Payment of Pension by Agency Banks: RBI Master Circular for Central Civil/Defence/Telecom/Railway/Postal/State Pensioner
Master Circular- Disbursement of Pension by Agency Banks
Payment of Pension to Government Pensioners under the various schemes through agency banks Introduction
The payment of pension to retired Government employees is governed by the relevant Schemes prepared by concerned Ministries/Departments with the approval of Controller General of Accounts, Ministry of Finance, Government of India or by State Governments and involves payment of basic pension, increased Dearness Relief and other benefits as and when announced by the Governments. Various circulars issued in this connection are summarized hereunder for information.
2. Payment of Pension to Central Government Pensioners through Public Sector Banks – Steps taken by Government to minimize delay in payment of Dearness Relief (DR) to Pensioners – Discontinuation of forwarding Government Orders in respect of DR etc. through Reserve Bank of India.
(Ref: DGBA. GAD. No. H-506/45.01.001/2002-03 dated April 12, 2003)
In order to obviate the time lag between the issue of Dearness Relief etc. orders and actual payment to the beneficiaries and to render expeditious service to the senior citizens, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Pension and Pensioners Welfare, Government of India have taken following steps:
i. As soon as the sanction of Dearness Relief at revised rates is received from Ministry of Finance, Orders for payment of Dearness Relief to pensioners at revised rates are issued and the copies of such orders are immediately sent to Heads of all Agency Banks by e-mail as well as by FAX with instructions to take necessary action for expeditious payment of Dearness Relief.
ii. The orders are put on web-site of Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievance and Pensions (http://www.persmin.nic.in)
iii. Copies of orders are also sent by post to Heads of all Agency Banks and published in leading newspapers by Indian Banks’ Association. RBI would no longer be forwarding Government orders in respect of Dearness Relief to Agency Banks.
3. Acceptance of nomination in form ‘A’ and ‘B’- Central Civil / Railway Pension
(Ref: DGBA. GAD. No.H-94/45.05.031/2004-05 dated August 24, 2004 and Ref. DGBA.
GAD. No. H-3611/ 45.03.002/ 2005-06 dated October 10, 2005)
With a view to avoid inconvenience to the pensioners, Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO) and Ministry of Railways (Railway Board), have decided to adopt the nomination forms (‘A’ & ‘B’). Agency banks were advised to issue necessary instructions to all pension paying branches to accept Nomination Forms ‘A’ or ‘B’ as the case may be, submitted by Central Civil/Railway pensioners for the payment of arrears of pension to the heir(s).
4. Implementation of procedure for payment of pensions and other retirement benefits to All India Service Officers retiring from Government of India while on Central Deputation.
(Ref. DGBA. GAD. No. 612-644/ 45.01.001/2004-05 dated October 7, 2004)
Agency Banks are advised to follow accounting procedure for payment of pension to All India Service Officers retiring from Government of India while on Central Deputation as follows:
(i) PPO number for All India Service Pensioners would incorporate, besides the 12 digit numeric component used for Central Civil pensioner, a prefix indicating the service and the state cadre to which the pensioner belongs. A sample PPO number for an IAS Officer of Punjab cadre would be – IAS/Pb/438840400191.
(ii) All India Service Pensioners will have the option to draw pension only through the authorised banks.
(iii) The Special Seal Authority (SSA) issued by the CPAO would be in blue colour to distinguish it from authorities issued for Central Civil pensioners. In addition, the authority will indicate the State Government to which the payment is debitable.
(iv) One copy of the SSA will be sent to concerned Accountant General for information and record.
(v) The concerned paying branches of the bank after following the necessary procedure for identifying the pensioner would release the payment and add the name of All India Service Pensioner to the scrolls prepared for State Government Pensioners to be routed for reimbursement to the reimbursing branches of the Reserve Bank/ State Bank as the case may be. Such scrolls are NOT being handled under Single Window System of pension reimbursement for Central Government Civil Pensioners and should not therefore be sent to CPAO.
(vi) The reimbursing branches would follow the procedure for the State Government Pensioners and send advice to Reserve Bank, CAS, Nagpur and the corresponding scrolls to the concerned Accountant General.
(vii) The RBI, CAS, Nagpur would debit the concerned State Government Account as per the procedure.
5. Scheme for payment of pension to Defence pensioners by public sector banks – delay in submission of pension payment scrolls and steps to avoid fake & fraudulent payments.
(Ref. DGBA.GAD. No. 867-899/ 45.02.001/ 2004-05 dated October 18, 2004)
It has been observed that there is a lag of two to three months in submitting the pension payment scrolls to pension authorities by the pension paying banks.
