7th CPC Pension Revision of Defence Establishment Pre-2016 Pensioners: MoM of Review meeting on 03.08.2017- Timeline/Road map for pending 3.75 lakh cases

7th CPC Pension Revision of Defence Establishment Pre-2016 Pensioners: MoM of Review meeting on 03.08.2017- Timeline/Road map for pending 3.75 lakh cases

Urgent/Time Bound

Government of India

Ministry of Defence

(Department of Defence)

D(Civ-2)

A copy of the minutes of the meeting held on 3 Aug 2017 on the subject cited above is enclosed for immediate action by all the concerned administrative divisions, Heads of Departments of Defence Organisations and subordinate formations.

2. Attention is also invited to Ministry of Finance (Deptt. of Expenditure) OM No.1(13)/EV/2017 dated 26 July 2017 vide which MoF have directed to furnish the following information urgently:

i) The number of cases due for pension revision (relevant data already made available by CPAO/PCDA(P) and the number of cases where appropriate action for pension revision has been completed, including payment of revised pension to retired employees along with arrears.

ii) Whether pension revision has been taken up scale-wise and if so, status of disposal at various levels pay scale wise. Whether revision in regard to fixed pay scales has been completed.

iii) Specific reason for delay in respect of cases where pension revision is yet to be made.

iv) Any other relevant issue having a bearing on speedy disposal of revision of pension cases.

3. Joint Secretaries-in-charge of various Defence organisations/subordinate offices are requested to ensure compliance of the decisions as contained in the minutes of the meeting, and also furnish the above cited information, for further transmission to the MoF, in terms of their OM dated 26 July 2017, urgently. 

sd/-

(Anil Kumar)

Deputy Secretary(CP)

All the participants of the meeting dated 3 Aug 2017 (list in Annexure)

MoD ID No.12(11)/2017-D(Civ-2) dated 8 Aug 2017

***

List of participants is at Annexure 

1. A meeting was convened under the chairmanship of Shri Barun Mitra, AS(BM) on 03.08.2017 at 1700 Hours in Committee Room 111, South Block, to review the progress made by Defence Establishments for revision of Pension/Family Pension of pre-12016 Central Civil Pensioners. This was part of ongoing review in the context of directions of the Ministry of Finance / Department of Pension and Pensioners Welfare to revise the pension of pre 1.1.2016 pensioners on the basis of 7th CPC Pay Matrix in a time bound manner.

2. Additional Secretary (BM) welcomed all the participants and explained the enormity of the task and urgency involved in view of the strict monitoring and review being made by the MoF. While attaching emphasis to the magnitude involved in a huge organisation like MoD with a very large number of pensioners/family pensioners, he emphasised the need for stringent monitoring and a pro-active approach, to complete this exercise in a time bound manner.

3. Thereafter, Shri Jayant Sinha, Joint Secretary (Establishment) gave an overview of the directions of the MoF and the procedure laid down to process and complete the revision of pension / family pension as per 7th CPC Pay Matrix. He noted that number of such cases requiring revision of pension would be in the vicinity of 5.75 lakhs. The exercise is required to be completed in a time frame given by the MoD ie. 30 Sep 2017. He invited the participants to bring forth the progress and also the problems being faced along with possible solutions. 

Feedback various stakeholders and discussion

4. The Representative of CGDA (Shri Ajay Mishra, Jt CGDA) explained that as per the records of PCDA(Pension), Allahabad, there are about 3.75 lakh pensioners of which data of about 43000 have been passed on to the defence establishments for re-fixation of pension. Till date, 824 cases have been processed and 297 Revised PPOs have been issued. The figures of total pensioners (including family pensioners) are yet to be confirmed and this will be done by the CGDA in consultation with PCDA(P), Allahabad.

5. AS(BM) desired to know about the planning and the road map for bridging the glaring gap between the projected figures and progress made till date. He instructed CGDA to coordinate with PCDA(P) to locate and reconcile the data of remaining pensioners.

6. Representative of IAF (AVM O P Tiwari) informed that there are about 20000 Civil Pensioners comprising mainly Group C / erstwhile Group D employees. The basic data, including their whereabouts and email addresses are available with them and the plan to achieve to complete the exercise at their end by 31st Aug 2017.

7. Representative of Indian Navy (Cmde I.S.Grewal) informed that they do not maintain centralized data of about 30,000 Civilian pensioners as the information is with 383 Units scattered all over the country. AS(BM) advised them to constitute a dedicated team which can interact closely with CGDA/PCDA to streamline, streamline the process and complete the exercise within the targeted timelines.

8. The Representative of Indian Army (Shri Ashok Kurnar, DDG(CP) informed that PCDA has furnished them data of approx. 30,000 pensioners, and this number has been understated by the PCDA. In the meantime, they have issued directions to the lower formations to make their own efforts to locate the records of the pensioners and process the cases. AS(BM) directed them to interact closely with CGDA/PCDA to streamline the process and complete the exercise within the targeted timelines.

9. The Representative of DG, BRO (Shri A.K.Bhatnagar, CE and DDG(Pers) informed that they have received data of around 28590 pensioners. However, there are about 3000 Units which have been disbanded in the recent years. It was stated that it may be very difficult to locate and sift from their records information/service record of past employees. They also wanted to send a team to PCDA, Allahabad to reconcile the data on pensioners. In the meanwhile, they informed that 613 cases were ready to be processed. However, they required identification codes of the Heads of Office, to complete the process. They sought cooperation of CGDA in this respect.

