ORISSA UP-GRADED M.E. SCHOOLS (P.S.M.E. SCHOOLS) TEACHERS, PROVIDENT FUND, INSURANCE, PENSION, GROUP INSURANCE, RULES, 1978

CHAPTER-I GENERAL

Rule - 1. Short title and commencement.

(i)       These rules may be called "The Orissa Up-graded M.E. Schools (P.S.M.E. Schools) Teachers' Provident Fund-Insurance-Pension-Group Insurance Rules, 1978".

(ii)      These rules shall be deemed to have come into force from the 1st July, 1974.

(iii)     These rules shall apply to the teaching staff of recognised up-graded M.E. Schools (P.S.M.E. Schools).

CHAPTER-II

Rule - 2. Definitions.

In these rules unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context-

(a)      "Controlling authority" means the District Inspector of Schools, or any other officer declared by the State Government in that behalf.

(b)      "Director" means the Director of Public Instruction (Schools) Orissa;

(c)      "Government" means the Government of Orissa.

(d)      "Insurance Company" means the Life Insurance Corporation of India.

(e)      "Management" means the District Inspector of Schools (District Inspectress of Schools) or the Deputy Inspector of Schools (Deputy Inspectress of Schools) concerned Local Bodies.

(f)       "Pension" means the pension or gratuity as the case may be payable to a teacher under these rules.

(g)      "Policy" means an Insurance Policy taken by a teacher for his own life in the Life Insurance Corporation of India.

(h)     "Fund" mean? "The Orissa Up-graded M.E. School Teachers' Provident Fund."

(i)       "Interest" means the interest payable on deposits in the Post Office Savings Bank or on Post Office Cash Certificates.

(j)       "Leave" means any variety of leave granted by the management in accordance with such rules as are in force.

(k)      "Subscriber" means a teacher on whose behalf a deposit is made under these rules.

(l)       "Up-graded M.E. School" means an institution in which the course of instruction does not go beyond class VII or grade VI which has been established by Government by way of upgrading five class U.P. School on or after 1st July, 1974.

(m)    "Teacher" means a teacher of a recognised up-graded M.E. School who holds either a permanent appointment or a temporary appointment which has lasted for three years or which in the opinion of the controlling authority is likely to last for more than three years.

(n)     "Trained Teacher" means a teacher who has undergone training at the Certified Teachers Training or Basic Training, B.Ed. or D.Ed. level and has passed the training examination prescribed for course.

(o)      "Year" means financial year.

(p)      "Family" means (i)-In the case of male subscriber the wife or wives and children of a subscriber, and the widow. Widows and children of a deceased son of the subscriber. Provided that if a subscriber proves that his wife has been judicially separated from him or has ceased under the customary law of the community to which she belongs to be entitled to maintenance. She shall henceforth be deemed to be no longer a member of the subscriber's family in matters to which these rules relate unless the subscriber subsequently indicates by express notification in writing to the Accounts Officer that he shall continue to be so regarded;

(ii) in the case of female subscriber, the husband and children of a subscriber and the widow or widows and children of a deceased son of a subscriber;

Provided that if a subscriber by notification in writing to the Accounts Officer exclude her desire to exclude her husband from the family, the husband shall henceforth be deemed to be no longer a member of the subscriber family in matters to which these rules relate, unless the subscriber subsequently cancels formally in writing her notification excluding him.

CHAPTER-III PROVIDENT FUND

Rule - 3. Application of the Rules.

(a)      These rules shall apply to the teacher of Up-graded M.E. Schools.

Provided that if a teacher is already subscribing to the Teachers' Provident Fund under the Orissa Primary and Basic School Teacher (Non-Pensionable) Provident Fund Rules, 1957, before introduction of these Rules, he will continue to be governed by that rule.

(b)      Administration of the Fund-The funds shall be administered by the State Government. The powers of the Government shall except on the specific orders to the contrary, be exercised by the District inspector of Schools.

(c)      (i) Nominations-The management shall within six months require every subscriber to make a nomination conferring right to receive the amount that may stand to his credit in the Fund in the event of his death, before quitting the service or before the amount having been payable has actually been paid to the subscriber. The form of nomination shall be the same as has been prescribed for the Government servants and shall be signed by the subscriber in the presence of one of the employees of the office of District Inspector of Schools or any inspecting officer not below the rank of Sub-Inspector of Schools, who shall therefrom attest to such signature. The form of nomination shall be retained in self custody by the management which shall give receipt therefor.

