Disbursement of Pension/ Family pension through Private Banks
Finance, Family Pension, Pension
Government of West Bengal
Finance Department
Audit Branch, Group T
Nabanna, Howrah – 711 102
(E- 285670)
No: 367-F(Y) Date: 02.02.2022
Notification
Sub: Disbursement of pension/ family pension through Private Banks.
As per existing Pension Rules of the Govt. of West Bengal, in KMC area Pensions and Family Pension in respect of State Government Employees are disbursed directly through the respective banks where the Pensioners/ Family Pensioners hold their accounts whereas the Pensions and Family Pensions of employees of non-Government organisations are disbursed through Treasury System/ PD Cell and are credited to the bank accounts of the Pensioners/ Family Pensioners. In non-KMC area however, Pensions and Family Pensions of both State Govt. Employees and employees of non-Government Organisations are disbursed through Treasury System and are credited to the account of the Pensioners/ Family Pensioners maintained in respective banks.
2. Presently eleven (11) Public Sector banks have been authorised by the State Government where Pensioners and Family Pensioners in both KMC and non KMC area can maintain their savings bank accounts to enjoy the facility of withdrawal of their pensions.
3. Ever since the moratorium imposed by the Department of Financial Services (Ministry of Finance) Govt. of India on allocation of business to scheduled Private Sector Banks by the State Governments have been withdrawn, it was under active consideration of the State Government to provide a wider choice to the pensioners in drawing their pensions by way of inclusion of some scheduled Private Sector Banks in the list of eleven (11) Public Sector banks authorised to disburse Pensions/ Family Pensions.
4. Now the Governor has been pleased to order that, the following two (2) scheduled Private Sector banks are hereby included in the list of authorised banks to disburse Government Pensions and Family Pensions in KMC area and also to disburse Government as well as Non-Government Pension drawn by Treasuries and PD Cell:
A. HDFC Bank
B. Axis Bank Ltd.
The above-mentioned banks are to follow the guidelines contained in the ‘Memorandum of instructions – Accounting and Reconciliation State Government Transactions’ and other instructions issued by the Reserve Bank of India from time to time in this matter.
5. Governor is further pleased to order that, Pensioners and Family Pensioners, who opt to draw pension through the above two (2) Private Sector Banks will also be able to avail the facilities of drawing pension through ATM/Debit Card and/or Net Banking facilities of the bank. However, availing the facilities of ATM/Debit Card and/or Net Banking for withdrawal of Pension/ Family Pension, will be at the discretion of the Pensioners/ Family Pensioners concerned. Those who want to avail themselves of ATM/Debit Card or Net Banking facilities will have to opt accordingly and have to apply to the concerned banks maintaining their pension accounts and will also have to provide their mobile phone numbers to the banks. Banks will not offer electronic transfer facilities like use of ATM/Debit Card and Net Banking for withdrawal of pension/ family pension to the pensioners/ family pensioners who fail to provide their mobile phone numbers to the pension disbursing banks.
6. Dispute arising out of un-authorised use of the facilities of ATM/Debit Cards or Net Banking by the pensioners and fixation of liability thereof shall be guided by RBI’s Circular issued in this regard from time to time.
7. It is also clarified here that the provisions of drawing pension/family pension through ATM/Debit Card and/or Net banking facilities through public sector banks as per FD Memo No. 120-F(Y) dated 13.01.2022 and the two private sector banks as per this order will be applicable for all types of pensions disbursed by the State Government through Banks/ Treasuries/ PD Cell except the pension/family pension of other State Governments which are governed by separate Rules.
8. Relevant provisions of WBTR – 2005 will be modified accordingly.
10. This order will take immediate effect.
Sd/- Manoj Pant, IAS
Principal Secretary to the
Government of West Bengal