10. The Representative of Coast Guard HO (DIG Dinesh Rajaputuran PD(Pers) informed that there are about 1000 civil pensioners, of which cases of 400 pensioners are under process. Cases of 200 will be completed by end of August. They assured to complete the process by September 2017.

11. The Representative of OFB Kolkata (Shri P. Mohanty, DDG) informed that there are 1,09,000 cases of pensioners which need to be revised in terms of MoF/DPPW orders. There are 42 Ordnance Factories and 23 Regional Offices spread all over the country where the service records of these pensioners are located. They informed that the exercise has been started and will be expedited.

12. The Representative of DRDO informed that there are 14700 cases of pensioners belonging to 60 establishments, 39 Heads of Offices in the laboratories of DRDO established across the country. He informed that their websites exhorts pensioners to approach concerned offices to furnish their service details. Substantial progress is likely to be made by them by mid of September 2017.

13. The Representative of MES (Shri V K Gupta, Joint DG) informed about their 4900 approx pensioners in various Units located in tri-services/ establishments. It was stated that they also faced the loss of record due to disbanded units. It was stated that PCDA has furnished them only the names and PPO Nos. which was inadequate to locate the posting details and HOOs of the pensioners. As regards officers, they do not anticipate any problems in revision of pension because their record is maintained by CRO located at New Delhi.

14. During the discussion, it was suggested that the requirement of insertion of Aadhar and PAN in the initial processing of Pension Fixation Order/Revised PPO would delay the process as the HoDs/HOOs do not possess these details in respect of pensioners at this stage. The entire exercise of issue of Corrigendum PPO shall have to be repeated after receipt of information from the concerned Pensioners. This timeline can be reduced if these two crucial data is allowed in the; system to be inserted subsequently and data updated automatically in the central databank of PCDA(P). It was requested that this issue may be flagged in the meeting of AS(Exp) in MoF.

15. The Representative of DGDE (Shri P. Daniel, Addl. DG) informed that there were 540 pensioners whose pension needs to be revised. It was indicated that they have already processed cases of approx 100 pensioners, of which {23 have been submitted to PCDA Allahabad after vetting by CDA. The remaining cases are in the process of vetting by CDA.

16. The Representative of DGAQA (Shri S.Chawla, ADG) informed that they have not received any data from PCDA(P), Allahabad. They are still in the process of locating the data of pensioners.

17. The Representative of MoD(Sectt) (Shri Brij Kumar, DS) infotmed that they have 1134 cases of pensioners, of which they had processed cases of 656 pensioners. However, these were not accepted by CPAO on the grounds that all cases need to be processed individually. They have started preparing individuals sheets of pensioners and are likely to complete the work by target date.

18. In CAO, there are about 5200 cases of pensioners. The details of action taken were not yet available.

gumming up and Decisions

Summing up and Decisions

19. Summing up the discussion, AS(BM) reiterated the necessity of proactive approach to address the issue so as to meet the deadlines prescribed. Thereafter, the following directions were issued:

i) Enumeration of numbers: CGDA to review the total number of pensioners and family pensioners for which revision exercise has to be undertaken in view of the variation in data of pensioners reported in the course of the meeting. The revised number, entity/organisation-wise may be communicated by CGDA. 

(Action : CGDA)

ii) Considering the fact that many organisations do not have complete data of pensioners, dedicated teams may be constituted in each organisation that will be interacting proactively with CGDA/PCDA Allahabad to sort out the gaps in completing the exercise.

(Action : All HoDs of Def. Organisations)

iii) Allotment of Identification Codes : Allotment of Identification Codes of Heads of Offices/ DDOs will be communicated by PCDA(P) Allahabad to the HoDs within a week, to enable them to process the cases.

(Action : CGDA/PCDA(P) Allahabad)

iv) Each organisational HQ will nominate a Organisational Nodal Officer not below the rank of JS/Major General or equivalent in case of Services, to liaise with the MOD and to furnish the information/ progress Report fortnightly (15 Aug, 31 Aug, 15 Sep and 30 Sep 2017).

(Action : all HoDs of  Def. Organisations, including CGDA)

v) PCDA(P) Allahabad and CGDA will also nominate the Nodal Officers within three days to facilitate the Field Nodal Officers for liaisoning with CGDA/PCDA, Allahabad and on day to day issues of revision of pension within their organisation. The details of the Field Nodal Officers and Nodal Officers of PCDA/CGDA shall be shared with the Organisational Nodal Officers who will be reporting to MoD.

(Action : All HoDs/CGDAIPCDA(P:) Allahabad)

vi) Each organisation to create a dedicated Cell and Help Desk to process the cases of pensioners.

(Action : All HoDs of Def. Organisations)

vii) Local Subordinate officers to facilitate the pensioners who approach them to furnish their details. Drop Box / Dedicated Counter may be set up at the entrance to collect requisite information from the pensioners and to interact with them as andl when they approach their offices after travelling long distances to pursue their pension revision cases. 

(Action : All HoDs of Def. Organisations)

viii) The information about the pension revisions should be highlighted on the websites of the Organisation, along with the name and contact details of the nodal officer who can be approached to furnish data in: respect of the pensioners.

(Action : All HoDs of Def. Organisations)

ix) The pensioners may be encouraged to furnish their details to the offices in which they served last.

(Action : All HoDs of Def. Organisations)

x) Taking up with MoF the issue of a common advertisement in the newspapers as also through other platforms to disseminate; information to the pensioners, and facilitating them in the process of pension revision.

(Action : MoD)

Meeting ended with a vote of thanks to the Chair.

Source: Click here to View/Download Signed copy (PDF)