GUIDELINES ON PENSION FOR SERVING EMPLOYEES, PENSIONERS AND DEPARTMENTAL AUTHORITIES

 

This guidance is prepared by the AG office for the benefit of the serving employees/pensioners, and departmental authorities (particularly Pension Sanctioning Authorities). It presents only broad guidelines about the procedures to be followed. They do not modify codal provisions of Bihar Pension Rules (BPR), 1950 which deal with different kinds of pensionary benefits like Pension, Death-Cum-Retirement Gratuity (DCRG), Family Pension (FP) and Commutation.

FLOWCHART ON SUBMISSION/PROCESSING OF PENSION CASES

Pensioner (Pension Proposals) -----> Pension Sanctioning Authority/HOD -----> PAG Office (Inward) -----> Pension Inward (Registration & Scanning) SMS alerts to pensioners on registration ---> Case Dealing Sections (for processing of pension cases) -----> Despatch of authorizations. Then to:  

1. Treasury- PPO

2. Department- Physical Authorization & Service Register (speed post)

3. Pensioner physical authorization (speed post)

4. SMS alerts to pensioner after despatch

 

I. Special Mention Guidelines for original Pension cases

Every Government servant shall submit the pension application in the format prescribed by the Government of Bihar, at least 18 months in advance of his/her date of retirement on superannuation as per Rule – 189 of  Bihar Pension Rules-1950.

Duly filled along with blank  model proforma of Pension Form -4 (OPS) & Form – ‘K’ (NPS) is being enclosed for ready reference and to ensure correctness while giving sanction by respective PSAs.

     

• Blank model proforma of Pension Form - 4 (OPS)
• Duly filled model proforma of Pension Form - 4 (OPS) for serving employee enter in Government Service prior to 01.09.2005
• Blank model proforma of Pension Annexure -K (NPS)
• Duly filled model proforma of Pension Annexure -K (NPS) for serving employee enter in Government Service on or after 01.09.2005

 

DO’s

A.  Obtain the correct form:

• Pension Form–4 for OPS cases (entered service prior to 01.09.2005).
• Form–K for NPS cases (entered service on or after 01.09.2005).

B. Completeness of Pension Forms

• ✔ Ensure that all columns in the Pension/Gratuity/Commutation Application Form are completely and correctly filled.
• ✔ Verify that details of all family members (marital status, dates of birth, etc.) are properly mentioned.
• ✔ Ensure Page 05 and Page 06 (calculation sheets for Pension, DCRG & Commutation) are duly filled.
• ✔ Ensure signature and seal of the Pension Sanctioning Authority (PSA) are affixed on Page 05 and Page 06.
• ✔ Ensure that names of treasury mentioned in column no. 11(page no. 2)  & column no. 10(page no. 5) of Form K are same in case of NPS
• ✔ Ensure that names of treasury mentioned in column no. 12(page no. 1)  & column no. 06(page no. 6) of Form IV are same in case of OPS
• ✔ Ensure that if pensioner wants commute his / her pension than its percentage (maximum 40% as per F.D. 11556 dated 22.12.1999) must be mentioned in column 18 (page no 2) of Form IV in case of OPS
• ✔ Ensure that Joint photograph (self & spouse) has been affixed and attested by Departmental Gazetted Officer, details of all family members (marital status, dates of birth(DD- MM- YYYY), etc.) are properly mentioned, specimen signature of applicant must be attested by Departmental Gazetted Officer in Page no.3 of Form IV / Form K

C. Mandatory Enclosures

• ✔ Sanction Order of Pension by the Pension Sanctioning Authority.
• ✔ Complete and updated Service Book.
• ✔ Last Pay Certificate(Enclosed in Pension Form) must be of the month in which employee concern is to be superannuated and No Dues Certificate.
• ✔ Medical Certificate in cases of Invalid Retirement.
• ✔ Copy of Competent Authority’s order in cases of Voluntary Retirement.

D. Administrative & Financial Checks

• ✔ Verify outstanding dues, if any.
• ✔ Examine whether any disciplinary/vigilance proceedings are pending.
• ✔ Ensure regularisation of suspension period/Extraordinary Leave, if applicable ; and it must be explicitly mentioned in service book that the said period      will be counted for pension purpose or not
• ✔ Confirm admissibility of pay fixation (no double fixation in the same Grade Pay while giving benefit of promotion/ACP/MACP).Besides , due care must also be given that there must be 06 months gap between the date of pay fixation and date of next increment(as applicable in 7^th CPC i.e. 01/01 and 01/ 07)
• ✔ In case of teachers special attention must be given at the time of giving benefit of senior grade and selection grade, schedule II benefit mentioned in Finance department resolution no 630 dt 21.01.2010 is not admissible. Pay fixation benefit by giving one(01) additional increment is not admissible and only pay in the next higher level of  senior grade / selection grade is to be given.

