Govt officials to be allowed to use social media soon

Ahmedabad, The government is planning to put in place a framework for officials that would allow them to leverage the power of the social media, a top official of the Department of Information and Technology (DIT) said here.
“We are creating a framework that would help Central departments and officials to use social media like Facebook, Twitter effectively,” said Additional Secretary DIT, Shankar Aggarwal.
“We expect to give a final shape to it (framework) over the next two or three months and notify it,” he said.

“The idea is that they can enter into a dialogue with the public more freely, take suggestions, feedbacks and provide updates. It shall be more of a two-way rather than a one-way communication,” Aggarwal stated.
“Social media is being used extensively by civil society, but unfortunately, we do not have any framework for the Central government and state government,” he said.
“The government officials are scared of using the social media because they are not sure whether they are allowed to use it or not,” he added.
Meanwhile, the government is planning to introduce the Right to Public Services Act soon that would make it mandatory for the government entities to deliver public services in an electronic form too.
“We have already created a framework and for this (Act) and the framework is to be converted into a law. We think we will be able to introduce it in the next session of the Parliament and this will become a law,” he said.
“Under this, we shall be trying to ask the government entities to deliver all the public services in an electronic form also. It has to be achieved over the next five years,” he informed.
Aggarwal said they had been planning to develop a payment gateway for the entire country so that the people could pay electronically for various services.

Troubleshooting A Printer

-If you own a printer that sees a lot of action you most likely have had problems with it. Most of the troubleshooting in a printer is the software of the settings of the printer in your software. The second culprit is just dirt and grime. This is called preventive maintenance for the most part. People simply do not clean there work space nor there printers. Laser Printers -Laser printers are the worst for getting nasty and causing all kinds of problems in printing. The first thing you should look into is cleaning the printer. Using a paint brush (not a used one) and some compressed air and you are in business. A Q-tip here and there is also a good idea. -The main reason a laser printer will act up is the toner itself. The toner is loaded with iron oxide making it somewhat dirty to begin with and abrasive. The static charges that are involved in laser printing can attract dust on top of all the other problems. Clean your printer! -Also a note about cleaning the printer is never use liquid or a liquid solvent when cleaning. You are running a risk of making things worse. Use a clean paint brush and Q-tips. Ink Jet -Your most typical problems with the inkjet printer isn't so different from the laser. You will also get a build up of dirt, hair, paper, and any other act of god on the inside. Cleaning a ink jetprinter is a breeze and should be done with compressed air. Getting Out Easy -Here are some easy outs when diagnosing the printer and what the problem is. 1.     Check the printer cable first off. 2.     Check power. This sounds stupid but it happens. 3.     Check and make sure printer is online. 4.     Check paper, toner, ink. These are common to go out and need replacement. 5.     Try a print test page. There may be a button on the printer itself that will do a test page for you. If the page prints out you know that the problem isn't the printer itself. 6.     Look at your printer settings. Make sure you are sending to the proper printer. Is the right one installed? 7.     Inspect any pass through device such as parallel switchers. Inspect the cable itself. I have bought new printer cables that were faulty. Not So Easy Outs -Well now you have to get to the nitty gritty. -We want to see first off if the printer is properly installed. Follow the steps below. 1.     Go to control panel in windows and select Printers. 2.     Select your printer and then click file, properties. 3.     Choose Details 4.     Look and see if the printer is pointed towards LPT1 port. If not then change it. -Now if that isn't the problem and the printer is pointing towards the LPT1 port we need to look at Windows Device Manager. 1.     Go to control panel windows and select Systems. 2.     Select Device Manager Tab. 3.     Look down the list and sport ports. Double click. 4.     Check for any exclamation points or a question mark. If this exist you may have a conflict. 5.     If so double click the port with the problem and choose resources tab. 6.     Under the resources tab look at the last box. Does it say "conflicts"? 7.     If a conflict exist simply uncheck "automatic settings" and click "Change settings" 8.     You can now change the IRQ. If unsure which to try then click one at a time and see if it will show a conflict on the return dialog box. -If you changed an IRQ setting you will need to go into the BIOS and change this also. 1.     Reboot Computer, hit delete key or corresponding setup key before windows starts. 2.     Look for peripheral settings and change the settings for the LPT1 port to what you changed in the windows device manager. -Hope that helped.

Desktop Processor Guide

The first specification listed for all computer systems on the market tends to be the processor that is the heart of the computer. Typically it will say the brand, model and speed of the processor in the spec sheet, but the marketing information may only list its speed rating. This can make it very difficult to determine how good a machine is. After all, one processor running at a specific speed may not run as well as a different model from the same manufacturer. That is why I've pieced together this list of categories to let you know how functional each processor is.

