FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
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1. Which rules Govern Pensions ?
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Kerala Service Rules Part III
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2. Who is the Pension Sanctioning Authority ?
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Comptroller, Kerala Agricultural University
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3.What should a University Employee/Labourer do to claim the Pension?
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The pensioner must submit the duly completed pension book along with necessary
attachments to the concerned Head of office before one year for retirement.
(i.e., Joint photo with wife/husband, family details, copy of the front page of
SBI Passbook (Single A/c) through which the pensioner desires to draw his pension,
copy of PAN Card, Mobile number, address with Pin code, e-mail address if any etc
and in the case of Schemes/Projects of Teaching Staff, the details of Schemes /Projects
in which the incumbent worked/designated as PIӳ during the entire KAU service must be
invariably accompanied along with Pension Book.
The Head of Office will verify the entries in the Pension book and authenticate the
concerned pages with due recommendation for sanctioning pensionary benefits.
In the case of self drawing officers under the IAC (CR) the Head of Office will
forward the duly recommended pension book to the Comptroller, KAU who will inturn
forward the Pension book along with the Personal file & Service Book if any to the
pension section.
In the case of others under the IAC (CR) the Head of Office will forward the duly recommended
Pension Book with Service Book to the Comptroller, KAU.
In the case of non-self drawing employees/labourers working under the IAC(NR),
the Head of Office will forward the pension papers to the Comptroller, KAU and in
the case of self drawing officers, the Head of Office will forward the Pension papers to
the Assistant Comptroller. IAC(NR) who inturn will forward the Pension Book along with the
Personal file and Service Book if any to the Pension Section.
On receipt of the same the Pension Section of KAU will forward the service Book and Personal
file if any along with Pension proposal to Joint Director, Local Audit Fund, Vellanikkara
for recommending the Pensionary benefits.
In the case of employees/labourers working under the IAC (SR), the Head of Office
will forward the Pension papers to the Dy. Comptroller IAC (SR). The Dy. Comptroller IAC (SR)
after verification of Service Book and Personal file will prepare and forward the Pension proposal
to the Dy. Director, Local Audit Fund, Vellayani for recommending the Pensionary benefits.
Pensionary benefits will be sanctioned based on the LFA recommendation and after rectifying
the objections if any raised by LFA after getting NLC from the concerned section and NLC
from the last station worked along with the LPC.
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4. Who is to authorize the pension?
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On receipt of pension papers from Head of Office, Comptroller/Pension Sanctioning
Authority concerned will, after applying requisite checks, assess the amount of pension
and issue the pension proposal of the Government servant with forwarding letter, duly
signed to the Local Fund Audit.
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5. What is required in case the pension has not been fixed correctly?
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The Comptroller/Pension Authority while issuing the pension authorization shall forward one copy
of the pension sanction order to Head of Office to the pensioner along with the PPO.
In case it is found from the pension calculation sheet that pension has been fixed
incorrectly, the matter may be taken-up with the Head of Office, concerned who, if necessary,
will issue an amendment authority letter to pension disbursement section to carry
out necessary amendments.
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6. Whether retirement gratuity, death gratuity can be paid by Pension Disbursing Authority?
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No, the amount of retirement/death gratuity as determined by the Pension Sanctioning
Authority shall be intimated to the Head of Office who will draw and disburse the amount
to the retired Government servant or to the nominee/family as the case may be.
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7. Is the Dearness Relief payable on original basic pension or on reduced pension after commutation?
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The Dearness Relief is payable on original basic pension before commutation.
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8. Is there any restriction on commutation of pension?
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Yes. No Government servant against whom departmental or judicial proceedings as
referred to in of the Pension Rules, have been instituted before the date of
his retirement or the pensioner against whom such proceedings are instituted
after the date of retirement should be eligible to commute a fraction of his
provisional pension authorized under Rule of the Pension Rules or the pension,
as the case may be, during the pendency of such proceedings.
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9. Is there any limit on commutation of pension?
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A Government servant shall be entitled to commute for a lumpsum payment upto 40% of his pension.