(ii) A nomination may be cancelled by a subscriber and re-nomination may be made in accordance with the provisions of this rule.

Rule - 4. Conditions of Subscriptions.

(1)     Every subscriber shall subscribe monthly to the Fund when on duty.

 

(2)     A subscriber shall subscribe during the period he is on leave with leave salary.

 

(3)     A subscriber who is on leave without leave salary shall not be required to subscribe during such leave.

Rule - 5. Rates of subscription.

The rate of subscription shall be 6 percent of the subscriber's salary and no excess above the said limit shall be permitted. The subscription, if any of a teacher on leave shall be calculated on his salary. The teacher under orders of suspension from duty shall not be required to subscribe:

Provided that the subscriber on reinstatement after the period passed under suspension, shall be allowed the option of paying in one sum, or in installments any sum, not exceeding the maximum amount of arrear subscription permissible for that period if the period of suspension is treated as on duty.

Rule - 6. Realisation of subscriptions.

Recovery of subscription to the Fund shall be made by the management from every monthly salary bill presented.

Rule - 7. Contribution by the State Government.

(1)     The State Government shall contribute to the Fund at the rate of one half of total sum contributed by the subscriber shall, subject to the provisions of the Rule 11 be paid when the final payment to a subscriber becomes due if on the date of payment any balance is outstanding against the subscriber on any advance made to him such balance shall be deemed for the credit of the subscriber.

(2)     The amount of contribution by the State Government shall be rounded to the nearest whole rupee.

Rule - 8. Investment.

(i)       The amount of the subscriptions realised from each subscriber shall be paid to the local Post Master for being credited to the Post Office Savings Bank Account to be opened on behalf of each subscriber. The Savings Bank shall remain in the custody of the Management. The amount shall be sent by the management and a certificate that the subscriptions due in respect of the salary for the month concerned have been paid shall be attached to the acquaintance roll for verification. The management shall every month send with the money to the Post Office Savings Bank the Individual Pass Books and a statement in the following form:

Name of the Institution ..........................................................

Month of ............................

The amount received in the Post Office shall be credited to the Savings Accounts of each individual subscriber in accordance with the entries in the said statement and Post Master, after satisfying himself that this has been done and the amount of deposit has been correctly entered in each Pass Book, shall sign the statement, stamp it with the Post Office date stamp and return it to the management. The management shall check the entries made in the Pass Book with the entries in the statement.

(ii)      To afford facilities for higher rate of interest than, that allowed by the Oost Office Savings Bank, a subscriber shall have the option of converting a part or the whole of the accumulated balance standing to his credit into Post Office cash certificates. The application form for the purchase of the said certificates shall be signed by the subscriber and also by the management. The cash certificates shall be issued in the joint names of the subscriber and official designation of the management and shall be discharged only on both parties signing the application for discharge. Any certificate so purchased shall remain in the custody of the management. The transfer of these certificates or of their cash value, to the subscriber shall be subject to the same conditions as the withdrawal of deposits from Post Office Savings Bank Account.

(iii)     Deposits can be made at any time so that if owing to the temporary absence of one or more of the subscribers or for any other cause, the subscriptions of all the teachers cannot be deposited at same time the subscriptions of one or more of such subscribers shall be deposited singly or collectively as soon as may be at a later date, a separate list being sent every time alongwith the Pass Books in the manner laid down in Sub-rule (1).

(iv)    In the event of any subscriber being transferred from one school to another the controlling authority in charge of the former school shall sanction the transfer of the account of the branch of the Post Office Savings Bank nearest to the other school.

(v)      Subscribers to the fund, on whose behalf accounts are opened under the provisions of this scheme, shall not be deprived of their right to open ordinary private accounts in the Post Office Savings Bank.

(vi)    The management shall be responsible for the custody of the Savings Bank Pass Book and for the stamped statements, received back from the Post Office. A register shall also be maintained in the Office of the Controlling Authority showing the advances made and the sums recovered on account of the same.

Rule - 9. Advance from the Fund.

