In a pathbreaking decision with far reaching socio-economic impact and in keeping with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s policy to provide equitable rights to women, the Government has amended the long standing established rule, thereby granting the woman employee the right to nominate her son or daughter for family pension, instead of her husband as has been practice so far.
Sharing this with the media, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the Department of Pensions and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoP&PW) has introduced an amendment to the CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021, allowing female government employees or pensioners to grant family pension to their eligible child/children after their own demise, instead of their spouse.
The amendment will address situations where marital discord leads to divorce proceedings or cases filed under acts such as the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, Dowry Prohibition Act or the Indian Penal Code, the Minister said.
Previously, family pension was granted to the spouse of a deceased government servant or pensioner, while other family members became eligible only after the spouse’s ineligibility or demise. However, the new amendment allows female government servants or pensioners to request the grant of family pension to their eligible child/children after their own demise, instead of their spouse.