❌ DON’Ts

A. Form & Documentation Errors

• ✘ Do not forward pension cases with incomplete or blank columns in the forms.
• ✘ Do not forward unsigned or unsealed Page 05 and Page 06 of Pension Form–4.
• ✘ Do not omit family details.

B. Verification Lapses

• ✘ Do not forward cases without checking calculation of Pension, DCRG, Family Pension and Commutation.
• ✘ Do not ignore discrepancies in Service Book entries.
• ✘ Do not overlook pending disciplinary proceedings.
• ✘ Do not ignore outstanding government dues.

C. Procedural Irregularities

• ✘ Do not process invalid retirement without a valid Medical Certificate.
• ✘ Do not process voluntary retirement cases without acceptance order of competent authority.
• ✘ Do not allow double pay fixation in the same Grade Pay.
• ✘ Do not forward proposals without regularisation of suspension/EOL where applicable.

 

 

II.        GUIDELINES ON FAMILY PENSION FOR FAMILY PENSIONERS TO SPOUSE,CHILDREN UPTO AGE OF 25/LIFE TIME FAMILY PENSION TO CRIPPLED CHILD,                         UNMARRIED/WIDOW/DIVORCEE DAUGHTER.

i.          If  employee dies either in service or after superannuation and was placed in old pension scheme then his / her legally wedded spouse /  son (below 25years age) / unmarried daughter / divorcee daughter / widow daughter / Divyaang children can claim family pension . However, rules have been prescribed separately in case of unmarried daughter / divorcee daughter / widow daughter / Divyaang children, documents required and procedure to be followed have been clarified in upcoming points.

ii.         If employee dies in service, was placed in old pension scheme then eligible family member will use pension form 4 for filling necessary information and submit the same along with death certificate of employee, to the office / Department where the deceased employee last posted. After necessary verification and giving sanction of family pension the concern office / department will provide all pension papers, pension form -4 and sanction letter to Accountant General Office for issuing PPO.

iii.        If employee dies in service, was placed in New Pension Scheme then eligible family member will use NPS form K for filling necessary information and submit the same along with death certificate of employee, to the office / Department where the deceased employee last posted. After necessary verification and giving sanction of DCRG the concern office / department will provide all  papers, NPS form - K and sanction letter to Accountant General Office for issuing PPO.

iv.        If person claiming family pension is widow / divorcee / unmarried daughter then for widow and divorcee daughter it is obligatory to submit documents for proof through which it can be ascertained that death of husband / divorce, as the case may be, happened during life time of either  one or both parents(Letter No. 1281 date 19.12.2023). Family pension claimant has Besides, PSAs should ensure that provisions mentioned in resolution no. 918 dated 25.10.2018 issued by Finance Department, Govt. of Bihar,  is complied with in toto.

 v.          Person claiming family pension on the ground of physical disability has to  produce supporting documents indicating that disability occurred in the lifetime of either  one or both parents. He / She is also supposed to submit a certificate issued by Chief Medical Officer,  declaring that disability of person is of such degree that the person is unable to earn livelihood. All supporting documents are required to be forwarded to this office by concerned department, from where pensioner retired, along with family pension sanction in favour of the person claiming so. PSAs are also supposed to go through latest notifications issued by Finance Department in this regard, before giving sanction to this effect.  

vi.        Attested copies of the death certificate. The list of family members should indicate the respective children of the first/second spouse in case of two wives of the deceased Govt. Servant .

vii.         Eligibility of family pension to second wives of pensioners is to be governed by rules which are framed by Finance Department, Govt. of Bihar, a few such rules issued vide  memo letter numbers of Finance Department are produced as under for reference:

1. Letter Memo no. P.C. -1 – mis – 41 / 92 / 10059 / Fin. Dated 06.09.1996
2. Letter Resolution No. F. (27) – 149 / 2010 – 1549 / Fin. Dated 27.06.2011

viii.      An attested copy of the nomination for gratuity, if filed by the deceased employee

ix.        The family members' certificate must be attested by the departmental authorities.

 

III.       PROCEDURE TO BE FOLLOWED FOR GIVING AN APPLICATION FOR PENSION REVISION / FAMILY PENSION REVISION IN THE LIGHT OF SEVENTH PAY COMMISSION

All pensioners / family pensioners whose pension / family pension is due for revision in the light of seventh pay commission, have to fill prescribed form for the purpose and duly filled form will be submitted to office / department, where the serving employee / retired employee, as the case may be , last posted. The office / department concerned will verify pay and pay scale, date of birth, date of appointment, date of superannuation / death and after vetting forward the application to Accountant General office for further necessary action.