Outdated Processors

Processors that fall into this category are generally no longer in production by the manufacturers and are typically sold in either budget systems or older refurbished systems. Machines with these processors will typically take longer to run application and possibly might not even run some of software on the market today. It is best to try and avoid systems with these processors unless you want to use a computer for the very basic functions such as word processing and general web browsing.

·         AMD Athlon 64 (Non-Dual Core/X2 Models)

·         AMD Athlon 64 X2 (Older Socket A Models/DDR Memory RAM Models)

·         AMD Athlon XP

·         AMD Athlon X2

·         AMD Phenom X3 and X4 Series

·         AMD Sempron LE

·         Intel Core 2 Duo

·         Intel Core 2 Quad

·         Intel Celeron

·         Intel Celeron Dual-Core

·         Intel Pentium 4

·         Intel Pentium D

·         Intel Pentium Dual-Core E2000 and E3000 Series

Budget Processors

These are processors that may or may not be in production anymore by the manufacturers but are very inexpensive and functional. There are typically two types of processors that will fall into this category: older high-end processors no longer manufactured and new low end budget processors. Discontinued high-end processors typically provide a better bang for your buck functionally. While they may have a slightly lower clock speed, their architecture of the processor tends to allow them to actually perform better at most computing tasks than newer budget processors.

·         AMD Athlon II X2 240 and Higher

·         AMD Athlon II X3 440 and Higher

·         AMD Athlon II X4 620 and Higher

·         AMD Phenom II X2 545 and Higher

·         AMD Phenom II X3 705 and Higher

·         AMD Phenom II X4 810

·         Intel Core i3-2100 and Higher

·         Intel Core i3-530 and Higher

·         Intel Pentium E5400 and Higher

·         Intel Pentium G6950

·         Intel Pentium G620 and Higher

Middle Processors

This is the segment of the market that is probably the best overall value for your computing dollar. While they are not the fastest processors on the market, they still perform very well in all aspects of computing. They may not have the total functional lifespan of the highest end processors, but the price to performance ratio tends to outweigh their longevity.

·         AMD Phenom II X4 945 and Higher

·         AMD Phenom II X6 1045T and Higher

·         Intel Core i5-2300 and Higher

·         Intel Core i5-650 and Higher

·         Intel Core i5-750 and Higher

·         Intel Core i7-2600 and Higher

·         Intel Core i7-860 and Higher

·         Intel Core i7-920 and Higher

Top of the Line Processors

This is the cream of the crop when it comes to processing power. If you absolutely must have the best thing out there for your new computer than this is what you want to look at. It will cost you though. Generally the most recent processors from the manufacturer's come at a price premium of about double that of the middle processors. While the price is over double that of the middle processors, the performance tends to be only about 25-50% more at the best of times from their counterparts in the middle category.

·         AMD Phenom II X6 1090T and 1100T Black Edition

·         Intel Core i7-2600k

·         Intel Core i7-975 Extreme

·         Intel Core i7-980X Extreme

Herbal Care Product for Leucoderma Launched by DRDO

Lukoskin, a herbal product for Leucoderma developed by DRDO, was launched by Dr. W. Selvamurthy, Distinguished Scientist & Chief Controller Research & Development (Life Science & International Cooperation) in New Delhi, yesterday. The product will be a boon for the patients of Leucoderma and is backed by extensive R&D work by the scientists of Defence Institute of Bio-energy Research (DIBER) (formerly Defence Agricultural Research Laboratory), Haldwani. DIBER, a DRDO laboratory has carried out extensive work in the area of medicinal plant and is also engaged in R&D in generating bio-energy solutions for energy security. The product, Lukoskin, was developed under the leadership of Dr Narender Kumar, Ex Director DARL and his team. Special efforts in the development of this herbal product were made by Dr. P.S. Rawat, ex Head, Herbal Medicine Division and Dr. H.K. Pandey, Scientist presently heading Phyto-Chemistry Division at Pithoragarh. The herbal product will be available in the form of ointment and oral liquid. Dr. Zakwan Ahmed, Director – DIBER, Haldwani and Dr G Ilavazhagan, Director – Life Sciences have pursued the case to bring the product into the market and render much needed service to mankind. This herbal product would be a new hope and boon to the vitiligo affected person. Under the leadership and guidance of Dr. W. Selvamurthy, the ‘Transfer of Technology’ has been granted to the AIMIL Pharmaceuticals (India) Ltd., New Delhi to manufacture and market this research product based on their technological and marketing credentials.

