Clarification of Fixed Medical Allowance – The pensioners may be allowed FMA w.e.f. the date of application for FMA: CPAO OM dated 05.08.2019

Whether the effective date of payment of FMA in respect
of the pensioners who retired before 01.12.1997 is the date of
retirement or the date of submission of application.

The order were issued vide this Department’s OM No.
45/57/97-P&PW (C) dated-19.12.1997 wherein FMA was granted . The
existing pensioners had to opt for medical allowance and an undertaking
was required to be submitted by the claimant. Hence, the orders are
being implemented from 01.12.1997. If a person has retired earlier and
has opted for the FMA and given undertaking at the time of issue of OM,
then the FMA should be paid from 01.12.1997.

After 19.12.1997, several further orders/ clarifications were issued
regarding Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA). Therefore, it is difficult to
accept that the pensioner was not aware of the admissibility of the FMA
w.e.f.01.12.1997. In view of this, those pensioners who retired before
01.12 .1997 and did not exercised the option for FMA immediately after
the issue of OM dated- 19.12.1997 would not be entitled to FMA w.e.f.
01.12.1997. However, they may be allowed FMA w.e.f. the date of
application for FMA, if FMA otherwise admissible to them.

2 .

Whether the effective date of payment of FMA in respect
of the pensioners who retired after 01.12.1997 is 01.12.1997 i.e. date
of implementation of order or the date of submission of the application
by the pensioner.

In the OM dated-19.12.1997, it has been mentioned that
in case of future retirees, the option shall be obtained by the Head of
Office alongwith the pension papers and in case the retiree opts for
medical allowance, the FMA is payable from the following month after the
date of superannuation. If the retiree opts later on or gives his option
later, then the FMA is to be given from the date of application.

After 19.12.1997, several further orders/clarifications were issued
regarding Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA). Therefore, it is difficult to
accept that the retiree/ pensioner was not aware of the admissibility of
the FM A. In case of retirees/ pensioners who retired after 01.12.1997
did not exercise the option for FMA immediately on retirement, the FMA
would not be admissible to them from the date of the month following the
month of retirement. However, they may be allowed FMA w.e.f. the date of
application for FMA, if FMA otherwise admissible to them.