Amendment to the provisions of State Railway Provident Fund – liberalization of provisions for withdrawals from the Fund by the Subscribers

RBE No. 47/2017

Government of India (Bharat Sarkar)

Ministry of Railways(Rail Mantralaya)

(Railway Board)

New Delhi, Dated: 15.05.2017

The provisions of final withdrawal by the subscribers from the State Railway Provident Fund are contained in Rule 925 of the Indian Railway Establishment Code (IREC) Vol.I/1985-Edition. Some amendments have been made from time to time to address the concerns raised by the subscribers. There is a felt need to liberalize the provisions, raise the limits and simplify the procedure.

2. The provisions of Rule 925 of the Code ibid have been reviewed and it has now been decided to permit withdrawals from the State-Railway Provident Fund (SRPF) for the following purposes:-

(i) Education – This will include primary. secondary and higher education, covering all streams and institutions,

(ii) Obligatory Expenses viz. betrothal, marriage, funerals, or other ceremonies of self or family members and dependants,

(iii) Illness of self, family members or dependants,

(iv) Purchase of consumer durables.

3. It has been decided to permit withdrawal of upto twelve months pay or three-fourths of the “amount standing at credit, whichever’is less.- For illness, the withdrawal may be allowed upto 90% of the amount standing at credit of the subscriber. A subscriber may seek withdrawal after completion of ten years of service.

(v) Housing, including building or acquiring a suitable house or a ready built flat for his residence,

(vi) Repayment of outstanding housing loan,

(vii) Constructing a house On a site acquired,

(viii) Purchase of house site for building a house

(ix) Reconstructing’or‘ma‘king additions on a house already acquired,

(x) Renovating, additions or alterations of ancestral house.

4. A subscriber may’be allowed to withdraw the amount actually subscribed by him along with interest thereon standing to his credit or the actual cost whichever is less in cases of withdrawal under (v) to (vii) above. in cases of (viii) to (x) withdrawal up to 90% may be allowed. It has also been decided to do away with the present instructions which lay down that subsequent to the sale of house for which SRPF withdrawal has been availed, the amount withdrawn has to be deposited back. SRPF withdrawal for housing purposes will no longer be linked with the limits prescribed under HBA Rules. A subscriber may be permitted to avail the facility at any time during his service.

(xi) Purchase of motor car/motor cycle/scooter etc. or repayment of loan already taken for the purpose,

(xii) Extensive repairs/overhauling of motor car.

(xii) Making deposit to book a motor car/motor cycle/scooter, moped etc.

5. A subscriber may be permitted to withdraw three-fourths of the amount standing at credit or cost of the vehicle. whichever is less for the above purposes. Withdrawal for the above purpose will be permitted after completion of 10 years of service.

6. Presently, withdrawal of upto 90% of balance without assigning reasons is allowed for railway servants who are due for retirement on superannuation within a year. It is proposed that this they be allowed for upto two years before superannuation.

7. In all cases of withdrawal from the Fund by the subscriber, the Controlling Officer is competent to sanction withdrawal. No documentary proof will be required to be furnished by the subscriber. A simple declaration form by the subscriber explaining the reasons for withdrawal would be sufficient.

8. In the ”State Railway Provident Fund(SRPF) Rules, no time limit has been prescribed for sanction and payment of withdrawal amount Therefore. it has been decided to prescribe a maximum time limit of fifteen days for sanction and payment of withdrawal from the Fund. in case er ”emergencies like illness etc, the time limit may be restricted to seven days.

Sd/-

(SANJAY PRASHAR)

Dy. Director Finance (Estt.)III

Railway Board.