice calling," said Suman Dubey, a 31-year old home maker from Mumbai.

But for Dibyendu Sinha, 35-year-old software engineer in Kolkata, Jio Prime and the 20% additional data makes sense. Sinha uses at least 700 MB data a day and for him, the continuation of the freebies is worth it.

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7th Pay Commission: Transport Allowance Not To Be Hiked

7th Pay Commission: Transport Allowance Not To Be Hiked

New Delhi: The Transport Allowance for central government employees will not be hiked and remain the same as 6th Pay Commission recommendations including Dearness Allowance(DA).

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley may announce higher allowances after ending the model code of conduct on March 8.

The Finance Ministry today informed about the report of the ‘Committee on Allowances’, headed by Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa and said no hike in Transport Allowance (TPTA) for central government employees in its report. The committee accepted the 7th Pay Commission recommendation in this regard, which was announced earlier.

The Pay Commission has revised the Transport allowance (TPTA), which is given below:-

The existing Transport allowance table for A1/A cities and other places is under:-

The Pay Commission made report, assuming that the rate of Dearness Allowance 125 percent at the time of implementation of the pay commission recommendation, i.e. on January 1 next year.

Accordingly, the employees will not get any hike in Transport allowance on the time of implementation of the pay commission recommendation as the existing Transport allowance figure automatically reached the Pay Commission revised Transport allowance figure after adding 125 percent DA.

“In partial modification, the committee has further decided that the current HRA slab, which is 30 per cent of basic pay, for metros would continue,” according to the sources.

However, the pay commission had recommended reducing the house rent allowance (HRA) to 24 per cent of basic pay as against the 30 per cent of basic pay employees were drawing under the Sixth Pay Commission.

The government has given higher basic pay with arrears, effective from January 1, 2016 in August 2016 to its employees on the recommendations of the 7th pay commission but referred hike in allowances to the Committee on Allowances.

Usually, once the recommendations of the pay commission are approved, the increase in basic pay is followed by an increase in allowances.

The hike in allowances, most probably to implement from the month of April and the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley may announce it after ending the model code of conduct on March 8.

TST

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IBPS - CWE- PO-MT-VI View Scores of candidates shortlisted for interview

IBPS - CWE- PO-MT-VI View Scores of candidates shortlisted for interview

Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has published Scores of candidates shortlisted for interview for CWE- PO-MT-VI, Check below for more details.


Post: Probationary Officers / Management Trainees Phase - VI (PO/MT-VI)

View Scores: Click Here

For more details : Click Here

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General Post Office says ‘Cheese’

General Post Office says ‘Cheese’

AS Chandrashekar (extreme left) with his friends  S Manjunath

Express News Service | 28th February 2017

BENGALURU: How does a over 160-year-old organisation that delivers letters stay relevant to a generation that is obsessed with emojis? Well, through smileys, says Thimoji Rao, deputy chief postmaster at the General Post Office (GPO) near Vidhana Soudha.

Smile Please

You’ve got to mind your emojis if you want to keep up with the millennials, he says. Under the consumer redressal forum of the central government, all postal offices were directed to introduce customer-friendly initiatives, informs Rao. “That’s how the smiley initiative happened in Bengaluru. We started the project on December 10, wherein the staff at the token counters and the postmen were asked to wear smiley badges while on duty,” he adds.

Smiley stickers were put up on counters of seven postal head offices in Bengaluru including – GPO near Vidhana Soudha, Jalahalli, Rajajinagar, HAL Stage, Basvanagudi, Jayanagar and RT Nagar.

“The idea is to make the postal system more approachable to the general public. We want them to be comfortable with our staff and have a good experience with their visit to our offices,” says Rao.

Conversation Channel Opens

The smiley initiative has also increased interaction prospects between postal department officials and the public. “The Indian postal department has been serving the public for over a century now, but we have always kept to the routine work. Looking up addresses and delivering them. It is only now following the smiley sticker has our interaction with the public improved,” says Manjunath G, postaman at GPO.