(1)     Subject to the condition that the minimum balance to the credit of a subscriber does not fall below Rs. 2 a temporary advance, not ordinarily exceeding three months; salary or half the sum to his credit, whichever is less, may with the sanction of the Controlling Authority be granted to a subscriber from the amount standing to his credit in the fund for any one or more of the following of other similar purposes:

 

(a)      for meeting expenses in connection with the subscribers illness or that a member of his family or other dependent;

(b)      for meeting expenses in connection with marriage, funeral or other ceremonies which by the custom of the subscribers it is incumbent upon with to perform and in connection with which it is obligatory that expenditure should be incurred.

(2)     Without the special sanction of the Controlling Authority no subsequent advance may be granted while any portion of a previous advance remains outstanding.

Rule - 10. Recovery of Advance.

(1)     An advance sanctioned under Rule 9 shall be recovered from the subscriber in such number of equal monthly installments as the Controlling Authority may direct, but such number shall not be less than twelve unless the subscriber so elects and in any case and not more than twenty-four. A subscriber may elect to repay two or more installments at the same time. Each installment shall be paid in whole rupees the amount of the advance being correspondingly raised or reduced if necessary.

(2)     Advance sanctioned from the fund shall be recoverable from the salary of the subscriber beginning from the month for which the subscriber draws his salary following the month during which advance was paid No advance shall be recoverable while the subscriber is on leave. Recoveries made under this rule shall be made in addition to the usual subscription and shall be credited to the subscribers account in the Fund, but no interest shall be charged or recovered on advances.

Rule - 11. Circumstances and the manner in which accumulations are finally payable.

Subject to the deduction, if any, made under Rule 12, a subscriber after he ceases to be in service shall be entitled to receive the sum which he himself subscribed and the interest thereon. The contribution payable by the State Government to the Fund on account of the subscriber (hereinafter called the Government contribution) shall be determined in the following manner, namely:

(1)     If he quits service with due notice or before completing five years of service or is dismissed or removed from service the Controlling Authority, subject to the control of the State Government, where the authority is not the State Government may in his discretion sanction the whole or a part of the Government contribution.

(2)     If he leaves his service after due notice and after a completed service of not less than five years he shall be entitled to receive the Government contribution unless the Controlling Authority subject to the general or special orders of the State Government in that behalf and for reasons to be recorded in writing decides that such contribution or any part thereof shall not be paid to him.

(3)     If he leaves the service on grounds of health or on other grounds accepted as satisfactory by the Controlling Authority or is superannuated on attaining the maximum age limit or his services are dispensed with for no fault of his, under the terms of his service, he shall be entitled to receive the Government contribution.

(4)     If he dies before quitting the service or before the amount having been payable is actually paid to him.

(a)      When he leaves behind a family:

(i)       If a nomination made by him in accordance with the provisions of Rule 3(c) in favour of a member or members of his family or other dependent subsists, the amounts standing to his credit in the Fund, or the part thereof to which the nomination relates shall become payable to his nominees in the proportion specified in the nomination;

(ii)      If no such nomination in favour of a member or members of the family or other dependent subsists or if such nomination relates only to a part of the amount standing to his credit in the Fund, the whole amount or the part thereof to which the nomination does not relate, as the case may be, shall not withstanding any nomination purporting to be in favour of any persons other than a member or members of his family or other dependents become payable to the members of his family in equal shares:

Provided that no share shall be payable to:

(1)     son or sons of a deceased son who have attained majority in accordance with the provisions of the Indian Majority Act 1875 (IX of 1875); or

(2)     married daughter or married daughters of a deceased son whose husbands are alive if there exists any members of the family other than those specified in provisions (1) and (2).

Provided further that the widow or widows and the child or children of a deceased son shall receive between them on equal parts only the share which that son would have received if he has survived the subscriber and had been exempted from the operation of the foregoing proviso.

Explanation-Any sum payable under those rules to a member of the family or other dependents of the subscriber vests in such member or other dependent under Sub-Section (2) of Section 3 of the Provident Funds Act, 1925 (XIX of 1925).

(b)      When he leaves behind no family in a nomination made by him in accordance with the provisions of Rule 3(c) in favour of any person or persons subsists, the amount standing to his credit in the Fund, or the part thereof to which the nomination relates, shall become payable to his nominee or nominees in the proportion specified in the nomination.

