SPOUSE OF A PENSIONER WHO DIED DURING THE PANDEMIC COVID -19 PROVISIONAL FAMILY PENSION PAYMENT

PROVISIONAL FAMILY PENSION

Payment of a Provisional Family Pension to the spouse of a pensioner who died as a result of the pandemic Covid-19 BPS sends a letter to the Hon’ble Minister.

BHARAT PENSIONERS SAMAJ
(All India Federation of Pensioners Associations)

No. BPS/SG/FP/Pensioner/2 1/5

Dated the 19th May 2021

DR. JITENDRA SINGH
HON’BLE MINISTER OF STATE
M/O PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS

Reg: PAYMENT OF PROVISIONAL FAMILY PENSION TO THE SPOUSE OF PENSIONER DIED DURING PANDEMIC COVID -19.

Respected Sir,

Bharat Pensioners Samaj, while appreciating the various welfare measures undertaken by the Department of Pension and Pensioners Welfare under your leadership, seek your intervention to mitigate the suffering of spouses of pensioners who died during the Covid -19 period.

Sir, we with a heavy heart bring to your kind notice that, during this second wave, many of the Central Government pensioners have succumbed to Corona. In a bid to curb the spread of the novel Corona Virus in the country, many of the State Governments have declared lockdown for a period ranging from 15 days to a month or two. During this lockdown period, the concerned State Governments have issued guidelines to the offices and also Central Government offices, in their respective States, to function with bare minimum staff. As a result of this, spouses of pensioners, who died due to Covid or any other reasons, may not able to submit Form No. 14, duly filled and signed with all the relevant documents, in view of the lockdown declared by the Government and in the absence of functioning of government offices with full strength, there may be a delay in their submission of Family Pension Application, which, in tum, may result in a delay in getting their family pension sanctioned.

As you are aware, only Central Government employees/pensioners, who are residing in areas where CGHS Wellness Centres and CGHS empanelled Hospitals exist, can avail CGHS facilities in the empanelled hospitals . During this pandemic, other Central Government employees/pensioners are being denied admission in the CGHS empanelled hospitals when they are inflicted by Covid or for any other reasons when they desire to get admission using CGHS Card. In view of this, many Central Government employees/pensioners/family pensioners, during this pandemic, had to meet hospitalisation expenses from their own savings. Consequent to death of employees/pensioners, due to Covid or any other health reasons, their spouses or family members are not only put to financial hardship having spent huge sum towards hospitalisation expenses, but also due to the delay in getting their family pension consequent to the delay in submission of Form No. 14 (Family Pension Application) along with all the required documents. Having spent their savings towards hospitalisation, pensioners’ spouses may find difficulties in meeting their day to day expenses and medical needs, if there is delay in getting their family pension.

In this connection, we wish to bring to your kind attention that, in order to avoid any hardship to the family of the deceased Government servant, the Government has relaxed the provisions of Rule 80-A of the CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972, – vide its OM dated 29.7.2020(copy enclosed) to the extent that if a claim for family pension in Form 14 along with death certificate and bank account details of the claimant has been received and the Head of Office is satisfied about the bonafide of the claim, he shall sanction provisional family pension immediately in the case of death of a Government servant during service and that the amount of provisional family pension shall not exceed the maximum family pension as admissible under Rule 54 of CCS Pension Rules, 1972. As the concerned Pension Sanctioning Authority would have authorised for payment of family pension to his or her spouse in the PPO issued to him or her at the time of issuing Pension Payment Order to him/her, provisional family pension can be sanctioned pending receipt of Family Pension Application (Form No. 14), duly filled and signed with all the relevant documents for further processing and sanctioning of Family Pension.

Considering the hardship faced by the pensioner’s spouses, if the family pension is not sanctioned immediately, especially during this COVD 19 pandemic and also in normal course, we request your good self to consider sanctioning of provisional family pension to the spouses of pensioners, who have succumbed to Corona or due to any other diseases during this pandemic , just as has been done in the case of death of a Government servant during service in terms of Dop& PW OM dated 27.7.2020, on receipt of a request on a plain paper for sanction of provisional family pension along with Doctor’s Certificate relating to death with copies of Aadhar card/Pension Payment Order/first page of pass book, pending submission of Form No.14 along with other relevant documents.