Leucoderma or vitiligo is an idiopathic acquired disorder of skin. Patients with vitiligo develop white spots in the skin with varying size and location. The world wide incidence of leucoderma has been reported 1-2%. In India, its incidence is around 4-5% in some parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat it is very high more than 5-8%. This skin disorder is considered as social stigma in our country and people confuse it with leprosy. The affected individuals are always remain in constant depression with the feeling of being socially outcast. There are many existing remedies of this disorder viz., allopathic, surgical and adjunctive. None of the therapies has satisfactorily cure of this disease. Secondly, these are either costly or single component based, with very low level of efficacy and develop blister, edema, irritation in the skin with the result most of the patients discontinue the treatment. The scientists of DIBER (DRDO) have therefore focused on the causes of disease (aetiology) and researched out a comprehensive formulation for the management of leucoderma from Himalayan herbs by exhaustive scientific studies led to the establishment of the safety and efficiency of the product which extends the benefits on all fronts with very good efficiency. Clinically, the product is quite effective and helps not only in restoring the normal complexion in the affected area but also relieves the affected ones from mental stress, emotional and psychological trauma and thereby, enhancing the confidence and efficiency.

The product was launched by Dr. W Selvamurthy in the presence of Dr. Narender Kumar, Dr. Zakwan Ahmed, Dr. G Ilavazhagan, Mr. KK Sharma, Managing Director, AIMIL Pharmaceuticals and senior officials of DRDO and AIMIL Pharmaceuticals.

Courtesy : http://www.gservants.com/

All you wanted to know about Mediclaim Policy

 Health care costs are sky rocketing day by day. Therefore the need for having a mediclaim policy for you and your dependents has grown. Suppose you have to undergo some medical treatment or need to be hospitalized for certain reason, then a mediclaim policy will be of immense help to you in covering your healthcare expenses. The reason is Mediclaim offers protection in case of unexpected medical and health care emergencies.

Hospitalization expenses in case of illness, disease or accident will impose a heavy financial burden on individuals and families. This is where the mediclaim policy comes in handy. The mediclaim policy can reimburse thehospitalization expenses or can pay the hospital directly on behalf of you.

A mediclaim policy provides a health cover of certain amount of money. This amount depends on the amount that the insured person was insured for.

The mediclaim policy can be taken for an individual or for an entire family. Some insurance companies allow a discount on the premium if the policy is taken for a family.

Insurance companies have fixed some age limit for medical test. If theindividual is below that age, then he or she need not undergo medical testfor taking mediclaim policy. If the individual is above that age limit then he needs to go for medical test.

If any pre-existing disease has been found out in the medical test, then those diseases will not be covered under the mediclaim policy for a waiting period of a first few years.

If you have a mediclaim policy from your employer, that may not be sufficient. Employer may cover the employee and not necessarily his entire family members. And moreover these policies are not portable and cannot be individualized if you leave the job. Employer provided policies cannot be transferred to another employer in case you switch your job. Also employer provided policies will give you coverage as long as you are employed. Once you retire you may not be having coverage.

It is really unfortunate that only after your retirement you need health insurance at the most. If you plan to take a fresh policy after retirement, insurance company will not cover the pre-existing diseases at that point in time. Though your employer provides a health insurance policy it is better for you to take a separate health insurance policy at least with a smallamount of coverage.

The coverage amount of the health insurance policy need to be decided based on your health consciousness, your family health history, and the class of hospital you choose for treatments.

If you are not health conscious or you don’t do regular exercises or you don’t follow proper diet or you frequently take outside food or don’t go for annual health check-ups then it is advisable to go for more sum insuredcoverage in your mediclaim policy.

If your family has got any adverse health history like heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease, cancer, any form of paralysis, or any hereditary disorder then you need to choose highercoverage amount in your health insurance.

If you will be choosing high class hospitals for your treatment then you need to go for higher sum assured. If you will be choosing medium level or low level hospitals then you can choose the coverage amount accordingly.

Also you need to revise your health insurance coverage amount based on the changes in the above factors and the changes in the medical cost. Also the increase in the age needs to be considered for deciding the coverageamount.

The icing on the cake is you get tax benefit under section 80D for the mediclaim premium paid. For senior citizen the limit under this section is Rs.20000 and for others it is 15000.

Most people don’t think about health insurance very often.  But it comes to mind first when a loved one is sick. Mediclaim policy is one of those things everyone knows he or she should take but usually puts off until a more opportune time. Living without a mediclaim policy is like going out on a rainy day without an umbrella or a raincoat.

If you have not covered adequately yourself and your dependents with mediclaim policy so far, then now is the right time to take action. The fact that you are reading this article shows you have decided to stop procrastinating, delaying and have answered the ancient question, “If not now, when?” with “NOW!”.

The author is Ramalingam K, an MBA (Finance) and Certified Financial Planner. He is the Founder and Director of Holistic Investment Planners(www.holisticinvestment.in) a firm that offers Financial Planning and Wealth Management. He can be reached at ramalingam@holisticinvestment.in.

