AIPRPA CHQ E-Mails to Secretary (P) on formation of Implementation Cells to quickly refix pension to Pre-2016 Pensioners

AIPRPA / Pre-2016 / 1/7/2017 Dated 17.07.2017

To

The Secretary

Department of Posts

Dak Bhawan

New Delhi – 110001

Sir,

Sub: Request for issue of instructions to form ‘implementation Cells’ for immediate and time-bound implementation of 12^th May (12.05.2017) Orders of Department of Pension & Pensioners Welfare in the Postal Department – regarding.

Ref: (1) OM No.F.No.38/37/2016-P&PW(A) Dated 12.05.2017 of Department of Pension & Pensioners Welfare

(2) Order No.4-3/2017-Pension Dated 23.05.2017 of Department of Posts (Pension Section)

(3) Order of MOF Department of Expenditure No. CPAO/lT&Tech/Revision (7th CPCJ/19.Vol-lll /20t6-17 / 37 Dated:25/05/2017

(3) OM No.F.No.38/37/2016-P&PW(A) Dated 6.7.2017 of Department of Pension & Pensioners Welfare.

This Association of All India Postal & RMS Pensioners is constrained to draw your  kind attention that certain urgent measures will be absolutely essential to implement without much delay the OM of DoP&PW dated 12.05.2017.

This Association is thankful to the instructions of the Department of Posts to all Heads of Circle, DAP etc authorities vide its Order dated 23.05.2017 as follows:

” Since there will be large number of cases for revision, concerted efforts of all authorities will be required to accomplish the task. It is requested to take immediate action for revision of pension/family pension at the earliest”

However there are serious concerns amongst the Pensioners and Family Pensioners about the conditions prevailing as well as by the past experiences on similar issues that the task will never be completed for months together. There are several octogenarian and even nonagenarian Pensioners for whom the benefit shall be extended at the earliest. Our apprehensions are further strengthened by the fact that  though the DoP orders directs the Pension Sanctioning Authorities to get the Proforma prepared and forward it to get the approval by the Director of Accounts (Postal) for revised PPOs, the Head Post Offices are directed to prepare the Proforma. However, the universally prevailing fact is that there is acute shortage of staff in every Head Post Offices due to vacant posts; leave by staff etc and particularly in the Accounts Branches due to the practice of diverting the Accounts Branch Staff to urgent operative office work like the counter duties to manage the general staff shortage. Under this circumstance it is physically impossible to HPOs to attend to the work of preparing such Proforma quickly.

This Association suggests that an ‘Implementation Cell’ may be ordered to be created in each HPO Accounts Branch for the specific task of preparing the Proforma with the available records at their disposal and to draw the records available with the Pension Sanctioning Authority on war footing. If need be the services of retired APMs, Accountants, AAOs, AOs can also be ordered to be utilized on terms of ‘Short Duty Staff’ with the responsibility to sign the documents be of course given to the serving APM (Accounts). Without any such concrete step ordered the work may not be completed by the HPOs in the near future.

Next, the HPOs are only Pension Drawing and Disbursing Authority (1) for the Pensioners retired as Group B, Group A and higher officers in whose case the Pension Sanctioning Authority is RO/CO/Directorate/Circle Accounts Office; (2) RMS, MMS and other Non-Postal Units in whose cases the SRM/SSRM/MMS Units/PSDs/CSDs/Civil or Electrical Division etc happen to be the Pension Sanctioning Authority; (3) Pensioners and Family Pensioners of other Postal Divisions in whose cases the Pension Sanctioning Authority is elsewhere; and (4) for Pensioners drawing Pension through PSU Banks the HPOs have no role at all. For such Pensioners the HPOs have no role in the preparation of the above Proforma. In such cases naturally the delay can be avoided only if the appropriate Pension Sanctioning Authority is able to prepare the Proforma without delay and forward them to Circle Accounts Office for approval and issue of Revised PPOs.

In addition, this Association would like to draw your kind attention to another fact also viz., while issuing the revised PPOs for Pre-2006 pensioners after 6^th CPC, the entire data should have been computerized and the soft copy should be available with the GM PAF. The PPOs in respect of post-2006 pensioners have also been computerized. Hence the entire data and date of retirement for most of the Pre-2016 Pensioners should be available with the GM PAF. Even according to official position Revised PPOs to all Pre-2006 Pensioners of Postal Department have been already issued. Therefore not only there need not be any delay in making the checks of the Proforma sent by the Pension Sanctioning Authority and approve the refixed pension and issue Revised PPOs; but also they can supply any information required by the Pension Drawing and Disbursing Authorities regarding any Pensioner / Family Pensioner.  However, as in the HPOs, there is also acute staff shortage in DAP offices. The DAP office has to check and issue revised PPOs for the entirety of Pensioners / Family Pensioners in the Circle / Circle, which may run into several thousands. Therefore an ‘Implementation Cell’ with the Staff and if necessary with the retired Senior Accountants, AAOs, AOs with the supervision authority resting with a serving Accounts Officer as exclusively the head of the 'Implementation Cell' in DAP who can be the overall Supervisor of the Cell and authorize the Revised PPOs may be very much necessary.

The work of calculation of revised pension as per 12.05.2017 orders is made quite easy by the issue of ready reckoner with the latest orders of DoP&PW dated 6.7.2017. Taking advantage of the ready reckoner the Refixation of pension to all Pre-2016 Pensioners shall be done without delay and at any cost we request that not later than 31^st August, 2017.

We emphasize that the Pension Refixation of Pre-2006 Pensioners including the grant of full pension to less than 33 years served employees are yet to be completed in many cases contrary to the report available in SCOVA records that there are no pending cases in Department of Posts. Therefore the present task of fixation of pension and issue of fresh and revised PPOs to all Pre-2016 Pensioners should not follow the earlier example of inordinate delay. We therefore once again urge upon you to consider ordering ‘Implementation Cells’ in both HPOs and DAP Offices as well as in the Offices of Pension Sanctioning Authorities (O/o SSPOs SSRMs etc) if need be immediately to accomplish the task of Refixation of pension to thousands of Pensioners in each Circle. It may be kept in mind that any inordinate delay caused may lead to huge resentment amongst the Pensioners and Family Pensioners, despite the good intention of the Directorate to fulfill the task urgently.

We are hopeful that our suggestions borne out of past experience would receive appropriate consideration at the Postal Directorate.

Yours faithfully,

(K.Ragavendran)

General Secretary