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10. Whether the family can be given the benefit of 40% commutation if a pensioner dies before exercising option?
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No.
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11. Is any authorization for restoration of commuted portion of pension required from Pension Sanctioning Authority?
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No.
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12. Whether retirement gratuity/death gratuity, commuted value of
Pension is taxable?
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Retirement/death gratuity and the lumpsum amount received on account of commutation
of pension is not taxable under the Income Tax Act 1962.
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13. Is the payment of pension in cash or through a joint account with or without “EITHER” or “SURVIVOR”
facility permitted in the Scheme for Payment of Pension to Pensioners?
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Payment of pension in cash or through a joint account with or without “EITHER” or “SURVIVOR”
facility is not permitted in the Scheme only single A/C in SBI is permitted.
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14. Can the deduction of Income Tax at source be made from pension payments?
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Yes, the Pension Disbursement Authority will be responsible for deduction of Income Tax
at source from pension payments in accordance with the rates prescribed from time to time.
While deducting such tax from pension payments the paying branch will also allow deduction
on account of relief available under Income Tax Act from time to time on production of proper
and acceptable evidence of eligible savings by pensioners. The paying branch will also issue
the pensioner in April each year a certificate of tax deducted in the form prescribed in the Income Tax Rules.
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15. Can the excess payments, if any, credited to the pensioner’s account be recovered by
the Pension Disbursement Authority?
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Before commencing payment of pension the paying branch is required to obtain an
undertaking in the prescribed form Annexure – XI of the Scheme from the pensioner.
On the strength of this undertaking the excess payments, if any, credited to his/her
account can be recovered by the paying branch.
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16. Who is to authorize payment of family pension and death gratuity when
a Govt. servant dies while on deputation?
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In the case of a Govt. servant who dies while on deputation to another Central Govt.
Dept., action to authorize family pension and death gratuity in accordance with the
provisions of the pension Rules shall be taken by his Head of Office of the borrowing
department. In the case of a Govt. servant who dies while on deputation to a State Govt.
or while on Foreign Service action to authorize the payments of family pension and death
gratuity in accordance with the provisions of the pension Rules shall be taken by the
Head of Office or the cadre authority which sanctioned the deputation of the Govt. servant
to the State Govt. or to his Foreign Service.
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17. What should a family member eligible for the grant of family pension do to get the family pension?
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Normally, family pension is sanctioned and authorized at the same time as pension and indicated
in the pension sanction order and is to be drawn after the death of the pensioner. In case of Govt.
servant dying while in service, the widow or widower has to make a claim in prescribed (Form 6) to the
Head of Office who will forward it to the Pension sanctioning Authority. Where the deceased Govt. servant
is survived only by a child or children, the guardian (in case of minor child/children) or such child or
children may submit a claim in Form 6 to the Head of Office and will forward to the PSA.
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18. What is the period up-to which family pension is payable?
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Family pension is payable to one member of the family at a time in the order and for the period as
under: A) In the case of a widow or widower, upto the date of death or remarriage,
whichever is earlier.
B) When widow or widower becomes ineligible, children below 25 years of age in the order of
their age, upto 25 years of age or till they get married, in case of daughter or till they
start earning whichever is earlier. C) After (a) & (b) above; for the lifetime to any
unemployed son/daughter who is suffering from any disorder or disability of mind
(including mentally retarded or physically crippled or disabled on production of
connected documents to supports their claim.
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19. Is family pension payable to more than one person at a time?
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1) On condition that the spouse of 1st marriage is not alive and the 2nd marriage
is a legally valid one.
2) Family Pension can be sanctioned to the spouse in a legally valid 2nd marriage
the spouse of 2nd marriage will be eligible for Family Pension.
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20. How is family pension is payable to twins?
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Where the family pension is payable to twin children it will be paid to such children
in equal shares provided that when one such child ceases to be eligible his/her share
shall revert to the other child and when both of them cease to be eligible the family
pension shall be payable to the next eligible single child/twin children.
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21.Is family pension payable to a spouse judicially separated?
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Yes, family pension is payable to a spouse judicially separated but not
to a spouse judicially separated on the ground of adultery.
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