Sl. No. |
QUESTION |
ANSWER |
1 |
Which rules govern the grant of
pension to employees of the Government of
Meghalaya? |
The
Meghalaya Civil Service (Pension) Rules, 1983 |
2 |
Who is the Pension Sanctioning
Authority? |
The
Head of Office where a government servant last
served is the pension sanctioning authority. |
3 |
What should a government
servant do to claim his pension? |
The
Head of Office is required to undertake the
work of preparation of pension papers in Form
No. 4 of Meghalaya Civil Service (Pension)
Rules, 1983 two years before the date on which
a government servant is due to retire on
superannuation. Eight months prior to the
retirement date, a government servant is
required to furnish certain information (e.g.
joint photo with spouse, family details, name
of the Treasury Officer through which he
desires to draw his pension etc.) to his Head
of Office .After complying with the
requirements of Rules 65 and 66 of the MCS
Pension Rules, 1983, the Head of Office has to
forward to the Accountant General’s Office
Form 3 and Form 4 duly completed with a
covering letter in Form 5 along with service
book of the government servant duly completed
up-to-date and any other documents relied upon
for the verification of service, not later
than six months before the date of retirement
of the government servant. |
4 |
Who is to authorize the
pension? |
On
receipt of pension papers from Head of Office,
these will be checked/verified in Pension
Section of the Accountant General’s office. If
the papers are found in order, the amount of
pension payable will be assessed and
thereafter the Pension Payment Order (i.e.
disburser’s portion and pensioner’s portion)
will be dispatched by registered post to the
Treasury Officer from where the government
servant has opted to draw his pension. |
5 |
What is to be to done in case
the pensioner finds that his pension has not
been authorized correctly? |
The
pensioner’s portion of the Pension Payment
Order will show the details of the monthly
pension payable. If it is found that pension
has been fixed incorrectly, the pensioner
should write to the Pension Section of AG’s
office giving the particulars of his case. The
pensioner should send this letter through the
Treasury/Bank from where he is drawing his
pension. |
6 |
Is the Dearness Relief payable
on original basic pension OR on reduced
pension after commutation? |
The
Dearness Relief is payable on original basic
pension before commutation. |
7 |
Is there any restriction on
commutation of pension? |
Yes.
Rule 9 of the Meghalaya Civil Service
(Pension) Rules, 1983 stipulates that no
government servant against whom departmental
or judicial proceedings have been instituted
before the date of his retirement or the
pensioner against whom such proceedings are
instituted after the date of retirement, shall
be eligible to commute a fraction of his
provisional pension authorized under Rule 64
of the Pension Rules or the pension, as the
case may be, during the pendency of such
proceedings. |
8 |
Is there any limit on
commutation of pension? |
A
government servant is entitled to
commute for a lump sum payment up to one-third
of his pension. |
9 |
What will be the effective date
of reduced pension? |
The
reduction in the amount of pension on account
of the commutation shall be operative from the
date of receipt of the commuted value of
pension or at the end of three months after
issue of authority by the AG’s office for the
payment of commuted value of pension,
whichever is earlier. |
10 |
How does the period of 15 years
for restoration of commuted portion of pension
reckon? |
Rule 30
of the Meghalaya Civil Service (Commutation of
Pension) Rules, 1992 stipulates that the
15-year period for restoration is to be
reckoned from the date of retirement itself. |
11 |
Whether the family of a
pensioner can be given the benefit of
commuting the pension in a case a pensioner
dies before exercising this option? |
Government of Meghalaya has clarified that the
option to commute a portion of pension cannot
be extended to the family. |
12 |
Is any
authority required from the AG for restoring
the commuted portion of pension? |
No.
Restoration of commuted portion of pension
after 15 years (from the date of retirement)
or as fixed by the Government of Meghalaya
from time to time is to be done automatically
by Treasury Officer/ Bank on receipt of
application in prescribed format (Form-10 of
the Commutation of Pension Rules, 1992) from
the eligible pensioner. |
13 |
Whether retirement
gratuity/death gratuity, commuted value of
pension is taxable ? |
Retirement/death gratuity and the lump sum
amount received on account of commutation of
pension is not taxable under Income Tax Act. |
14 |
Can the deduction of income tax
at source be made from pension payments? |
Yes.
The Treasury Officer/Bank will be responsible
for deducting income tax at source from
pension payments in accordance with the rates
prescribed from time to time. While deducting
such tax from pension payments the Treasury
Officer/Bank will also allow deduction on
account of relief available under the Income
Tax Act from time to time on production of
proper and acceptable evidence of eligible
savings by pensioners. The Treasury
Officer/Bank will also issue the pensioner in
April each year a certificate of tax deducted
in the form prescribed in the Income Tax
Rules. |
15 |
Can the
excess payment of pension, if any, cre-dited to the pensioner’s
account be recovered by the bank? |
Before
commencing payment of pension the paying Bank
is required to obtain a written undertaking
from the pensioner that in the event of any
excess payment, the same can be recovered by
the Bank. On the strength of this undertaking
the excess payment, if any, credited to the
pensioner’s account can be recovered by the
paying Bank. |
16 |
What should a family member
eligible for the grant of family pension do to
get the family pension? |
Normally, family pension is sanctioned and
authorized at the same time as pension and
this fact is indicated in the Pension Payment
Order. Family pension is to be drawn after the
death of the pensioner.