The 53-year-old adds that his interactions with the customers have now grown beyond the usual, “Sir/madam, please sign here. They now ask me about the smiley and we have a good talk at times,” he says.

‘Get More Thank yous Now’

Another postman at the GPO, A S Chandrashekar, too cherishes his conversations with the public better now. “I have always delivered letters with a smile, but never received as many smiles back. The smileys have definitely made a difference. Now, everytime I deliver a letter, they ask me about the badge and smile back,” says Chandrashekar.

The 40-year-old postman notes that the response to the badges among the public has been a friendly and positive one. “I get to hear more thank yous in a day than I used to earlier,” he says.

Those who now know of him call him from afar as soon as they see him. “Oh Namaskara! The smiling postman is here,” they scream.

Letters to Postal Dept

Ravi Das, 43, inspector at the customer care counter at the GPO, calls the initiative “an extension of the good service” of the postal department. He informs that the smiley badges are handed out following a systemic curation of an official’s friendly service.

Source : http://www.newindianexpress.com/

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7th Pay Commission – Committee on Allowances submits HRA report to Government.

7th Pay Commission – Committee on Allowances submits HRA report to Government.

The Committee on Allowances, headed by Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa has submitted its report on Housing Rent Allowance (HRA) to the government, reports NDTV. The submission of report further paves the way for government to implement the hike in allowances as per the revised recommendations of 7th Pay Commission. The date of allowance hike is expected to be April 1. Centre is expected to make the announcement after the five-state elections conclude on March 8.

The 7th Pay Commission had recommended that HRA should be paid at the rate of 24 per cent, 16 per cent and 8 per cent of the new Basic Pay, depending on the type of cities while unions demanded HRA at 30, 20 and 10 per cent.  While employee union believes that if the government can’t raise the HRA then it can also not decrease it. The government is expected to announce its decision post-March 8, after elections of five states are over. With this the central government will not violate the model code of conduct.

The government has divided transport allowance into two parts, one being CCA and the other one is TA. It is believed that this might be separated from DA and might be set on a fix slab.  It is being said that employee demand has been accepted  and the committee has agreed to pay HRA according to the sixth pay commission.

Ashok Lava’s committee had in October last year stated that his team was ready with its report. As per now, the central government employees are paid allowances according to the 6th Pay Commission recommendations until issuing of higher allowances notification. In October 2016, Ashok Lavasa had said, “We are ready to submit our report, whenever Finance Minister Arun Jaitley calls up”.

HRA will benefit  48 lakh employees of central government, and will also be helpful for pensioners. If the suggestions of the pay commission are approved, then the basic pay will increase along with allowances. The 7th pay commission had suggested for stopping 51 allowances and merging 37 others out of 196 allowances.

Hindi Version

7वें वेतन आयोग (7th Pay Commission) के कई मुद्दों के लेकर उठे विवादों में कर्मचारियों ने एचआरए की दर पर भी आपत्ति जताई थी. सरकार ने तमाम मुद्दों पर बातचीत के लिए तीन समितियों को गठन किया था जिनको कर्मचारियों के प्रतिनिधियों से बातचीत के लिए अधिकृत किया गया था. इन  समितियों में एक समिति वित्त सचिव अशोक लवासा के नेतृत्व में बनाई गई थी.

इसी समिति के पास अलाउंस का मुद्दा भी था. महीने की 22 तारीख को इस समिति की अंतिम बैठक हुई थी जिसमें कर्मचारियों से अंतिम बार अलाउंस के मुद्दे पर चर्चा पूरी की गई थी. अलाउंस समिति से बातचीत करने के लिए कर्मचारियों के संयुक्त संगठन एनजेसीए के प्रतिनिधि शामिल हुए थे.