Explanation I-When a nominee is a dependent of the subscriber as defined in Clause (c) of section 2 of the Provident Funds Act, 1925 (XIX of 1925) the amount in such nominee under Sub-section (2) of Section 3 of the said Act.

Explanation II-When the subscriber leaves no family and no nomination made by him in accordance with the provision of Rule 3(c) subsists or if the nomination relates only to part of the amount standing to his credit in the Fund the relevant provisions of Clause (c) and of Sub-clause (ii) of Clause (c) of Sub-section (1) of Section 4 of the Provident Funds Act, 1925 (XIX of 1925) shall apply to the whole amount or the part thereof to which the nomination does not relate.

Rule - 12. Deduction.

The Controlling Authority may deduct from the standing to the credit of a subscriber, when that amount becomes payable any amount due under a liability incurred by him to the State Government provided that the subscriber shall have an opportunity of being heard before any such deduction is made and provided further that the amount of deduction shall not in any case exceed the contribution of the State Government.

Rule - 13. Repayment.

(i)       When the amount standing to the credit of a subscriber in the Fund or the balance thereof after deduction, if any, under Rule 12 becomes payable it shall be the duty of the Controlling Authority to make payment of the amount after satisfying himself that no such deduction has been directed under the said rule or of the balance, as the case may be, as provided in these rules and in Section 4 of the Provident Funds Act, 1925 (XIX of 1925).

 

(ii)      If the person to whom, under the rules any amount is to be paid is lunatic for whose estate a manager has been appointed in his behalf under the Indian Lunacy Act 1912 (IV of 1912) the payment shall be made to such manager and not to the lunatic.

 

(iii)     Any person who desires to claim payment under this rule shall, as soon as may be after amount or balance, as the case may be becomes payable send a written application in that behalf to the Controlling Authority.

Rule - 14. Procedure for payment.

The procedure to be followed for making payment shall be as follows:

(1)     If the Controlling Authority has decided that only the subscriber's own subscription with the interest thereon shall be paid to him, he shall take necessary steps to pay the amount to him or receipt of an application from the subscriber.

(2)     In other case the Controlling Authority shall send to the Accountant-General, Orissa, claim for the State Government contribution. The claim shall be accompanied by the Pass Book and by a certificate from the Controlling Authority that the subscriber is one of those who are eligible to join the Fund and that no amount in excess of the authorised subscriptions by the subscriber has been deposited and that the subscriber quitted his service in circumstances which gave him a title to the State Government contribution under the rule, if any, balance of any advance paid, from the fund is outstanding against the subscriber, the Controlling Authority shall certify the amount so outstanding and the Accountant-General, Orissa, shall then authorise payment from the consolidated fund of the State one half of the total amount at credit in the Savings Bank including the balance of any outstanding advance.

Rule - 15.

The true copy of the last entry of the Pass Book of every subscriber shall be sent to him not later than the last week of February each year. He shall within one month of the receipt of the account certify in writing as to the correctness thereof if the subscriber fails to do so within the specified period he shall have no right to challenge the correctness of the account at any later date.

Rule - 16.

All deposits relating to the fund shall stand in the joint names of the subscriber and Management.

CHAPTER-IV INSURANCE

Rule - 17.

Every teacher shall within one year of the date of publication of these rules or after completion of 3 years of service whichever is latter insure his life for a sum of Rs. 1,000 with the Life Insurance Corporation of India under a policy maturing at the age of compulsory retirement and keep the policy unencumbered till retirement.

Rule - 18.

A teacher who defaults without valid reason to comply with the provisions of Rule 17 shall forfeit the claim to his service prior to the date of insurance being continued for pension.

Rule - 19.

Rules 17 and 18 shall not apply to a teacher whose proposal to insure his life has been declined by the Life Insurance Corporation of India.

Rule - 20.

A policy taken out under this rule may be assigned to any member of subscribers' family but not to anyone else as a gift for value received.

NOTE: In order to a void future complications, necessary notes regarding fulfillment of the conditions in the rules under this Chapter may be kept in the relevant Service Book under proper attestations.

CHAPTER-V PENSION AND GRATUITY

Rule - 21.

Subject to the condition in other rules under this Chapter a teacher shall be eligible for pension or gratuity, as the case may be:

(1)     On retirement by reasons of this attaining the age of compulsory retirement;

 

(2)     On voluntary retirement after completing 30 years of qualifying service; or

 

(3)     On retirement before the compulsory retirement under a medical certificate of permanent incapacity for further service; or

 

(4)     On discharge due to the abolition of the post; or

 

(5)     On closure of the school due to withdrawal of the recognition of the school or other cause's.

