Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Family Pension

GOVERNMENT OF WEST BENGAL
FINANCE DEPARTMENT
PENSION BRANCH
WRITERS’ BUILDINGS
BLOCK NO – IV, 2nd FLOOR
KOLKATA – 700 001

No. 202-F(Pen) Dated, Kolkata, the 15th March, 2024

MEMORANDUM

Subject: Standard operating procedure (SOP) for Family Pension.

The simplification of procedures to expedite disposal of Family Pension cases has been under active consideration of the Government.

The Governor is now pleased to lay down the following standard operating procedure to be followed by various authorities for settlement of family pension claims in respect of deceased Government employees.

A. Procedure to be followed by the claimant

The claimant shall apply to the office where the deceased Govt. employee was last serving. The claimant shall submit as enclosure the following documents:

(a) In case of Family Pension claimed by the spouse:

• If spouse of the deceased employee has been co-authorised for family pension in the PPO, the spouse shall apply to the treasury/bank (as the case may be) from where pension was drawn against the PPO issued to the deceased pensioner with intimation to the Bank concerned along with death registration certificate and P.P.O. Thereafter, the Treasury/ Bank (as the case may be) shall do the needful for payment of Family Pension to the family pensioner.
• If the employee died in harness, the spouse will apply in plain paper to the P.S.A. along with necessary documents required as per extant norms.

(b) In case of claim by unmarried/ divorced/ widowed daughters of the deceased employee:

An application on plain paper for the claim of family pension is to be made before the PSA along with the following documents:

1) An original application of claim for family pension should be made on plain paper of the Claimant who will have to apply to the Head of Office where her deceased father/ mother served at the time of retirement and duly authenticated by the Pension Sanctioning Authority.

2) Original Annexure ‘A’ duly filled in (4 Copies), (in Kolkata Municipal area)

3) Original Annexure-II (4 Copies) duly filled in and countersigned by the P.S.A. (containing signature of two persons as witness and two attestations by competent authority)

4) Original Annexure-III (4 Copies) duly filled in.

5) Passport size photographs (4 Copies) duly attested, in four separate Sheets. (The attestation of the Photographs of the Claimant is required to be in such a manner that the signature of attesting officer with seal should be affixed with the photographs.)

6) Four slips each bearing three (3) Specimen Signature of the Claimant duly attested, in four separate Sheets.

7) Current original (not older than six months) income certificate in favour of the claimant with marital status from a Gazetted Officer of Central or State Govt. belonging to Gr. ‘A’ service (other than concerned P.S.A./ Head of Office/ any other officer of the respective Department/ Directorate/ Office from where the concerned employee retired/ deceased) in his own capacity and responsibility.

The name of the Ex-Govt. Employee and the relation between him/her & the claimant must be mentioned in the certificate.

Full name, official seal and official address with pin code of the official concerned must be mentioned in the income certificate.

8) A certificate by the P.S.A./ Head of Office to the effect that “there is no other recipient of family pension of the deceased Govt., employee i.e. minor son/ daughters, physically handicapped sons/ daughters of the family” to claim family pension other than the claimant.

9) List of family members of the deceased Govt. employee indicating their Date of Birth, sex, occupation, income and marital status duly authenticated by any Group A officer other than P.S.A.

10) Original Service Book of the concerned Govt. Employee. If Service Book is not available a certificate by P.S.A./ Head of Office to the effect that “Service Book of the concerned Govt. Employee cannot be traced out in spite of thorough search and it is certified that the case will not be submitted again in future” is to be submitted.

11) Attested copy of P.P.O. of deceased Govt. Employee. (If P.P.O. is already issued in favour of Govt. Employee)

12) Attested copy of death certificate of the deceased Govt. employee duly certified by the Registrar, Birth and Death.

13) Attested copy of death certificate of spouse of deceased Govt. employee duly certified by the Registrar, Birth and Death.

14) Attested copy of age proof certificate of the Claimant. (School Leaving/ Admit Card of any recognised board or council/ Birth Certificate/ AADHAR/ Passport/ PAN etc.)

15) Attested copy of Address proof document of the Claimant, i.e. Voter Identity card, Ration card, Aadhaar card etc.

16) Attested copy of death certificate of deceased husband of the Claimant duly certified by the Registrar, Birth and Death, (in case of Widow Daughter)

17) Attested copy of Divorce Certificate issued by the Court of Law. (in case of Divorced Daughter).

18) Name of the deceased husband of the Claimant duly certified by the P.S.A. (in case of Widow Daughter)

19) An original affidavit made by the Claimant, before Ld. 1st Class Magistrate regarding Declaration of family pension. (Affidavit from Notary Public would not be accepted.)

B. Procedure to be followed by the PSA

1. The PSA will examine and process the case within two (2) weeks of receipt of the claim and forward to the Principal Accountant General (A&E), West Bengal, with documents required in terms of Memo. No. 100-F(Pen) dt. 28.02.2022 read with Memo. No. 732-F(Pen) dt 12.11.2008 for issuance of Family Pension Payment Order (FPPO) in favour of the claimant.

2. If it is a pre-deceased case of family pension,

(i) the PSA will examine and process the case of family pension within 2 weeks of receipt of the claim as per memo. no. 830-F(Pen) dt 20.09.2010 with documents required in terms of memo. no. 100-F(Pen) dt 28.02.2022 read with no. 732-F( Pen) dt 12.11.2008 and forward the same to the Administrative Department in terms of memo. no. 400-F(Pen) dt 03.05.2023.

(ii) The Administrative Department will examine and forward such cases to Finance Department, Pension Branch within two weeks from receipt of the same for necessary concurrence in terms of memo. no. 400-F(Pen) dt 03.05.2023.

(iii) The Finance Department (Pension Branch) shall examine the case and issue necessary concurrence within 10 working days subject to the fulfilment of the criteria.

(iv) The Administrative Department will then forward the same to the PSA within two weeks from the date of receipt.

(v) The PSA, on receipt of the documents, from the Administrative Department, shall forward the matter with Sanctioned Order to the Principal Accountant General (A&E), West Bengal, within 2 weeks.

(vi) The Pr. A.G.(A&E), WB, will process the claim of family pension and issue Family Pension Payment Order (FPPO) in favour of the claimant subject to the fulfilment of necessary criteria.

C. This is issued in addendum to the order no. 100-F(Pen) dated 28.02.2022.

Sd/- Dr. Manoj Pant
Additional Chief Secretary to the
Govt of West Bengal

No. 202-F dated 15.03.2024, Source