Union Minister of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions Dr Jitendra Singh on Sunday said that divyang children of deceased government employees and pensioners will get a major hike in the family pension emoluments and that the instructions to this effect have been issued by the Department of Pensions and Pensioners' Welfare.
Briefing about this landmark decision, "It is in keeping with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's special emphasis on the dignity and care of such children. He said, this decision seeks ease of living and better economic conditions for the Divyang or disabled survivors, who require greater medical care and financial assistance," said Dr Singh.
"Instructions have been issued to liberalise the income criteria for eligibility of a child or sibling of a deceased government employee or pensioner for grant of Family Pension under CCS (Pension) Rules 1972. The Government is of the view that the income criteria for eligibility for family pension, applicable in the case of other family members, may not be applied in the case of a child or sibling suffering from a disability," he further informed according to a release by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions.
The minister said that the government has reviewed the income criteria for eligibility for family pension in respect of a child or sibling, suffering from a disability and has decided that the income criteria for eligibility for family pension to such children or siblings shall commensurate with the amount of the entitled family pension in their case.
He has issued instructions and orders that a child or sibling of a deceased Government employee or pensioner, who is suffering from a mental or physical disability, shall be eligible for family pension for life, if his/her overall income, other than a family pension, is less than the entitled family pension at an ordinary rate that is 30 per cent of the last pay drawn by the deceased Government employee pensioner plus the Dearness Relief admissible thereon.
"As per Rule 54(6) of the CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972, a child/sibling of a deceased Government employee or pensioner, suffering from a mental or physical disability, is eligible for family pension for life if he or she is suffering a disability which renders him unable to earn his livelihood," read the release by the ministry.
"Presently, a member of the family, including a child/sibling suffering from a disability, is deemed to be earning his livelihood, if his/her income from sources other than a family pension, is equal to or more than the minimum family pension that is Rs 9,000 and the Dearness Relief admissible thereon," it said.
The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions said in the case of a child/sibling, suffering from a mental or physical disability, who is presently not in receipt of a family pension due to non-fulfilment of the earlier income criteria, family pension shall be granted to him/her, if he/she fulfils the new income criteria and also fulfilled the other conditions for grant of family pension at the time of death of Government servant or pensioner or previous family pensioner.
The financial benefits, in such cases, shall, however, accrue prospectively and no arrears for the period from the date of death of Government servant/ pensioner/previous family pensioner shall be admissible, it said.
( With inputs from ANI )
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