Daughter eligible for family pension; her name should stay on list

The central government's Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare has clarified that a daughter’s name cannot be removed from the list of family members eligible for a government employee's family pension. This clarification aims to ensure that all retirement benefits are released promptly to avoid interest payments.

Daughter's name should be on the list

It noted that a daughter becomes a family member of the government servant when her details are submitted using the prescribed format. As such, her name will remain on the list of family members eligible for the family pension. The eligibility for a family pension will be determined after the death of the pensioner or family pensioner, in line with existing rules.

The Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 2021, specify that family includes unmarried, married, or widowed daughters as well as stepdaughters and adopted daughters. Despite this clear guidance, there have been inquiries regarding the removal of a daughter’s name from the list after retirement.

Government servants are required to provide details about their family members—including spouses, children, parents, and siblings—when they enter service. They must also update this information in their pension papers before retirement. The recent memorandum reiterates that all family members must be reported, irrespective of their eligibility for the family pension.

Disability holds priority

Currently, the rules stipulate that daughters are eligible for the family pension until they marry, remarry, or begin earning a livelihood. Unmarried, widowed, or divorced daughters over the age of 25 can receive a family pension if all other children in the family are also over 25 or employed. In cases involving a disabled child, that child holds priority for the pension.

Family pensions for central government employees under the Old Pension Scheme are typically set at 30% of the deceased employee’s last drawn pay. If the employee has served for at least seven years, this amount can be increased to 50% for seven years following their death, or until the pensioner turns 67, whichever comes first.

Recent disputes between government departments regarding the implementation of the Extraordinary Pension (EOP) rules have led to delays in benefit payments. This situation has highlighted the complexities involved in processing retirement benefits, though the specifics of how these disputes will be resolved remain unclear.