Agenda Items for 23rd SCOVA Meeting to be held on 20th September, 2013 at New Delhi

Agenda Items for 23rd SCOVA Meeting to be held on 20th September, 2013 at New Delhi

Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
(Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare)
AGENDA ITEMS FOR 23rd MEETING OF STANDING COMMITTEE OF
VOLUNTARY AGENCIES (SCOVA) TO BE HELD ON 20th SEPTEMBER, 2013, AT
VIGYAN BHANVAN ANNEXE, NEW DELHI

AGENDA ITEMS

1.Submission of application in Form 14 be dispensed with for sanction of Family Pension :-

As details of family members eligible for family pension in the event of the death of the pensioner, joint photograph with the spouse and the amount of family pension payable in the event of death of the pensioner are available under Part II of the Pension Payment Order issued by the Pay and Accounts Officer or other designated authority. It is redundant and unnecessary to insist on submission of all these details in Form 14 for sanction of Family pension. On the death of the pensioner, a written request from the spouse along with a death certificate of the pensioner is sufficient to sanction the family pension. So the extant cumbersome procedure may be dispensed with and a simplified procedure introduced.

2. Extension of benefit of upgraded Grade Pay to pre-2006 retirees of S-12grade :-

Benefit of upgraded Grade Pay Rs 4600, introduced subsequently in place ofalready implemented GP Rs.4,200/- for S-12 grade in pre-revised scale of Rs 6,500-10,500 w.e.f 01.01.2006 in terms of O.M No. F.No 1/1/2008-IC dated 13.11.2009 of M/o Finance, Department of Expenditure is not extended to pre-2006 pensioners retired from S-12 grade. The clarification assumes importance in view of the need for protection of 50% of the minimum Pay in the Pay Band & Grade Pay in O.M dated 28.1.2013.

3. Complaints to Public Grievance:-

At present the complaints lodged with Public Grievances is forwarded to the Ministry. Therefore, complaints on Subordinate Officer take a long time to reach them(Subordinate Officer). It is therefore necessary that the complaints are forwarded directly to the officers against which the complaint is lodged to avoid undue delay.

4. Broad Banding of Disablility Element for Pre-1996 cases:-

In implementation of the 5th CPC recommendations, Dept of Pensions & PW had issued OM dated 03.02.2000 for revision of disability and family pensions for post 1996 disabled pensioners which, inter alia, applied the principle of broad-banding to compute reckonable percentage of disability. Vide OM dated 11.09.2001 the same benefits were extended to pre-1996 pensioners with effect form 01.01.1996, These orders, like others issued by DP&PW, are equally applicable to civil as well as defence pensioners.MOD, however, extended the broad-banding benefit to post-96 disabled pensioners only, vide its order dated 31.01.2001, denying it to the pre-96 lot. The 2009 Cabinet Secretary’s Committee, agreed to eliminate this anomaly, However, MoD(DESW) orders dated 19.01.2010 granted the benefit w.e.f 01.07.2009 only, completing ignoring the fact that the same benefit on the civil side has been extended w.e.f 01.01.1996. The matter was again raised with Deptt/ESW in August 2010. The need to apply the orders w.e.f 01.01.96 was accepted. However, the revised orders are yet to be issued even after lapse of nearly 2- 1/2 years.

5. Appointment of Specialists and General Medical Officer in CGHS :-

Aged Pensioners are unable to go to crowded Government hospitals and obtain specialist’s prescription as the Specialists in the Government Hospitals are not only reluctant to issue such prescription on one hand but also the waiting time is enormous in the hospital. It is suggested that Specialist of various disciplines may be appointed on contract as is now resorted to.

6. Problems faced by non -Smart Card (old card holders) of CGHS:-

As per instructions issued by the Govt. of India, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare vide letter No.6024/2007/CGH5(HR)CGHS(P) Dated 17.12.2012 the beneficiaries of CGHS can get treatment in all CGHS covered cities in India and there is no need for obtaining temporary attachment while on a visit to another CGHS city. It has been brought to the notice of this Association by the members that if they carry CGHS cards while on visit to out stations, their dependant members, who do not accompany them, face great difficulty in case of emergency as without card Wellness Centres do not entertain any patient. Even in case of serious emergency empanelled hospitals do not entertain any patient if the CGHS card is not produced to them within four hours of admission and treat the CpHS beneficiaries as ordinary patients and cashless treatment is not permitted.  similar is the positions of the card holder if he leaves the card behind for use of his dependents in his absence or the dependent(s) goes to outstation. The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare is requested to find out a viable solution to this problem so that the beneficiaries of CGHS do not suffer during their visit to outstation.

7. Extension of benefit of OM dt. 28.1.2013 w.e.f 1.1.2006 instead of 24.9.2012:-

Govt. of India, M/o P&PG & Pensions, Department of Pension and Pensioner Welfare, New Delhi’s Ordr No.F-38/37/2008-P&PW(A) dated 28.1.2013.  In the light of the judgement of the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi dated 29.04.2013 delivered with reference to Writ Petition No’s WP(C) 1535/2012, WP(C) 2348/2012,WP(C) 2349/2012 and WP(C) 2350/2012 read with Hon’ble Supreme Court of India’s decision in SLP (C) 23055 of 2013 of the Union OF India Vs CG S-(29) (SAG) Pensioners Association dated 29.07.2013, the date of effect mentioned in the GOI order dated 28/1/13 may be revised retrospectively from 1.1.2006 and arrears paid to the eligible Pensioners.

Forwarding letter by Pensioner Portal:-

F. No. 42/6/2013-P&PW(G)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare

3rd Floor, Lok Nayak Bhavan,
Khan Market, New Delhi- 110003
Date:- 6th September,2013

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: 23rd meeting of the Standing Committee of Voluntary Agencies (SCOVA) under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble MOS (PP) to be held on 20th September, 2013 at 4.00 PM in Vigyan Bhawan Annexe, New Delhi – Reg

– Venue & Time of 23rd SCOVA meeting.
– Comments on Fresh Agenda Items
–  Confirmation of the participation

The undersigned is directed to say that the 23rd meeting of the Standing Committee of Voluntary Agencies(SCOVA) under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble MOS (PP) will be held on Friday, the 20th September, 2013 at 4.00 PM in:-

Committee Room-A,
Ground Floor, Vigyan Bhawan Annexe,
Maulana Axad Road,
New Delhi 110011

2. It is to say that the seven agenda items for discussion in the 23rd Meeting of SCOVA is enclosed herewith. The concerned Ministries/Departments are, therefore, requested to  kindly furnish comments on the enclosed agenda items for 23rd meeting of SCOVA latest by  12th September, 2013 to the undersigned through Fax /Email (Fax No. / E-mail Address given  below) and also in hard copy.

3. It is also requested that the name and telephone number of the official, not below the rank of Joint secretary/Director, nominated to attend the above meeting may kindly be sent to this Department early for further interaction relating to 23rd SCOVA meeting.

Sd/-
(Sujasha Choudhury)
Dy. Secretary (P)

Source: http://pensionersportal.gov.in/
[http://ccis.nic.in/WriteReadData/CircularPortal/D3/D03ppw/SCOVA_120913.pdf]