Govt scraps need of min 7-year constant service for enhanced family pension

The Defence Ministry has scrapped the requirement of minimum continuous service of seven years for grant of enhanced ordinary family pension (EOFP) to the next of kin of deceased defence personnel, an official statement said Monday.

An EOFP is 50 per cent of personnel's last emoluments and is payable for 10 years from the date of the death of the personnel in service, the ministry said in the statement.

"The requirement of continuous qualifying service of 7 years (to get EOFP) is done away with effect from October 1, 2019," it said.

If the service personnel dies after his or her release, retirement, discharge or invalidment, the EOFP is given for seven years from the date of death or up to the time when the personnel would have reached 67 years of age, whichever is earlier, the ministry noted.

Further, the family of armed forces personnel who died within 10 years before October 1, 2019, without completing continuous service of seven years, would be getting the EOFP, it noted.

As per the rules till date, "there is a requirement of continuous qualifying service of 7 years for grant of the EOFP to the next of kin of defence forces personnel", it stated.

While the EOFP is 50 per cent of last emoluments of the personnel, the ordinary family pension (OFP) is 30 per cent of last emoluments of the personnel.