7th Pay Commission – सूत्र बता रहे हैं कि समिति ने अपनी रिपोर्ट तैयार कर सरकार को सौंप दी है. अब यह रिपोर्ट कैबिनेट की बैठक में रखी जाएगी. हालांकि रिपोर्ट के तथ्य अभी तक सार्वजनिक नहीं हुए हैं. लेकिन यह कहा जा रहा है कि समिति ने कर्मचारियों की मांग पर सकारात्मक रुख अपनाया है. यह भी साफ माना जा रहा है कि सरकार इस बारे में अपना फैसला 8 मार्च के बाद घोषित करेगी क्योंकि इस दिन देश में पांच राज्यों में जारी विधानसभा चुनाव के अंतिम चरण का मतदान होगा.

माना जा रहा है कि सरकार ने ट्रांस्पोर्ट अलाउंस (यात्रा भत्ता) को दो भागों में बांटा है. एक सीसीए और दूसरा पूर्ववत की तरह दिया जाने वाला टीए है. यह पांचवें वेतन आयोग की भांति देय होगा, ऐसा माना जा रहा है. यह भी कहा जा रहा है  कि इनको डीए से अलग कर दिया जाएगा और यह फिक्स स्लैब रेट पर तय होगा.

यह कहा जा रहा है कि समिति ने कर्मचारियों की मांग को मानते हुए एचआरए की दर को छठे वेतन आयोग की रिपोर्ट के हिसाब से देने की बात को स्वीकार कर लिया है. दूसरा सबसे अहम सवाल अब भी बना हुआ है कि सरकार ने एचआरए को कब से देने की बात को स्वीकार किया है. यह प्रश्न अभी भी कर्मचारियों को सता रहा है. क्या यह दर 1.1.16 से लागू की गई है या फिर 1.4.17 से यह लागू होगी. जहां तक कर्मचारियों का सवाल है वह इसे पिछले साल जनवरी से लागू करवाने की मांग करते रहे हैं और सरकार की ओर से कुछ समय पहले ऐसा इशारा मिला था कि सभी विवादित अलाउंस को 1 अप्रैल 2017 से लागू किया जाएगा.

इस संबंध में जीसीएम के सचिव और कर्मचारी नेता राघवैया ने एनडीटीवी को बताया कि सरकार की ओर से जो संकेत मिल रहे हैं उसके हिसाब से सभी भत्ते जिनमें विवाद था और जिनपर सरकार से चर्चा हुई यह 1 जनवरी 2016 की बजाय 1 अप्रैल 2017 से लागू हो सकते हैं. इससे यह साफ है कि कर्मचारियों को मलाल होगा कि उन्हें जो बढ़े हुए भत्ते का एरियर मिलना चाहिए वह अब नहीं मिलेगा. उन्होंने बताया कि 22 फरवरी को सभी अलाउंस को लेकर सरकार से अंतिम बार बातचीत हुई थी और कर्मचारियों की ओर से साफ कर दिया गया था कि एचआरए 30, 20, 10 के अनुपात में दिया जाना चाहिए. यह भी बात साफ है कि अलाउंस समिति ने सभी अलाउंसेस पर कर्मचारी नेताओं से बातचीत कर ली है.

जानकारी के लिए बता दें कि कर्मचारियों की मांग है कि एचआरए को पुराने फॉर्मूले के आधार पर तय किया जाए या फिर इसकी दर बढ़ाई जाए. केंद्रीय कर्मचारियों का कहना है कि वर्तमान में तय फॉर्मूला के हिसाब से एचआरए कर्मचारियों को पहले की तुलना में कम मिलने लगा है.

बता दें कि सातवें वेतन आयोग (7th Pay Commission) द्वारा केन्द्रीय कर्मचारियों को दिए जाने वाले कई भत्तों को लेकर असमंजस की स्थिति है. नरेंद्र मोदी सरकार ने 2016 में सातवें वेतन आयोग (7th Pay Commission) की सिफारिशों को मंजूरी दी थी और 1 जनवरी 2016 से 7वें वेतन आयोग की रिपोर्ट को लागू किया था. लेकिन, भत्तों के साथ कई मुद्दों पर असहमति होने की वजह से इन सिफारिशें पूरी तरह से लागू नहीं हो पाईं. अब जब अशोक लवासा समिति ने अपनी रिपोर्ट सरकार को सौंप दी है और जल्द ही वित्तमंत्री अरुण जेटली इस रिपोर्ट पर कोई अंतिम फैसला सरकार की ओर से ले लेंगे.

