Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 08:
To streamline and expedite payment of pension, GPF, gratuity and other entitlements of retired Government employees, Chief Secretary Jarnail Singh has issued an office memorandum, fixing responsibilities as well as spelling out in details the steps to be taken up to ensure that retired Govt employees are not harassed at the time of their retirement or after retirement.
Disclosing this to The Sangai Express, a reliable source said that towards this end, the Chief Secretary convened a meeting of all Administrative Secretaries and Heads of Department on December 3 and discussed the issues minutely.
To ensure that Government employees do not face difficulties due to delay in releasing pension and other benefits, the Chief Secretary has instructed all Heads of offices and Heads of Departments to complete the verification of service books of the employees by January 3 next year.
Each department has also been asked to appoint a nodal officer who will be responsible for pursuing the cases, rectification of any deficiencies in the pension/gratuity papers, GPF final withdrawal and leave encashment etc.
The nodal office will liaise with the Pension Cell and Office of the AG as well as Administrative Secretaries.
The source further said that the Chief Secretary has instructed that pension, gratuity, GPF final withdrawal and other entitlements of the retiring Government servants should be paid on the last working day of the retiring Government servants.
Before any Government employee retires, the Heads of Departments should call the retiring employees at least eight months before his superannuation period and inform him or her about the list of papers they have to complete and they should be given 15 days time to complete the same.
The papers should also be submitted to the Pension Cell at least seven months before retirement, the Chief Secretary instructed.
The source also informed that the Chief Secretary has made it very clear that the Pension Cell should not take more than three days to process the papers and modify if there is any need.
The office of the AG should receive all the required papers six months before the retirement of the employee, instructed the Chief Secretary and added that the final orders may be issued at least one month before the retirement of Government employees.
In case, the departments anticipate any delay in the finalisation of pension papers and issue of Pension Payment orders by the office of the AG, the Heads of offices may sanction and disburse the Provisional Pension or Provisional Gratuity with the prior approval of the Head of Department concerned.
The Chief Secretary has given strict instructions to all departments to act promptly in the case of any death of a pensioner or a Government employee so as not to inconvenience the family members.
All Heads of Departments will be responsible for implementing the orders of the Government.