Eligibility of Unmarried Daughters of Armed Forces personnel for grant of Family Pension beyond 25 years of Age

No. 2(2)/2012/D(Pen/Pol)

Government of India

Ministry of Defence

Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare

New Delhi the 14th Dec., 2012

The undersigned is directed to refer to this Ministry’s ID No.878/A/D(Pen/Sers)/04 dated 21.9.2004 extending the provisions of Department of P&PW OM No. 1/19/03-P&PW (E) dated 25.08.2004 and this Ministry’s letter No.I (3)/2007-D(Pen/Policy) dated 25.10.07 which makes unmarried / widowed / divorced daughter eligible for family pension beyond 25 years of age subject to fulfilment of other prescribed conditions, Attention is also invited to this Ministry’s ID No.9(6)/2007-D(Pen/Policy) dated 21.2.2008 under which it was clarified in consultation with Department of P&PW that liberalised family pension/special family pension (dependent pension) was not covered under the provisions of this Ministry’s above said letter dated 25.10.2007. A lot of references are being received in this Ministry for making unmarried/widowed/divorced daughter eligible for grant of liberalised family pension/special family pension beyond 25 years of age, if otherwise in order. 

References are also being received in this Ministry for dissolving the provisions contained in Regulation 230(c) of Pension Regulations for the Army Part — 1(1961) and similar provision in Pension Regulations for Navy and Air Force, which debars unmarried daughters for continuance of Special Family pension if they were in receipt of children allowance even after disqualification of all other eligible heir(s).

2. The above matter is considered by the Government and it has been decided in consultation with Department of P&PW that unmarried/widowed/divorced daughter also be eligible for grant of liberalised / special family pension beyond 25 years subject to fulfilment of other prescribed conditions as hitherto fore. It has also decided that all unmarried/widowed/divorced daughters, who were earlier or otherwise eligible for children allowance, shall also be sanctioned I liberalised family pension subject to other conditions being fulfilled. The allowance, if being paid, shall be discontinued from the date special/liberalised family pension is sanctioned under these orders. The provisions contained in Regulations 230(c), 239 & 240 of Pension Regulation for the Army Part – 1(1961) and similar provisions in Pension Regulations for the Navy and Air Force shall stand modified to that extent.

3. The family pension to unmarried/widowed/divorced daughters above the age of 25 years shall be payable if all other eligible children below the age of 25 years have ceased to receive family pension and there is no disabled child to receive the family pension. Family pension shall be payable to unmarried/widowed/divorced daughter in order of their date of birth and younger of them shall not be eligible unless the next above has become ineligible for grant of family pension.

4. This order will take effect from 6.9.2007 i.e., the date from which Ordinary Family Pension was allowed to unmarried daughters by DoP&PW.

5. This issues with the concurrence of Finance Division of this Ministry vide their UO No.10(8)/2012/Fin/Pen dated 21.11.12.

Yours faithfully,

sd/-

(Malathi Narayanan)

Under Secretary to Government of India