APPLICATION FOR ENDORSEMENT OF FAMILY PENSION

APPLICATION  FOR ENDORSEMENT OF FAMILY PENSION

AT THE FAG END OF A WIDOWS LIFE IS PAINFUL

The system of simultaneous notification of family pension (Endorsement of family pension in the PPOs of the living pensioners) was not done for those who retired before 1.4.1985.  Government introduced this for defence pensioners from 1.4.1985.  Subsequently, they issued instructions on 30.6.1998, to all those who retired before 01.4.1985 to apply for Endorsement of Family pension. 

As usual, most of the pensioners ignored these instructions and some of them have done endorsement but did not tell anything about this to their spouses and died.  As a result, today, these aged widows are running pillar to post for their family pension.

The pension paying banks and the Record offices are not in a position to confirm to the widow whether the endorsement is done or not.  Most of these widows are aged above seventy years. There is no one to help them in this regard.  The pension paying banks, CPPCs do not reply to any of the pensioners letters.  The Record offices normally take three months to reply a letter.  All the banks, CPPCs, all the Record offices are having email ids, but none of them make use of this facility for replying for urgent purposes.  Sometimes, we have to get this information under RTI, which takes more than two months with appeals etc.

As you all know, that most of those who retired around 1980 are now counting their days.  They are not in a position to run around for endorsement of family pension which they have not done in earlier days.  Moreover, up to December, 2012 all the record offices were refusing to do endorsement for the re-employed ex-servicemen, since dual family pension was not allowed at that time.  Therefore some of the re-employed ex-servicemen died without completing the endorsement.  And now, that the dual family pension has been allowed i.e. 24.9.2012 and these widows are running pillar to post for dual family pension at the fag end of their life.  There is no one help them.  The record offices, the CDA(P) Allahabad, and the banks don’t bother about the age of the applicant.  The Record offices ask so many certificates like, Marriage certificate, birth certificate at the age of 80, Affidavit from First class Magistrate or RDO etc., etc.  It is not possible for ordinary widows to obtain all these certificates nowadays

The widow is drawing re-employer’s family pension and submitting the copy of the family pension orders.  Even then, the Record offices insist to obtain a certificate from the re-employer stating that the individual ex-serviceman was re-employed from such and such date and they have sanctioned pension for granting Defence Family pension.

Normally the re-employers grant pension and family pension without any problem.  It is the Defence Department, which has utilized the youthful life of a young man, now dragging them to grant family pension with so many questions. Most of the re-employers refuse to issue such certificates as it is time barred.  We have got instances of approaching legal forum for getting this certificates.

Most of the time, the so called dual family pension is sanctioned after the death of the widow.  This is the state of affairs.

What the Digital India is going to achieve God only knows.  First of all the government offices, should be asked to reply to the emails received by them immediately. The Record offices and the Banks should strictly instruct to reply to the email complaints.  The Record offices should display their email address in the Indian Army Website.

The writer wishes to emphasis that all these hurdles should be removed.  Grant of dual family pension to be simplified.  Government should issue fresh instructions to all concerned to simplify the procedure.  Pension for Unmarried Daughters, widowed daughters, divorced daughters and for the mentally retarded children are looking attractive.  But how many of these categories are getting these pensions are the question.  Government should simplify the procedure and grant these pensions in time.  

Administrative  reforms are the most urgent need of the hour.  The sufferings of millions of people are going unnoticed as they have lost hope to revive the system.  All those who are reading this article, may forward to concerned departments for necessary action.