Govt. issues revised guidelines on pensions

The government has streamlined procedures for retiring employees so that delays may be overcome in earliest commencement of pension.

This follows directions issued by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions at a workshop held with pension secretaries of various state governments last week.

Delegates pointed out during the course of the deliberations that the release of pension after retirement gets delayed mainly due to two reasons -- delay in receipt of intimation by the pensioner that pension papers have reached the bank and delay on the part of pensioner in approaching the bank for submission of an undertaking that he shall refund any amount paid to him to which he is not entitled.

As per the new guidelines, the government has decided that the requisite undertaking may be obtained by the head of office from the retiring employee and forwarded to the pension disbursing bank along with the Pension Payment Order (PPO).

The bank shall credit the pension to the account of the pensioner as soon as this undertaking is received along with the pension documents.

This change in procedure has an added advantage that the PPO can now be handed over in person to the retiring employee along with other retirement dues. Earlier, the pensioner had to approach the bank for PPO.

With this change in rules and procedures, the pensioners would avoid inconvenience and delay, and his pension will commence as soon as he retires.