MEETING HELD BETWEEN THE SECRETARY PENSION AND NATIONAL COUNCIL STAFF SIDE MEMBERS ON ISSUES OF PENSIONERS
ON 25-09-2014 IN NEW DELHI
The meeting was held under the
chairmanship of the Secretary (Pension) at Lok Nayak
Bhawan, on 25.9.2014. On behalf of the Staff Side, the following comrades attended.
Com. Shiv Gopal Mishra. General
Secretary, AIRF.
Com. Rakal Dasgupta. President,
AIRF.
Com. S.K. Vyas, Advisor,
Confederation of CGE and Workers.
Com. KKN. Kutty. President,
Confederation of CGE and Workers.
‘ Com. Srikumar, General Secretary, All
India Defence Employees Federation.
After the
introduction of the members of both official and staff side, the Action taken
Statement placed by the official Side of the meeting held on 4.2.2014 was taken
up for discussion.
1.
Abnormal
delay in the issue of revised PPO to Pre 2007 pensioners/family
pensioners. It was reported that about
26000 PPO of pre 1990 and 10,000 cases of pre-2006 retirees are still awaiting
the issuance of revised PPO. It was
reported that the main reason for the delay is the non availability of records
in the case of pensioners. The Staff
side demanded the supply of Department wise break up of the figures to enable
them to take up the issue with the concerned department. This was agreed to. The Staff side further stated that the issue
should not be viewed from the statistics angle
and the official side must appreciate that in the case of pre 1990
cases, the pension remains unrevised for
about 20 to 25 years. It may be that some
of the retires/family pensioners might have expired during this period. The staff side also requested the official
side to appreciate the agony and
difficulties of these pensioners. The
lack of availability of records should not be taken as an excuse . After some further discussion, it was agreed
that by the end of 2014, all pending cases would be cleared. In the case of Railways, the pendency is
about 25000 and in the case of Defence the reported figure was 85,000. It was however noted that serious efforts
have been made by both the Ministries to bring down the number of pending cases
drastically.
2.
Revision
of commutation table. The proposal of
the official side was to refer the matter to the 7th CPC, which the
Staff Side objected as unreasonable and bereft of any prupose. The Staff Side pointed out that the 6th
CPC had devised the new commutation table whereby the commutation benefit had
been drastically reduced. When there had
been a reduction in the commutation benefit, the tenancy period of commutation
ought to have been reduced. The 6th
CPC has gone on records to state that the period must remain 15 years
as there will have to be sufficient room for cross subsidisation. The Staff Side pointed out that when the
commutation time was fixed at 15 years long time back, the mortality rate was
much higher than it was today and therefore, there had been no justification
for the recommendations made by the 6th CPC. They also pointed out that the official side
in an earlier meeting had agreed to
refer the matter to an expert committee and subject their recommendation to
discussion with the Staff Side. The 6th
CPC was not an expert body on this matter and they had to depend upon a
professional agency. The Staff Side for
this reason objected to the Official Side proposal. The Chairman, after due consideration, wanted
the Finance Ministry to appoint an expert committee and refer the issue to that
committee to consider the demand in the light of the interest rate, morality
rate, life expectancy etc.
3.
Equitable
gratuity under Rule 50 of Pension Rules. The suggestion made by the Staff Side
was to change the slab system by introducing a slab upto 11 years and another
upto 20 years. Taking into account the fact that the last slab system was
intrdocued on the basis of the recommendations of the 5th CPC, the
issue might be referred to the 7th CPC. The Department of Pension has already
referred the same to the 7th CPC and the Staff side has been assured
to be supplied with a copy thereof.
NEW
ITEMS:
(A).
Increase in Family Pension. The demand of
the Staff Side was agreed to be specifically referred to the 7th
CPC.
(b)
Cashless and hassle- free treatment in recognised hospital. The Official side agreed to ensure that the
pensioners are not put to any difficulty in the matter by the recognised
hospitals. When the staff side pointed
out that the Health Ministry had not been paying the dues to the recognised
hospital and that has led to the denial of cashless facility, the Health
Ministry denied the same. The Staff side
wanted the Health Ministry officials to immediately convene a meeting as the
last meeting has been held more two years back.
The Health Ministry has decided to look into the matter and explore the
possibility of convening such a meeting within a month’s time.
(c)
Finalisation of family pension cases within a specified period.
The
official side pointed out that the procedure has been simplified and
liberalised, The Staff Side pointed out
that the delay is caused more by the attitude than on any factual
deficiency. They, therefore, suggested
for the introduction of a provisional family pension scheme as is the case with
the pension for those who face inquiry proceedings. They suggested the grant of 75% of the family
pension immediately on receipt of application and the rest after the scrutiny
of the claim. They also asked for a time
frame for finalisation of the claim in as much as the applications must be
disposed of within three months.
The meeting was
concluded with a vote of thanks to the Chair.
