ENDORSEMENT OF FAMILY PENSION FOR PRE-86 PENSIONERS.

ENDORSEMENT OF FAMILY PENSION FOR THE 
PRE-86

ARMED FORCES PENSIONERS.

Present day pensioners are fortunate to have the notification about family pension done in their PPO.  It is only the Pre-86 defence pensioners, who are now reaching the last stage of their life are finding very difficult to get the endorsement of family pension done during their life time.

The parent record offices are putting lot of restrictions on the re-employed ex-servicemen’s cases.  There are cases of widows having PPOs for Two family pensions in their hand,  but unable to get sanctioned even one pension because of some inhumane restrictions on sanctioning Second family pension.

A large number of applications for endorsement of family pension are kept pending with the CDA(P) due to these restrictions.  Even the parent record offices are unable to help the pensioners.  There is no forum to present this problem.  There is no mechanism for redressal.

In case of re-employed ex-servicemen, the situation is worse. The parent record offices are demanding an undertaking from the re-employer that they will not sanction family pension.  Even after surrendering one family pension, the endorsement is delayed.

One well educated Master Warrant Officer of the Indian Air Force is struggling for the past 5 years to get endorsement of family pension.  Now he is seriously ill.  His only worry is that who will help his wife to get the pension after his death.  Unfortunately his wife is also bedridden.  The pre-86 pensioners are the most sufferers in this respect.

The Air Force Record office is managed by an Air Officer.  It is a pity that an MWO is struggling to get the endorsement of family pension.

The re-employed ex-servicemen are allowed to draw two pensions separately.  After their death, when the widows approach the Bank for family pension, they are given only one pension, that too after lot of delay.  The Bank pays only one family pension on obtaining an undertaking that “No family pension” from other source.

There is no justification for denying second family pension.  Since the widows have no proper forum to take up the case the injustice continues.  The re-employed ex-servicemen are also not coming forward under one umbrella to fight for justice.  Lack of unity and understanding among the PBOR are the main cases for such injustice.

The thinking capacity of the ex-servicemen is suppressed by providing liquor through canteens.  The attitude of the bureaucrats will change only when all the 17 lac ex-servicemen and their families refuse liquor and demand better pension and other benefits instead.

2nd FAMILY PENSION TO THE WIDOWS

2^nd FAMILY PENSION TO THE WIDOWS OF THE RE-EMPLOYED EX-SERVICEMEN.

Government of India, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Pension and Pensioner’s Welfare through its Office Memorandum No. 1/19/96-P&PW(E) dt.19/7/2002 allowed family pension under the EPF Scheme 1995 and the FPS 1971 in addition to the Family Pension under Rule 54 of the CCS (Pension) Rules 1972.

This benefit is available from 27.7.2001. It means that all the widows of the re-employed ex-servicemen, whose husbands were drawing two separate pensions and died before 27.7.2001 and after 27.7.2001 are now eligible for two family pensions. But practically this benefit has not been availed by any widow till date. The reasons are:-

1. The O.M. No.1/19/96-PPW(E) dt.19.7.2002 by the Dept. of Pension and Pensioner’s welfare has not been widely circulated. The MOD, Dept. of Ex-servicemen Welfare had not circulated this order.

2. The Record Offices and the respective departments where the ex-servicemen were re-employed had joined together and ensured that only one family pension is released to the widow.

3. Since most of the ex-servicemen re-employed prior to 1986 had not done the endorsement of family pension, their widows suffered a lot to get one pension even though their husbands were drawing two pensions.

4. The Record offices refused to endorsement of family pension without getting an no-objection certificate from the re-employer that they will not sanction any family pension.

5. In some cases, the re-employers such as the Nationalized Banks, PSUs like the Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation, etc., who are having EPF scheme 1995 released the family pension to the widow immediately. After accepting this EPF scheme 1995 pension, when the widow applied for the defence family pension, the record offices simply turn down the application stating that they are eligible for only one family pension. Thus the widow continued to lose her legitimate defence family pension even after issue of the order from 27.7.2001.

Thus the widows of the re-employed ex-servicemen whose husbands were drawing two pensions before 27.7.2001 or after 27.7.2001 and died subsequently are though eligible for two family pensions, but are being paid only one pension.