कहा जा रहा है कि सरकार की ओर से बातचीत के लिए अधिकृत अधिकारी एचआरए को 1 स्तर ऊपर करने को तैयार हुए हैं अब एचआरए 30%, 20% और 10% तक हो सकता है. वहीं, विश्वसनीय सूत्रों के हवाले से खबर मिल रही है कि बड़े शहरों में इसे 30 प्रतिशत किया जा सकता है, लेकिन यह अभी तय नहीं है.

कर्मचारी संगठन का कहना रहा है कि अगर सरकार ने एचआरए बढ़ाया नहीं है तो घटा कैसे सकती हैं. अपने तर्क के समर्थन में कर्मचारियं की दलील है कि क्या शहरों में मकान का किराया कम हुआ है. क्या मकान सस्ते हो गए हैं. जब यह नहीं हुआ है तो सरकार अपने कर्मचारियों के साथ अन्याय कैसे कर सकती है.

बता दें कि वेतन आयोग (पे कमीशन) ने अपनी रिपोर्ट में एचआरए को आरंभ में 24%, 16% और 8% तय किया था और कहा गया था कि जब डीए 50 प्रतिशत तक पहुंच जाएगा तो यह 27%, 18% और 9% क्रमश: हो जाएगा. इतना ही नहीं वेतन आयोग (पे कमिशन) ने यह भी कहा था कि जब डीए 100% हो जाएगा तब यह दर 30%, 20% और 10% क्रमश : एक्स, वाई और जेड शहरों के लिए हो जाएगी.

उल्लेखनीय है कि कर्मचारियों के संयुक्त संगठन एनजेसीए ने गठित वेतन आयोग के समक्ष अपनी मांग से संबंधित ज्ञापन में इस दर को क्रमश: 60%, 40% और 20% करने के लिए कहा था. संगठन का आरोप है कि आयोग ने कर्मचारियों की मांग को पूरी तरह से ठुकरा दिया था. उनका कहना है कि वेतन आयोग ने इस रेट को छठे वेतन आयोग से भी कम कर दिया है. इनका कहना है कि क्योंकि इसे डीए के साथ जोड़ा गया है तो यह तभी बढ़ेगा जब डीए की दर तय प्रतिशत तक बढ़ जाएगी.

जानकारी के लिए बता दें कि सातवां वेतन आयोग से पहले केंद्रीय कर्मचारी 196 किस्म के अलाउंसेस के हकदार थे. लेकिन सातवें वेतन आयोग ने कई अलाउंसेस को समाप्त कर दिया या फिर उन्हें मिला दिया जिसके बाद केवल 55 अलाउंस बाकी रह गए. तमाम कर्मचारियों को कई अलाउंस समाप्त होने का मलाल है. क्योंकि कई अलाउंस अभी तक लागू नहीं हुए और कर्मचारियों को उसका सीधा लाभ नहीं मिला है तो कर्मचारियों को लग रहा है कि वेतन आयोग की रिपोर्ट अभी लागू नहीं हुई.

बता दें कि सातवें वेतन आयोग की रिपोर्ट से कर्मचारियों की कई शिकायतें रही हैं और ऐसे में केंद्र की नरेंद्र मोदी सरकार ने अपने कर्मचारियों की शिकायतों को दूर करने के लिए संबंधित मंत्रालय और वित्तमंत्रालय के अधीन समितियों का गठन किया है. ये समितियां कर्मचारी नेताओं से बात कर रही हैं और इस समितियों को अपना फैसला चार महीने में सरकार को देना था लेकिन अभी तक सात महीने से ज्यादा समय बीत चुका है और अभी तक किसी भी समिति ने अपनी रिपोर्ट नहीं सौंपी है.

