Bhavishya – Central Government Pension Payment Registration Portal

Bhavishya Pension Payment Registration Portal has been launched by Govt as a welfare initiative for retiring Central Government Employees to speed up their pension payment process

ABOUT BHAVISHYA

Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare is working with a vision of ensuring active and dignified life for pensioners. The goal is to ensure payment of all retirement dues and delivery of Pension Payment Order (PPO) to retiring employees on the day of retirement itself. Towards this goal, the department has launched an online Pension Sanction & Payment Tracking System called ‘BHAVISHYA’. The system provides online tracking of pension sanction and payment process by the individual as well as the administrative authorities. The system captures the pensioners personal and service particulars. The forms for processing of pension can be submitted online. It keeps retiring employees informed of the progress of pension sanction process through SMS/E-Mail. The system obviates delays in payment of pension by ensuring complete transparency.

Bhavishya – Who can register online ?

➤ Drawing & Disbursing Officer (DDO)
➤ Head of Office (HOO) and their Dealing Hand
➤ Head of Department (HOD)
➤ Pay & Accounts Officer (PAO) and their Dealing Hand

Bhavishya – Registration Frequently asked questions

1. What is Bhavishya?

‘Bhavishya’ is an initiative of Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare, which is launched with the goal to ensure payment of all retirement dues and delivery of Pension Payment Order (PPO) to retiring employees on the day of retirement itself. The system provides online tracking of pension sanction and payment process by the individual as well as the administrative authorities for all actions preparatory to grant pension and other retirement benefits as well as payment of monthly pension after retirement.

The system also allows individual to download ePPO and eSSA. It also allows the individual to store ePPO in DigiLocker.

2. How to access Bhavishya portal?

Bhavishya portal can be accessed through its website https://bhavishya.nic.in . Retiring Employee will receive login id and password through E-mail and SMS automatically. DDO & HOO are required to register themselves online on Bhavishya portal for login id and password.

3. Is it mandatory to follow the timelines?

Yes, it is mandatory to follow the timelines as prescribed in the CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 and subsequent orders issued from time to time by the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare.

Drawing & Disbursing Officer (DDO)

1. Whether retiring employee data can be fetched in Bhavishya from EIS at anytime?

Yes, retiring employee data can be fetched in Bhavishya from EIS at anytime via facility provided in DDO or HOO login. This facility will be available only if the pension case is available in Bhavishya at Retiring Employee level.

2. Whether DDO has to generate and upload the XML file every month from Salary package into Bhavishya?

Yes, this activity has to be performed by DDO or HOO if the office is not using EIS (salary package of PFMS). XML file contains the Salary information and some basic details about the Retiring Employee required by the system for their pension process.

3. Can the XML file be uploaded by DDO more than once in a month?

Yes, DDO can generate and upload the XML file as per their requirements.

4. Why retiring employee name did not reflect in Bhavishya, even after uploading/importing of the XML file?

When DDO generates XML file from the salary package, he/she has to ensure that following details are properly filled in salary package, so that entry of the retiring employee can be assured in Bhavishya.

➤ Date of Birth
➤ PAN card number
➤ Designation
➤ Date of Joining
➤ Date of Retirement
➤ Date of Superannuation
➤ Mobile number
➤ Email
➤ Govt. Quarter (Yes/No)
➤ Govt. Quarter Address
➤ AAN number

Head of Office (HOO)

1. Whether HOO can play the role of DDO in his/her absence?

Yes, HOO login has all the rights of DDO but DDO cannot play the role of HOO with DDO login.

2. Whether HOO can take the actions on pension case after “Due date” is crossed?

Yes, Actions can be taken after the Due Date, but system will show the delay.

Retiring Employee

1. Whether retiring employee can change the uploaded scanned images (Single photograph, Joint photograph and Signature)?

Yes, retiring employee can replace the previously uploaded photograph with the new one, before submitting forms to HOO.

2. Can retiring employee edit his/her details after submitting pension forms to HOO?

No, after submitting pension forms, HOO has to return back the forms if further necessary changes required in retiring employee forms.

3. How can retiring employee get his/her details (Name, PAN, Date of Joining, Date of Birth, Date of Retirement, Designation, Gender) corrected in Bhavishya?

The details (Name, PAN, Date of Joining, Date of Birth, Date of Retirement, Designation, Gender) first needs to be corrected in service book and salary package via DDO or HOO and only then changes will be reflected in Bhavishya portal via salary package.

