Wish all of our comrades a prosperous New Year 2016
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Right to health is a human right: Himachal High Court
GIVING THE GOVERNMENT SIX MONTHS’ TIME TO SEEK OPTIONS, THE BENCH SAID ALL CENTRAL GOVERNMENT PENSIONERS RESIDING IN NON-CGHS AREAS WOULD BE COVERED EITHER BY CS(MA) RULES, 1944 OR CGHS AS PER THE OPTION THEY CHOOSE.
IN A LANDMARK JUDGMENT, THE HIMACHAL PRADESH HIGH COURT WEDNESDAY DIRECTED THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE FULL MEDICAL BENEFITS, INCLUDING REIMBURSEMENTS OF MEDICAL EMERGENCIES, TO EMPLOYEES POST-RETIREMENT.
A DIVISION BENCH COMPRISING JUSTICES RAJIV SHARMA AND SURESHWAR THAKUR PASSED THE ORDERS WHILE DISMISSING AN APPEAL FILED BY THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT, CHALLENGING AN ORDER OF THE CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL (CAT) IN FAVOUR OF SHANKAR LAL SHARMA WHO UNDERWENT HEART SURGERY POST-RETIRMENT AND INCURRED AN EXPENDITURE OF RS 1.80 LAKH – WHICH THE GOVERNMENT DECLINED TO REIMBURSE.
IN A 101-PAGE ORDER HANDED DOWN BY JUSTICE SHARMA, THE COURT RULED THAT RIGHT TO HEALTH IS A HUMAN RIGHT AND QUESTIONED AS HOW COULD THE GOVERNMENT, A PRINCIPAL EMPLOYER, ABDICATE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF TAKING CARE OF THE HEALTH OF ITS RETIRED EMPLOYEES.
DENIAL OF REIMBURSEMENTS OF MEDICAL EXPENSES AMOUNTS TO VIOLATION OF RIGHTS OF THE EMPLOYEE, THE COURT ADDED. THE ORDER OBSERVED THAT “A SOCIALIST STATE, AS THE PREAMBLE DEPICTS, IS THE BASIC STRUCTURE OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA “. “SIMILARLY, THE WELFARE STATE IS THE BASIC FEATURE OF THE CONSTITUTION. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BASIC STRUCTURE AND BASIC FEATURES OF THE CONSTITUTION. THE ACTION OF THE UNION OF INDIA NOT TO REIMBURSE THE MEDICAL BILLS TO THE RESPONDENT (SHANKAR LAL SHARMA) AND ALSO NOT GIVING OPTION TO HIM AND SIMILARLY SITUATE PERSONS RESIDING IN A CITY NOT COVERED UNDER CGHS IS ILLEGAL, ARBITRARY, CAPRICIOUS, DISCRIMINATORY, THUS, VIOLATIVE OF ARTICLES 14, 16 AND 21 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA.”
USING THE LEGAL MAXIM SALUS POPULI SUPREMA LEX ESTO, THE BENCH SAID “THE HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE SHOULD BE SUPREME LAW.” THE ORDER FURTHER READS: “A SERVING EMPLOYEE, WHO ENJOYS BENEFITS UNDER THE CS(MA) RULES, 1944, CANNOT BE LEFT HIGH AND DRY IMMEDIATELY AFTER RETIREMENT FOR WANT OF MEDICAL CARE. HIS MEDICAL ISSUES ARE REQUIRED TO BE LOOKED INTO WITH MORE SENSITIVITY, COMPASSION AND SYMPATHY. HIS GENUINE REQUIREMENTS FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT CANNOT BE PERMITTED TO BE BURIED IN THE LABYRINTH OF RED TAPISM.
THE COURT FURTHER HELD THAT IT WAS THE PRIME RESPONSIBILITY OF THE STATE TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND VIGOUR OF RETIRED GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, THIS BEING THEIR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT UNDER ARTICLE 21, READ WITH ARTICLES 39(3), 41, 43, 48-A OF THE CONSTITUTION.
