New Delhi, November 20
There was a good news for the Public Sector Undertaking (PSUs) employees here in the times of recession and meltdown with the government today giving its approval to increase in the pay of its officers with effect from January 1, 2007.
The decision taken by the Cabinet at its meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was based on the recommendations given by the Second Pay Revision Committee.
The package would include revision in dearness allowance and other allowances, besides performance related incentives.
However, the government made it clear that the extra outgo on account of the new pay structure would be borne by individual CPSUs and no budgetary support would be involved. While the new pay structure would be implementable from January 1, 2007, the new allowances would accrue to employees only after the decision is notified by individual units.
In another decision, the Cabinet gave its approval for signing of Headquarters Agreement between India and South Asian University and also gave its approval for issuing a notification under the United Nations (Privileges & Immunities) Act, 1947.
The agreement would provide an overall framework for the smooth and unobstructed functioning and operation of the university and for regulating the relations between the university and India.
The jurisdiction of the university shall extend to the whole of India and campuses and centres established outside India in the SAARC region.
The university will advance a sense of South Asia community by bringing together the future generations from neighbouring countries and expose them to quality education.
The first session of the university is scheduled to begin in August 2010 in New Delhi.
The approval was also given for providing financial support of Rs 764.45 crore for implementing various programmes/interventions suggested by the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF). The programmes/interventions suggested by the foundation relating to Cardamom Price Stabilisation Fund, one time research grants to promote research on rubber, coffee, cardamom, pepper and tea, financial support for countervailing the high price of copper fungicides, award to innovative farmer breeders and insurance of banana crop involving amount of Rs 361.55 crore are in addition to the above mentioned programmes.
The Cabinet also gave its approval ‘in-principle’ for provision of need-based additional financial allocations to the ministries/departments concerned of the government for the implementation of the programmes/ interventions included in the package subject to the approved norms and approval of competent
authorities/committees for providing assistance under the scheme. The programme/interventions involving financial outlay up to Rs 50 lakh will be implemented by the government of Kerala from its own funds under its schemes.
It also approved the modification of the Trade Marks (Amendment) Bill, 2007 with certain consequential changes on the basis of recommendations contained in the report of the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce and to introduce the said Bill in Parliament. The amended Bill will provided better protection to Indian trade marks in designated member countries and afford reciprocal protection to trade marks from member countries abroad. It will thus encourage transfer of technology through trade mark licensing and franchising and generally promote overall business confidence in Indian IPR System globally.