4. Whether FMA Form is to be filled by all retiring employees?

Yes, Please refer to O.M. No. 4/34/2017-P&PW(D) dated 31/01/2018 (Subject:- Grant of Fixed Medical Allowance to Central Government Civil Pensioners residing in areas not covered under Central Government Health Scheme -reg. ).

Emoluments

1. How the emoluments will be considered in case of superannuation, if Retiring Employee is on EOL on his/her last working day?

Process is based on the condition whether the EOL is considered as Qualifying period or not. If NO then the emoluments will be taken from the period excluding the time period of EOL and If YES then emoluments will be taken including the EOL (even if last working day).

2. Is there any OM regarding Additional Qualifying Service (Counting half of the service paid from contigencies with regular service)?

Kindly see DOPT O.M. No. 49014/2/2014-Estt.(C) dated 26.02.2016 and O.M. No. 51016/2/90 Estt.(C) dated 10.09.1993 for Counting half of the service paid from contingencies with regular service

Family Details (Form 3)

1. Is it mandatory to enter the details of children in Family Details who are above 25 years of age or married?

Yes, Details of all legal children are to be entered in Form 3 (Details of Family), irrespective of their age or marital status.

Nomination Form 1 and A

1. Is it mandatory to mention alternate nominee in Nomination Forms 1 and A?

No, Alternate nominee details are not mandatory and is purely subjected to the retiring employee’s choice.

2. How many alternate nominees are allowed against an original nominee for Commutation and Arrears of pension in Nomination form A?

Only one alternative nominee, is allowed against the main nominee as per CCS pension rules.

3. How to nominate a person who is not the part of family as per definition of family for Form 3?

Nomination for other than family members will be opened on selecting “other” option with members already available for nomination.

4. Is it mandatory to mention the address of all nominees and alternate nominees?

Yes

Voluntary Retirement (VRS)

1. In Voluntary Retirement cases, whether Date of Retirement will be considered as working day?

Yes, Date of Retirement will be considered as working day in VRS whether forenoon or afternoon, as per the instructions given in the Notification Dated “21/12/2012 in G.S.R. 928(E)” and Rule 5

Gratuity

1. Whether 10% gratuity should be withheld mandatorily at the time of Retirement?

i. There is no provision for withholding any part of gratuity at the time of retirement for the purpose of recovery of outstanding government dues other than those pertaining to government accommodation.

ii. Pay and Accounts Officer shall NOT withhold any gratuity unless the Head of Office

(a) encloses instructions received from Directorate of Estate for withholding of 10% gratuity for outstanding license fee.

And/or

(b) Informs of ongoing disciplinary proceedings.

These instructions are for strict compliance of all Administrative Ministries/Departments. Please refer to O.M. No. 20/16/1998-P&PW (F) dated 11/07/2013 (Subject:- Withholding of 10% gratuity from the retiring Government servants – clarification regarding.)

Family Pension

1. Whether an individual is eligible for more than one family pension?

Yes, as per OM No. 1/33/2012-P&PW (E) dated 16/01/2013.

2. Date or period upto which Enhanced Family Pension payable?

In-service Death

In case of In-service death of government employee, Family Pension at enhanced rates will be payable for 10 years, irrespective of Age e.g. if the employee expires at the age of 59 years then Family Pension at enhanced rates will be payable till the deceased employee would have attained the age of 69 years.

Death of Pensioner

In case of Death of Pensioner, Family Pension at enhanced rates will be payable for 7 years from the Date of Death or till the deceased pensioner would have attained the age of 67 years whichever is earlier, irrespective of Type of Retirement, Date of Retirement and Age of Superannuation. This would equally apply in all Central Civil Government Departments/Offices including CAPF and Medical officers. Click here for the clarification issued to Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO) by Department Of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare.

3. Whether any minimum qualifying service is required for Enhanced Family Pension?

No, as per Notification No. G.S.R 673(E) Dated 19/09/2019 no minimum qualifying service is required for the payment of Family Pension at Enhanced rate.

4. What are the terminal Benefits available to Family of a Deceased Government Employee?

Following benefits are granted to family on death of a Government Employee [covered under CCS(Pension) Rules, 1972] during service:

➤ Family Pension
➤ Death Gratuity
➤ Accumulation under General Provident Fund
➤ Leave encashment
➤ CGEGIS
➤ CGHS or FMA

NPS

1. Whether NPS cases can be processed in Bhavishya?

Only following types of Pension cases pertaining to NPS can be processed in Bhavishya on provisional basis.