RICOH INDIA TO DISRUPT 1,30,000 RURAL POST OFFICES
Amid of commemorating the visionary Good Governance Week, Ricoh India said that it has come along with Department of Post to disrupt 1,30,000 post offices across India.
The Imaging and IT solutions enabler is known to have partnered with the Dept. of Post for Implementing and Operating integrated Rural Hardware solution for around 1,30,000 post offices across India.
- The solutions will comprise hand held devices with camera and bio metric facility and also a set of solar panels at EDO level and network connectivity.
- To make the deployment seamless and hassle-free, the company will also setup service centres across India.
Sharing insights on the development, Manoj Kumar, Executive Vice President and CEO, Ricoh India said, “Being a company committed to excellence and innovation, Ricoh India is proud to be associated with this ambitious project launched by Department of Posts. India`s postal services is one of the largest networks in the world and with Ricoh established network of services and support infrastructure across India, we are confident of delivering the best value to Department of Posts and ensuring seamless integration of our products and services in this project by Ministry of IT and Communications. We are positive that through our product offerings and services we will be able to increase efficiencies, enhance service offerings and fulfill the objectives of Department of Posts”
Under the project Ricoh India will supply, install and maintain services of hardware, peripheral devices and operating system for “Rural Information & Communication Technology (ICT) – Hardware (RH)” Solution.
As projected through mobile terminals all postal and financial transactions in the rural branch offices will be covered, uploading collected data to India Post data centre; the services is said to enrich the delivery of services in the rural areas.
This project will be introduced at three pilot circles in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan and by March 2017, it is aimed 1.30 lakh hand-held devices will be made available across rural branch offices.
The scope of work includes supply of mobile computing devices and peripherals, installation of solar UPS, connectivity to access the application by service providers along with maintenance for five years.
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Commemorative Postage Stamp on "Alagumuthu Kone"
A Commemorative Postage Stamp on "Alagumuthu Kone" has been released by Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Hon'ble Minister for Communications and IT at Madurai on 26/12/2015 | |
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Commemorative postage stamp on renowned Hindi Poet Sumitranandan Pant
Hon'ble Governor Uttarakhand, Shri Krishna Kant Paul released a commemorative postage stamp on renowned Hindi Poet Sumitranandan Pant, in Dehradun, Uttarakhand on December 23, 2015. | |
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CENTRAL GOVT EMPLOYEES FEAR DELAY IN IMPLEMENTATION OF PAY COMMISSION AWARD
New Delhi: Central government employees are being promised bigger pay hike from next year but implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission Award is making very slow and painful progress.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley
Central government employees have expressed frustration at this, and are worried that the Seventh Pay Commission’s recommendations might not be implemented on time.
The Finance Minister Arun Jaitley promised in the Parliament on February 27 to implement the pay commission’s recommendations from next year and said “the Seventh Pay Commission impact may have to be absorbed in 2016-17.”
After receiving the Seventh Pay Commission report, the Finance Ministry has set up a cell in Expenditure Department headed by a Joint Secretary for a period of one year with effect from November 20, 2015 for implementation the recommendations of the Commission.
Giving one year time to implementation cell to process the the Seventh Pay Commission report to implement may hamper timely implementation as the cell would be placed it before the cabinet for its nod through the group of secretaries of revision pay panel report headed by cabinet secretary. which is also a time taking process.
It is also noted, the central government appointed senior IAS officer R K Chaturved as the head of the cell after one moth of its set up.
There are several states who have approached the Prime Minister’s Office, Cabinet Secretary and Niti Aayog, seeking more time in implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission’s report.
West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha governments suggested delay in implementation of Seventh Commission’s recommendation for central government employees will give them more time to equip themselves with resources to meet Seventh Pay Commission Award for their employees.