Kindly cause to issue necessary orders, in this regard, at the earliest.

Thanking you,

With regards
Yours faithfully,

For Bharat Pensioners Samaj
S.C. MAHESHWARI
SECRETARY-GENERAL

Central Government Employees Strike on 15.11.2018

Central Government Employees Strike on 15.11.2018

Strike on 15th November 2018 - Memorandum to be submitted to Governor, Chief Minister, MP, Leaders of Political Parties, Trade Unions, Eminent personalities etc,

Dear Comrades,

All the affiliated organizations and C-o-Cs are requested to submit the following Memorandum to all concerned during the month of August, 2018. While taking the copy, in the first para delete the designations shown in brackets which are not required.

M.Krishnan
Secretary General
Confederation
Mobile & whatsapp:09447068125
mkrishnan6854@gmail.com

CONFEDERATION OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES AND WORKERS

MEMORANDUM

Memorandum submitted to —————————- on the grievances of Central Government employees and Pensioners.

No………………………… Date…………

Respected Sir/Madam,

We, on behalf of 32 lakhs Central Government employees and 33 lakhs Pensioners, seek your benign intervention to settle the following genuine grievances pending redressal for the last many years. We have brought these issues to the notice of the Central Government several times and also discussed in the negotiating forum which meets rarely. Inspite of our best efforts the issues could not be settled due to the unhelpful attitude of the Government. Having left with no other alternatives, we have been compelled to declare one day nationwide strike of Central Government employees on 15th November 2018. It is in this background, we are approaching your goodself for your kind intervention, so that the matter will be brought to the notice of the Hon'ble Prime Minister for early settlement.

1. Scrap Contributory Pension Scheme (Known as New Pension Scheme - NPS) and restore Defined Benefit Pension Scheme under CCS (Pension) Rules 1972 to all Central Government Employees, joined in service on or after 01-01-2004.
2. Honour assurance given by Group of Ministers to the Leaders of National Joint Council of Action (NJCA) of Central Government employees regarding increase in Minimum Pay and Fitment formula for Pay revision from 01-01­2016.
3. Regularisation and grant of Civil Servant status to Gramin Dak Sevaks of the Postal Department. Implement all positive recommendations of Kamalesh Chandra Committee report without any modifications or dilution
4. Pension Parity recommended by 7th Central Pay Commission (Option-I)
5. Filling up of all vacant posts. There are about six lakhs vacant posts remaining unfilled in various Central Government departments.
6. Stop closure of Government establishments
7. Implement 7th CPC wage revision and pension revision of all Autonomous body employees and pensioners.
8. Remove 5% condition imposed on compassionate appointments
9. Stop attack on trade union rights and ensure prompt functioning of various negotiating forums under the Joint Consultative Machinery (JCM) scheme at National and Departmental level.
10. Grant of five promotions during the entire service career of each employee .

At present almost all employees in the Group B and Group-C cadres retire from service with maximum three promotions only. Our request to ensure minimum five promotions in one's career is not considered favourably by Government.

The above are some of the main issues agitating the minds of lakhs of central Govt. Employees and pensioners for long. Once again request your kind intervention.

With profound regards,
Yours faithfully,

Source : Confederation

REVISION OF MINIMUM PAY, FITMENT FORMULA - HIGH LEVEL COMMITTEE NOT YET CONSTITUTED:

REVISION OF MINIMUM PAY, FITMENT FORMULA - HIGH LEVEL COMMITTEE NOT YET CONSTITUTED:

While deferring the indefinite strike from 11th July 2016, as per the assurance given by the Group of Ministers, the NJCA in its statement dated 06-07-2016, stated as follows:

"The committee set up to look into the matter of minimum wage and fitment formula is expected to submit their report to the Government in the given time frame of not more than four months".

