Synergy Conference on Defence Pension held on 28.08.2017 at CENTRAD Brar Square Delhi Cantt. Organized by CGDA.

Synergy Conference on Defence Pension held on 28.08.2017 at CENTRAD Brar Square Delhi Cantt. Organized by CGDA.

Please find an attachment of Presentation (presented during the above conference) of Agenda items received from various Defence Pensioners Associations and comments of this CGDA Office, for your kind information. With Regards Pension Wing, CGDA, Delhi Cantt. ========================================== Agenda received from
· Air Force Association.
· Disabled War Veterans.
· Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement. ·
Tri Services Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association.
· Voice of Ex-Servicemen Society. · Veteran Paras Chaurasia.

Agenda items - Issues (56) have been categorized as follows-
· Procedural matters – 14 issues · Issuance of e-PPOs – 3 issues ·
7th CPC orders – 2 issue ·
Pension calculator – 2 issues ·
Policy matters – 6 issues ·
Individual cases – 3 issues ·
One Rank One Pension – 5 issues · Disbursement issues – 21 issues

Procedural Issues ·

Process of issue of circulars by PCDA(P) need not take two months.
Comments ·
Prompt issuance of instructions are being ensured. · Important Cir 555, 568, 570 etc, issued by next day itself. · Point noted for compliance in all cases.

· Cases of handicapped child not included in PPOs.
Comments ·
As per latest orders, names are being captured in original or corr PPO, as the case may be.

· Benefit of LFP not given suo moto pre-1972 widows even when order cover for conflicts of 1947 onwards.
Comments ·
Widows of post-1947 conflicts are being covered by PCDA(P) in terms of MoD letter dated 24.2.1972.
· Case, if any, could be brought to notice for consideration. ·

FMA be allowed to ESM as being paid to Central Govt pensioners if not residing in ECHS covered areas.
Comments ·
CG pensioners have option to draw FMA if not residing in CGHS area. · FMA is not payable to ESM retired after 1.1.2003.

· Release family pension to widow within 30 days from demise of personnel/ESM. Comments ·
For death in harness – Instructions to notify pension within 10 days in BC and 30 days in PC cases in place.
· Delay caused due to incomplete submission of claims. ·
However, PEA on monthly basis is paid to family pensioner in case notification is delayed.
· For ESM – PDAs have to immediately start fam pen on receipt of death certificate.

· ZSBs should be made proactive for ESM in their areas.
Comments ·
Matter to be referred to DESW/DGR for consideration ·

Order for grant of family pension till 67 yrs of age, is not being implemented correctly.
Comments
· MoD order dated 18.3.1999 allows enhanced rate of OFP for 7 yrs or till 67 yrs of age only where the Armed Forces personnel retire with extended period of engagement applicable from 31.5.1998.

· Banks are asking Aadhaar number from NRI pensioners.
Comments ·
Matter shall be taken up with Deptt of Financial Services through DESW for issue of instructions.

· Problem being faced by PDAs for rank equivalence especially for Navy & Air Force pensioners.
Comments ·
Tables for rank equivalance incorporated in PCDA(P) Cir 501 & 555. · Issue have been noted to place separate instructions on website of PCDA(P).

· Akin to banks, DPDOs are not paying interest on delayed payment of arrears. Comments ·
RBI instructions for payment of penal interest is not applicable for other PDAs.

· Circulars of PCDA(P) are confusing and difficult to understand with many reference to old circulars. Action by pensioners/PDAs could clearly be indicated.
Comments ·
Defence pension complex and specialized subject. · Suggestion noted for future.

· Keeping in view large numbers of orders/circulars, hand book incorporating all such letters & circulars be put on net for interested pensioners.
Comments ·
Issue has been noted for consideration. ·

PCDA must have quarterly meeting with representatives of ESM Associations to understand their grievances and problem being faced by pensioners.
Comments ·
To ensure periodic meetings with Pensioners’ Associations, PCDA(P) shall be requested to operationalize the system.

· Transit delay/loss of revised LPC between PCDA(O) & PCDA(P) causes delay in issue of revised entitlements. Comments ·
To process LPC online, new system SUVINYA has been developed. · Pilot run going on – once implemented problem will be addressed completely. · Issue of e-PPO · All PPOs should be dispatched to veteran digitally or through speed post. · Consider issue of e-PPO under 7thCPC revision.

· Mobile no, postal address and email IDs of veterans shall be updated to cut down postage and avoid abnormal delay in getting corr PPO.
Comments ·
PSAs are ready to send e-PPO for 7thCPC revision. · PCDA(P) has already started for Civilian pensioners. · Associations are requested to make their pensioners aware to update their information with respective HOOs/Record Offices. · RO/HOO shall incorporate information in LPC to ensure issuance of e-PPOs. · Seventh CPC orders · Almost all orders, circulars for ESM are delayed in comparison with Civilians. · Orders for disability, tables for notional pay fixation are pending. · CGDA instructions for revision of pre-2016 pensioners by notional fixation of pay is also awaited.

