Change in pension rules shows human angle of govt: Jitendra Singh

Union minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday said the recent change in the pension rule giving enhanced pension to the families of government employees dying before serving seven years shows the human angle of the government and reflects its sensitivity towards the citizens.

Earlier, the government employees should have rendered at least seven years of service incase of death so that the family could get the enhanced family pension at 50 per cent of the last pay drawn.

Singh, addressing the launch of CPGRAMS reforms in the Department of Posts at an event here, said the priority of the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to provide transparent and citizen-centric governance to the people.

The minister said the decision shows the human angle of the government and reflects its sensitivity towards the citizens.

The government has amended Rule 54 of the CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 by a notification dated September 20.

The amendment in Rule 54 of Central Civil Services(Pension) Rules will be effective from October 1.

As per the amended rule, the family of a government servant, who dies within seven years of joining service, will also be eligible for family pension at an enhanced rate of 50 per cent of last pay drawn, for a period of 10 years.

The minister said this reform is one of the citizen-centric reforms in the first 100 days of the Modi government's second term.

Singh said the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi is also approaching and this reform will be effective from October 1, which marks the eve of Gandhi's birth anniversary.

Secretary (Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances and Pensions) K V Eapen said the decision to amend Rule 54 will benefit the people, especially the families of the personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces where such incidents are more.

Though simple, it is a far-reaching reform, he said.

Sanjiv Narain Mathur, Joint Secretary (Pensions), gave a detailed presentation about the amendment in Rule 54 of the CCS (Pensions) Rule by giving a comparative view of the old and new rule.

Now, even with less than seven years of service, families, incase of death, will get enhanced family pension.

President Ram Nath Kovind approved the amendment to the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972, according to a government notification.