NABH / NABL accreditation of Hospitals / Diagnostic Centres recognised under Medical Attendance Rules

Government of India

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Department of Health & Family Welfare

*****

Nirman Bhawan, Maulana Azad Road

New Delhi 110 108

Dated the 1st October, 2009

Subject:- NABH / NABL accreditation of Hospitals / Diagnostic Centres recognised under Central Services (Medical Attendance) Rules, 1944.

The undersigned is directed to state that it has now been decided that NABH accreditation is compulsory for Hospitals for empanelment under Central Services (Medical Attendance) Rules, 1944. Henceforth, only such private hospitals that have obtained accreditation from NABH or equivalent would be eligible for empanelment under Central Services (Medical Attendance) Rules, 1944.



2. The hospitals that are already empanelled under Central Services(Medical
Attendance)Rules,1944 and which are not accredited by NABH shall apply for NABH
accreditation within two months of receipt of this communication, if they have not applied for the same till date. In addition, the empanelled hospitals having in-house laboratories shall also apply for NABL Certification of the laboratory. Any hospital which does not apply for NABH accreditation shall be de-empanelled under Central Services (Medical Attendance) Rules, 1944.


3. Those hospitals / diagnostic centres apply for / accreditation under NABH /
NABL must inform the office of the undersigned with supportive documents, failing which their names shall stand removed from the panel.



4. The hospitals that apply for accreditation should qualify and obtain certificate offull accreditation from NABH within twelve months, failing which they shall be de-panelled.

Bank unions, IBA nearing pact on wage hike

The Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) and United Forum of Bank Unions are close to reaching an agreement on wage hike for employees of state-owned banks, a senior finance ministry official said on Wednesday.




“As per the understanding between unions and IBA, bank employees are likely to get another option for pension and wage hike of 17.5 per cent,” the official said. The hike would come into effect from November 2007 for a period of five years. Nearly 1 million bank employees are likely to benefit from the wage revision which is likely to cost the banks nearly Rs 4,800 crore annually.



“Employees opting for the pension now will have to share 30 per cent of the burden, while remaining 70 per cent will be borne by the banks,” the official said. The total outgo on account of a fresh option for pension is likely to be Rs 6,000 crore on annualised basis.



“Of this, Rs 1800 crore will be shared by the employees while the remaining Rs 4,200 crore will fall on banks,” the official said. Nearly 250,000 bank employees will benefit from the fresh option for pension.



“Some ground has been covered. It’s difficult to say how close we are to reaching an agreement.


There are still some hurdles,” CH Venkatachalam, said convenor, United Forum of Bank Unions.


United Forum of Bank Unions, an umbrella organisation representing nine major banking trade unions, represents about 1 millon bank employees and officers from across the country.

Source: Business Standard

Shortage of doctors hits Avadi CGHS dispensary

Endless wait: Patients at the CGHS dispensary at Avadi.






The CGHS (Central Government Health Scheme) dispensary in suburban Avadi is a busy place, catering to nearly 350 patients every day. But, it is in dire need of an upgrade, senior citizens and residents say, complaining that long queues and the time taken for reimbursements are causing great hardships.




As thousands of serving and retired Central government employees stay in and around Avadi, the dispensary was established in 2006.




Consumer activist T. Sadagopan says there aren’t enough doctors and paramedical staff to handle the large flow of patients. “In reply to my RTI [Right to Information] petition, the Public Information Officer said that four to five doctors had been appointed for “busy” CGHS dispensaries such as those in Avadi and Perambur. But, only three doctors are currently working in Avadi.”




On an average, it takes a month for the patients to consult the specialist of internal medicine after they register, he adds.




Over 9,000 patients availed the services offered by the dispensary in each of the last two years, the reply to the petition states. One doctor was drafted for duty at the airport for A(H1N1) influenza screening, while another left for higher studies this year, according to Mr. Sadagopan.




