Joint Procedure Order for expeditious payment of settlement dues in case of death of Railway employees due to COVID-19

Joint Procedure Order for expeditious payment of settlement dues in case of death of Railway employees due to COVID-19: East Coast Railway dated 09.06.2021

EAST COAST RAILWAY
Office of the Principal Chief Personnel Officer
Rail Sadan, IInd Floor, Bhubaneswar-741017

ECoR/Pers/R/Settlement/JPO-COVID

Date: 09.06.2021

Sub: Joint Procedure Order for expeditious payment of settlement dues in case of death of Railway employees due to COVID-19.

A copy of this office Joint Procedure Order (JPO) dated 09.06.2021 on the above quoted subject is forwarded herewith for information, guidance and necessary action.

Encl: As above.

(R.N.A Parida)
Chairman, Railway Recruitment Cell
For Principal Chief Personnel Officer.

EAST COAST RAILWAY

JOINT PROCEDURE ORDER FOR EXPEDITIOUS PAYMENT OF SETTLEMENT DUES IN CASE OF DEATH OF RAILWAY EMPLOYEES DUE TO COVID-19

In order to expedite the settlement payments in death cases due to COVID-19 pandemic, wherein receipt of Death Certificate from the Registrar of Birth and Death is getting delayed for some reason, it is decided with the approval of PFA and PCPO that following course of action may be taken for immediate relief to the families of the deceased Railway Employees as a “one-time measure”.

1. A “Provisional Death Notification”/ “Provisional Termination of service memorandum” may be issued on the basis of Death Certificate/Cremation Certificate issued by the Hospital/Civil Authorities etc. duly forwarded by Controlling Officer of the deceased employee stating reason of death as “DUE TO COVID-19”. Wherever it‘s not mentioned in the Certificate/Cremation Certificate issued that cause of the death is due to COVID-19, then, if satisfied in all extents, ADRMs in division, CWM in MCS Workshop and HODs of concerned department at HQ can certify that the death is due to COVID-19 and process for provisional death notification and settlement.

2. After observing all other necessary procedure and formalities, payment of PF, Leave Encashment and CGEGIS may be made based on the “Provisional Death Notification”/ “Provisional Termination of service memorandum”

3. In terms of Railway Board’s letter No. D-43/43/2020-F(E)III dated: 04.06.2021, provisional pension payment and provisional death gratuity to be processed in all such cases as per extant guidelines based on Provisional Death Notification and Provisional PPO will be sent to bank. However sanctioning authority is to check the merit of case with respect to pending D&A charges or any other dues like stores debit, commercial debit etc. before sanctioning Provisional death gratuity.

4. On obtaining proper Death Certificate issued by Birth and Death Registrar, “Final Death Notification’/ “Final Termination of service memorandum” will be issued.

5. Based on the Final Death Notification, remaining death gratuity will be released in favour of the family of the deceased and bank will be notified to. treat provisional pension as final if no other charges are required to be recovered/paid.

6. Overpayment and other dues if any, should be adjusted accordingly and the same should be confirmed before forwarding the case to Accounts Department.

7. Proper record of such ONR cases should be maintained at both ends i.e. Personnel and Accounts Department and an entry to be made in the SR of the deceased employee duly signed by both Accounts & Personnel department. And a stamp to be affixed showing the payment as “PROVISIONAL”.

8. However process of settlement to be done without any delay on receipt of provisional death notification and to be completed within one month from date of issue of such notification. And final review to be done within 3 months from the date of issue of Provisional PPO and remaining death gratuity to be released after affecting any recoveries thereof. Then entry to be made in SR of the deceased employee duly signed by both Accounts & Personnel department with affixing a stamp showing the payment as “FINAL”.

9. In Para 9 of the JPO issued duly signed by PFA & PCPO on dtd. 29.08.2018, it is mentioned that on the basis of Departmental Legal Heir Certificate issued by the Executive of the concerned department, the final pension will be processed. Further to, UMID Card issued by Competent Authority may also be considered to ensure the authenticity of the Legal Heir for pension disbursement.

10. Whenever pension sanctioning Authority has any doubt/ reservation, then Legal Heir certificate (L.H.C) from the Tahasildar/M.R.O or Court can be sought for.

11. For all other death cases, JPO dated 29.08.2018 duly signed by PFA/ECOR and PCPO/ECOR to be strictly followed and time lines prescribed in the JPO dated 29.12.2014 to be strictly adhered to.

This JPO will be reviewed at the end of March 2022.

Click here to view/download the pdf