Clarification regarding Pension / Family Pension

Revision of Pension/ Family pension of Pre-01.01.2016 Pensioners / Family Pensioners-Implementation of the Government decision on the recommendations of the Six Pay Commission vide Memo No. 535-F(Pen) dated 1st October, 2019 and Revision of Pension / Family pensionGratuity and Commutation of Pension of Post 01.01.2016 Pensioners vide Memo No. 536-F(Pen)  dated 1st October, 2019, this modification of rules grating pensionary benefits to the State Government employees consequent on the revision of pay structure under the West Bengal Service (Revision of Pay and Allowance) Rules, 2019 has been under consideration of the Government.

Clarification regarding Pension/ Family Pension

Memorandum of Revision of Pension / Family pension

Government of West Bengal 
Finance Department, Pension Branch
No. 535-F(Pen)  Date: 1st October, 2019

Revision of Pension / Family pension of Pre-01.01.2016 Pensioners / Family Pensioners-Implementation of the Government decision on the recommendations of the Six Pay Commission

The undersigned is directed to State that in pursuance of Government's decision on the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission, the Governor has been pleased to revise the Pension / Family Pension of Pre-2016 State Government Pensioners/ Family Pensioners with effect from 1st January, 2020 of all pre-1st January, 2016 Pensioners / Family Pensioners in the manner indicated in the succeeding paragraphs.

2. These orders will apply to all Pre-2016 Pensioners/ Family Pensioners who were drawing Pension/ Family Pension on 31.12.2015 under the West Bengal Services (Death-cum-Retirement Benefit) Rules, 1971, the West Bengal Services (Revision of Pension) Rules, 1952 and 1966, West Bengal Services (Extraordinary Pension) Rules, 1971.

3. In these order-
(a) "Existing pensioner"or "Existing Family Pensioners" means pensioners who were drawing / entitled to pension / family pension on 31.12.2015.

(b) "Existing Pension" means the basic pension inclusive of commuted portion, if any, due on 31.12.2015. It covers all classes of Pension under West Bengal Services (Death-cum-Retirement Benefit) Rules, 1971 or any other rules / orders mentioned in para 2 above, as issued by the State Government for the employees of this Government from time to time.

(c) "Existing Family Pension" means the basic family pension/ ex-gratia family pension / ad-hoc family pension / extraordinary family pension due on 31.12.2015 under the West Bengal Services (Death-cum-Retirement Benefit) Rules, 1971, the West Bengal Service (Extraordinary Pension) Rules, 1971 or Family Pension Scheme, 1965.

4.1 The pension/ family pension of existing pre-2016 pensioners / family pensioners will be revised notionally by multiplying the existing basic pension / basic family pension as on 31.12.2015 by 2.57. The amount of revised pension/ family pension so arrived at shall be rounded off to next 10 (Ten) rupees, if the said amount is not a multiple of Rs 10 (Ten). However, if the revised basic Pension is below Rs. 8500/- it will be fixed at minimum of Rs 8500/-.

The amount so arrived at will be regarded as revised  pension/ family pension with effect from 1st January, 2020

Illustrations

Existing Basic Pension as on 31.12.2015

Figure arrived at on multiplication by 2.57
Revised Basic Pension after rounding off next 10(Ten) rupees

Rs. 3302
Rs. 8468.14 
Rs. 8500 
(Minimum Pension) 
Rs. 3422
Rs. 8794.54
Rs. 8800
Rs. 6432
Rs. 16530.24
Rs. 16540
Rs. 11000
Rs. 28270.00
Rs. 28270

As the revision is based on a simple formula, a Ready Reckoner for the same is not necessary.

As the consolidated Pension of the Pensioner revised in accordance with the above provision, will be inclusive of commuted value of Pension, if nay, such commuted portion shall be deducted from the Pension while making monthly disbursement.


Illustrations

'A' was entitled to a basic Pension of Rs. 13525/- per month from 01.01.2014 (ie before 01.01.2016). After commutation of 40% of Pension ie Rs. 5410/-, his Pension reduced to Rs. 8115/-. He is now drawing Pension of Rs. 8115/- and relief, as admissible, on original basic Pension of Rs. 13525/-.