➤ Family Pension
➤Invalid Pension (Rule 38)
➤ EOP
➤ EOFP

Also refer OM No. 38/41/06/P&PW(A) Dated 05/05/2009

2. How Gratuity is to be paid for NPS employees?

Please refer to Order No. 7/5/2012-P&PW (F)/B dated 26/08/2016 (Subject:- Extension of benefits of (Retirement Gratuity and Death Gratuity) to the Central Government employees covered by new Defined Contribution Pension System (National Pension System)- regarding).

3. What are the terminal Benefits available to Family of a Deceased Government Employee covered under NPS?

Following benefits are granted to family on death of a Government Employee [covered under NPS] during service:

➤ Benefit from accumulated pension wealth under NPS or family pension under
CCS(Pension) Rules, 1972 as per option or default option
➤ Death Gratuity
➤ Leave encashment
➤ CGEGIS
➤ CGHS

Pension Payment Order (PPO)

1. Whether retiring employee can get the PPO booklet from office?

Yes, as per O.M. No. 1/27/2011-P&PW (E) dated 7th May, 2014 a pensioner can collect his/her copy of PPO from the office from where he/she is superannuating (paragraph 4 of the OM) which has further been endorsed by the Central Pension Accounting Office(CPAO) OM No. CPAO/Tech/Simplification/2014-15/52 dated 28th May, 2014. Again Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare has further vide OM of even number dated 01/08/2017 has stressed upon the same facility to the pensioner.

2. Whether ePPO can be downloaded in Bhavishya?

Yes , ePPO can be downloaded in Bhavishya for the pension cases which are processed through Bhavishya in combination with PFMS (ePPO Digitally Signed). ePPO download facility is available in both pensioner and HOO logins.

3. Who can get ePPO in DigiLocker?

Presently, storing of ePPO in DigiLocker facility is available only for those CCS Pensioners whose case has been processed through Bhavishya in combination with PFMS (ePPO Digitally Signed).

4. Whether name of family member other than spouse can be co-authorized/included in PPO?

Yes, Please refer to Order No. 1/27/2011·P&PW (E) dated 01/07/2013 (Subject:- Simplification of pension process for permanently disabled children/siblings and dependent parents-instructions regarding. This Department’s O.M. No.l/19/11- P&PW (E), dated 3.8.2011, O.M. NO.l/6/2008-P&PW (E), dated 22.6.2010 and O.M. No.1/21/91-P&PW (E), dated 20.1.93 refer. ).

Special Seal Authority (SSA)

1. Whether eSSA can be downloaded in Bhavishya?

Yes, eSSA can be downloaded in Bhavishya for pension cases which are processed through Bhavishya. eSSA download facility is available in both pensioner and HOO logins.

Pension Process Map and Time Frame

S.No	Process	Authority Concerned	Timeframe	Applicable Rule CCS Pension Rules
1	Preparation of list of employees who are due to retire within 12 to 15 months	Head of the Department	1st January,1st April ,1st July  and 1st October each year.	56(1)
2	Communication of the list to the Accounts Officer Concerned	Head of the Department Head of the Office	31st January, 30th April, 31st July and 31st October each year. In case of Government servants retiring for reasons other than immediately as soon as the fact comes to notice.	56(2)
			In the case of a Government servant retiring for reasons other than by way of superannuation, the Head of Office shall promptly inform the Accounts Officer concerned, as soon as the fact of such retirement becomes known to him.	56(3)
3	Communication of the list to the Directorate of Estates in respect of employees having General Pool Accommodation with a view to obtain ‘No Demand Certificate.	Head of the Office.	12 months before retirement.	56(4)
4	Verification and determination of qualifying service, and if necessary, in consultation with the employee; and determination of average emoluments.	Head of the Office.	12 months before the retirement. The process to complete before eight months from the retirement.	59 (a) & (b)
5	Communication of facts to the retiring employees for action by the employees.	Head of the Office.	8 months before the retirement.	59(c)
6	Submission of papers by the employee	Employee	6 months before retirement.	59(c)(iii)
7	Presentation of papers to pay and accounts office.	Head of the Office	4 months before the retirement.	61(4)
8	Checking the pension and gratuity admissible and forwarding the PPO to the pension paying authority.	Pay and accounts office	1 month before the retirement.	65
9	Dispatch of PPO to CPAO	PAO	On the last working day of the month preceding the month of retirement.
10-A	Dispatch of Bank half of the  PPO to CPPC of Authorized Bank	CPAO	By 20th of the month of retirement.
10-B	Handing over of pensioners half of the PPO to the retiring employee	Head of Office	Date of retirement
11	Completion of all formalities and crediting the pension to the pensioner’s account.	CPPC/Paying Branch	Last date of the month.