Revision of pension / family pension, pension 01.01.2016 pensioners
Revision of pension / family pension, gratuity and commutation of pension of post 01.01.2016 pensioners
GOVERNMENT OF WEST BENGAL
FINANCE DEPARTMENT
Pension Branch
No.536–F(Pen)
Dated the 1st October, 2019.
MEMORANDUM
Subject : Revision of pension / family pension, gratuity and commutation of pension of post 01.01.2016 pensioners.
The undersigned is directed to state that the question of modification of rules granting pensionary benefits to the State Government employees consequent on the revision of pay structure under the West Bengal Services (Revision of Pay and Allowance) Rules, 2019 has been under consideration of the Government.
After careful consideration of the matter, the Governor has been pleased to decide that the pensionary benefits in respect of the State Government employees who retire after coming into force of the West Bengal Services (Revision of Pay and Allowance) Rules, 2019 and whose pay has been fixed under the said rules actually or in whose favour such revised pay has been allowed notionally shall be determined as follows:‐
A. Pension
(i) A Government employee retiring in accordance with the provisions of West Bengal Services (Death‐cum‐Retirement Benefit) Rules, 1971 and before completion of minimum qualifying service of ten years shall not be entitled to pension, but he shall continue to be entitled to
gratuity.
(ii) A Government employee who has rendered a minimum qualifying service of 20 (twenty) years, pension shall be paid at 50% of the last basic pay drawn. For Government employees who at the time of retirement have rendered qualifying service for 10 (ten) years or more but less than 20 (twenty) years, proportionate reduction shall be made while calculating the amount of pension.
(iii) The existing maximum amount of monthly pension of Rs.35,000/‐ (Rupees thirty five thousand) only per month as laid down in Memo.No.201‐F(Pen), dated 25.02.2009 shall be raised to Rs.1,00,500/‐ (Rupees one lakh five hundred) only per month.
(iv) The existing minimum amount of monthly pension / family pension of Rs.3300/‐ (Rupees three thousand three hundred) only as laid down in Memo. No. 201‐F(Pen), dated 25.02.2009 shall be raised to Rs.8500/‐ (Rupees eight thousand five hundred) only per
month.
(v) Additional Pension
The quantum of pension available to the old pensioners shall be increased with effect from 01.01.2016 to 31.12.2019 notionally with actual effect from 01.01.2020 as indicated in the following table:
| Age of Pensioners | Additional Quantum of pension |
|---|---|
| From 80 years to less than 85 years | 20% of revised basic pension/family pension |
| From 85 years to less than 90 years | 30% of revised basic pension/family pension |
| From 90 years to less than 95 years | 40% of revised basic pension/family pension |
| From 95 years to less than 100 years | 50% of revised basic pension/family pension |
| 100 years or more | 100% of revised basic pension/family pension |
The Pension Sanctioning Authority shall ensure that the date of birth and the age of pensioner is invariably indicated in the Single Comprehensive Form to facilitate the Accountant General (A&E), West Bengal to record the same in the Pension Payment Order (P.P.O.) to be issued in favour of the pensioners for payment of additional pension by the Pension Disbursing Authority as soon as it becomes due. The amount of additional pension will be shown distinctly in the P.P.O.
The additional quantum of Pension / Family Pension, on attaining the age of 80 years and above, would be admissible from the 1st day of the month in which his date of birth falls.
(vi) The provisions for adding years of qualifying service for the purpose of computation of pension which has already been withdrawn vide Memo. No. 201‐F(Pen), dated 25.02.2009, shall continue.
B. Family Pension
(i) Family pension shall be calculated @ 30% of the basic pay drawn last actually or notionally under West Bengal Services (Revision of Pay and Allowance) Rules, 2019. The maximum ceiling of family pension of Rs. 21,000/‐ (Rupees twenty one thousand) only per month as laid down in Memo.No.201‐F(Pen), dated 25.02.2009 shall be raised to Rs. 60,300/‐ (Rupees sixty thousand three hundred) only per month at normal rate. However, the existing provision for calculation of family pension at enhanced rate for a specific period will continue.
(ii) Additional Family Pension
In addition to the Family Pension calculated in para (i) above, the quantum of family Pension available to the old Family Pensioners shall be increased with effect from 01.01.2016 to 31.12.2019 notionally with actual effect from 01.01.2020 as indicated in the following table:
| Age of Family Pensioners | Additional Quantum of family pension |
|---|---|
| From 80 years to less than 85 years | 20% of revised basic family pension |
| From 85 years to less than 90 years | 30% of revised basic family pension |
| From 90 years to less than 95 years | 40% of revised basic family pension |
| From 95 years to less than 100 years | 50% of revised basic family pension |
| 100 years or more | 100% of revised basic family pension |
C. Gratuity
The maximum amount of Death / Retiring Gratuity of Rs.6.0 lakh (Rupees six lakh) only as laid down in Memo. No.201‐F(Pen), dated 25.02.2009 shall be raised to Rs. 12.0 lakh (Rupees twelve lakhs) only.