His revised Pension will be Rs. 13525/- X 2.57=Rs. 34759.25 ie Rs. 34760/- (after rounding off to next ten rupees). As the consolidated Pension is inclusive of Commuted portion of Pension, the commuted amount of Rs. 5410/- shall be deducted from Rs. 34760/- for monthly disbursement of Pension which will be Rs. 29350/- (Rs. 34760/- - Rs. 5410/-) from 01.01.2020.

4.2 In the case of pensioners who are in receipt of more than one pension, the minimum of Rs. 8500/- (Eight thousand five hundred) will apply to the total of pensions taken together.

4.3 The upper ceiling on pension/ family pension laid down in Memo No. 200-F(Pen) dated 25.02.2009 has been increased from Rs. 35000/- and Rs. 21000/- to Rs. 100500/- and Rs. 60,300/- respectively.

4.4 The fixation of pension will be subject to the provision that the revised pension, in no case, shall be lower than 50% of the minimum of the Pay in the Pay matrix in the revised Pay Structure corresponding to the pre-revised pay-scale/ pre-revised pay structure form which the pensioner had retired.

4.5 The quantum of pension/ family pension available to the old pensioners / family pensioners shall be increased as follows:

 Age of Pensioners
 Additional Quantum of Pension
From 80 years to less than 85 years
20% of revised basic pension/ family pension 
From 85 years to less than 90 years 
30% of revised basic pension/ family pension  
From 90 years to less than 95 years 
40% of revised basic pension/ family pension  
From 95 years to less than 100 years 
50% of revised basic pension/ family pension  
100 years or more
100% of revised basic pension/ family pension  

5. The cases of State Government employees who have been permanently adsorbed in public sector undertakings / autonomous bodies etc. will be regulated as follows

(a) Where a Government employee on permanent absorption in public sector undertakings/ autonomous bodies etc. opted for drawal of monthly pension separately from the Government, the pension of such absorbees will be upload in terms of these orders.

(b) Where the Government employees have drawn one-time lump sum terminal benefits equal to 100% of their pension, the provisions contained in this memorandum will not be applicable to them.

6. Extraordinary pension sanctioned to the pensioners prior to 1st. January, 2016 will also be revised if any of the pensioners is in receipt of pension on 1st. January, 2016 by taking together all the units as single unit and thereafter his / her share my be paid in the same proportion as was previously paid.

7. All the Treasury Officers disbursing pension to the State Government pensioners / family pensioners are hereby authorized to pay pension / family pension, etc. to the existing pensioner / family pensioner at the revised rates without any further authorization from  the Accountant General (A&E), West Bengal, The Accountant General (A&E), West Bengal will issue authority for this payment to all Public Sector Banks in Kolkata and also to the Accountant Generals of other States.

8. A suitable entry regarding the revised consolidated pension shall be made by the Treasury Officer in both halve of Pension Payment Order. An intimation regarding the disbursement of revised pension may be sent by the Treasury Officer to Accountant General (A&E), West Bengal who issued the Pension Payment Order (PPO) in the form given at Annexure-I to this memorandum to enable the latter to update the Pension Payment Order Register maintained by them.

The Public Sector Bank in Kolkata will also send such intimation in the prescribed from to the Accountant General (A&E), West Bengal. An acknowledgement shall be obtained by all Pension Disbursing Officers from the Accountant General (A&E), West Bengal in this respect.

9. The revised pension/ family pension as worked out in accordance with para 4.1 to 4.5 above shall be treated as final "Basic Pension" with effect from 01.01.2020 and shall qualify for grant of relief on pension sanctioned thereafter, if any.

10. Where the Pension is increased due to revision, such increased pension will not be considered for further commutation.


