Decentralization of Central Pension Accounting Office is not administratively feasible

Decentralization of Central Pension Accounting Office is not administratively feasible

No. A-11019/25/2015/MF.CGA(A)/NGE/AICAEA-HQ/425

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF FINANCE

DEPARTMENT OF EXPENDITURE

CONTROLLER GENERAL OF ACCOUNTS

LOK NAYAK BHAWAN, KHAN MARKET

NEW DELHI

Dated, the 19th October, 2015

To,
The Secretary General,
All India Civil Accounts Employees Association,
17/2-C, P&T Quarters, Kali Bari Marg,
New Delhi -110001.

Subject: Decentralization of Central Pension Accounting Office.

Sir.

I am directed to invite your kind kind attention towards demand No. 17 of Charter of Demands submitted vide letter No. AICAEA/HQ/A-2/2015/519 dated 02.06.2015 on the subject cited above and to state that proposal has been examined by the CPAO and they have not recommended the decentralization of CPAO on the grounds that Electronic Government National Plan Scheme has been fully implemented in the CPAO.  As such, it is not administratively feasible to decentralization the CPAO.  A copy of CPAO's letter No.CPAO/Tech/Decentralization of CPAO/2015-16/1653 dated 12.10.2015 is forwarded herewith for your kind information.

Yours faithfully,

(D.D.K.T. Dason)

Assistant Controller of Accounts

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF FINANCE

DEPARTMENT OF EXPENDITURE

CENTRAL PENSION ACCOUNTING OFFICE

TRIKOOT-II, BHIKAJI CAMA PLACE,

NEW DELHI-110066

CPAO/Tech/Decentralization of CPAO/2015-16/1653

12.10.2015.

To,
Sh. D.D.K.T. Dasan
Asstt. Controller of Accounts
Office of the Controller General of Accounts
7th Floor, Lok Nayak Bhawan,
Khan Market, New Delhi-110003

Subject:- Decentralization of Central Pension Accounting Office.

Sir,

I am directed to refer to your Office Letter NoA-l 1019 25.2015 MF.CGA(A)/NGE/AlCEA-HQ/387 dated- 01.10.2015 on the subject cited above and to offer the comments of CPAO as under:-

Taking into consideration rapid strides being made in IT decentralization of CPAO is not recommended due to the following. facts:-

i) With the movement towards e-PPO and e-Revision. the communication is increasingly being made with banks electronically minimising the effect of distance in transactions.

ii) After the operationalization of receipt of revision authorities from PAOs through digital signatures and on electronic mode. the pension processing shall become more efficient.

iii) E-PPO project for revision is Operational with four banks i.e. SBI, Chandni Chowk, Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda and Canara Bank. Moreover, PFMS Division is developing a pension module under PFMS which is likely to be implemented w.e.f. 01.04.2016. After that it is expected that processing of pension payment will be more smooth and fast for stakeholders.

iv) It is desirable to reduce the human interface to minimise malpractices or malafied intentions.

v) The communication modes like telephone. e-mail, SMS etc. are becoming quickest. Hence any pensioner can lodge his grievance to Grievance Cell of CPPC of the concerned bank or grievance cell of CPAO.

vi) With the introduction of Defined Pension System w.e.f. 01 04.2004, out flow of new retirees is expected to reduce.

vii) Every information/ latest relevant orders and instructions are available at CPAO’S website and
accessible to all the stakeholders including pensioners.

viii) Pensioners have been provided the download facility of true copy of the Special Seal Authority by using login and passwords provided by CPAO.

ix) Banks/CPPCs are important agencies for outreach purposes-for pensioners.

sd/-

(Vijay Singh)

Sr. Accounts Officer (IT & Tech)

Source Order Images given below:-

Streamlining Action on Pension grievances-uploading of replies given by the Ministries/Departments to the petitioner on CPENGRAMS

Streamlining Action on Pension grievances-uploading of replies given by the Ministries/Departments to the petitioner on CPENGRAMS

No. 55/6/2015-P&PW(C)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, P.G. & Pensions
Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare

3rd Floor, Lok Nayak Bhawan, New Delhi,
the 29th September, 2015

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Streamlining Action on Pension grievances-uploading of replies given by the Ministries/Departments to the petitioner on CPENGRAMS.

It has been observed that in most of the cases of pension related grievance, the Ministries/Departments/Organizations do not upload the replies to the petitioner on the portal and close the cases. It is therefore requested that in case, any letter or orders etc, are issued by the concerned Ministry/Department/Organization for redress of the grievance or for not acceding the request of the petitioner for valid reasons, the same may also be uploaded on the portal CPENGRAMS.
 

 

It is again reiterated that since effective grievance redress mechanism is a priority of the Government, the quality of disposal is important and a well reasoned speaking reply should be furnished to the petitioner before closure of grievance an a copy of the same be uploaded on CPENGRAMS.

