Detailed Project Report For Postal Bank to be Finalized in Next Six Months

Shri Kapil Sibal Addresses Economic Editors’ Conference 2011

ICTE Enabled Inclusive Growth to Script India’s Future

Mobile Phone to be Repositioned as A Tool of Empowerment

Research and Innovation to be Encouraged for A Range of Products and Services

India to Transform into Global Hub for Electronics Manufacturing

Detailed Project Report For Postal Bank to be Finalized in Next Six Months

 Shri Kapil Sibal,  the Minister of Communications and Information Technology informed the Economic Editor’s Conference here today that mobile phones would be repositioned as an instrument of empowerment. This would combine communication with proof of identity, fully secure financial and other transaction capability and multi-lingual services. The Minister also said that demands for ICTE products and services would be leveraged to foster innovation and encourage R&D through academic institutions and industry.  He also emphasized that it is envisioned to transform India into a global hub for electronics system design and manufacturing (ESDM).

                Following is the text of opening remarks of the Minister:

“Information Technology (IT) and Telecom best epitomises what 21^st century India is capable of achieving. In these sectors our history is spectacular and the future holds path breaking possibilities. Information and Communications Technology and Electronics (ICTE) has the potential to script India’s future across the economy, society and government.

“ICTE has been contributing to the economic growth of the country by increasing efficiency, competitiveness and technological edge across sectors. ICTE  is also the enabling force for inclusive growth and development by increasing economic opportunities across nations, regions and groups.

                “The developments in the ICTE sector and allied sectors pose both challenges and opportunities.

“Mobile phone has become more than a communication device. Today more than 850 million mobile subscribers are capable of using their phone for online banking, utility bill payments, pension payments, ticket booking etc. The possibilities here are enormous. It can be developed as a powerful tool of empowerment in near future.

“Services are becoming increasingly linked through mobile, internet and other digital modes of delivery. With Aadhar and NeGP applications, mobile will be used for e-authentication and availing a large number of  government services without visiting government offices. This will not only improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public service delivery but will also help to reduce corruption in public life.

“In the IT industry, the advent of cloud technology has thrown up another wider range of possibilities for India. The Indian IT industry can come up with new products and services with cloud technologies, incorporating their own IPs and patents. The stage is set for a quantum jump now.

“Key social ministries like education, health and rural development have ambitious digitization, content creation and e-service delivery programs.

“India is ready for a leapfrog. It is the time to connect the dots and to give a proper direction to the ICTE sector. It is also time to look at some missing pieces.  One missing link is Electronics Manufacturing. By 2020, the demand, supply gap in this sector will be $300 billion. Underdeveloped Electronics Manufacturing sector may upset our plans of  technology led India in the 21^st century.

“Only a holistic view can help is overcome enormous challenges and help emulate the successes of IT and Telecom in electronics. It is in this context that a combination of three interdependent and synergistic policies for Telecom, IT and Electronics Manufacturing have been formulated and released.

The three policies together drives the National agenda for ICTE. The principal policy objectives are

·         Optimally leverage our existing and developing ICT infrastructure and capabilities to meet our growing need for high quality social sector services like health, education, rural development, skill development, welfare programs, e-gov services, economic services like banking and insurance.

·         To use the ICTE capabilities to enhance competitiveness  and efficiency in manufacturing across the board and in key infrastructure sectors like power

·         Leveraging the mushrooming demand for ICTE products and services to foster innovation, encourage R&D through academic institutions and industry and to create a range of products and services that not only meet domestic demand but also addresses global demand.

·         To reposition the mobile phone from a mere communication devise to an instrument of empowerment that combines communication with proof of identity, fully secure financial and other transaction capability, multi-lingual services etc.

“The primary objective of NTP 2011 is maximizing public good by making available affordable, reliable and secure telecommunication and broadband services across the entire country. The main thrust of the policy is on the multiplier effect and transformational impact of such services in furthering the national development agenda while enhancing the equity and inclusiveness.

Orders of Hon'ble CAT, Ernakulam Bench in OA No.381/2010

 The judgment in our Grade Pay case OA No.381/2010 has been published and is available on the CAT website with the following link    

      http://judis.nic.in/judis_cat/CaseNo_Cat_Result.aspx

  

  In the judgement, the Hon'ble CAT has categorically stated in the second last  para  No.33 that 

    ".....the case has been considered and the Tribunal is of the considered view that there is no justification in denying the Inspector (Posts) the higher Grade Pay of Rs 4600 when the same is admissible to Inspectors of other Departments with whom parity has been established by the very Sixth Pay Commission vide its report at para 7.6.14 extracted above........"

Extract of some paras of the judgement are reproduced below:

Para 26.    From the perusal of the Recommendations of the Pay Commissions it could be easily discerned that the Pay Commissions have suggested certain measures relating to introduction of element of direct recruitment which was conspicuously absent earlier and without which comparison with the Inspectors in other Departments/Ministries could not be made. Once direct recruitment has been introduced, it was to the full satisfaction of the Pay Commission, which had in fact commented, "The Commission is recommending the merger of pre-revised pay scales of Rs 5500 - 9000 and Rs 6500 - 10500 which will automatically bring Inspector (Posts) on par with Assistants in CSS/Inspectors and analogous Posts in CBDT and CBEC."

The import of this observation of the Pay Commission is that the Pay Commission was very much interested to ensure pay parity of Inspector (Post) with Assistants of CSS and Inspectors and analogous posts in CBDT and CBEC. This recommendation of the Pay Commission is in tune with the observations of the Apex Court in the case of State of West Bengal v. West Bengal Minimum Wages Inspectors Association, (2010) 5 SCC 225 wherein it has been stated as under:-

"23. It is now well settled that parity cannot be claimed merely on the basis that earlier the subject post and the reference category posts were carrying the same scale of pay. In fact, one of the functions of the Pay Commission is to identify the posts which deserve a higher scale of pay than what was earlier being enjoyed with reference to their duties and responsibilities, and extend such higher scale to those categories of posts."