The MOD, Dept. of Ex-servicemen Welfare should issue a circular on the subject immediately and enable the widows to get both the family pensions in the last days of their life. Otherwise the name given to the Department “Dept. of Ex-servicemen Welfare” will become meaningless.

As of now all the widows of ex-servicemen, whose husbands were drawing two pensions are eligible for two family pensions w.e.f. 27.7.2001 depending upon the date of death. Those who have died prior to 27.7.2001, the family pension will be paid from 27.7.2001. Those who have died after 27.7.2001, the family pension will be paid from the next of day of death.

In these present state of confusion with the Pension Disbursing Agencies, even the living pensioners are struggling to get their correct pension, then who will help these widows to get their 2^nd family pension.

The ex-servicemen welfare organizations like IESL, IESM, AFA, Naval Foundation etc., should take up the matter seriously with the government and render justice to these widows.

WORKING SHEET FOR CALCULATION OF MIN. SPECIAL FAMILY PENSION

ARREARS OF MINIMUM SPECIAL FAMILY PENSION

PAYABLE TO THE WIDOWS OF SEP, NAIK & HAVILDARS.

As per MOD letter No.16(6)/2008(2)/D (Pension/Policy) Para 9 dt.4.5.2009, the minimum Special Family Pension has been increased from Rs.2,550 to Rs.7,000/- w.e.f. 1.1.2006.

The Banks as per MOD letter dated 11.11.2008 would have revised the pension from Rs.2550 to Rs.5763 as per Annexure I and paid arrears of Rs.13660 (40%) and the balance of 60% amounting to Rs.20,492 to be paid after the government announcement. (Arrears for the period from 1.1.06 to 31.12.2008 for 36 months)

In the meantime, the revised pension has to be increased from Rs.5763 to Rs.7000/- and arrears paid for the period from 1.1.06 to 31.5.2009 for 41 months and thereafter from June 2009 the revised SFP has to be paid.

A detailed working sheet has been prepared for the benefit of the widows.

Readers of this Blog, please help the eligible widows to get their correct pension & arrears.

Working sheet for calculation of Revised Spl. Family Pension Arrears – Click.

DRAWAL OF PENSION BY NON-RESIDENT INDIAN, DEFENCE PENSIONERS

PROCEDURE FOR DRAWAL OF PENSION BY NON-RESIDENT
INDIAN, DEFENCE PENSIONERS.

The formalities to be adopted by pensioners residing in foreign countries are as under:-

A NRI pensioner is required:

1. To open a Non-resident Bank Account with any Scheduled Bank in India.

2. To execute a power of Attorney in duplicate on Indian non-Judicial Stamp paper of appropriate value. Where Indian non-judicial stamp paper is not available, it can be made on durable plain paper affixed with adhesive Indian Stamp of appropriate value. The value of the stamp will be determined with reference to practice as obtained in the place where the Power of Attorney is executed. The Power of Attorney will be executed before Notary Public or Indian Mission abroad. It shall be ensured that if the Power of Attorney is executed before Notary Public, it must be signed in the presence of an official of Indian Embassy/Mission abroad, who should attest the signature of the pensioner.

If the Power of Attorney is executed on plain paper, and is not affixed with the adhesive Indian stamps of appropriate value, the pensioner may be requested to write his agent in India advising him to take the same to the Collector within 3 months of its receipt for getting it stamped according to Indian stamp Act.

1. To submit an arrear claim on IAF(CDA) 651, if the pension has not been drawn for more than one year.

2. To submit claim on IAFA-380 (a)

3. To submit the life certificate (IAFA-409), issued by an authorized official of the Embassy/High Commission of India, or consuls of Indian Consulates or Notary Public or an officer of an Indian public Sector Bank attached to its branch in the country, where the pensioner is residing, once in a year in November each year.

4. To submit a certificate once a year in April each year whose nationality at the time of retirement was Indian and who for the time being are residing outside India, on the following lines:-

(a) “I certify that I was an Indian nation at the time of my retirement and have not thereafter changed my nationality and become a naturalized citizen of foreign state”.