(Seema Gupta)
Deputy Secretary to the Government of India

Source: Pensioners Portal
[http://ccis.nic.in/WriteReadData/CircularPortal/D3/D03ppw/ppwc_290915.pdf]

Railway Bord: Commencement of Pension in favour of retired Railway employees

Commencement of Pension in favour of retired Railway employees: Railway Bord

Government of India

Ministry of Railways

Railway Board

No. 2015/AC-II/21/10

New Delhi Dated:17.08.2015

General Secretary,
NFIR,
3, Chelmsford Road,
New Delhi-110055

Dear Sir,

Sub:- Commencement of Pension in favour of retired Railway employees.

Ref:- Your letter no. II/35/Pt.11 dated 29.7.2015.

The undersigned is directed to refer to your letter ibid and state that Board has taken various steps to streamline the pension payment system to ensure that payment of pension is commenced from the month following the month of retirement and the grievances, if any, are redressed promptly, as indicated below:

i. Single Window System has been implemented with banks to do away with delays in commencement of pension payments inherent in the earlier system. In brief, the scheme envisages that Railways will hand over the PPOs issued during a month to the nominated nodal branch of the respective banks (located at the HQ of PPO issuing Railways) by 5th of the following month. The nodal branch is responsible to forward it to their concerned Centralised Pension Processing Centre (CPPC) by 1oth of the following month so that the CPPC can commence pension w.e.f. last day of the following month. The scheme has already been implemented with 22 banks and remaining banks are under process of implementation.

ii. Further, at present, the pensioner is called to the bank for submission of an undertaking about recovery of excess/overpayments before commencement of pension. In order to obviate delays in the process of commencement of pension on this account, Board , vide letter no. F(E)III 2008/PN1/13 dated 17.3.2015 , has issued instructions that requisite undertaking may be obtained by HOD from the retiring employee before his retirement and forwarded to pension disbursing bank along with PPO by the Accounts Officer. The pensioner would no longer be required to visit the bank to activate his first payment of pension.

iii. In addition, it is planned to issue e-PPOs to the banks under the centralised Pension application (ARPAN) which would do away with the delays altogether. The same is being tested and is expected to be rolled out by end of this year. Railways are being advised to strictly follow the instructions and monitor timely commencement of pension to the staff.

iv. RBI was also addressed to direct the banks to put in place a sound grievance redressal mechanism for pensioners at CPPC/ Pension Paying Branches of the Banks . RBI has since issued the advisory to the banks to ensure expeditious redressal of pensioners’ grievances.

v. Zonal Railways have been advised to scrupulously follow the instructions issued by Board in this regard.

Yours faithfully,

sd/-

for Secretary, Railway Board

Source: NFIR

[https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B40Q65NF2_7UNVpwdEw3N0ZFQjA/view]

Merger of DA & Interim Relief: Strong Argument before 7th CPC by Karnataka CG Pensioners Association

Merger of DA & Interim Relief: Strong Argument before 7th CPC by Karnataka CG Pensioners Association

The Karnataka Central Government Pensioners’ Association writes to 7th CPC on Merger of DA, Interim Relief, Re-employment as Consultant, Pensioner Grievances, Court cases pertaining to Pensionary benefits etc.:-

THE
KARNATAKA
CENTRAL GOVERNMENT PENSIONERS’ ASSOCIATION (REGD.)

( Estd: 1974; Regn. S.No.143/1983-84 d/ 9th August 1983 ) “Swarna”, 120/1,
2nd Main, Gayatri Devi Park Extension, Vyalikaval, Bangalore 56000
(Affliated to BPS New Delhi, AIFPA Chennai & KCCCGPAs Bangalore)
Email ID: cgpakarn@gmail.com Tel: 23468438

RNI Regn No: KRENG/2008/27233		Postal Regn No: KRNA/BGE/200/2012-14
President S SRamanatha Rao Tel: 2661 9394	Vice-President S SKargudri Tel: 25837178	Secretary Ashok S Kololgi Tel: 9448469351	Treasurer K S Menon Tel: 9743771933

Respected Chairman and Members of the 7th CPC –

At the outset, I wish the Commission easy going in its work and hope the Commission comes out with useful recommendations. Presumably, the recommendations apply to the members or some of the members of the Commission too.

Wherever we go and whenever we approach officers for certain help or concessions, as pensioners’ associations; in majority of the cases, the reply has been that they (the presently serving officers) too retire at some time, and that they would like to help out. But help does remain afar. The Ministry of Personnel & Pensions has been doing a great deal to liberalise the situation; but they have their handicaps, as the duty-departments remain lethargic. Not much can be done in this domain, perhaps.

The Point

Several pensioners’ associations/pensioners have written to the Commission on the pensioners’ interests and requirements – I refrain from calling them as ‘demands’ as this is the lot of the beggars. The two imminent issues for favourable consideration by the Commission, nay, the Government are: the Grant of Interim Relief, and the Merger of 50% of DA/DR with pay/pension, both retrospectively.
Both these requirements in principle have been acceded to in the past by the past Pay Commissions as well as the Government; and hence there should be no qualms at all in recommending/granting the two Requirements, in the interest of social justice, whether the Government has specifically made provision for this or not in the Terms of Reference.