The Seventh Pay Commission had last month submitted its report to the Ministry of Finance. It had recommended a 23.55 per cent increase in salary, allowances and pension of government staff, involving an additional burden of Rs 1.02 lakh crore in 2016-17. This is less than the overall hike of the Sixth Central Pay Commission.
The Seventh Pay Commission recommendations will benefit 47 lakh central government employees and 52 lakh pensioners. It will lead to an additional outgo of Rs 73,650 crore from the Union Budget and Rs 28,450 crore from Railway Budget.
The new pay scales, subject to acceptance by the government, will come into effect from January 1, 2016.
The government constitutes the Pay Commission almost every 10 years to revise the pay scale of its employees and often these are adopted by states after some modifications.
The Sixth Pay Commission was implemented with effect from January 1, 2006, the fifth from January 1, 1996 and the fourth from January 1, 1986.
VERY IMPORTANT POINTS TO BE CARRIED OUT BY POST OFFICES MIGRATED TO CBS
General :
- In case of RD deposits accepted through MPKBY agents, two copies of LOT is to be taken from agent. One copy should be kept in the office guard file and another copy should be attached with the Pay-in slip and placed at the end of RD voucher bundle.[Point 1.4]
- Account opening form or SB – 3 card of an account which is opened on obtaining KYC documents, at the first time, need not be sent to SBCO at the time of closure along with the closed voucher. The remarks “SB-3 / AOF retained with KYC documents” should be recorded on the closed voucher under the signature of ASPM /SPM. [Point 1.5]
- AOF obtained for the subsequently opened accounts should be attached with the closed voucher and sent to SBCO.[Point 1.5]
- In case of accounts closed at the Post office other than the office where they are opened, Account Transfer Form is to be collected at the time of closure and should be attached with the Closure voucher. [Point1.5]
- In case of any Interest adjustment and adjustment related to pre-migration period ,if required, SPM / ASPM will write error book entry and raise the issue with Head Postmaster [Point 1.6 ]
Change in Procedure of Sealing of vouchers and LOT by CBS Post offices:
- Post office staff should write the name of Scheme and TRAN ID in red ink on the right hand side of the voucher [ Point 2.1 ]
- One deposit slip and one withdrawal slip will be prepared for auto credit of MIS / SCSS / TD to Savings account and Savings account to RD category accounts.[ Point 2.2 ]
- One deposit slip will be prepared for the total of each type of Agent Commission credited in to Savings accounts supported by consolidated list of commission paid.[ Point 2.3 ]
- One withdrawal slip will be prepared by SPM for the POSB cheque clearing amount (based on the clearing amount intimated to clearing House / HO ) and print out of cheque’s image should be attached to it.[ Point 2.4 ]
- At the closing of counter hours, all vouchers should be sorted scheme-wise, TRAN ID wise. Vouchers should be tallied with the LOT shown in the system by the Counter PA and SPM / ASPM [ Point 2.5 ]
- A consolidation of the scheme should be generated and two copies of print out taken [Pt. 2.6 ]
- ASPM / SPM will sign the consolidation and write the amount of all heads in words and figures along with no. of deposits and withdrawal vouchers included in the bundle of each category. If any manual correction is made, it should be supported by copy of Error Book (One copy to be attached with the voucher, one copy with the office copy of consolidation and one copy to be sent to Divisional office. ) [ Point 2.7 ]
- All vouchers including closed vouchers are to be sealed along with the one copy of print out of consolidation. Another copy of the consolidation should be preserved in guard file scheme wise and date wise for each category. [ Point 2.7 ]
Further, the old SB-3 cards pertaining to Suboffices shall be dispatched to concerned sub offices from HO, which may be preserved at SO.
NO INTERVIEWS FOR GOVT JOBS FROM JAN 1; SKILL TEST MAY CONTINUE: DOPT
New Delhi: All central government ministries and their Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) were today told to dispense with the requirement of interviews for selections at junior level posts within next two days, however, they may continue with skill or physical test.
