In a major relief, the Centre on Monday relaxed family pension rules for missing central government employees. This move is beneficial particularly to those serving in militancy affected areas like Jammu and Kashmir, northeast along with Naxal affected regions.
Once this rule is implemented, a government servant covered by the National Pension System (NPS) if goes missing during service, the benefits of family pension will be immediately paid to the next of kin and in case he reappears and resumes service, the amount paid as family pension during the intervening time of his missing period can be accordingly deducted from his salary.
Read | 7th Pay Commission: Government hikes family pension limit to Rs 1.25 lakh per month
The Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT) has notified the new pension rules. The move is also aimed as an outreach initiative to the Kashmiri Pandit community employed under the Prime Minister employment package in Jammu and Kashmir.
The benefit of arrears of salary, retirement gratuity and leave encashment shall also be paid to the family of the missing government employee. This is irrespective of whether the employee had exercised the option for benefits under CCS (Pension) Rules or under the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (Exits and Withdrawals under National Pension System) Regulations, 2015.
.
An official statement was issued by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions in this regard. The earlier rule was that the family pension was not paid to the family till the missing government employee was declared dead in accordance with the law or till seven years had passed since he went missing.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said that the changes in the pension rules were brought about to instill confidence and protect central government employees and their families' interests. This comes after cases of abduction of central government employees working in violence-prone areas came to the fore.