 

IV. PROCEDURE TO BE FOLLOWED FOR GIVING AN APPLICATION FOR PENSION REVISION / FAMILY PENSION REVISION IN THE LIGHT OF REVISION OF PAY DUE TO ANTEDATED PROMOTION/MACP.

If the pay of a retired pensioner is revised due to any ante-dated promotion—such as a regular promotion, ACP/MACP, or time-bound promotion—the Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) is responsible for sending the pensioner’s service book, updated with the latest pay entry and the corresponding government order, duly attested, to this office for pension/family pension revision.

Upon receipt, this office will issue the revised PPO/gratuity based on the updated pay information provided by the department. Subsequent actions regarding the payment of arrears for pension or gratuity will be handled by the disbursing authority, i.e., the State Treasury or Bank. 

 

V. PROCEDURE FOR SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION FOR  COMMUTATION OF PENSION:

1. The willingness of the Pensioner to commute the pension (maximum 40 per cent of the pension) must be indicated in Column 18 of the Pension form.
2. In respect of medical invalidation retirement cases, if the pensioner desires to claim the commutation, the pensioner will be referred to the medical board by the department for obtaining a medical fitness certificate.
3. No commutation is permissible while Departmental or Judicial proceedings are pending against the pensioner and also when pension is sanctioned provisionally . After the conclusion of departmental proceedings, the pensioner has to apply for the commuted value of pension within one year of the conclusion, in the prescribed form.
4. It is mentioned in Finance Department , Govt. of Bihar memorandum no. 4019 dated 14.03.1978 that medical examination is not required for retiring employees , retired on superannuation, if application for commutation is given within one year of superannuation retirement. This provision is applicable only for superannuation retirement cases.

 

VI.       TRANSFER OF PPO FROM ONE TREASURY TO ANOTHER TREASURY:

The pensioner can represent (a simple application) to the  Treasury Officer requesting the transfer of pension to the desired district treasury within the state.

If the pensioner is willing to draw pension from the treasury of other States  in India  then the procedure as prescribed in rule 204 of Bihar Treasury Code, 2011 shall be followed.

 

 VII.    RESTORATION OF COMMUTATION OF PENSION:

The commutation portion of pension shall be restored by Pension Disbursing Authority  after 15 years from the date of payment of Commuted Value of Pension (CVP) as envisaged in F.D. resolution no. P.C.I.-9-16/87-1851 Fin. Dated 09.04.1990.

 

VIII.    GUIDELINES FOR DEPARTMENTAL AUTHORITIES

 

1.  PROCESSING OF PENSION CASES:

The procedure for processing the pension cases is mentioned in chapter -10 and Appendix -6  of BPR, 1950 for Pension Sanctioning Authorities/Departmental Authorities.

Maintenance of Service records:

i.          Pension is calculated based on the length of qualifying service and 'Average Emoluments' or 'Last basic pay drawn'. It is therefore of utmost importance that the Service Book is maintained in chronological order of the event and must be  up-to-date and contains all relevant information such as promotion/ Automatic Advancement Schemes/Suspension/Punishment/EOL, etc.

ii.         In respect of unverified portion of service if any, the Head of Office shall arrange to verify the same with reference to Pay Bill register/Acquittance rolls.

iii.        The Head of the Office / Department may issue a certificate duly recording it in the Service Register to the effect that the Government Servant was in service during the relevant period and was not on extraordinary leave or under suspension.

iv.        In the event of regular promotion of employee or sanctioning MACP to employee benefit of pay fixation is given to employee but before doing so it must be checked whether fixation benefit has already been given in the same grade pay or not, if pay fixation has already been given then in no any circumstances fixation in the same grade pay by giving one extra increment is possible.

 

2. FINALISATION OF DUES TO GOVERNMENT:

Advance action should be taken by the Pension Sanctioning Authority/departmental authorities to assess dues payable to the Government and recovery of the same from the gratuity (as per Appendix- 6 of BPRs, 1950) and the same may be noted in sanction letter as well as on DCRG calculation page of pension form -4 or NPS form K as the case may be .

 

3.  CHECKS TO BE DONE BY THE DEPARTMENTAL AUTHORITIES/PSA:

The Pension Sanctioning Authorities/ Heads of the Offices are requested to be extra careful while forwarding the proposals where the proposals are being submitted after the date of retirement, as Accountant General will release the pensionary benefits, if nothing is mentioned in the pension proposals about pendency of departmental proceedings or dues recoverable.

The following checks may be made before forwarding the proposals:

> Pension form -4 or NPS form – K must be checked and it must be ensured that all information has been filled in form is correct.

> In case of pension Form 4 - 

 Pension amount , DCRG amount, family pension amount, commutation amount and all columns of page -05 and page -06 of pension form -4  must be duly filled and there must be signature along with seal of Pension Sanctioning Authorities on page -05 and page -06  of pension form - 4

> Check dues, if any

> Disciplinary actions, if any

> Regularisation of suspension period / Extra ordinary leave.