Sd/-H K Dwivedi
Additional Secretary to the Government of West Bengal 



Government of West Bengal 
Finance Department, Pension Branch
Memo No. 535-F(Pen)  Date: 1st October, 2019
Revision of Pension / Family Pension of Pre-01.01.2016
Pensioners / Family Pensioners

Memo No. 536-F(Pen)  Date: 1st October, 2019
Revision of Pension / Family Pension, Gratuity
and Commutation of Pension of Post 01.01.2016 Pensioners

Memorandum of Revision of Pension / Family pensionGratuity and Commutation of Pension

Government of West Bengal 
Finance Department, Pension Branch
No. 536-F(Pen)  Date: 1st October, 2019

Revision of Pension/ Family pensionGratuity and Commutation of Pension of Post 01.01.2016 Pensioners

The undersigned is directed to State that the question of modification of rules grating pensionary benefits to the State Government employees consequent on the revision of pay structure under the West Bengal Service (Revision of Pay and Allowance) Rules, 2019 has been under consideration of the Government.

After careful consideration of the  matter, the Governor has been pleased to decide that the pensionary benefit in respect of the State Government employees who retire after coming into force of the West Bengal Service (Revision of Pay and Allowance) Rules, 2019 and whose pay has been fixed under the said rules actually or in whose favour such revised pay has been allowed notionally (কল্পিতভাবে) shall be determined as follows-

A. Pension

(i) A Government employee retiring in accordance with the provisions of West Bengal Services (Death-cum-Retirement Benefit) Rules, 1971 and before completion of minimum qualifying service of ten years shall not be entitled to pension, but he shall continue to entitled to gratuity.

(ii) A Government employees who has rendered a minimum qualifying service of 20 (Twenty) years, pension shall be paid at 50% of the last basic pay drawn. For Government employees who at the time of retirement have rendered qualifying service of 10 (Ten) years or more but less than 20 (Twenty) years, proportionate reduction  shall be made while calculating the amount of pension.


(iii)The existing maximum amount of monthly pension of Rs 35,000/- (Rupees thirty five thousand) only per month as laid down in Memo No. 201-F(Pen) dated 25,02.2019 shall be raised to Rs. 1,00,500/- (Rupees One lakh five hundred) only per month.

(iv) The existing minimum amount of monthly pension/ family pension of Rs 3,300/- (Rupees three thousand three hundred) only as laid down in Memo No. 201-F(Pen) dated 25,02.2019 shall be raised to Rs. 8,500/- (Rupees Eight thousand five hundred) only per month.

(v) Additional Pension
The quantum of pension available to the old pensioners shall be increased with effect from 1st January, 2016 to 31st December, 2019 notionally with actual effect from 1st January, 2020 as indicated in the following table-

 Age of Pensioners
 Additional Quantum of Pension
From 80 years to less than 85 years
20% of the basic pension
From 85 years to less than 90 years 
30% of the basic pension
From 90 years to less than 95 years 
40% of the basic pension
From 95 years to less than 100 years 
50% of the basic pension
100 years or more
100% of the basic pension
  

The Pension Sanctioning Authority shall ensure that the date of birth and the age of pensioner is invariably indicated in the Single Comprehensive Form to facilitate the The Accountant General (A&E), West Bengal to record the same in the Pension Payment Order (PPO) to be issued in favour of the pensioners for payment of additional pension by the Pension Disbursing  Authority as soon as it becomes due. The amount of additional pension will be show distinctly in the Pension Payment Order (PPO).

The additional quantum of Pension / Family Pension, on attaining the age of 80 years and above, would be admissible from the 1st day the month in which his date of birth falls.

(vi) The provisions for adding years of qualifying service for the purpose of computation of pension which has already been withdrawn vide Memo No. 201-F(Pen), dated 25.02.2019, shall continue.

B. Family Pension

(i) Family pension shall be calculated @ 30% of the basic pay drawn last actually or notionally under West Bengal Service (Revision of Pay and Allowance) Rules, 2019. The maximum ceiling of family pension of Rs. 21,000/-(Rupees twenty one thousand) only per month as laid down in Memo No. 201-F(Pen), dated 25.02.2019 shall be raised to Rs. 60,300/- (Rupees sixty thousand three hundred) only per month at normal rate. However, the existing provision for calculation of family pension at enhanced rate for a specific period will continue.