· OROP pension shall be taken for notional fixation of pay.
Comments ·
Orders are under consideration with DESW – likely to be issued shortly. · Suggestion for notional pay fixation is not as per decision of the Government. ·

Pension Calculator · Authentic calculator for pension and arrears shall be provided. · Software shall be made to provide details of pension by giving certain inputs. Update CGDA portal regularly with all banks. · Suvigya displays result with disclaimer.
Comments ·
Suvigya software display correct result if parameters are entered correctly. · Disclaimer is placed to avoid legal complications. · Software output could not replace the Corr PPO. · Arrears not displayed as drawn amount not available with PCDA(P) for desired period. · Action to strengthen CGDA portal in hand · Policy Issues · Counting of broken period of service (less than a year) for pension. ·

Pension of Hony Lt./Capt. retired between 1.1.2006 to 24.9.2012 drawing less pension than pre-2006 retirees for this period. · Maximum terms of engagement for HFO is fixed as 32 years which is 33 yrs for WO/MWO in OROP circular.
Comments ·
Matter shall be referred to DESW as these required policy decision of the Government.

· Direct Entry Pay & Classification Pay not counted for pension under Cir 568. Comments ·
Orders on delinking of pension was issued to modify earlier provisions of min guaranteed pen of 6th CPC. · These elements were not recommended as part of reckonable emoluments for min guaranteed pen.

· Judicial pronouncement on pension matters shall be implemented to similarly placed pensioners.
Comments ·
Implementation of any judgement to similarly placed pensioners needs policy decision of Government in consultation with DoP&PW and MoL&J.

· Condition that widow / divorced daughter must be dependent on their parents during their life time is unfair and shall be withdrawn. · Such restrictions causes financial distress to widow/ divorced daughters.
Comments ·
Said provisions have been issued by DoP&PW vide their OM dated 11.9.2013 and MoD ID dated 16.9.2015. · Individual Issues · (From Lt. Col. J. P. Narain of IESM) · Formula used for fresh calculation of basic pay after rank pay merger for 4 & 5 CPC, looks different for many individuals.

· The bunching increment and next increment is also withdrawn. As per SC order not to change AI/orders of 4 & 5 CPC.
Comments
· Details of the cases could be provided to examine the issue.

· Broad banding of the disability pension is not given even after decision of the HC in a particular case of a relative, even after certain orders from the MoD. Comments ·
DESW order dated 18.4.2016 allows broad banding of DE to a discharged personnel the Court has pronounced Judgment in individual cases. ·
Details of the cases could be provided to examine the issue.
· One Rank One Pension · OROP shall be allowed based on last reckonable emoluments instead of actual service rendered. ·
Present formulation give rise to anomalies –
· Officers with same length of QS gets equal pension irrespective of length of service in rank.
· Junior officers drawing more pension than seniors in same rank.
· Pension of pre-2016 retirees SL officers drawing more pension than post-2016 SL officers
· OROP tables made incorrectly as accepted by PCDA(P).
Comments ·
The anomalies of OROP examined by One Man Judicial Committee appointed by the Government · Report have been submitted to Government and presently is under examination in MoD DESW. · Regarding incorrect tables, PCDA(P) reply have been misquoted. · Disbursement Issues · Allow Post Offices as disbursing agencies in remote areas. · Shifting of records of Pre-1985 Navy & Air Force from PCDA(P) to respective Controllers may be done. · Ensure standard PPO format across three Services. · Multiple circulars causes confusion to PDAs · Simplify & streamline administrative rules and procedures to make them veteran friendly. Issue of Corrigendum PPOs shall be done as matter of routine for every revision. Function of PDAs shall not be taken over by PCDA. PCDA(P) shall commence direct credit utilizing digital technology available. Delay in responses by PCsDA to the queries of veteran. Old PPOs don’t have details of family pension. Audit of Pension – to detect under payments. · Mechanism to track payment for every revision. · Responses on grievances are unsatisfactory and needs to be addressed. · Calculation sheet of arrears paid not provided by PDAs. · Responses of DPDOs not good – lack of infrastrucutre. · CGDA Pension Portal not working properly. · Customer Care Cell should be placed in DPDOs. · Other than SBI, no banks provide pension slips to pensioners. · Cumbersome procedure to obtain duplicate copy of PPO by pensioners. · Banks like BoI & CBI do not attend grievances of pensioners.

(Source- Via Gp e-mail from Kesavan Nar Sree Kumar)