> Proceedings in case of voluntary retirement

> Medical certificate in case of medical invalidation cases

>Any amount to be recoverable from the Govt. Servant.

> Double pay fixation in the same grade pay either in case of regular promotion or MACP is not admissible.

 

IX.       FORWARDING OF PENSION PAPERS TO THE OFFICE OF THE ACCOUNTANT GENERAL

i.          After receiving of the application from the employee, pension papers should be prepared and forwarded to the Accountant General (through the Sanctioning Authority) at least six months before the date of retirement, after sanction is accorded (as per provision of Finance Department resolution no. 3014 dated 31.07.1980

ii.         If any facts come to the notice of the Department necessitating revision, during the time between the submission of pension proposals and date of retirement, it must be intimated immediately to Accountant General before the employee actually retires.

 

X.        ACTION BY PENSION ISSUING AUTHORITIES (AG OFFICE)

 

1. The checks done by the Accountant General before finalising pensionary benefits are as follows:

> Commutation and its willingness, Signature of applicant, counter signature by Pension Sanctioning Authority

> Calculation of service pension indicating dues and service particulars

> Provisional Pension / Gratuity, if any paid .

> Declaration/certificate given by the Pension Sanctioning Authority.

> Sanction order

> Service History and DC/NDC in case of Gazetted Govt. Servant .

> Descriptive Rolls (attestation by pension sanctioning authority, signature of the applicant and the Family Pension beneficiary Identification marks)

> Nomination

> Last Pay certificate

 

ii.         In case of Gazetted govt. servant,  gratuity will not be released if No Dues Certificate in respect of long term advances is wanting at the time of issuing Pension Payment Order. However, in cases where No Dues certificates in respect of long term advances received in this offices but No Dues certificates in respect of short term advances is yet to be received then Accountant General office will issue authority of gratuity after necessary deductions.

 

iii.        With held amount of gratuity due to non-furnishing of LPC and Departmental NDC will be released after  06 months from the date of retirement, the withheld amount will be released without further reference to the Department. However, the same is not applicable in cases where no dues certificate in respect of PWD.

iv.        Pensionary benefits will be authorised by the Accountant General for payment from the Treasury/Pension Payment Office as opted by Retd. employee.

v.         Intimation of the issue of authorizations will be sent as follows:

 

Treasury Copy                        PPO/GPO/CPO through speed post

Department Copy                   Physical copy of authorization along with SR through speed                                                post

Pensioner Copy                      Physical copy through speed post

Pensioner                                SMS alerts on

1. Registration of a pension case (Inward)

2. After the despatch of PPO (Outward)

 

 XI.      ACTION BY THE PENSION DISBURSING AUTHORITY

 

1. Payment of pension has to be made by the concerned  Treasury Officer in the light of PPO/GPO/CVP issued by the O/o The Accountant General following the instructions and guidelines laid down under Rules 232 to 238 of B.T.C. Code 2011.
2.  If pension is remained undrawn for more than one year and afterwards claimed for the same , the disbursing authority would follow the process contained under Rule-239 of Bihar Treasury Code,  2011 .
3. Payment order of  Death-Cum-Retirement Gratuity (DCRG)/Commuted Value of Pension (CVP) shall remain in force for one year from the date of issue of authorization . In the matter of remaining unpaid within the year, the same will be returned to the Accountant General office along with the non-payment certificate for revalidation (Rule-240 of Bihar Treasury Code, 2011).
4. The pensioner should submit life certificate every year after November and before March of succeeding year or appear in physical before Disbursing authority for continuation of payment of pension.

 

XII.     LOSS OF PPOS/GPOs:

1. When a pensioner's copy is lost, an application is to be made to the District Treasury Officer for issuing its a duplicate ( Rule-208 of B.T.C. Code-2011 ) .
2.  In cases where the Disbursers portion (Treasury copy of authorization) issued by the Accountant General is lost in transit and not traceable, the Accountant General will issue a duplicate Pension Payment Order on receipt of proposals from the Treasury Office and duly obtaining non-payment certificate and a copy of F.I.R. from the pension disbursing authority . A similar procedure is followed in case of Gratuity Payment Order and Commutation Payment Order, which are lost in transit (and not traceable).

 

If pensionary benefits are not authorised within 30 working days (as per the citizens charter) of the receipt of the Pension proposals complete in all respects, such cases may be brought to the attention of the Sr.Deputy Accountant General (Pension) in the PAG Office for redressal.

 

Contact Numbers in AG Office

for Enquiry/Clarifications

Grievance Cell (T) : 0612-2507500

Grievance Cell (E mail) : pengrievance1[dot]bih[dot]ae[at]cag[dot]gov[dot]in

e-mail: agaebihar[at]cag[dot]gov[dot]in