(b) The pensioner who has changed his/her nationality, and has become a citizen of a foreign state, must submit a certificate regarding change of nationality, to his Bank along with a copy of nationality certificate, granted by the country, where the pensioner is residing, to the Principal CDA(P), through the Link Branch.

5. To forward an attested copy of pensioner’s passport.

6. To submit other certificate viz. non-employment/re-employment certificate, non-marriage certificate etc.

7. To submit a declaration ratifying the Acts/deed done by the pensioner’s attorney in April each year.

The above documents are required to be forwarded to pensioner’s Agent in India for submitting the claim to Principal CDA(P), Allahabad through concerned Pension Disbursing Authority.

The life certificate and nationality certificates etc. referred above are to be submitted initially with the first claim and thereafter once a year along with the claim for the month of November and April respectively. It may further be noted that pension will not be paid beyond the date on which the next life certificate, Nationality certificate, ratification deed is due.

Specimen form of Power of Attorney - Click

PLIGHT OF RE-EMPLOYED EX-SERVICEMEN'S WIDOWS

PLIGHT OF THE RE-EMPLOYED EX-SERVICEMENS' WIDOWS

IN GETTING THE BENEFICIAL PENSION.

The truncated service in the Armed forces compels the ex-servicemen to seek re-employment. The re-employed ex-servicemen after retirement from the re-employed post are given minimum pro-rata pension, in addition to the minimum defence pension. Both these minimum pensions put together will not come equal to the full pension (33 years) being drawn by others who are fortunate to complete full service in one organization.

Moreover, these ex-servicemen are not given any weightage of military service/seniority in the re-employed post. They are appointed in the minimum scale and retire with minimum pension. Even though there are instructions to count the military service for seniority, promotion etc., in the re-employed post, but these ex-servicemen are not given any such privileges in the re-employed service. Whereas the families of these re-employed ex-servicemen are not allowed to draw both the family pensions. They are allowed to draw only one family pension after the demise of the ex-serviceman.

In the circumstances, there is no justification in denying the second family pension. Also there are many public sector undertakings and banks that are having their own pension fund, also denying this family pension to the widows of these ex-servicemen.

For example, a large number of ex-servicemen were employed in the public sector banks during the period 1981 to 1991, now most of them have retired and some of them have died. The widows of these re-employed ex-servicemen are not given the bank’s family pension even though the banks have their own contributory pension scheme.

The State Bank of India, a premier institution, having sufficient funds to meet the pension commitment to its pensioners, is also denying the family pension to these widows. Although, the SBI’s pension scheme is different from the CCS pension rules, but when question of paying the family pension arises to a widow of a re-employed ex-serviceman, the banks deny by stating the CCS pension rules.

The plight of SBI pensioners is worst. When the mighty trade unions fight for the revision of salary and allowances for the working employees in the past, but they failed to negotiate for the revision of the SBI Pension and family pension. The recent revision in the SBI family pension has not improved the situation.

Now there are some widows who are eligible to get higher rate of Defence family pension as per the 6^th CPC, as compared to the SBI’s family pension, are denied the defence family pension because of the option given by their husbands for the bank’s pension earlier, which is now lower than the defence family pension.

ENDORSEMENT OF FAMILY PENSION - PLIGHT OF AN AIR WARRIOR

ENDORSEMENT OF FAMILY PENSION
IN RESPECT OF ONE M.W.O. C.J.BESCHI

A request, for endorsement of family pension in, respect of a Senior Air Warrior M.W.O. C.J. Beschi (Edn. Instructor) is pending with AFRO/CDA(AF) for the past three years. After prolonged correspondence, the AFRO finally on 15/01/08 forwarded the case to CDA(AF) (Joint Notification Cell) Subroto Park, New Delhi 10 for issue of Corr. PPO.

Now it is more than one year passed, the joint notification has not been received so far.

The inordinate delay from such a fine organization like AFRO causes serious concern to other colleagues of the same age group. As an MWO, he feels, if he cannot get the endorsement of the family pension in favour of his wife during his life time, his wife may be denied the eligible pension for ever.

Why such a delay with the beautiful organization like the AFRO, under the command of an Air Officer with all ultra modern facilities and dedicated workers ? The morale of the Air Warriors is very high as compared to others. It must be safeguarded at all costs. Will the authorities look into the matter and arrange for an early action ?