The timeliness set regarding completing the process of the discontinuation of interview by December 31, 2015 has to be adhered to strictly, a communique sent by Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to secretaries of all central government ministries said.
From January 1, 2016, there will be no recruitment with interview at the junior level posts in government of India ministries, departments, attached and subordinate offices, autonomous bodies and PSUs.
“All the advertisement for future vacancies will be without the interview as part of the recruitment process,” it said.
The decision to discontinue interview for recruitments is for all Group C and non-gazetted posts of Group ‘B’ category and all such equivalent posts, the DoPT said.
“It is also clarified that as skill test or physical test is different from interview, they may continue. However, these tests will only be of qualifying nature. Assessment will not be done on the basis of marks for such tests,” it said.
In case of specific posts where the ministry or department wants to continue undertaking interview as a process of recruitment, a detailed proposal seeking exemption will have to be sent to the DoPT with the approval of the minister or minister-in-charge.
The ministries have been asked to send a consolidated report to the DoPT by January 7 in this regard.
“Report so to be furnished with the approval of the minister or minister-in-charge shall include the details of the name and number of posts where the interview is discontinued and posts for which the exemption has been sought within the purview of the administrative ministries or departments,” the order said.
Similarly, the Department of Public enterprises has also asked all ministries to advise PSUs under their administrative control to adopt a revised mechanism of recruitment for the non-executive level posts by dispensing with the practice of interview.
PTI
Launch Of Post-Terminals For BPMs - Rural ICT Project
Department has launched issue of Post-Terminals (POTD Devices) to BPMs on pilot basis on 28.12.2015 in the states of U.P, Rajasthan and Bihar as part of implementation of RICT ( Rural Information & Communication Technology).
Key highlights of RICT
- Branch Post Masters to be given a hand held device for day-to-day operations
- Through the hand held device, BPM will be able to do transactions for Core Banking, Insurance and Mail Operations
- Scanning of documents and barcodes through a scanner
- Regional language support on the handheld device
- Provision of solar panels for battery charging at all Branch office
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| Ms. Aakansha Shukla BPM (UP) receiving first Hand Held device from MoC |
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| BPM Farsand Mohanpur receiving Hand Held Device from MoC |
Source : ATPPost
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Monday, December 28, 2015
Attestation of Certificate by Gazetted Officers Abolished by Government
Path-breaking initiatives like discontinuation of affidavits for host of government services and ending job interviews for various posts from January 1 among other initiatives kept the Ministry of Personnel in news during 2015.
“The most revolutionary and path-breaking decision is abolition of attestation of certificates by gazetted officers instead promoting self-attestation,” Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh told.
He said the government took this decision as it was willing to trust citizens, more importantly it’s youth who will not give wrong information while submitting self-attested documents.
This decision has come as a big relief to common people, especially those living in rural areas, who had to take lot of pain in getting documents attested.
The Ministry also recently discontinued the practice of submission of affidavit by the family members of deceased government employees for the appointment on compassionate grounds.
Now people are required to submit self-declaration at the time of applying for compassionate appointment. All states and union territories have also been asked by the Centre to do away with practice of getting gazetted officer-signed affidavit and seek self-attestation.
Singh, a Lok Sabha member from Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur constituency, said soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement to end interviews from government jobs, his Ministry has acted on it.
“We have decided that from January 1, next year, the process of interview for Group C and D recruitments will be abolished,” he said, adding that these are some steps which nobody thought of in past over 60 years after country’s independence.
Minimum Wage Still A Dream For Workers
68 years have passed after independence of India. But the need based minimum wage still appears a dream for working class. After reaching a tripartite agreement in 15th Indian Labour Conference in 1957 a scientific formula called as Dr. Akroid formula based on minimum needs of a workers to survive and work, was accepted. Based on this formula all Central trade unions and independent federations are struggling since long to achieve the demand of minimum wage.