Often these scrolls are bunched. In this connection, a reference is invited to paragraphs 9(6), 10 and 11 of the booklet “Scheme for Payment of Pension to Defence Pensioners” wherein the procedure for transmission of pension payment scrolls by paying branches, link branches and reimbursing branches is clearly stipulated. The entire procedure needs to be completed as per the timeframe fixed so that the payment scrolls are finally received at the Office of the PCDA (Pension), Allahabad latest by 15th of the followrding month (except for the month of March scrolls, which should invariably reach latest by 3 week of every year). The Office of the PCDA (Pension) has also noticed that in some cases of payment of gratuity and commutation amount were made to imposters on fake and fraudulent PPOs by the pension paying branches without observing prescribed checks. It has also been observed that in the cases of first payment of pension, either PPO numbers were not mentioned on the scrolls or incorrect PPO numbers were mentioned making it difficult to verify the correctness of the payment. Further, these payments were being shown in the main pension payment scrolls along with the regular monthly payments of Defence Pensioners.
The Pension Paying Branches/ Link Branches / Reimbursing Branches are advised to put in place a more efficient system to ensure the following:
(i) Pension Paying Branches to submit pension payment scrolls to Link Branches within the stipulated time (by 10 of the following month). No bunching of scrolls is done.
(ii) Link Branches to forward the original copy of the scroll along with summary sheet and summary documents to reimbursing banks (RBI/ SBI etc. as the case may be) by 11th of each month.
(iii) Reimbursing banks should forward the original copy of the scrolls directly to CDA (Pension), Allahabad after reimbursing pensionthpaying bank, by debit to Government Account so as to reach PCDA (Pension) by 15 of the following month except for the March scrolls.
(iv) In the cases of first payments of pension, pension paying branches should prepare scrolls carefully indicating correct PPO number, amount of gratuity and commutation against the name of each pensioner and submit the same separately on a monthly basis in addition to the regular monthly payment cases which will continue to be prepared separately along with separate summary sheet.
(v) Pension paying branches should prepare separate summary sheets for regular monthly pension payment cases as well as first pension payment case.
Joint Account of the pensioner with the spouse could be operated either by ‘Former or Survivor’ or ‘Either or Survivor’ basis subject to the following terms and conditions:
(a) Once pension has been credited to a pensioner’s bank account, the liability of the Government/Bank ceases. No further liability arises, even if the spouse wrongly draws the amount.
(b) As pension is payable only during the life of a pensioner, his/her death shall be intimated to the bank at the earliest and in any case within one month of the demise, so that the bank does not continue crediting monthly pension to the Joint Account with the spouse, after the death of the pensioner. If, however, any amount has been wrongly credited to the Joint Account, it shall be recoverable from the Joint Account and/or any other account held by the pensioner/spouse either individually or jointly. The legal heirs, successors, executors etc. shall also be liable to refund any amount, which has been wrongly credited to the joint account.
(c) Payment of Arrears of pension (Nomination) Rules 1983 would continue to be applicable to a Joint Account with the pensioner’s spouse. This implies that if there is an ‘accepted nomination’ in accordance with rules 5 and 6 of these Rules, arrears mentioned in the rules shall be payable to the nominee.
Existing pensioners desiring to get their pension credited to a joint account as indicated above are required to submit an application to the bank branch, from where they are presently drawing pension in the prescribed form. This would also be signed by the pensioner’s spouse in token of having accepted the terms and conditions laid down by Government of West Bengal. The above facility is applicable to the existing/future pensioners.
15. Disbursement of Central Government Pension through Public Sector Banks – Issue of Pension Slip.
(Ref.DGBA.GAD.H.10975/45.05.031/2006-07 dated January 9, 2007)
It has been decided in consultation with the Central Pension Accounting Office, Ministry of Finance, Government of India to issue pension slips to the Central Government pensioners (Civil) at commencement of pension and thereafter, wherever there is a change in quantum of pension. All the agency banks were advised to issue suitable instructions to their pension paying branches.
16. Introduction of Single Window System for reimbursement of Defence Pension Payments.
(Ref. DGBA.GAD. No. H-13834/45.02.001/2006-07 dated March 13, 2007)
It has been decided in consultation with the Office of Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pension) to introduce Single Window System for reimbursement of Defence Pension with effect from April 1, 2007. Hence, the Reimbursing Banks i.e. RBI (PADs), SBI and its associate banks will cease to reimburse Defence pension payments made by the banks with effect from April 1, 2007. Pension payments transactions may be reported through Link Cell in Nagpur to Central Accounts Section, Reserve Bank of India, Nagpur for fund settlement as in the case of Central Civil Pension. The agency banks are required to send the Payment scrolls to the office of the PCDA (P), Draupadi Ghat, Allahabad.
All the past transactions remaining outstanding prior to April 1, 2007 for which Pension Payment Scrolls Advices are wanting shall be resolved through Reimbursing Branches of RBI/SBI and its Associates.
