Divyang youngsters of deceased govt servants will get main hike in household pension: Jitendra Singh

New Delhi, Aug 8 (PTI) Union Minister Jitendra Singh said Sunday that the Divyang children will receive a substantial increase in family pensions from deceased government officials and retirees.

When informing of this landmark decision, he said it was in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s special emphasis on the dignity and care of such children.

Singh, the Minister of State for Personnel, said the decision seeks to make life easier and better economic conditions for Divyang survivors or disabled people in need of more medical care and financial assistance.

The minister said instructions had been issued to liberalize the income criteria for the eligibility of a child or sibling of a deceased civil servant and pensioner to receive a family pension under the CCS Rules (Pension) 1972.

The government believes that the income criteria for family pension entitlement that apply to other family members should not be applied to disabled children or siblings, he said.

Accordingly, Singh said the government had reviewed the income criteria for family pension entitlement in relation to a disabled child or sibling and determined that they were equivalent to the amount of the eligible family pension in their case.

The Ministry of Pensions and Pensioners’ Welfare, the minister said, has ruled that a child or sibling of a deceased civil servant and pensioner suffering from a mental or physical disability should be entitled to a lifelong family pension.

Assuming his total income, with the exception of the family pension, is less than the eligible family pension at the ordinary rate, ie 30 percent of the deceased civil servant’s or pensioner’s last salary plus the allowable pay on it, he said.

Under Rule 54 (6) of the CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972, a child or sibling of a deceased civil servant or pensioner who suffers from a mental or physical disability is entitled to a lifelong family pension if he or she suffers a disability that exceeds it makes it impossible for him to earn a living, it said in a statement published on Sunday by the Ministry of Personnel.

It is currently assumed that a family member, including a disabled child or sibling, earns a living if their income from sources other than the family pension is at least equal to the minimum family pension of Rs 9,000, the allowable inflation relief, it said.

In the case of a mentally or physically disabled child or sibling who is currently not receiving a family pension due to failure to meet the previous income criteria, he or she will be granted a family pension if he meets the new income criteria and also meets the other conditions for a family pension at the time of the death of the civil servant or pensioner or previous family pensioner, the statement says.

“In such cases, however, the cash benefits should accrue prospectively and no delay is permitted for the period from the date of death of the state employee / pensioner / former family pensioner,” it said. PTI AKV AAR

Disclaimer: – This story was not edited by Outlook staff and is automatically generated from news agency feeds. Source: PTI

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