The 7th Central Pay Commission had recommended that all Pre-2016 pensioners must be compensated for number of increments they had earned in the retiring pay scales by giving them 3% of basic pension per increment.
The Cabinet, it is understood, was inclined to accept the recommendation . But, it was misled by officials who expressed helplessness in implementing 7th Pay Commission's recommendations on the plea that details of pensioners were not available for computing the increments-based hike in pensions.
DoP&T (Pension & Pensioners Welfare wing ) quietly and promptly issued orders vide OM No.38/37/2016-P&PW(A) dated May 12, 2017. This took all pensioners by surprise and shock. All were hoping against hopes for hikes in pensions.
Was the omission clerical, committed without fact-checking ? Insiders reveal, on condition of anonymity that some DOP&T officials not familiar with the accounting procedure, misled the political Executive, citing non-availability of pensionary records. This was far from truth.
It is clarified that requisite pensionary details are lying intact in offices of four custodians, namely (a) Pension Payment Order (PPO) issuing authority ; (b) PAO of office from where pensioners had retired; (c) Central Pension Accounting Office, New Delhi and (d) Central Pension Processing Cells of banks from where senior citizens receive pensions.
Officials were rewarded with a pat for saving public exchequer by duping the Cabinet and the pensioners.This led to the anomaly. Post-2016 pensioners are receiving pensions far higher than their seniors who are pre-2016 pensioners.
PM Modi is urged to revisit the case, order investigation into the oversight and restore the rightful claim to pre-2016 pensioners.
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