This time also National council JCM demanded Rs. 26000 as minimum wage to a lowest class employees based on Dr. Akroid formula as on 01.01.2014 taking the commodity prices as Rs. 11344. The rates were taken as an average price of actual market from various cities throughout the India and actual receipts obtained from the shops and consumer stores were also produced as evidence. After adding component of housing, children education and social obligations it comes to 26000.
But the pay commission has recommended Rs. 18000 as minimum wage taking 12 monthly average of commodity prices quoted by Labour bureau Shimla which is totally contrary to Dr. Akroid Formula and the figures are imaginary not realistic.
The pay commission has also reduced the component of expenses on social obligation and children education as 15% contrary to the Supreme Court judgment of 25% on the plea that the employees are paid children Education allowance separately. The Children Education allowance is not fully reimbursed and expenses on education have increased heavily after liberalization of the education sector. The housing component has also been reduce by the pay commission stating that employees are paid HRA separately. House Rent Allowance is not full compensation of expenditure incurred on rent of accommodation obtained by an employee Earlier 3rd Pay commission has given 7.5% as the factor for housing.
Thus this 7th CPC has drastically cut the minimum wage.
The website of Agriculture Ministry also maintains the record of prices of commodities which are required to compute the minimum wage. Though these prices also vary from the real retail market. But if these prices had been taken by the pay commission as an all India average of the prices as on 01.07.2015. It will work out Rs. 10810. Thus the computation of minimum wage will arrive as Rs. 19880. After adding 25% for arriving at MTS scale it will come as Rs. 24850 and to convert it as on 01.01.2016 after adding 3% as suggested by 7th CPC. The final computation will come as 25596 when rounded off it shall be Rs. 26000/-
Without modification of minimum wage, no improvement is expected in the higher pay scales. Therefore it requires recomputation and revision. If it is revised consequently the fitment formula, multiplication factor and pay matrix will have to be revised.
Thus it is the urgent need to revise the minimum wage.
The NJCA, Confederation and NFPE have given charter of demands to the Government of India seeking modification in so many demands failing which all Central Government Employees will be compelled to go on indefinite strike from 1st week of March-16.
NFPE call upon the entirely of Postal, RMS and GDS employees to act as per the agitational programme given by the Confederation and NFPE and make the Government ready to accept the genuine demands of Central Government Employees
POSTMEN TO CARRY GPS DEVICES FROM NEXT WEEK : INDIA POST NEWS
The Department of posts (DoP) plans to roll out its ambitious project of giving global positioning system (GPS)-enabled handheld devices to postmen from next week. This will make possible real-time transactions of e-money orders, booking of Speed Post, payments of insurance premium and other related services.
This is part of India Post’s modernisation programme, beside cashing on the rising e-commerce boom in small towns and rural areas.
Also, deposits and withdrawals of savings bank and other equated monthly instalments and claim payments would be done electronically through these devices, which will to be connected through a network. Money would be credited on a real-time basis to a firm’s or individual’s account.
For instance, cash on delivery (CoD) collected for parcels will be immediately sent to the account of e-commerce companies, while e-money orders will reach the destination post office instantly. Currently, the money order is digitised at the nearest computerised post office and then delivered.
Initially, the solar-powered, biometric device will be given to postmen in three circles - Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Subsequently, this will be expanded across the country. The plan is to have 130,000 such devices, aimed at promoting financial inclusion in small towns and rural areas, a senior DoP official told Business Standard.
The biometric module will authenticate an individual’s identity using the Aadhaar number, while GPS will enable tracking of the postmen. The project, valued at Rs 1,300 crore (Rs 13 billion), has been in the pipeline for some years and will be formally launched by Communications & Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad next week.
Receipts for all the transactions will be generated instantly via these devices.
The data of the transactions of the users will also be immediately uploaded, using mobile network of state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) to DoP’s main server.
