OUR DEMAND FOR HRA ON THE BASIS OF CENSUS 2011-- SUCCESS
Revision of the classification/upgradation certain cities/towns on the basis of Census-2011 for the purpose of grant of House Rent Allowance and Transport Allowance to Central Government employees
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval to the proposal of the Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure for reclassification/upgradation of certain cities/towns on the basis of Census-2011, for the purpose of grant of House Rent Allowance (HRA) and Transport Allowance to Central Government employees.
On the basis of the final population figures of Census-2011, two cities have qualified for being upgraded from 'Y' class to 'X' class and 21 cities have qualified for being upgraded from 'Z' to 'Y' class for the purpose of HRA. Six cities have qualified for being upgraded from "Other Places" to specified higher class for the purpose of Transport Allowance.
The revised classification of cities shall take effect from 01.04.2014. The impact on the exchequer on account of upgradation of 29 cities, would be approx. Rs.128 crore for the year 2014-15.
Background:
HRA and Transport Allowance are admissible to Central Government employees depending upon employees' Basic Pay (including NPA where applicable)/Grade Pay and the classification of the city/town where they are posted. The existing classification of cities/towns in different classes viz. 'X', 'Y' and 'Z' for the purpose of HRA and 13 specified cities classified earlier as 'A-1'/ 'A' and "Other Places" for the purpose of Transport Allowance, is as per the criterion recommended by the 6th Central Pay Commission. The existing qualifying limits of population for classification for HRA purpose is 50 lakhs & above for 'X', 5 - 50 lakhs for 'Y' and below 5 lakhs for 'Z' class city. Transport allowance is payable at 'higher rates' in 13 specified cities classified earlier as 'A-1' / 'A' (that is those cities having population of 20 lakhs & above) and at 'lower rates' in all other places.
The classification of cities/towns for this purpose is revised on the basis of their population as reflected in the decennial census report. The existing classification of various cities/towns is based on 2001 Census figures. The criterion of population for this purpose has been followed as recommended by the Central Pay Commissions.
Cities/towns to be upgraded on the basis of census-2011 for grant of House Rent Allowance
Cities to be upgraded/re-classified as "X"
Ahmadabad(UA)
Pune (UA)
Cities to be upgraded/re-classified as "Y"
Nellore (UA)
Gurgaon (UA)
Bokaro Steel City (UA)
Gulbarga (UA)
Thrissur (UA)
Malappuram (UA)
Kannur(UA)
Kollam (UA)
Ujjain (M. Coprn.)
Vasai-Virar City (M. Corpn.)
Malegaon (UA)
Nanded-Waghala (M.Corp.)
Sangli (UA)
Raurkela (UA)
Ajmer (UA)
Erode (UA)
Noida (CT)
Firozabad (NPP)
Jhansi (UA)
Siliguri (UA)
Durgapur (UA)
Cities/towns to be upgraded on the basis of census-2011 for grant of Transport Allowance
Cities to be added for higher rates of Transport Allowance (i.e. which have population of more than 20 lakh to qualify for earlier classification as “A-1”/ “A” as stipulated in O.M. No. 21(2)/2008-E.II(B) dated 29.8.2008):
Patna (UA)
Kochi (UA)
Indore (UA)
Coimbatore (UA)
Ghaziabad (UA)
SUPREME COURT JUDGEMENT ON POSTMAN PAY SCALES FROM 01-01-1996.
Income tax forms simplified, date for filing returns extended to Aug 31
The finance ministry on Sunday came out with a new three-page income tax return (ITR) forms, in a corrective measure after facing strong criticism from public. The new forms no longer require mandatory disclosure of foreign trips and dormant bank accounts as mandated by the previous form. The new form can be submitted till August 31 this year instead of the regular July 31 deadline.
The new forms will be up on websites for e-filing from the third week of June since the government is yet to update the software with new proposed changes.
According to a finance ministry statement, the new forms — ITR 2 and ITR 2A — will have only three pages and other details will have to be filled in schedules, as per each individuals criterion and income.
The revenue department has also proposed to come out with a new ITR 2A form, which can be filed by an individual or HUF, who does not have capital gains, income from business/ profession or foreign asset/foreign income. This according to the government will cover a maximum number of tax payers.