The rates for payment of death gratuity shall be revised as under:
| Length of Qualifying Service | Rate of Death Gratuity |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 (one) year | 2 times of last drawn monthly emoluments |
| 1 (one) year or more but less than 5 (five) years | 6 times of last drawn monthly emoluments |
| 5 (five) years or more but less than 11 (eleven) years | 12 times of last drawn monthly emoluments |
| 11 (eleven) years or more but less than 20 (twenty) years | 20 times of last drawn monthly emoluments |
| 20 (twenty) years or more | Half of the last drawn monthly emoluments for every completed six monthly period of qualifying service subject to a maximum of 33 times of last drawn monthly emoluments |
D. Regulation of the cases of pensioners/family pensioners during the period from 01.01.2016 to 31.12.2019
(i) In case of State Government employees who retired on or after 01.01.2016 and in whose cases Pension Payment Orders have already been issued by the A.G (A&E) , West Bengal till the date of issue of this memorandum, their cases for revision of pensionary benefits may be processed by the Pension Sanctioning Authority on receiving an application in this respect in the form as given at Annexure I.Such Government employees are entitled to have their pensionary benefits revised notionally in terms of the West Bengal Services (Revision of Pay and Allowance) Rules, 2019 from 01.01.2016 with actual effect from 01.01.2020. They shall not get any arrears representing the difference between revised pension and existing pension for the period from 01.01.2016 to 31.12.2019. They shall continue to draw the existing amount of pension which was fixed without taking into account the benefit of notional fixation of pay up to 31.12.2019. They shall get death / retiring gratuity on the basis of emolument allowed notionally as a special case. They shall be entitled to commute 40% of the revised pension. Due to entitlement of revised amount of death / retiring gratuity and commuted value of pension, the payment of balance amount of death / retiring gratuity and commuted value of pension will be continued to be paid by the Pension Sanctioning Authority through the DDO. The Pension Sanctioning Authority will sanction revised pension/family pension, balance amount of death / retiring gratuity and commuted value of pension, if any in the form as given at Annexure II and III (as applicable) and the copies of the sanction order shall be sent to the AG.(A&E), West Bengal as well as to the concerned Treasury Officer, the concerned bank and the concerned pensioner/family pensioner. All the Treasury Officers and Public Sector Banks in Kolkata disbursing pension/family pension to the State Government pensioners are authorized to pay pension/family pension at the revised rate without further authorization from the AG.(A&E), W.B which had authorized pension/family pension originally.
(ii) A suitable entry regarding the revised consolidated pension/family pension shall be made by the Pension Disbursing Authorities in both halves of the Pension Payment Order. An intimation regarding the disbursement of revised pension may be sent by the Pension Disbursing Authorities to the Accountant General (A&E), West Bengal, who issued the Pension Payment Order in the form given at Annexure–II to enable the latter to update the Pension Payment Order Register maintained by them.
(iii) State Government employees who retired during the period from 01.01.2016 to 31.12.2019 and in whose cases Pension Payment Orders have not been issued by the A.G (A&E), W.B till the date of issue of this order, are also entitled to have their pensionary benefits revised notionally in terms of the West Bengal Services (Revision of Pay and Allowance) Rules, 2019 from 01.01.2016 with actual effect from 01.01.2020. They shall not get any arrears representing the difference between revised pension and existing pension for the period from 01.01.2016 to 31.12.2019. They shall get death/retiring gratuity on the basis of emolument allowed notionally as a special case. In their cases pensionary benefits shall be calculated on the basis of notional pay fixed under West Bengal Services (Revision of Pay and Allowance) Rules, 2019 and also on the basis of certificate of notional emoluments (in lieu of Pay Certificate) to be issued by the respective Pension Sanctioning Authority on the date of retirement/ death based on initial notional pay, as a special case and in relaxation of normal rules.
(iv) In all such cases as referred to para (iii) above including those cases in which P.P.Os have already been issued after the date of issue of this memorandum , the pension cases of the Government employees shall be sent to the AG.(A&E), West Bengal as usual.
(v) In the cases of Pensioners who are otherwise eligible to have their pay fixed notionally under West Bengal Services (Revision of Pay and Allowance) Rules, 2019 and who died on or after 01.01.2016 to any date prior to 01.01.2020 being eligible to get revised gratuity determined on the basis of notional emoluments, the same shall be paid to the nominee(s)/ legal heir(s)/family members as usual after adjustment of the amount already paid on this account earlier.
E. Commutation of Pension
(i) A Government employee shall continue to be entitled to commute for a lump sum payment upto 40% of his pension.
(ii) The table showing commutation value for pension is given in Annexure IV.
(iii) The table as given in Annexure‐IV will be used for all commutations of pension which become absolute as per this order.
(iv) In the case of those pensioners who retired after 01.01.2016 but prior to 01.01.2020 shall have an option to commute the amount of pension that has become additionally commutable on account of retrospective revision of pay / pension on implementation of the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission.
2. The relevant rules in the West Bengal Services (Death‐cum‐Retirement Benefit) Rules, 1971 and West Bengal Services (Commutation of Pension) Rules, 1983 shall be deemed to have been amended to the extent indicated in these orders. Formal amendments to the said rules will be made in due course.
Sd/‐H.K.Dwivedi,
Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of West Bengal
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