No. 1(16)2012/D(Pen/Policy)

Government of India

Ministry of Defence

Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare

New Delhi, Dated 17th January’ 2013

Subject: Implementation of Government decision on the recommendations of the Committee of Secretaries 2012 on the issues related to Defence Service Personnel and Ex-Servicemen – Improvement in Casualty Pensionary awards for pre-2006 Armed Forces Officers and JCO/OR.

Sir,

The undersigned is directed to refer to this Ministry’s letter No 17(4)/2008(1)/D(Pen/Policy)/-Vol-V dated 15th February 2011, issued in implementation of Government decision on the recommendations of 6th CPC, which prescribe minimum guaranteed rates of various casualty Pensionary awards for pre-2006 Armed Forces Officers and JCO/OR.

2. In order to consider various issues on pension of Armed Forces personnel and Ex-Servicemen, the Government had constituted a Committee of Secretaries headed by Cabinet Secretary. The Committee in its Report have recommended the following to improve the family pension of Armed Forces pensioners-

2.1 The minimum guaranteed family pension of pre-2006 Armed Forces family pensioners should be determined with reference to minimum of the fitment table for the rank in the revised pay structure issued for implementation of recommendations of Sixth CPC instead of the minimum of the pay band; and

2.2 A linkage should be established in the rate of the family pension with the pension of JCO/OR.

3. The above recommendations of the Committee have been accepted by the Government and the President is pleased to decide that with effect from 24.09.2012, the minimum guaranteed Special Family pension, Dependent Pension (Special), Liberalized Family pension, Dependent Pension (Liberalized) and 2nd Life awards (in case of JCO/OR) respect of pre-2006 family pensioners of Commissioned officers & JCO/OR including honorary Commissioned Officers and Non Combatants (Enrolled), shall be determined with reference to the minimum of the fitment table for the rank in the revised pay band as indicated under fitment tables annexed with SAI 1/S/2008, 541 2/S/2008 & SAI 4/5/2008 as amended and equivalent instructions for Navy & Air force, plus the Grade pay corresponding to the pre-revised scale from which the pensioner had retired/discharged/invalided out/died including Military Service Pay, ‘X’ Group pay wherever applicable, under the some rates and conditions as prescribed vide Para 3 to 8 of this Ministry’s above quoted letter dated 15.2.2011.

4. In order to establish a linkage in the. rate of the family pension with the pension of JCO/OR, the President is also pleased to decide that based on the rank, group, length of service and nature of award sanctioned to the deceased JCO/OR pensioner, the revised service pension/service element of disability/liberalized disability/war injury pension as the case may be, shall be determined in terms of this Ministry’s letter No 1(13)2012-D(PEN/POL) dated 17.01.2013 on notional basis. In cases of JCO/OR died while in service, the entitlement of revised notional pension shall be determined by considering the individual as deemed invalided out of service under the same circumstance in which the casualty was occurred. The rates of Special family pension of Liberalized family pension in respect of pre-2006 JCO/OR family pensioners including honorary Commissioned Officers and Non Combatants (Enrolled), shall be worked out as 120% and 200% respectively of the revised notional pension determined as per above provisions. The 2nd life awards of family pension shall also be worked out as per the rates prescribed vide Para 5 & 8 of this Ministry’s above quoted letter dated 15.2.2011 in terms of the rates of Special/Liberalized family pension determined as above.

4.1 With effect from 24.09.2012, the Special/Liberalized family pension and 2nd Life awards of family pension to pre-2006 JCWOR family pensioners shall be granted on the basis of family pension worked out as per the formulation at Part 4 above or the minimum guaranteed pension determined as per the provisions contained in Para 3 above, whichever is more beneficial.

5. All other terms and conditions for revision of family pension in respect of pre-2006 Armed Forces family pensioners drawing pension under casualty Pensionary awards, which are not affected by the provisions of this letter, shall remain unchanged.

6. In case a pre-2006 family pensioner drawing Special/Liberalized family pension/Dependent Pension (Special)/Dependent Pension (Liberalized)/2nd Life awards of Special/Liberalized family pension in terms of provisions contained in Para 3 to Para 8 of this Ministry above mentioned letter dated 15.2.2011, happens to be more than the family pension determined in terms of these orders, no revision shall be carried out to the disadvantage of the family pensioner and he/she shall continue to draw the beneficial award.

7. The actual benefit accrued in terms of these orders shall be payable with effect from 24.09.2012. No arrears on account of revision of family pension shall be admissible for the past period. However, If a family pensioner to whom the benefits under these orders accrues has died / dies before receiving the payment on account of arrears, the life time arrears (LTA) will be disposed off as per the extant orders.

8. All Pension Disbursing Agencies (PSAs) handling disbursement of pension to Defence pensioners are hereby authorized to pay revised Special Family pension, Dependent Pension (Special), Liberalized Family pension, Dependent Pension (Liberalized) and 2nd Life awards in respect of pre-2006 family pensioners of Commissioned officers & JCO/OR including honorary Commissioned Officers and Non Combatants (Enrolled), in terms of these orders without calling for any application from the family pensioner and without any further authorization from the concerned Pension Sanctioning Authorities. PCDA (Pensions) Allahabad will issue further implementation instructions while circulating these orders to all the PDAs concerned.

9. This issues with the concurrence of Finance [Division of this Ministry vide their I D No. PC 2/10(12)/2012/FIN/PEN dated 10.01.2013

Hindi version will follow.

Your faithfully

Sd/-

( Malathi Narayanan)

Under Secretary to the Government of India