Courtesy :  : http://allcgnews.blogspot.com/

Uniform Syllabus Not Proposed to be Implemented

Uniform Syllabus Not Proposed to be Implemented

There is no proposal to implement uniform syllabus and uniform education system throughout the country. The National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986 (as modified in 1992) recommends that the national system of education will be based on a National Curriculum Framework (NCF), which contains a common core along with other components which are flexible. In August 2009 the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) emphasized the need for all States to modify their curriculum, syllabi and textbooks on the basis of NCF-2005.

CABE has endorsed the need for a core curriculum in Science and Mathematics at Secondary and Higher Secondary levels across all Education Boards in the country, so as to provide a level playing field to all students to join professional courses. In a meeting of the Council of Boards of Secondary Education (COBSE) on 16th February, 2010, 21 Boards unanimously decided to adopt core curriculum in Science and Mathematics at Senior Secondary level. Accordingly, NCERT has developed core syllabi in Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics at Higher Secondary stage in collaboration with COBSE and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

There is no proposal to introduce a system of continuous and comprehensive evaluation and grading of students at classes 11 and 12.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Human Resource Development Smt. D. Purandeswari, in a written reply to a question, in the Lok Sabha today.



MV/SKS/ gk
(Release ID :75715)


Source : http://pib.nic.in/ 07/09/2011

Revised Dates for LDCE Exam (LGO) 2011 and IP Exam 2011

The revised Dates for IP & LGO exam is follows :

01. IP - 15 & 16.10.2011
02. LGO - 15.10.2011

Dte Memo No : A-34012 / 04 / 2011-DE Dt. 07.09.2011.

ROTATIONAL TRANSFER POLICY - DOPT

NO.21/7/2011-CS.I(D)

Government of India

Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions 

Department of Personnel & Training

(CS.I-D Section)

2nd Floor,

Lok Nayak Bhavan

New Delhi-3,dated 8th  September,2011

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Sub:LOK SABHA USQ No 1654 for answer on 10.08.2011 regarding Rotational Transfer Policy (RTP)

The undersigned is directed to say that in order to implement  an assurance given in the above mentioned unstarred question  No 1654 raised by Shri Bal Kumar Patel,Member of Parliament,this department is required to furnish details of officers in the grades of directer , deputy  secretary , under secretary , section officer and assistant of css as on 10.08.2011, who are serving in the same ministry / department beyond the prescribed tenure laid down vide this Department's OM 21/2/2009-CS.I(P) dated 29th April ,2009.

2.All the cadre units are therefore requested to furnish the requisite details of officers in the grades of Director, Deputy secretary , Under secretary , Section officer and Assistant of CSS in the enclosed proforma by 27.09.2011.The information may also be faxed to 24629413

GC.Rout,

Under Secretary to the Govt of India,

Tel/Fax.24629413.

  Source:circulars.nic.in                                                                                                                          

Amendment in Anti-Corruption Act, 1988

      The property of corrupt public servant is confiscated under the provisions of Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 1944 and Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. However, to make the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 self contained and comprehensive the Government is considering incorporating the provisions for confiscation/forfeiture of property of corrupt public servants in the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

On 8th June, 2011, the media had reported that the Hon’ble Supreme Court has sought amendment to the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. These observations were reportedly made by the Supreme Court while dismissing an appeal filed by an Assistant Commissioner, Central Excise, against his conviction. However, the formal order passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court on 8.6.2011 in the case, i.e. Criminal Appeal No. 945 of 2006 (Sat Paul vs. State of West Bengal & Anr.) does not contain any such observations.

A Committee headed by the Chairman, CBDT has been constituted to examine ways to strengthen laws to curb generation of black money in India, its illegal transfer abroad and its recovery. The Committee shall examine the existing legal and administrative framework to deal with the menace of generation of black money through illegal means including inter-alia (i) declaring wealth generated illegally as national asset; (ii) enacting/amending laws to confiscate and recover such assets; and (iii) providing for exemplary punishment against its perpetrators. The Committee is required to consult all stakeholders and submit its report within a period of six months.

As per information provided by the CBI, it has not unearthed any case wherein benami properties of more than Rs.100 Crore have been unearthed against any officer in any case.

This information was given by Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and the Prime Minister’s Office, Shri V. Naraynasamy in written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.

Source : PIB Release, September 7, 2011

Abolition of LDC (Direct Rectt) vacancies

The Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT) New Delhi, has issued an office memorandum  today  regarding the furnishing of vacancies in the grade of LDC for the Select List Year 2011. The Ministry has directed that  as per the decision of the Cabinet,  85% of the posts in the grade of LDC, meant for Direct Recruitment, will have to be abolished every year till the strength reaches 15% of the sanctioned strength of the cadre unit as on 03/10/2003.  Accordingly, the remainingvacancies has to be filled up with necessary reservation for SC/ST candidates.

Download DOPT Office Memorandum No 13/2/2011-CS-II (B) dat 30.08.2011