Finance Ministry's press statement issued on 06-07-2016 also stated as follows: “The Ministers assured the Union leaders that the issues raised by them would be considered by a High Level Committee".
After one month, the NJCA wrote letters on 28-07-2016 to Hon'ble Home Minister, Finance Minister, Railway Minister and Cabinet Secretary in which it conveyed the following:

"It is a matter of concern that, despite elapsing of a pretty long time, nothing has been heard in this regard from the Government of India, which is leading to serious resentment amongst the Central Government employees."

Again after two months the JCM staff side, Secretary, wrote a letter on 12-08-2016, to Shri. Arun Jaitely, Finance Minister – "We are expecting a quick action on the part of the Government to operationalise the assurance of setting up a High Level Committee to go into the Minimum Wage, Multiplication factor etc. However, we are disappointed that even after a lapse of more than a month, no orders have been issued by the Government in this regard ………. we therefore appeal to you that the concerned authorities may be asked to expedite the issuance of orders setting up the committee and finalisation of the report within the available time of remaining three months."

A group of Senior Officers invited the JCM staff side on 30-08-2016 to discuss the grievances arising out of the recommendations related to 7th CPC. No High Level Committee was constituted and no terms of reference was notified. The second meeting with Group of seniors was held on 24-10-2016.

Eventhough the group of senior officers held two round of discussion with JCM staff side, surprisingly they had not come prepared to discuss increase in minimum wage and fitment formula. They made a mockery of the meeting by disclosing in the first meeting that they are not fully aware of the details of the issues to be discussed and in the second meeting they told that they came for discussing allowances (though another committee under the chairmanship of Finance Secretary is constituted for allowances) and not minimum wage and fitment formulas. The JCM staffside leaders felt humiliated.

After that meeting, the JCM staffside wrote the following letter on 26-10-2016, to Hon’ble Finance Minister…..

"We (staff side) interacted with the said committee headed by Shri. P. K. Das, Addl. Secretary (Expenditure) on 24-10-2016. It would be quite appropriate to bring to your kind notice that, we have felt, during the course of meeting, that the proceedings of the committee are extremely disappointing and are left with the impression that committee is dilly-dallying the issue…………….. we are, therefore, left with no option, but to address this communication with the fervent hope that, your goodself will direct the said committee to interact with the staff side in a fruitful manner and arrive at a mutually agreeable proposal on the issue of minimum pay and fitment formula…. We have full trust and believe that, the Government would honour the decision taken in the meeting held on 30-06- 2016 in your benign presence and suitable direction will be given to the committee to complete the assigned task within the stipulated time frame in a satisfactory manner…. It would be the most unfortunate development, we regret to state, if we are constrained to tread the path of struggle once again in the event of the committee not coming up with a satisfactory settlement."
Inspite of all these, after that (ie after 24-10-2016) no meeting of the group of senior officers was held and no discussion on minimum wage and fitment formula took place. The four months time fixed for the High Level Committee (which is yet to constituted) expired on 30-10-2016. Government has gone back from the most important assurance given to the NJCA leaders on 30-06-2016 by the Group of Cabinet Ministers. NJCA decided to defer the strike mainly because of this assurance of the Govt. that the Minimum pay and fitment formula will be enhanced. Now that Govt. has gone back and betrayed the entire Central Govt. employees and pensioners. NJCA has no other option but to revive the indefinite strike.

Source: http://confederationhq.blogspot.in/

Central Government Pensioners above 100 Years

Central Government Pensioners above 100 Years

The number of pensioners above 100 years of age drawing pension from Banks (PSBs) is 1774

An interesting question raised in Rajya Sabha on 4th August 2015 by the Hon’ble Member Shri Ahmed Patel regarding the Central Government Pensioners above 100 years. The Minister of State for Finance Shri Jayant Sinha replied as follows…

The number of pensioners above 100 years of age drawing pension from Banks (PSBs) is 1774, details at Annex. The Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare (DOPPW) in a meeting held on 12.06.2015 with the concerned stakeholders in which common deficiencies in the banks’ data regarding Date of Birth, Mobile number, address of pensioner, Aadhaar numbers and number of pensioners over the age of 100 years were discussed. Banks with large number of pensioners above 100 years of age and having large number of records without date of birth of pensioners, mobile and Aadhaar numbers were asked to launch special drives and update their database. The Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO) has issued instructions to banks to accept self-certification regarding marriage, income and non-employment. The banks should share master data along with Aadhaar numbers with CPAO for reconciliation of records.