(ii) Additional Family Pension

In addition to the Family Pension calculated in para (i) above, the quantum of family Pension available to the old Family Pensioners shall be increased with effect from 1st January, 2016 to 31st. December, 2019 notionally with actual effect from 1st January, 2020 as indicated in the following table-


 Age of  Family Pensioners
 Additional Quantum of Family Pension
From 80 years to less than 85 years
20% of the basic family pension
From 85 years to less than 90 years 
30% of the basic family pension
From 90 years to less than 95 years 
40% of the basic family pension
From 95 years to less than 100 years 
50% of the basic family pension
100 years or more
100% of the basic family pension


C. Gratuity

The maximum amount of Death / Retiring Gratuity of Rs. 6.0 lakh (Rupees six lakh) only as laid down in Memo No. 201-F(Pen), dated 25.02.2019 shall be raised to Rs. 12.0 lakh (Rupees twelve lakh) only.

The rate for payment of death gratuity shall be revised as under

Length of Qualifying Service
 Rate of Death Gratuity
Less than 1 year
2 times of last drawn monthly emoluments
1 (One) year or more but less than 5 (Five) years 
6 times of last drawn monthly emoluments
5 (Five) year or more but less than 11 (Eleven) years 
12 times of last drawn monthly emoluments
11 (Eleven) year or more but less than 20 (Twenty) years  
20 times of last drawn monthly emoluments

20 (Twenty) years or more
Half of the last drawn monthly emoluments for every completed six monthly period of qualifying service subject to a maximum of 33 times of last drawn monthly emoluments


D. Regulation of the cases of pensioners / family pensioners during the period from 1st January, 2016 to 31st. December, 2019

(i) In case of State Government employees who retired on or after 1st January, 2016 and in whose cases Pension Payment Orders have already been issued by the AG (A&E), West Bengal till the date of issue of this memorandum, their cases for revision of pensionary benefits may be processed by the Pension Sanctioning Authority on receiving an application in this respect in the form as given at Annexure-I. Such Government employees are entitled to have their pensionary benefits revised notionally in terms of the West Bengal Services (Revision of Pay and Allowance) Rules, 2019 from 1st January, 2016 with actual effect from 1st January, 2020. They shall not get nay arrears representing the difference between revised pension and existing pension for the period from 1st January, 2016 to 31st. December, 2019. They shall continue to draw the existing amount of pension which was fixed without taking into account the benefit of notional fixation of  pay up 31st. December, 2019. They shall get death/ retiring gratuity on the basis of emolument allowed notionally as a special case. They shall be entitled to commute 40% of the revised pension. Due to entitlement of revised amount of death/ retiring gratuity and commuted value of pension, the payment of balance amount of death / retiring gratuity and commuted value of pension will be continued to be paid by the Pension Sanctioning Authority through the DDO. The Pension Sanctioning Authoritywill sanction revised pension/family pension, balance amount  of death/ retiring gratuity and commuted value of pension, if any in the form as given at Annexure-II and III (as applicable) and the copies of the sanction order shall be sent to the AG (A&E), West Bengal as well as to the concerned Treasury Officer, the concerned bank and the concerned pensioner / family pensioner, All the Treasury Officers and Public Sector Banks in Kolkata disbursing pension / family pension to the State Government pensioners are authorized to pay pension/ family pension at the revised rate without further authorization from the AG (A&E), west Bengal which had authorized pension / family pension originally.

(ii) A suitable entry regarding the revised consolidated pension/ family pension shall be made by the Pension Disbursing Authorities in both halves of Pension Payment Order, An intimation regarding the disbursement of revised pension may be sent by the Pension Disbursing Authorities to the Accountant General (A&E), West Bengal, who issued the Pension Payment Order in the form given at Annexure-II to enable the latter to update the Pension Payment Order Register maintained by them.

