Timely payment of GPF final payment to the retiring Government Servant: Clarification

Clarification regarding timely payment of GPF final payment to the retiring Government Servant – regarding

No.3/3/2016-P&PW(F)

Ministry of Personnel, PG & Pensions

Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare

Desk-F

3rd Floor, Lok Nayak Bhavan,

Khan Market, New Delhi-110003

Dated 16th January 2017.

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

During review meetings held to evaluate the status of implementation of Bhavishya with Ministries/Departments, it was observed that GPF final payment in many cases is not being paid to the retiring Government servants immediately on retirement from service leading to payment of interest for the delayed period.

2. Rule 34 of General Provident Fund (Central Service) Rules clearly provides that when the amount standing at the credit of a subscriber in the General Provident Fund becomes payable, it shall be the duty of the Accounts Officer to make payment. The authority for the amount payable is to be issued at least a month before the date of superannuation, but payable on the date of superannuation. It may be noted that the requirement of submitting a written application by the retiring Govt. servant for GPF final payment has been dispensed with vide this Department’s Notification No.20(12)/94-P&PW (E) dated 15.11.1996 and notified under S.O NO.3228 dated 23.11.1996.

3. As per Rule 11(4) of GPF Rules, in case the GPF balance is not paid on retirement, interest on the GPF balance is required to be paid for the period beyond the date of retirement also. While interest for the first six months beyond retirement can be allowed by the PAO in the normal course, approval of Head of the accounts office is required for payment of interest beyond six months and that of Controller of Account/Financial Adviser beyond a period of one year.

4. To ensure timely final payment of GPF, and to avoid unnecessary financial burden on account of interest beyond retirement, it has now been decided that every case, in which payment of interest on General Provident Fund becomes necessary in terms of Rules 11(4) of GPF Rules, 1960, shall be put up for consideration to the Secretary of the Administrative Ministry/Department. In all such cases the Secretary of the Administrative Ministry/Department will fix responsibility at all levels to take appropriate action against the Government servant or servants who are found responsible for the delay in the payment of General Provident Fund.

5. This issues with the concurrence of the Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure, vide their 10 NO.187/EV/2016 dated 2th September 2016.

(Seema Gupta)

Director