Review of Policy for Dependent family pension under Swatantrata Sainik Samman Yojana
भारत सरकार /Government of India
वित्त मन्त्रालय / Ministry of Finance
व्यय विभाग / Department of Expenditure
केन्द्रीय पेंशन लेख कार्यालय / Central Pension Accounting Office
त्रिकूट-।। भीकाजी कामा प्लेस / Trikoot-II Bhikaji Cama Place,
नई दिल्ली-110066 / New Delhi-110066
CPAO/ IT & Tech/A-IV/ FFP/Vol-IX/2021-22/19
Dated 10.06.2021
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject: Dependent family pension under Swatantrata Sainik Samman Yojana-review of policy- regarding.
Attention is invited to the OM No. 45/03/2014-FF (P) dated 30.12.2015 (Copy enclosed) issued by the Freedom Fighter Division, Ministry of Home Affairs wherein the dependency criteria for transferring the freedom fighters pension to spouse /daughter has been clarified.
All the banks are requested to follow the instructions issued vide OM ibid by the Freedom Fighter Division, Ministry of Home Affairs scrupulously.
This issue with the approval of Chief Controller (Pension).
Encl:- As above
(Satish Kumar Garg)
Sr. Accounts Officer (IT & Tech)
To :
- Heads of CPPCs of All Authorized Banks (as per list).
- Heads of Government Business Division
Copy for information :
1) Sr. Accounts Officer, Office of the Principal Chief Controller of Accounts, Ministry of Home Affairs, Jam Nagar House, New Delhi.
2) The Deputy Secretary, Freedom fighter Division, 2nd floor, NDCC-II Building, Jai Singh Road, New Delhi-110001.
F.No.45/03/2014-FF (P)
Government of India/Bharat Sarkar
Ministry of Home Affairs/Grih Mantralaya
Freedom Fighter Division
*****
2nd Floor, NDCC-II Building,
Jai Singh Road, New Delhi-110 001.
Dated: 30th December, 2015
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject: Dependent family pension under the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme 1980- review of policy – reg.
The undersigned is directed to invite attention to this Ministry’s letter no. 8/2/98-FF(P) dated 13.10.2000 addressed to all the disbursing authorities of Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension vide which it was instructed that the claimant of family pension should fulfil the twin conditions of falling into the eligible category of relationship i.e. widow/ widower/unmarried daughter/ mother or father and their dependence on the deceased freedom fighter. Further, it has to be certified that such a dependent does not have any independent means of livelihood. The said instructions have been reiterated vide para 6 of the policy guidelines for disbursement of Central Samman Pension to be followed by authorized Public Sector Banks circulated vide this Ministry’s communication of even number dated 6.8.2014. According to sub-para 6.1.2 of the above-mentioned guidelines the banks must ensure that a dependent pension is not sanctioned to a spouse or a daughter of a freedom fighter if:-
“(i) The spouse/ daughter is already employed in a Central or a State Government, Central/State PSU or local body.
(ii) In case the spouse/daughter is working in a private sector or having his/her own business/ activity then income from such job/ activity exceeds 20,000/- per month.
(iii) The spouse/daughter should not be receiving a pension/salary on account of his or her own job or by virtue of the previous employment of the deceased freedom fighter.
Explanation – I:
As a thumb Rule, if a spouse/ daughter is already receiving one salary/ pension (excluding the State Freedom Fighters’ pension ), either due to his/her own job or deceased husband’s/father’s/ mother’s previous job, then such spouse/ daughter should not be sanctioned Central Freed om Fighter Pension.”
2. Thus as per the para 6.1.2 of the revised policy guidelines, the upper ceiling of monthly income was not uniform for Govt. and private source of income. To remove the above anomaly, the matter has been considered in consultation with Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, Government of India and it has now been decided to a mend the said para 6.1.2 of the revised policy guidelines by introducing a uniform income limit of 20,000/- per month or 2,40,000/- per year irrespective of whether it is from Govt. or a private source. Accordingly, Para 6.1.2 of the revised policy guidelines will now be read as under:-
“6.1.2: The banks must ensure that a dependent pensions is not sanctioned to a spouse or a daughter of a freedom fighter if :-
(i) The spouse/daughter is already employed in a Central or a State Government, Central/State PSU or local body and income from such job/activity exceeds 2,40,000/- per year or 20,000/- per month.
(ii) In case the spouse/daughter is working in a private sector or having his/her own business/activity then income from such job/activity exceeds 2,40,000/- per year or 20,000/- per month.
(iii) The spouse/daughter is receiving a pension/salary on account of his or her own job or by virtue of the previous employment of the deceased freedom fighter and income from such job/activity exceeds 2,40,000/- per year or 20,000/- per month”.
4. It is, therefore, requested to issue instructions to all concerned to follow these instructions scrupulously and take certificate from the dependents of the freedom fighters about a mount and his/her source of income at the time of transferring of pension and also at the time of taking life certificate annually. All the banks are directed to review/reconsider all those cases in which pension had been stopped on the grounds of multiple pensions received by the dependent spouse/daughter keeping in view the above income ceiling of 2,40,000 per year (or 20,000/- per month). If found eligible, the pension may be released with immediate effect.
The cases in which the monthly/annual income is above the upper ceiling prescribed above, may be reported to this Ministry along with a notice/intimation to the pensioner that (to be indicated in the notice) the pension may be discontinued in view of his/her other source of income exceeding the prescribed limit.
(Meenu Batra)
Deputy Secretary to the Government of India
Tel. No. 23438062
Email : [email protected]
To
- All the CPPCs of Public Sector Banks.
- The Principal Chief Controller of Accounts (CCA), MHA, North Block, New Delhi.
- The Chief Controller (Pensions), Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO), Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, Trikoot-11, Bhikaji Cama Place, New Delhi.
- Dy. Controller General of Accounts, O/o the Controller General of Accounts ( CGA), Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure, 7th Floor Lok Nayak Bhawan, New Delhi.
- The Director General (SMU), O/o Comptroller & Auditor General (C&AG) of India, Pocket-9, New Building, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, New Delhi-110024.
- The Chief Accountant, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Central Office, Department of Accounts and Expenditure, Mumbai.
- All Officers of Freedom Fighters’ Division, MHA, New Delhi.
- All processing Sections in Freedom Fighters’ Division, MHA
- The Pension Disbursement Monitoring Cell (PDMC), MHA, New Delhi.
- All the Members of the Committee of Eminent Freedom Fighters.
- The S.O. (IT), MHA, New Delhi for uploading it on the MHA website.
Click here to view/download PDF
COMMENTS