NOTE 1-In regard to retirement on medical certificate under Clause (3) the corresponding procedural rule in the Civil Service Regulation shall apply mutatis mutandis.

NOTE 2-The age of compulsory retirement of teachers is 58.

The date of compulsory retirement shall be reckoned from the date of birth of the teacher as entered in his service Book, in case the year of birth only is known but not the month and date, the 1st July of the year shall be taken as the date of birth, when both the year and the month of birth are known but not the date the 16th of the month shall be taken as the date of birth.

NOTE 3-A teacher may retire from service voluntarily and time after completing 30 years' qualifying service provided that he shall give in this behalf a notice in writing to the management at least 3 months before the date on which he wishes to retire.

The management can also retire a teacher at any time after he has completed 30 years' qualifying service, provided that the Appropriate Authority shall give in this behalf a notice in writing to the teacher at least 3 months before the date on which he is required to retire.

Rule - 22.

(a)      Full pension admissible under these rules is not to be given as a matter of course, or unless the services rendered has been really approved.

 

(b)      If the service is not thoroughly satisfactory, the authority sanctioning the pension order such reduction of the amount as he thinks proper.

Rule - 23.

(a)      In completing the length of qualifying service all previous continuous service whether temporary, officiating or permanent either in one or more than one Aided Institution shall, subject to the provisions of Rule 18 be taken into account. Service rendered prior to attainment of the age of 18 years shall not be reckoned as qualifying service.

 

(b)      War Service or Military Service rendered by a teacher shall count as service qualifying for pension to the extent permissible under the rules and orders applicable to the State Government employees.

 

(c)      All leave except extraordinary leave (i.e. leave without allowance) counts for pension.

 

(d)      Suspension allowed to stand as specific penalty, overstayal of joining time or leave not subsequently regularised and periods of breaks shall not be reckoned as qualifying service.

Rule - 24.

(a)      Period of breaks in service on account of retrenchment or for similar reason beyond the control of the person concerned will not be treated as interruption involving forfeiture of past service.

All these cases, however, will be decided on their own merits, but in case of breaks occasioned by resignation, past service will not be taken into account.

(b)      A teacher shall be eligible for pension if he has qualifying service of 10 years or more, if the qualifying service falls short of 10 years but not 5 years, gratuity equal to one half month emoluments for each completed year of service shall be paid; No gratuity shall be admissible to a teacher who has put in a qualifying service of less than 5 years.

Rule - 25.

The authority competent to sanction the pension or gratuity shall, at his discretion, condone a deficiency up to a maximum period of 12 months in qualifying service, if the qualifying service exceed 9 years but falls short of 10 years in case of payment of pension and exceeds 4 years but fall short of 5 years in case of grant of gratuity.

Rule - 26.

The amount of superannuation, retiring, compensation or invalid pension or, as the case may be, compensation or invalid gratuity shall be determined by the length of qualifying service and calculated at the appropriate rate noted below subject to maximum of 30/120 of average emoluments. Fractions of a years are not taken into account in the calculation of pension or gratuity under these rules. Pension shall be calculated to the nearest multiple five paise completed year of qualifying service scales of gratuity of pension.

NOTE: For the purpose of this rule "emoluments" and average emoluments" will be determined in the manner laid down in the rules applicable to State Government employees, subject to the conditions that if in any case pay or allowance drawn by a teacher be in excess of the rate of scale allowed under Government for corresponding posts in similar circumstances, the excess shall be disallowed before computing emoluments.

Rule - 27.

The pension found admissible may be sanctioned by the Controlling Authority. On receipt of his sanction together with the connected documents, the Accountant General, Orissa shall after due verification and check issue the pension payment order to the teacher concerned. In case of delay, payment of anticipatory pension may be authorised by Accountant General, cases requiring the grant of any concession not contemplated in these shall be submitted to the Government for their order. There shall be no commutation of pension sanctioned under these rules. Temporary increase of pension or dearness allowance shall not be admissible to the teachers.

CHAPTER-VI GROUP INSURANCE

Rule - 28.