(To recall, the Terms of Reference to the Commission by the Government stated clearly “(Item) (h) To recommend the date of effect of its recommendations on all the above. The Commission will make its recommendations within 18 months of the date of its constitution. It may consider, if necessary, sending interim reports on any of the matters as and when the recommendations are finalised. The decision will result in the benefit of improved pay and allowances as well as rationalization of the pay structure in case of Central Government employees and other employees included in the scope of the 7th Central Pay Commission.”

About a year back, the Tamil Nadu Government, while constituting its Pay Commission, granted two months’ pay as Interim Relief. One of the Central Pay Commissions in the past announced two instalments of Interim Relief. This explains the need for Interim Relief. As such, the two Appeals should be sanctioned without much time being wasted, as there are many pensioners in advanced age-rangewho desire to have this benefit.

The other point

I write this from experience. Over the last 50 (fifty) years,there has been a high and steady rise in the number of posts created in several departments of the Government, particularly so in the Class I senior-cadre, who belong to the All-India Services, in contrast to the number of creation of posts in the junior cadres. There is rise in the volume of work admittedly; but not as much as to have a high number of senior officers. Earlier, the Departments functioned with Section Officer (who managed office), Deputy Secretary (who initiated notings), Joint Secretary(who gave opinions) and Secretary (who took decisions), in the higher rank; and they did well in dealing with papers and in deciding the issues. The file-notings used to be clear, committed, fast and final.

In the past few decades, the ranks of Additional Secretary, Special Secretary and Consultants have crept into the Govt service, with more number of Joint Secretaries. It is my contention that these posts are superfluous and their salary/allowance bills are a dent on the Exchequer. More routine tasks are done after consultations over phone. Too many officers and too much time in dealing with disposal of papers – has been the practice in the Government. I therefore strongly opine that the number of such Class I officers in all the Departments of the Government, including the Ministries, must be drastically brought down. The work will be faster, and the responsibility for decisions is fixed on limited number of officers. The Hon’ble Prime Minister has shown the way. He has cut down on the number of Ministries.

There is a whisper that thirty percent of the retired officers are re-employed in their respective departments/offices after retirement, as Consultants or other-wise, continuing to do the same job! This is something difficult to be gulped. Perhaps, this should be examined and checked. The Dept of Personnel & Training in the Ministry of Personnel may help to know the facts. The Commission may kindly take a decision.

The third

Heading the Karnataka Central Government Pensioners’Association, Bangalore, during the last 12-15 years, the Assn has recently projected many Grievances of the pensioners/members with us; and none of them has been conclusively solved. Various Ministries have come up with Grievances cells; and these have become show-cases or postoffices, with just forwarding the complaints to some nodal officers, who remain unhelpful. The Ministry of Personnel and Pensions contemplated on time-frame for redressal of such grievances; but this has been a far cry. The mechanism to get Redressal to the home of the aggrieved pensioners must therefore be fast and satisfactory. It must be remembered that the pensioners are aged, and they need results quick. A good debate on this is required within the Government, and a result-orientation infused into these Grievances cells/portals.

The fourth point

In the last few years, it is experienced that the pensioners have been forced to go to different Courts in respect of their dues and needs. These mainly refer to fixation of pension, fixation of cut-off dates and implementation of Court verdicts by the Governments. This is a situation that the pensioners cannot happily face. A good lot of time and money is wasted. The Government must rationalise and liberalise its attitude, when the learned Judges of the Court have given their verdicts after due hearings from both the parties involved. Can the Commission say something on this point, please?

Grateful Regards to a Great Commission.
n S SRamanathaRao,
n President,
n Karnataka CGPA.
Bangalore,
D/ July 18, 2014.

Source: http://scm-bps.blogspot.in/2014/07/presiden-karnataka-central-government.html

Reducing Delays in First Payment of Pension – Submission of Undertaking along with Pension Papers – Issue of PPO on the Date of Retirement – Reg

Reducing Delays in First Payment of Pension – Submission of Undertaking along with Pension Papers – Issue of PPO on the Date of Retirement – Reg

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions

18-June-2014 15:37 IST

Reducing Delays in First Payment of Pension – Submission of Undertaking along with Pension Papers – Issue of PPO on the Date of Retirement – Reg


The Government has observed that the first payment of pension after retirement gets delayed mainly due to two reasons. One, the delay in receipt of intimation by the pensioner that pension papers have reached the bank and two, delay on part of the pensioner in approaching the bank for submission of undertaking that he shall refund or make good any amount to which he is not entitled.


In a recent workshop with Pension Secretaries of State Governments, Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions stated that the Government had decided that the required “Undertaking” may be obtained by the Head of Office from the retiring Government servant 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. The pensioner would no longer be required to visit the bank to activate the first payment of pension.

This change in procedure has one additional 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 to his copy of PPO.

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

This and other reform initiatives were brought forth by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in his meeting with the Pension Secretaries of State Governments held on June 12, 2014.

Source: PIB