17. Scheme for payment of pension to Arunachal Pradesh Government pensioners by public sector banks:
(Ref. DGBA.GAD. H-14279/45.05.024/ 2006-07 dated March 23, 2007)
Government of Arunachal Pradesh has modified the scheme for payment of pension permitting credit of pension also to a Joint Account operated by pensioner with his/her spouse in whose favour an authorization for family pension exists in the pension payment order (PPO). The joint account of the pensioner with the spouse could be operated either by ‘former or survivor’ or ‘either or survivor’ basis subject to the following terms and conditions:
a) Once pension has been credited to the pensioner’s bank account, the liability of the Government/bank ceases. No further liability arises, even if the spouse wrongly draws the amount without the knowledge of the pensioner.
b) As pension is payable only during the life of a pensioner, his/her death shall be intimated by the spouse to the bank at the earliest and in any case within one month of the demise, so that the bank does not continue crediting monthly pension to the joint account with the spouse, after the death of the pensioner. If, however, any amount has been wrongly credited to the joint account, it shall be recoverable from the joint account or his/her account held by the pensioner/spouse either individually or jointly. The legal heirs, successors, executors etc. shall also be liable to refund any amount, which has been wrongly credited to the Joint Account.
c) Existing pensioners desiring to get their pension credited to a Joint Account as indicated above are required to submit an application in the prescribed form to the concern bank branch, from where they are presently drawing pension. The pensioner’s spouse in token of having accepted the terms would also sign this. The above facility is applicable to the existing/future pensioners.
d) Opening of Joint Account with any other person for credit of pension, except the spouse in whose favour family pension is authorised in the PPO, shall not be permissible. Family pensioners are not covered under this revised scheme.
18. Disbursement of Central Civil/Defence/Railway and Governments of West Bengal,
Goa and Kerala Pension through Public Sector Banks-Issue of Pension Slips:
(Ref. DGBA.GAD. H-10975/45.05.031/ 2006-07 dated January 9, 2007
Ref. DGBA.GAD. H-17663/45.05.031/ 2006-07 dated June 12, 2007 Ref.DGBA.GAD.No. 3856/45.05.031/2007-08 dated October 8, 2007 Ref.DGBA.GAD.No.H 12704/45.05.005/2007-08 dated June 11, 2008 Ref.DGBA.GAD.No.924/45.05.012/2008-09 dated July 23, 2008 Ref. DGBA. GAD.No.H 2090/ 45.05.015/ 2009-10 dated September 1, 2009)
It has been decided by Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO)/Ministry of Defence/Railway and Governments of West Bengal, Goa and Kerala to issue pension slips to their pensioners including family pensioners. Accordingly, pension slips as per the prescribed format are to be issued to these pensioners/family pensioners at the commencement of pension and thereafter, whenever there is a change in quantum of pension. All the agency banks were advised to issue suitable instructions to their pension paying branches.
28. Implementation of Government’s decision on the recommendations of Sixth Central Pay Commission – Revision of pension of pre-2006 pensioners / family pensioners etc.
(Ref.DGBA.GAD.No.H-3699/45.01.001/2008-09 dated October 17, 2008)
Government of India, Ministry of Personnel , Public Grievances & Pensions, New Delhi have accorded the sanction of regulation of pension/family pension of all the pre-2006 pensioners / family pensioners w.e.f. January 2006 vide letter No.38/37/08-P & PW(A) dated September 1, 2008. These orders apply to all pensioners/family pensioners who were drawing pension / family pension on January 1, 2006, under the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972. CCS (Extraordinary Pension) Rules & the corresponding rules applicable to Railway Pensioners & pensioners of all India services, including officers of the Indian Civil Service retired from services, on or after January 1, 1973. These orders do not apply to retired High Court and Supreme Court Judges and other Constitutional /Statutory Authorities whose pension etc. is governed by separate rules / orders.
Accordingly all agency banks have been advised to issue suitable instructions to adhere to the Government recommendations while disbursing the pension to the pensioners.
30. Issue of Pension Slips / Updation of Pension Payment Order by Pension paying branches of Agency banks.
(Ref.DGBA.GAD.No.H-9326 /44.01.001/2008-09 dated April 29, 2009)
Although suitable instructions were issued to the agency banks, for issue of Pension Slips and for updation of PPO, we have been receiving complaints from Pensioners’ Associations regarding non-issue of Pension Slips by pension paying branches. They have also complained that the pension paying branches do not update both halves of Pension Payment Order (PPO), whenever there is change in basic rates of pension advised by the concerned Government Departments. We have, therefore, advised all Regional Offices to ensure that the Inspecting Officers from PADs invariably look into the aspect of Pension Slips and updation of PPO and furnish specific comments thereon while conducting the inspection of agency banks.
RBI Forwarding letter:
Master Circular- Disbursement of Pension by Agency Banks
RBI/2013-14/101
DGBA.GAD.No.H- 4/31.05.001/2013-14
July 1, 2013
All Agency Banks
Dear Sir/Madam
Master Circular- Disbursement of Pension by Agency Banks
Please refer to our master circular RBI/2012-13/103 dated July 02, 2012 on the above subject. We have now updated the master circular incorporating important instructions issued by us till end of June 2013. A copy of the same is enclosed for your information. This circular may also be downloaded from our website www.mastercirculars.rbi.org.in.
2. Please acknowledge receipt.
Yours faithfully
(B.K.Mishra)
Chief General Manager
Encl: As above
Source: http://rbidocs.rbi.org.in/rdocs/content/pdfs/101M13010713A.pdf
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