K. Sampath, president, Ordnance Factories and Allied Establishments Pensioners’ Association, Avadi, says: “The doctors are struggling to serve the patients.” Referring to the reply to the RTI petition, he adds: “While other dispensaries in the city at Guindy, Nandambakkam and R.A. Puram treat less than 100 patients a day, here they have to handle 350.”




He says there are also no diabetologists and ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialists. “We have been representing for a polyclinic to be opened here. Now, we have to go to Anna Nagar or K.K. Nagar for those services.”




STS Murthy, vice-president of the association, says computerisation of the facilities introduced a month ago has compounded the problem.




“The doctors do not seem to know how to use the new system and this is causing delays.”




He adds that delay in payment for medicines has resulted in suppliers stopping medicines to the dispensary. “Now we have to buy medicines outside and wait for over three or four months to get the bills reimbursed.”




Nearly 20 per cent of the patients in the city going to CGHS dispensaries use the Avadi facility.




The residents feel that there could be re-direction of resources from other dispensaries in the city.




Mr. Sampath suggests that an insurance scheme for the CGHS beneficiaries will be preferable.



Source:The Hindu

Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2010

The Union Public Service Commission will hold the Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2010 on February14, 2010 for admission to Indian Military Academy, Naval Academy and Air Force Academy for the Courses commencing in January 2011 and Officers Training Academy, Chennai for the Courses (Men and Women) commencing in April 2011.



For details regarding the eligibility conditions, syllabus and scheme of the examination, centers of examination, guidelines for filling up application form etc. aspirants must consult the detailed notice of the examination published in the Employment News/Rozgar Samachar dated September 26, 2009. Details are also available on UPSC website i.e.http://www.upsc.gov.in.



Candidates must apply in the Common Application Form devised by the Commission for its examinations, which can be purchased from the designated Head Post Offices/Post Offices (specified in Appendix-III of the Notice) throughout the country.



In case of any difficulty in obtaining application forms from the designated HPOs/Pos, the candidates should contact the concerned Post Master or UPSC’s “FORMS SUPPLY MONITORING CELL” over Telephone no.011-23389366/Fax No.011-23387310.



The last date for all applications to reach the UPSC is October 26, 2009. However, in respect of candidates residing abroad or in certain remote areas specified in the Notice, the last date for receipt of application by post/speed post only (not by hand or by courier) is November 3, 2009.



In case of any guidance/information/clarification regarding their application, candidature etc. candidates can contact UPSC’s Facilitation Counter in person or over Telephone No.011-23385271/011-23381125/011-23098543 during working hours.

Invest 5 percent of provident fund in equities: Assocham

The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham) has urged the central government to allow the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to invest at least 5 percent of its funds in equities.
“The EPFO can also be a beneficiary of such emerging capital markets, provided it is permitted to invest a part of its corpus in index-based equity market - which is safer, reliable and remunerative,” Assocham said in a report.



EPFO, which has a corpus of about Rs.2.6 lakh crore, has been paying 8 percent interests to its subscribers, partly from its reserves, Assocham president Sajjan Jindal said.



“It hardly earns reasonable returns on its investments in government securities and bonds,” he said.



Therefore, the time has come for the Central Board of Trustees (CBT) to “honour the recommendation of the finance ministry for nearly 5 percent EPFO fund channelisation in equities”, Jindal said.



According to the industry lobby, the risk factors in such investment can be managed by sound financial tools. Fund managers can be hired to mange such investments in equity, Assocham said in the report.



“Equity markets historically have given the best returns across any asset class in the long-term. The index-based companies have huge market cap and are subjected to stringent regulatory norms,” it added.



The existing return on investments is not sufficient to meet the current expenses and therefore “alternative, prudent sources” must be explored to increase the return, the paper said.

Source:IANS

Air Travel on official account - both domestic and international

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No.19024/1/2009-E.IV

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Government of India

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Ministry of Finance

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Department of Expenditure

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*****

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NewDelhi,Dated 1st October,2009.