On the major sticky issues like details and source of income of foreign trips and bank accounts, the government eased the disclosures sought earlier and said: "It is now proposed that only passport number, if available, would be required to be given in forms ITR-2 and ITR-2A. Details of foreign trips or expenditure thereon are not required to be furnished."
For information related to bank accounts the ministry has decided to ask information of only those dormant accounts which were operational during the last three years, from the filing year.
"As regards bank account details in all these forms, only the IFS code, account number of all the current/savings account which are held at any time during the previous year will be required to be filled-up. The balance in accounts will not be required to be furnished," the statement added.
Further clarifying for non Indian citizen individuals, the income tax department said that it is not mandatory for them to report the foreign assets acquired by him during the previous years in which he was non-resident and if no income is derived from such assets during the relevant previous year.
"Individuals having exempt income without any ceiling (other than agricultural income exceeding Rs 5,000) can now file form ITR 1 (Sahaj). Similar simplification is also proposed for individuals/HUF in respect of form ITR 4S (Sugam)," the statement added.
Following the controversy over the ITR forms for assessment year 2015-16, which sought details of bank accounts and foreign visits, the revenue department had put them on hold.
The ITR forms, which was notified last month by the CBDT for the current assessment year, had specific columns for banks accounts, IFSC Code, names of joint account holders and foreign visits, including the ones paid by companies.
ENABLING OF DISABLED NETWORK ID / JOIN DOMAIN IN WINDOWS
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No Objection Certificate (NOC) is not required for Govt Employees to Obtain Passport
New Delhi: No Objection Certificate (NOC) is not now a mandatory requirement for government employees to get a passport.
To streamline and check the undue delay in getting passports to the government employees, the Ministry of External Affairs has relaxed provisions for issue of passport and asked the government employees to attach the copy of prior intimation letter submitted by the government employees to their controlling authority before applied for passport.
The Ministry of External Affairs has recently issued an Office MemorandumNo.VI/401/01/05/2014 making the ‘Prior Intimation Letter’ valid proof like ‘No Objection Certificate (NOC)’ to obtain passport for government employees, public sector undertakings (PSU) employees and autonomous body employees.
Government employees, who applies for passport with ‘Prior Intimation Letter’, they do not need to police verification.
The above provision is applied for getting passport only not for VISA, the government employees are required to obtain ‘No Objection Certificate (NOC)’ from their departments concerned for getting VISA from foreign embassies for travelling abroad as per CCS (Conduct) Rules and the instructions have been issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) from time to time.
29 cities upgraded for higher HRA & Transport Allowance
The Union Cabinet today approved upgradation of 29 cities and towns on the basis of 2011 population census for providing higher house and transportation allowance to central government employees.
The revised classification of cities would be effective from April 1, 2014 and cost the exchequer approximately Rs 128 crore for 2014-15.
"The Cabinet has approved reclassification / upgradation of certain cities/towns on the basis of Census 2011 for the purpose of granting House Rent Allowance (HRA) and Transport Allowance to central government employees," Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters here.
One the basis of the census, 2 cities - Pune and Ahmedabad - have been upgraded to 'X' class from 'Y' and 21 cities to 'Y' from 'Z' for the purpose of HRA, an official statement read.
These 21 cities are Nellore, Gurgaon, Bokaro Steel City, Gulbarga, Thrissur, Malappuram, Kannur, Kollam, Ujjain, Vasai-Virar City, Malegaon, Nanded-Waghala, Sangli, Rourkela, Ajmer, Erode, Noida, Firozabad, Jhansi, Siliguri and Durgapur.
That apart, six - Patna, Kochi, Indore, Coimbatore and Ghaziabad - have been advanced to 'Specified Higher Class' from 'Other Places' for the purpose of transport allowance, the statement said.
So far, the Census 2001 has been used for deciding the HRA and transport allowance of central government officials posted in these towns and cities.
The existing qualifying threshold of population for HRA classification is 50 lakh and above for X, 5-50 lakh for Y and below 5 lakh for Z class cities.The employees are entitled for HRA of 30%, 20% and 10% respectively for X, Y and Z class cities
Transportation allowance is payable at 'higher rates' in 13 specified cities classified earlier as 'A-1' and 'A' (those with a population of 20 lakh and above) and 'lower rates' for the rest.
The cities and towns are classified as X, Y and Z for the purpose of HRA and 13 specified cities classified as A-1, A and Other Places for transportation allowance.
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