Government Issues Notification Announcing Amendments In Pension Rules

The families of government employees dying after serving less than seven years will get enhanced pension now with the Centre amending rules.

The move is likely to benefit the widows of Central Armed Police Forces personnel.

Earlier, the government employees should have rendered at least seven years of service in case of death so that the family could get the enhanced family pension at 50 percent of the last pay drawn.

Now, even with less than seven years of service, families, in case of death, will get enhanced family pension. President Ram Nath Kovind approved the amendment to the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972, according to a government notification.

These rules— called as the Central Civil Services (Pension) Second Amendment Rules, 2019— will come into force from Oct. 1, 2019.

"Whereof a government servant who died within ten years before the 1st day of October 2019, without completing, continuous service of seven years, his family shall be eligible for family pension at enhanced rates in accordance with sub-rule (3) with effect from the 1st day of October, 2019, subject to fulfilment of other conditions for grant of family pension," according to the notification.

The government felt that the need for family pension at enhanced rate is more in the case of a government servant who dies early in his career, as his pay at the initial phase of service is much less, the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions said in a statement.

"The government has, therefore, amended Rule 54 of the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972 by a notification dated Sept. 19, 2019. As per the amended Rule 54, the family of a government servant, who dies within seven years of joining service, will also be eligible for family pension at an enhanced rate of 50 percent of last pay drawn, for a period of 10 years," it said.

"However, the families of government servants who died before completion of service of seven years within 10 years before Oct. 1, 2019, will also be eligible for family pension at enhanced rates with effect from Oct. 1, 2019," it added.