By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, FEB 08, 2021: GOVERNMENT has issued instructions to liberalise the income criteria for eligibility of a child/sibling of a deceased Government servant/pensioner for grant of family pension under CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972. The relaxation is granted for family pension to disabled survivors as they require greater medical care and financial assistance. The Government is of the view that the income criteria for eligibility for family pension, applicable in the case of other family members, may not be applied in the case of a child/sibling suffering from a disability.  The Government has, therefore, reviewed the income criteria for eligibility for family pension in respect of a child/sibling, suffering from a disability and has decided that the income criteria for eligibility for family pension to such children/siblings shall commensurate with the amount of the entitled family pension in their case.

Accordingly, Department of Pension & PW has issued instructions/orders on 08.02.2021 that a child/sibling of a deceased Government servant/pensioner, who is suffering from a mental or physical disability, shall be eligible for family pension for life, if his/her overall income, other than family pension, is less than the entitled family pension at ordinary rate i.e. 30% of the last pay drawn by the deceased Government servant/pensioner plus the Dearness Relief admissible thereon.

As per Rule 54(6) of the CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972, a child/sibling of a deceased Government servant or pensioner, suffering from a mental or physical disability , is eligible for family pension for life if he or she is suffering a disability which renders him unable to earn his livelihood.  Presently, a member of the family, including a child/sibling suffering from a disability, is deemed to be earning his livelihood, if his/her income from sources other than family pension, is equal to or more than the minimum family pension i.e. 9000/- and the Dearness Relief admissible thereon.

In the case of a child/sibling, suffering from a mental or physical disability, whois presently not in receipt of a family pension due to non-fulfilment of the earlier income criteria, family pension shall be granted to him/her, if he/she fulfils the new income criteria and also fulfilled the other conditions for grant of family pension at the time of death of Government servant or pensioner or previous family pensioner. The financial benefits, in such cases, shall, however, accrue prospectively and no arrears for the period from the date of death of Government servant/ pensioner/previous family pensioner shall be admissible.