Source: NDTV

  

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Solar system installation at Aranghata SO in West Bengal

Solar system installation at Aranghata SO in West Bengal

Solar power plant installed at Aranghata Sub Post Office, 741501 in West Bengal.

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India Post email IDs having unlimited inbox size will be limited to 100 mb from 01 Mar 17 onwards

India Post email IDs having unlimited inbox size will be limited to 100 mb from 01 Mar 17 onwards

This is related to India Post web mail users having Unlimited mailbox size.

As per DoP email implementing agency email Dt. 16 / 20 / 25 Feb 17, the email prior to 01 Jul 16 will be archived and will no longer available in the respective mailbox.

Further, as per DoP email Policy, those India Post email IDs having unlimited inbox size will be limited to 100 mb from 01 Mar 17 onwards.

Now, the biggest question is how to take BACKUP of the old emails.

The following is shared based on my experience, not an official version.

You can backup your mails into Microsoft Outlook Express (OE) by the following 3 options.

01. POP3
02. IMAP
03. MS Exchange.

01. POP3 :

• It will download the mails only from Inbox not other folders.
• It will work in Sify network.
• From 01 Mar 17 onwards, please use POP3 only.

02. IMAP & MS Exchange :

• It will download all the folders with mails in your email Account.
• It won't work in Sify network.
• Don't use after 01 Mar 17.

Wayout 1 : Inbox without any folders :

• Please configure OE POP3 Account. Can configure in Sify network.
• Please copy / move all mails in "Sent items or any other folders" into Inbox.
• Please click on "OE > Sent & Receive" to download Inbox mails into your OE Inbox.
• Please segregate and move to OE "Sent items or other folders".

Wayout 2 : Inbox with folders :

• Please configure IMAP or MS Exchange Account. It won't work in Sify network.
• Please download all your mails with Folders. Pl click on "OE > Sent & Receive"
• All the folders available in Mail Server will be available in your OE with mails.
• Please configure POP3 Account also.
• Please Copy or Move all your Folders with mails from IMAP or MS Exchange Account to POP3 Account.
• Then from 01 Mar 17 onwards, work in POP3 Account only.

Important : Already if you configured IMAP or MS Exchange Account & working, please remove / disable it before 01 Mar 17. Otherwise if any mail deletion in Mail Sever will automatically be deleted in OE also due to sync.

Other products : Thunderbird, Windows Live Chate, Opera, Zimbra, Mail bird etc.

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Acceptance of article with volumetric weight - Directorate Order

Acceptance of article with volumetric weight - Directorate Order

No. 10-02/2013-BD & MD

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Cabinet Decision on 7th CPC Allowances only after 11th March 2017

Cabinet Decision on 7th CPC Allowances only after 11th March 2017

"Retention of the rates of HRA and date of effect of allowances should be from 1st January 2016 and revision of rates of Transport allowances, OTA and NDA apart from retention of many of the allowances - COC Karnataka".

Allowances

Comrades,

The media is debating that the allowances committee headed by Shri Ashok Lavasa Finance Secretary has submitted its report to the Hon’ble Finance Minister Arun Jaitleyji on 22nd or not. Comrades as you aware that this committee period has expired on 22nd February 2017, the question is that even if it has submitted its report to the Hon’ble Finance Minister Arun Jaitleyji it is confidential document all media creation on the HRA rates are not be believed, the actual truth will be known only after the assembly elections results of five states which will be declared on March 11.

The past experience is that even if the committee decides positively the union cabinet had turn down the recommendations of the committee, hence speculation is not correct, only after the union cabinet approves the recommendations of the committee, the new orders is issued.

The main demands of the CG employees is retention of the rates of HRA and date of effect of allowances should be from 1st January 2016 and revision of rates of Transport allowances, OTA and NDA apart from retention of many of the allowances.

Comrades instead of speculation it would be better we focus on the 16th March 2017 strike, which would put pressure on the Central Government to yield to our charter of demands.

Comradely yours

(P.S.Prasad)

General Secretary

Source: http://karnatakacoc.blogspot.in/

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