Message from Col Hardeep SodhiIn Circulation... Received in Veterans Group.SPARSH Breaking.

Message from Col Hardeep Sodhi

In Circulation...

 Received in Veterans Group.SPARSH Breaking.

Informed by one coursemate, whose commutation period got over on 31 Jan.  While releasing full Pension after his commutation period got over, PCDA (P) issued a recovery of Rs 1.22 Cr over payment, while doing adjustments. Appears that he may have been paid more than what was entitled both in disability and service elements of Pension. First installment of Rs 50,000 deducted while paying pension.

So  do expect shocks. All veterans whose commutation period is likely to be completed, may note and be ready to return any excess payments. PCDA (P) is issuing fresh PPO when commutation liability is over. It is not correct to assume that nothing can be deducted from the Pension !

My Reply

It is seen the pensioners seldom know their own pension i.e. service element and disability element.

I have seen in many PPOs, the authorised pension is higher than what is correct pension and then after three to four years, the audit section of SPARSH issued a fresh Corr PPO showing the correct pension. This to my mind is done intentionally to show Min of Def how the Def Accts Dept caught overpayment when they themselves are the culprits for deliberately showing higher pension.

It is not difficult to see what is the correct pension as tables of OROP are available in public domain.

Every one should be able to know their own correct pension.

If they do not know then the pensioners whether they are members or not  should come to T SEWA and we will work out their correct pension.

I have seen seldom pensioners come to us to know their correct pension.

When they find their pension is reduced due to overpayment, then they come running to us. It is too late. 

Overpayment of pension will be recovered without giving any notice to the pensioner.

It is the sole responsibility of the pensioner to know what is his correct pension when OROP tables are available in public domain.

Ignorance is no justification.

If the officer is paid Rs 1.22 crores more than what he is authorised, then recovery will start at the rate of one third of his pension. It appears he isa Col TS or SG  or Brigadier to Army Cdr of higher length of service if one instalment of recovery is Rs 50,000 per month. You do not have to be mathematician Mr Ramanujam to know that this officer will have to pay every month Rs 50,000 till his overpayment is recovered i.e. 12200000/50000 = 244 months (20 years 4 months). His arrears of 8th CPC will also be recovered. When his pension goes up in 8th CPC, his monthly recovery will be more than Rs 50,000. Then w.e.f. Jul 2029 when OROP-IV comes into effect his higher pension means higher the recovery per month.

The only remedy is to know one’s own pension and ensure the moment higher pension is received, take up a case immediately for stopping higher pension.

I receive in a month minimum three to four overpayment cases.

One should log into SPARSH Portal and down load pension slip every month and see that one  gets correct pension.

This is more so for ranks of Lt to Lt Col whose pension and family pension for lesser length of service is less. Their pension is also less. If one third of monthly pension is recovered you can imagine how difficult for them to run their homes.

Knowledge is power. The least one has to do is to Know one’s correct pension.

We have time for everything but do not have time for pension on which most of us subsist!!

warm regards, 

Brig CS Vidyasagar (Retd)