Annex referred to in reply to parts (a)of Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1673 for 04.08.2015 by Shri Ahmed Patel regarding Pensioners above 100 years

S.No.	Bank Name	No. of pensioners drawing pension from Banks above 100 years
1	STATE BANK OF INDIA	792
2	STATE BANK OF BIKANER & JAIPUR	57
3	STATE BANK OF HYDERABAD	1
4	STATE BANK OF MYSORE	23
5	STATE BANK OF PATIALA	43
6	STATE BANK OF TRAVANCORE	18
7	ALLAHABAD BANK	78
8	ANDHRA BANK	1
9	BANK OF BARODA	20
10	BANK OF INDIA	18
11	BANK OF MAHARASHTRA	2
12	CANARA BANK	12
13	CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA	563
14	CORPORATION BANK	0
15	DENA BANK	3
16	INDIAN BANK	14
17	INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK	0
18	ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE	4
19	PUNJAB AND SIND BANK	1
20	PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK	75
21	SYNDICATE BANK	9
22	UCO BANK	32
23	UNION BANK OF INDIA	7
24	UNITED BANK OF INDIA	1
25	VIJAYA BANK	0
26	IDBI BANK LIMITED	0
27	BHARATIYA MAHILA BANK	0
	Total	1774

Source: http://rajyasabha.nic.in/

BPS will not rest till all justified issues are resolved – General Secretary Maheshwari Sc

BPS will not rest till all justified issues are resolved – General Secretary Maheshwari Sc

Full Pension to Pre 2006 Pensioners with less than 33 years of service but morethan 20 years QS – at par with Post 2006 Pensioners

Dear All affected,

For the information of every body,BPS is pursuing this issue justify from the beginning through different Forums.We have pleaded it before 7th CPC also.On 30.7.2015 only we said that the DOPPW OM dated 30.7.2006 is not implementation of CAT judgment but an extension of OM dated 28.01.2013 which was a result of BPS negotiations.

We have been informed that the issue of Full Pension to Pre 2006 Pensioners with more than 20 years of service but less than 33 yrs is still subjudice. Sometimes, over eagerness to file court cases becomes hurdle in negotiations & gives chance to administration to avoid or delay the issues.

I may assure you all that BPS wks for real achievements & not for gaining extra millage, neither BPS believes in inciting unjust inspirations.

I can only assure that BPS will not rest till all justified issues are resolved. Courts are the very last resort for pensioners.

Secy Genl. BPS

Source: BPS

Relief to lakhs of pre-2006 retirees of the Armed Forces and Central Government

Relief to lakhs of pre-2006 retirees of the Armed Forces and Central Government

Pre-2006 retirees get pension relief

Finally, after many twists and turns, it has arrived! In a relief to lakhs of pre-2006 retirees of the armed forces and central government, their pension has been revised with effect from January 1, 2006, rather than from September 24, 2012.

The department of pension and pensioners’ welfare (DoPPW) issued the universal orders regarding this revision on Thursday. Anomalies in the fixation of the pension of the pre-2006 central government retirees had come to light after the implementation of the recommendations of the sixth Pay Commission. The issue was whether pension was to be calculated based on the minimum of pay for each rank/grade within the newly introduced bands or on the minimum of the pay-band itself.

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) and Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) then corrected it and ruled that the pension would be calculated on the basis of the minimum of pay for each rank/grade within a particular band, which gives the retirees a higher pension.

Read more at : Hindustan Times