Issuance of Uniform Format of Certification in favour of Pensioners
Finance, Family Pension, Pension
Government of West Bengal
Finance Department (Pension Branch)
Writers’ Buildings, 2nd Floor, Block No. IV
Kolkata – 700 001
No. 300-F (Pen) Dated, 29th March 2023
MEMORANDUM
Subject: Issuance of a Uniform Format of Certification in favour of the pensioners/ family pensioners (in case of pre-deceased employee) by the Head of Office/ Drawing and Disbursing Authority at the time of superannuation/ death in harness of the State Government employees.
Provision contained in Rule 1.7 under Memo no. 1315-F(Pen) dated 14.10.1996 envisages that if there is no case pending against a retiring employee, the Head of Office shall issue a certificate that (i) no provisional pension has been authorised (ii) the amount paid on account of gratuity and commuted value of pension and the date of such payment and (iii) that the retiring employee does not owe to the Government in anyway and hand over the said certificate to the retiring employee on the date of superannuation.
(2) Also provisions contained in Rule 7(1) (a) and (b) under WBS (Commutation of Pension) Rules, 1983 envisage that:
(i) In the case of a pensioner who is drawing his pension from a treasury, the reduction in the amount of pension on account of commutation shall be operative from the date of receipt of the commutated value of pension or on the expiry of three months after issuance of authority by the Audit Officer, A.G. (A & E), West Bengal for the payment of Commuted Value of Pension, whichever is earlier, and
(ii) In case of a pensioner who is drawing pension from the Nationalized Banks and other authorized banks for disbursement of pension in KMC area, the reduction on account of commutation shall take effect from the date on which commuted value is credited to the pensioner’s bank account.
(3) Further, on introduction of West Bengal Health Scheme to the Government employees and pensioners, the employees and pensioners are not entitled to get Medical Relief if they enroll their names in the said Scheme.
(4) Provisions of the rules stated above stipulate the necessity of issuance of ‘Uniform Format of Certification’ to the retiring employees/ family members of the pre-deceased employees at the time of superannuation/ death in harness, but the Heads of Offices/ Drawing and Disbursing Authorities issue various types of certificates to pensioners/ family pensioners resulting confusion to Treasuries and Bank authorities.
(5) Therefore, the question of adoption of a Uniform Format for Certification encompassing the all relevant information stated above has come up for consideration of the Finance Department (Pension Branch) for some time past.
(6) After careful consideration of the same, the Governor is pleased to accord the issuance of the Uniform Format of Certification (Annexed herewith) to the pensioners/ family pensioners (in cases of pre-deceased employees) by the Head of Office/ Drawing and Disbursing Authority at the time of superannuation/ death in harness of the employees which had already been approved vide U.O. No. 119-F (Pen) dated 16.06.2022 of Finance Department (Pension Branch).
Joint Secretary to the
Govt. of West Bengal