Rules eased for pension for divorced daughters of armed forces personnel

The Defence Ministry on Monday said divorced daughters of armed forces personnel will get the family pension if their divorce petition had been filed during the lifetime of one of their parents.

Earlier, for a divorced daughter to get the family pension, there was a condition that the divorce decree should have been issued during the lifetime of at least one of the parents.

"The government has been receiving grievances from various quarters that the divorce proceedings are a long drawn procedure which take many years before attaining finality," a Ministry statement said, adding the decision was taken on November 17.

The statement said that in several cases, divorce proceedings had been instituted in the court during the lifetime of one or both of the parents but none were alive by the time the decree of divorce was granted.

Under government pension rules, unmarried children below 25 years of age are eligible for family pension after the death of both parents.

The pension is payable to the disabled children for life and also to unmarried, widowed or divorced daughters above the age of 25. The pension for the dependent daughter continues till she remarries or starts earning her livelihood equal to or more than the sum of minimum family pension.

"The family pension will commence from the date of divorce... provided the claimant fulfils all other conditions for grant of family pension," the statement said.

--IANS

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