(iii) State Government employees who retired during the period from 1st January, 2016 to 31st. December, 2019 and in whose cases Pension Payment Order have not been issued by the AG (A&E) West Bengal till the date of issue of this order, are also entitled to have their have their pensionary benefits revised notionally in terms to the West Bengal Service (Revision of Pay and Allowance) Rules, 2019 from 01.01.2016 with actual effect from 01.01.2020. They shall not get any arrears representing the difference between revised pension and existing pension for the period from 1st January, 2016 to 31st. December, 2019. They shall get death/ retiring gratuity on the basis of emolument allowed notionally as a special case. In their cases pensionary benefits shall be calculated on the basis of notional pay fixed under West Bengal Services (Revision of Pay and Allowance) Rules, 2019 and also on the basis of certificate of notional emoluments (in lieu of Pay Certificate) to be issued by the respective Pension Sanctioning Authority on the date of retirement / death based on initial notional pay, as a special case and in relaxation of normal rules.

(iv) In all such cases as referred to para (iii) above including those cases in which PPOs have already been issued after the date of issue of this memorandum, the pension cases of the Government employees shall be sent to the GA (A&E), West Bengal as usual.

(v) In the cases of Pensioners who are otherwise eligible to have their pay fixed notionally under West Bengal Service (Revision of Pay and Allowance) Rules, 2019 and who died on or after 1st January, 2016 to any date prior to 1st January, 2020 being eligible to get revised gratuity determined on the basis of notional emoluments, the same shall be paid to the nominee(s) / legal heir(s) /family members as usual after adjustment of the amount already paid on this account earlier.

E. Commutation of Pension

(i) A Government employee shall continue to be entitled to commute for a lump sum payment upto 40% of this pension.
(ii) The table showing commutation value for pension is given in Annexure-IV.
(iii) The table as given in Annexure-IV will be used for all commutations of pension which become absolute as per this order.
(iv) In the case of those pensioners who retired after 1st January, 2016 but prior to 1st January, 2020 shall have an option to commute the amount of pension that has become additionally commutable on account of retrospective revision of pay / pension on implementation of the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission.

2. The relevant rules in the West Bengal Service (Death-cum-Retirement Benefit) Rules, 1971 and West Bengal Service (Commutation of Pension) Rules, 1983 shall be deemed to have been amended to the extent indicated in these orders, Formal amendments to the said rules will be made in due course.


Sd/-H K Dwivedi
Additional Secretary to the Government of West Bengal 

Revised Commutation Value for a Pension of Re 1 per annum

Annexure-IV
It terms of Memo No. 536-F(Pen) dated 01.01.2019



Age on next Birthday

Commutation Value expressed as number of year's purchase



Age on next Birthday 

Commutation Value expressed as number of year's purchase 


Age on next Birthday 

Commutation Value expressed as number of year's purchase 
20
9.188
41
9.075 
62 
8.093 
21 
9.187 
42 
9.059 
63 
7.982 
22 
9.186 
43 
9.040 
64 
7.862 
23 
9.185 
44 
9.019 
65 
7.731 
24
9.184 
45 
8.996 
66 
7.591 
25 
9.183 
46 
8.971 
67 
 7.431
26
9.182 
47 
8.943 
68 
7.262 
27 
9.180 
48 
8.913 
69 
7.083 
28 
9.178 
49 
8.881 
70
6.897 
29 
9.176 
50 
8.846 
71 
6.703
 30
9.173
51
8.808
72
6.502
31
9.169
52
8.768
73
6.296
 32
9.164
53
8.724
74
6.085
 33
9.159
54
8.678
75
5.872
34
9.152
55
8.627
76
5.657
35
9.145
56
8.572
77
5.443
36
9.136
57
8.512
78
5.229
37
9.126
58
8.446
 79
5.018
38
9.116
59
8.371
80
4.812
39
9.103
60
8.287
81
4.611
40
9.090
61
8.194




Annexure-I, Annexure-II and Annexure-III for  Revision of Pension / Family pensionGratuity and Commutation of Pension 

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