(1)     The Group Insurance Scheme shall be compulsory for all the employees of all up-graded M.E. Schools (P.S.M.E.) and would cover both the teaching and non-teaching staff.

(2)     Every employee as indicated above shall make one time refundable deposit during his/her entire service. Thus deposit shall be refunded either to the family of the employees in the event of his/her premature death, while in service or to the employee himself/herself on his/her relinquishing service. The quantum of such one time refundable deposit is as follows:

(3)     Benefits under the Scheme-

 

(a)      In the event of unfortunate death of the employees while in service his/her family shall be entitled to final benefits as under:

(b)      An employee who survives the period of service shall get refund of his/her one time refundable deposit as indicated above, without any interest after his relinquishing service.

Rule - 29. Realisation of Deposits.

The deposits as stated in Rule 28(2) above would be recovered at source from the Education Department out of the grants-in-aid payable to such non-Government institutions and credited to Head "K"-Deposits and Advances-843-Civil Deposits of Finance Department which will be entrusted with the responsibility of operation of the scheme.

Rule - 30. Recovery of advance.

The amount so recovered at source from Education Department would be deducted in 18 monthly equal installments from the salary of the employee drawing pay up to 450 p.m. and 12 monthly equal installments from the salary of the employee getting pay above Rs. 450 p.m. such deduction would in all cases commence from the salary for the month of April, 1978 payable in May, 1978, in case of existing employees or subsequently, in case of new entrants and would continue without interruption till the full deposit is recovered if an employee goes on leave, the employees return from the leave deductions will be made from the leave salary/salary other dues when the employees return from leave.

Rule - 31.

When an employee dies while in service, the following authorities would report the fact of death to the Branch Manager (G & S) L.I.C. Bhubaneswar, in the form prescribed, who would make payment of the sum assured through the said authority to the nominee of the employee.

Rule - 32.

The amount of assistance for performance of obsequies and the one time refundable deposit without interest thereon would also be paid to the nominee in the same manner by the above authority within seven days of death of the employee from out of the available cash at their disposal and report to Finance Department for immediate reimbursement. The nomination for this purpose shall be made by the employee in favour of one of his/her family members. Family for this purpose of this scheme shall include the following relatives

(a)      Wife, in case of male participant

 

(b)      Husband, in case of a female participant

 

(c)      Son/sons

 

(d)      Unmarried daughter/daughters

 

(e)      Father

 

(f)       Mother

 

(g)      Brother/brothers

 

(h)     Unmarried sister/sisters

NOTE 1: (c) and (d) shall include children adopted legally before death while in service.

NOTE 2: The nomination in favour of the unmarried daughter (s), sister (s) shall become invalid in the event of their marriage.

NOTE 3: A bachelor/spinster may change nomination in the event of his/her marriage in favour of wife/husband.

NOTE 4: Nomination can be altered in the event of legal separation or death of the nominee, as the case may be.

NOTE 5: If there are more than one son, more than one daughter, more than one brother and more than one sister, nomination in order of preference shall be made in favour of all of them.

Rule - 33.

The authorities mentioned in Rule 31 would report to Secretary to Government, Education and Youth Services Department with copy to Secretary to Government, Finance Department, by 31st July, 1978 the information regarding the employees working under them in the following pro-forma:

(i)       Name of the Institution

 

(ii)      Name of employee

 

(iii)     Designation of the employee

 

(iv)    Age of the employee as on the 1st April, 1978

 

(v)      Pay of the employee as on the 1st April, 1978

 

(vi)    Name of the nominee in case of death.

Rule - 34.

In case an employee enters service on a subsequent date, deductions shall commence from his/her pay in the first month of his/her appointment. He/she shall furnish the nomination within one month of his/her appointment. The prescribed authority shall send a statement or such new entrants together with their dates of entry into service, the Education Department and Finance Department at the end of year for proper adjustment of the grant in aid payable to them.

Rule - 35.

It shall be the duty of the employee under the scheme to obtain acknowledgement of receipt of the nomination from the appropriate authority.

Rule - 36.

In case of the employee before the nomination is duly made furnished to the appropriate authority or where no nomination, exists, the amount due under the scheme shall be payable to any of the member/members of family in order of preference as mentioned in Rule 32.

Rule - 37.

 

The scheme shall come into force with effect from the 1st April, 1978.