The parcel revenues of India Posts, which registered a two per cent decline in 2013-14, grew 37 per cent in 2014-15 and 107 per cent in the first quarter of 2015-16, on a year-on-year basis. CoD from e-commerce is expected to touch Rs 1,000 crore (Rs 10 billion) by March 2016 from Rs 500 crore (Rs 5 billion) a year ago. India Posts is eyeing revenue of Rs 200 crore (Rs 2 billion) by 2015-16 from e-commerce. The five-year target is Rs 5,000 crore (Rs 50 billion).
MIN OF COMMUNICATIONS & IT LAUNCHED POST-TERMINALS FOR RURAL POST MASTERS.
Min of Communications & IT today launched Post-Terminals for rural Post Masters.
The Rural Information and Communication Technology (Rural ICT) solution will computerize rural Post Offices and will enable Branch offices to deliver new and improved services to rural customers. Rural ICT Solution will link approximately 1.30 lakh branch post offices with IT network of the department.
The objectives of this solution are:
- To deliver financial services to the rural population
- To enable Branch Offices to make disbursements for social security schemes such as MGNREGS
- To improve the quality of services being offered to rural customers
- To increase revenue by offering new services to the rural customer like Electricity/Telephone bill collection, Booking of train tickets etc.
Benefits of RICT
- Higher Self Esteem for the Gramin Dak Sevak
- ‘One stop’ for delivering government financial schemes
- Storage of customer data across on a central server
- Availability of all departmental services at the Branch Office Delivery of services to the rural customers at their doorstep Increased customer satisfaction
- Reduction in manual workload at Head Post Office and Sub Post Office
Key highlights of RICT
- Branch Post Masters to be given a hand held device for day-to-day operations
- Through the hand held device, BPM will be able to do transactions for Core Banking, Insurance and Mail Operations
- Scanning of documents and barcodes through a scanner
- Regional language support on the handheld device
- Provision of solar panels for battery charging at all Branch offices
SH. RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD TODAY ANNOUNCED THAT INDIA POST WOULD BE LAUNCHING PAYMENT BANKING BY MARCH 2017
Sh. Ravi Shankar Prasad
A week-long celebration of Good Governance Week was organized by Department of Electronics and Information Technology starting from 25th December 2015. A National event on Good Governance was inaugurated on 28th December 2015 by Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, the Hon’ble Minister of Communications & Information Technology (MoCIT) in India Habitat Centre at New Delhi. This event involved active participation from Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY), Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Department of Posts (DoP) and their agencies.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad reiterated the commitment of the Government towards the successful implementation of ‘Digital India’ which would help to transform India into a truly digitally empowered society and knowledge economy in the 21st century. He said the government is aiming at empowering people of India through digitalization. Millions of citizens have already joined in this initiative and invited others to do so. He said e-services should reach more people at the earliest and sought cooperation from State Governments, industry and acadmecia in the early achievement of this objective.
Sh. Ravi Shankar Prasad also announced that India Post would be launching Payment Banking by March 2017. He said after the successful turn around of BSNL, new initiatives have been taken for improving performance of MTNL. He also announced launch of free incoming all over the Country by MTNL from New Year.
The event saw the launch / inauguration of new 23 products / eServices.
The key launches are as follows:
Department of Telecommunications
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Department of Posts
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Department of Electronics and Information Technology
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· Launch of National Centre of Geo-Informatics
· Launch of e-Payment Portal
· Launch of Olabs for Schools
· Launch of Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) Phase-II
· All India BPO Promotion Scheme
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· North East Business Process Outsourcing Promotion Scheme
· Transfer of Technology for “ICT Centre on Tactile Graphics” at IIT Delhi
· Announcement of Setting up of NIC Data Centre at Bhubaneswar
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* The detail on each of 23 new products / eservices is available at the Digital India Portal (www.digitalindia.gov.in).
The awards for best performing States/Districts during the Digital India Week event (1st July – 7th July, 2015) were given to:
- State level – Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh and Meghalaya.
- District level – 77 Districts across 29 States/UTs.
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