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Subject:- Air Travel on official account - both domestic and international

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The undersigned is directed to refer to this Ministry's OM of even number 13.7.2009 vide which it was notified that
in all cases of air travel, where the Government of India bears the cost of air passage, travel would be restricted
through Air India.



Air India has now offered following packages/concessions for Govt.of India officials w.e.f.1st October 2009:-


(A) Domestic Sectors:

(i) 4 Coupon Supersaver booklet in Economy class will be priced at Rs.26,816/- to be provided with multiple user facility to GOI officials, valid for travel for 6 months from the date of purchase. The price of these booklets will be reviewed
every 6 months i.e. 1st April and 1st October, based on market fares and market conditions. Booking on this booklet will be in 'W' Class.



(ii) Against purchase of 25 booklets, one booklet of 4 coupons will be free of cost.



(B) International Sectors:

IATA Fare		Market Fare
RBD	Discount	RBD	Discount
F/J	25%	F/J	15%
Y	15%	B/H	10%
YE	10%	K/L/M	5%

Against International travels amounting to Rs.8 Lakhs (Basic and Fuel Surcharge), one Supersaver booklet of 4 coupons will be offered free of cost which will be valid on Domestic sectors only.



3. The free super saver booklets in A(i) and B above are being offered in lieu of FFP mileage points, which henceforth will not accrue to GOI personnel individually.



4. It may be clarified that in addition to supersaver booklet cost, applicable govt. taxes and airport fees/levies shall be paid separately.



5. All Ministries/Departments are requested to avail these concessional facilities being offered by Air India to Government of India.



DDOs/PAOs who fail to comply with the provisions of Section 192 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 would be liable to pay interest under section 201(1)/(1A) of Income Tax Act along with other penal consequences.

“Pay arrears before Diwali”, Antony’s gift to the Armed Forces

The Defence Minister Shri AK Antony has stressed that all men in the Armed Forces must get all their pay arrears relating to the Sixth Central Pay Commission well in time before Diwali. Addressing the Defence Accounts Day function here today, Shri Antony commended the officials of the Controller General of Defence Accounts for adopting computerisation and speeding-up the salary computation systems.



“One of the major challenges before you all is to render prompt, efficient and hassle free pensionary services to nearly 2 million Ex-servicemen and other retired Defence Personnel”, Shri Antony said. The Defence Minister called upon the Defence Accounts officials to implement optimally the austerity measures announced recently by the Government. “The Prime Minister has underlined the importance of service delivery mechanisms”, he added.



Pointing out that the Defence outlay has been growing around 11 per cent per annum over the last few years, Shri Antony called upon the Defence Accounts Department to ensure fair utilisation of the revenue resources and capital spending for the Defence sector. The Defence Minister later released a vision document for the department. He applauded the department for its valuable contributions in rationalising and simplifying the complicated processes and procedures in the Defence Procurement Manual – 2009.



Earlier, the Controller General of Defence Accounts Smt Bulbul Ghosh announced that a pilot project for payment of salaries to all Personnel Below Officer Rank (PBORs) irrespective of their place of posting and location of their drawing branches through e-payment has been successful and it would be implemented shortly across the country. Speaking on the occasion, the Secretary Defence Finance Smt Indu Liberhan emphasized on the performance audit appraisal system and said though the challenge is daunting, we have to rise to the occasion to fulfil the mandate given to the department.



The Defence Accounts Department (DAD), with its 998 offices spread over 258 locations across the country, handles an annual budget of Rs 1,81,306 crores (2009-10), which accounts for 26% of the total non-plan outlay of the Government of India.



It provides accounting services to the Ministry of Defence, the three Services, and allied organizations like Ordnance Factories, CSD, Military Farms, DRDO, Border Roads Organisation (BRO), Defence Estates, Coast Guard and NCC. Apart from this, officers from the Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS), including lady officers, are deployed with the Indian troops on UN Peacekeeping Missions in various troubled spots of the world where they provide valuable financial management, accounting and payment support.