Officers to face action for delay in GPF payments

Action will be taken against the officers concerned in cases of delay in processing payment of General Provident Fund (GPF) to retiring employees, the Centre has said.
The move comes after it was noticed that GPF final payment in many cases was not being made to the government servants immediately after retirement leading to payment of interest for the period delayed.
In an order, the Ministry of Personnel said in order to ensure timely final payment of GPF and to avoid unnecessary financial burden on account of interest, it has now been decided that every case, in which payment of interest on General Provident Fund becomes necessary beyond the date of retirement, shall be put up for consideration to the Secretary of the administrative ministry.

"In all such cases the Secretary of the administrative ministry or department will fix responsibility at all levels to take appropriate action against the government servant or servants who are found responsible for the delay in the payment of General Provident Fund," it said in the directive to all central government departments.
Senior Personnel Ministry officials also said there have been a few instances in which there were complaint of delay in giving final amount of GPF to the retiring employees.
Rules clearly provide that when the amount standing at the credit of a subscriber in the General Provident Fund becomes payable, it shall be the duty of the Accounts Officer to make the payment.

The authority for the amount payable is to be issued at least a month before the date of superannuation, but payable on the date of superannuation, the rules say.
The Centre had in 1996 dispensed with the requirement of submitting a written application by the retiring government servant for GPF final payment.
As per the rules, in case the GPF balance is not paid on retirement, interest on the GPF balance is required to be paid for the period beyond the date of retirement also.