National Old Age Pension (NOAP) Scheme

Under National Old Age Pension Scheme, Central Assistance is available on fulfillment of the following criteria

• The age of the applicant (male or female) should be 65 years or more.

• The applicant must be a destitute in the sense that he/she has no regular means of subsistence from his/her own source of income or through financial support from family members or other sources.

The amount of old age pension is Rs 75 per month. This scheme is implemented in the State and Union Territories through Panchayats and Municipalities. Both Panchayats and Municipalities are encouraged to involve voluntary agencies as much as possible in benefiting the destitute elderly for whom this scheme is intended.
(Ministry of Rural Areas and Employment, NSAP Guidelines for State Governments)

Under the Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Anudan Yojana, an individual (female 60 years or above and males 65 years or above) can get Rs 100 per month if he/she has no source of income. If a woman is a widow and has one or more children below 18 years then she is eligible for a pension of Rs 250 per month. Under Indira Gandhi Bhumihin Vrudh Sheth-Majdoor Sahayay Yojana, an individual (female 60 years or above and male 65 years or above) gets Rs 100 per month. The beneficiary of this scheme must be a destitute and from a rural area.

 Annapurna

A new scheme called Annapurna has been recently initiated by the Government of India under which free food grains up to 10 kg per month will be provided to such destitute older persons who are otherwise eligible for old age pension under the National Old Age Pension Scheme but are not receiving it and whose sons are not residing with them. However, it is yet to be implemented.
(Ministry of Rural Development with the assistance of Ministry of Food and Civil Supplies)

Pension and family pension

For Central Government employees

The revision of pension/family pension approved by the Central Government based on the 5th Pay Commission, is given below:

Pension

People, who retired from service as on 1-1-96, will get their pension at 50 per cent of their basic pay. Pension of those who retired before 1-1-96 will be fixed based on 50 per cent of the minimum of the new scale applicable in place of old scale in which he/she retired. Special provision has been made for people retire before completing 10 months of service after 1 January 1999 (before 30 September 1996) and have opted to come over to the revised scales of pay are eligible weight age at 40 per cent on the existing basic pay for arriving at the average pay fixation of pension.

Family pension

Family pension of people who retired from service as on 1-1-96 will be fixed at 30 per cent of the pay drawn by the deceased employee based on the new pension formula subject to his having put in 33 years of service. Family pension of people who retired before 1-1-96 will be fixed at 30 per cent of the pay drawn by the deceased employee based on the new pension formula subject to his having put in 33 years service.

For Central Government employees who have been permanently absorbed in public sector undertakings/autonomous bodies.

Pension

Where the Government servants on permanent absorption in public sector undertakings/autonomous bodies continues to draw pension separately from the Government, the pension of such absorbees will be updated in terms of these orders. In cases where the Government servants have drawn one-time lump sum terminal benefits equal to 100 per cent of their pensions and have become entitled to the restoration of one-third commuted portion of pension as per Supreme Court judgment dated 15.12.1995, their cases will not be covered by these orders.

Family pension

In cases where, no permanent absorption in public sector undertakings/autonomous bodies, the terms of absorption permit grant of family pension under the CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 or the corresponding rules applicable to Railway employees/members of All India Services, the family pension being drawn by family pensioners will be updated in accordance with these orders.

(Vide office memo No. 45/86/97-P&PW(A)-Part-II, dated the 27th October, 1997 and F.No. 45/86/97-P&PW(A)-Part-I dated 18-10-99, Government of India, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of Pension & Pensioners Welfare, New Delhi)

Dearness Relief

Grant of dearness relief to Central Government pensioners/Family pensioners as serving employees - Revised rates effective from 01.01.1999.

Central Government Employees who had drawn lump sum payment on absorption in a Public Sector Unit (PSU)/Autonomous body and have become entitled to restoration of one-third commuted portion of pension as well as revision of the restored amount in terms of this department's OM no. 4/59/97-P&PW (D) dated 14.07.98 will also be entitled to the payment of DR as applicable to serving employees on the restored amount of 1/3rd commuted portion of pension with effect from 01.01.99.

The following categories of Contributory Provident Fund (CPF) beneficiaries who are in receipt of ex-gratia payment in terms of this department's OM No. 45/52/97-P&PW(E) dated 16.12.97 will be paid DR as applicable with effect from 01.01.99.

1. The widow and dependent children of the decreased CPF beneficiary who had retired from service prior to 01.01.1986 or who had died while in service prior to 01.01.1986 and are in receipt of ex-gratia payment of Rs 605 per month.

2. Central Government Employees who had retired on CPF benefits before 18.11.1960 and are in receipt of ex-gratia payment of Rs 654, Rs 703 and Rs 695 .

3. Central Government Employees who had retired on CPF benefits between the period 18.11.1960 to 01.12.1985 and are in receipt of ex-gratia @ Rs 600 w.e.f 01.11.97.

(Vide office memo No. 42/2/99-P&PW(G), dated the 23rd April, 1999 Government of India, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of Pension & Pensioners Welfare, New Delhi,)

Gratuity

• Minimum five years qualifying service and eligibility to receive service gratuity/pension is essential to get this on-time lump sum benefit.

• Retirement gratuity is calculated at the rate of one-fourth of month's basic pay plus dearness allowance last drawn before retirement for each completed six-monthly period of qualifying service.

• There is no minimum limit for the amount of gratuity.

• Maximum retirement gratuity payable is 16 1/2 times the basic pay limited to Rs. 3.5 lakhs.

(Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of Pension & Pensioners Welfare, New Delhi