In case
of a government servant dying while in
service, the widow or widower has to make a
claim in Form 8 to the Head of Office who will
sanction and authorize the family pension
through the AG’s office. Where the deceased
government servant is survived only by a child
or children, the guardian (in case of minor
child/children) or such child or children may
submit a claim in Form 8 to the Head of Office
for sanction and authorization through the
AG’s office for family pension.
The
application for family pension in Form 8 must
be accompanied with a copy of the death
certificate of the deceased pensioner (i) to
the Pension Disbursing Authority if, the
amount of family pension is already indicated
in the Pension Payment Order (ii) to the Head
of Office for sanction of family pension in
all other cases. |
17 |
Up-to which period is family
pension payable? |
Family
pension is payable to one member of the family
at a time in the order and for the period as
under:
a) In
the case of a widow or widower, up to the date
of death or remarriage, whichever is earlier.
b) In the case of minor son, until he attains
the age of 18 yrs.
c) In
the case of an unmarried daughter, until she
attains the age of 21 yrs or marriage or
starts earning Rs. 2550/- p.m. which ever is
earlier.
d)
After (a) (b) & (c) above; for the lifetime to
any unemployed son/daughter who is suffering
from any disorder or disability of mind
(including mentally retarded)or physically
crippled or disabled. |
18 |
How is the family pension
payable to twin children? |
Where
the family pension is payable to twin
children, it will be paid to such children in
equal shares provided that when one such child
ceases to be eligible his/her share shall
revert to the other child and when both of
them cease to be eligible, the family pension
shall be payable to the next eligible single
child/twin children. |
19 |
Is family pension payable to a
spouse judicially separated? |
Yes,
family pension is payable to a spouse
judicially separated but not to a spouse
judicially separated on the ground of
adultery. |
20 |
Whether family pension is
sanctioned to a handicapped child during the
lifetime of a pensioner who has no wife or any
other children? |
No.
Family Pension in this case is sanctioned only
when the contingency arises. However, the
particulars of the handicapped are to be
recorded in both halves of the Pension Payment
Order issued by the AG’s office. The
pensioner having a handicapped child is
advised to ensure that the required
formalities for making the child eligible for
family pension are done well before his/her
retirement. |
21 |
How
long is enhanced family pension
payable? |
Enhanced family pension is payable upto the
attainment of 65 years of age of the pensioner
had he survived or upto 7 years from the date
of death of pensioner whichever is earlier. |
22 |
What is the formula for
revising the pension of pre-1987 pensioners/
family pensioners? |
The
notional pay will be fixed as on 01/01/1987 as
if for a serving employee. The pension payable
on this notional pay will then be worked out
and thereafter consolidated in terms of
Government of Meghalaya, Finance Department
O.M. No. F(PR)-102/97/pt/35 dated.29/10/98. |
23 |
What is the minimum/maximum
pension? |
Minimum
pension shall not be less than Rs.1220/- and
maximum not more than Rs. 8500/- per month.
Pension and family pension shall also not be
less than 50% and 30% of the minimum, of the
revised scale of pay effective from 01/01/96
of the post held by the pensioner. |
24 |
Is there any ceiling on
gratuities and if so what is the maximum
amount admissible? |
Yes.
Ceiling on all gratuities is R.3.5 lakhs
effective 01/04/2005. |
25 |
What is the medical allowance
for pensioners? |
Rs.350/- per month. |
26 |
When can pension be withheld or
withdrawn? |
Future
good conduct is an implied condition of every
grant of pension and its continuance under the
Pension Rules, 1983.
The
pension or a part there of can be withheld or
withdrawn in such cases where a pensioner is
convicted of a serious crime or found guilty
of a serious or a grave act of
misconduct/negligence after retirement, or
during the period of service, including the
service rendered upon re-employment after
retirement. |
27 |
Are the employed family
pensioners and the re-employed pensioners
entitled to Dearness Relief on their family
pension/pension? |
No. |
28 |
When is Death-cum-Retirement
Gratuity withheld? |
In case
the pensioner is occupying a government
quarter or a vigilance case is pending against
him, authorization/ payment of DCRG can be
withheld on the advice of pension sanctioning
authority. |
29 |
What is reduced pension? |
Reduced
pension is the part of pension which is
payable after deducting commuted portion of
the pension. |
30 |
When can a government servant
apply for voluntary retirement? |
A
government servant can apply for voluntary
retirement after completion of 20 years of
government service. |
31 |
To whom should I apply for
revision of pension? |
You
have to apply for revision of pension in a
prescribed format with necessary enclosures to
your pension sanctioning authority/Head of
Office from where you retired. |
32 |
Why is my Death-cum-Retirement
Gratuity not authorized to me in full and when
is the balance released? |
A
portion of your DCRG is withheld when Refund
Advices/ No Demand Certificates/Last Pay
Certificate in your case have not been
received in AG’s office from your Head of
Office. The balance DCRG withheld is released
on receipt of these documents. |
33 |
Can parents get family pension? |
No. |
| 34 |
What is the
meaning of the following terms?
(a) Pension Disbursing Authority
(b)Pension
Sanctioning Authority
(c)PPO
Issuing Authority |
(a) Pension
Disbursing Authority: Your Pension paying
branch Bank/Treasury Officer.
(b) Pension
Sanctioning Authority: The authority who
sanctioned your pension before forwarding the
case to the AG’s office.
(c) PPO Issuing Authority: Accountant General
(A&E) Meghalaya, Shillong |
