Family pension: Major decision for women employees

In a path-breaking decision with far-reaching socio-economic impact, the Centre has allowed woman employees to nominate her son or daughter for family pension, instead of her husband, according to an official statement issued on Monday.

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, the statement said.

Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said that the Department of Pensions and Pensioners' Welfare (DoPPW) has introduced an amendment to the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 2021, allowing female government employees or pensioners to grant family pension to their eligible child/children after their own demise, in place of of their spouse.

The amendment will address situations where marital discord leads to divorce proceedings or cases filed under laws such as the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, Dowry Prohibition Act or the Indian Penal Code, he said.

"In a path-breaking decision with far reaching socio-economic impact and in keeping with Prime Minister 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," said the statement issued by the personnel ministry.

Singh said, the amendment is in line with PM Modi's policy of giving just and legitimate rights to the women functionaries in every sector.

The DoPPW said, the female government servant or pensioner must make a written request to the concerned head of office, stating that family pension should be granted to her eligible child/children in precedence to her spouse, in the event of her death during the ongoing proceedings.

"If the female government servant or pensioner passes away during the proceedings, the family pension will be disbursed accordingly," the statement said.

If a woman employee is survived by a widower with no eligible child, the family pension will be payable to the widower, it said.

However, if the widower is the guardian of a minor child or a child suffering from a mental disorder, the family pension will be payable to the widower, as long as he remains the guardian, the statement said, adding that once the child attains majority and remains eligible for family pension, it will be payable directly to the child.

For cases where the deceased female government servant or pensioner is survived by a widower and children who have attained majority but are still eligible for family pension, the family pension will be payable to such children, it said.

Singh said that a series of governance reforms have been introduced under the prime minister to provide an enabling environment for working women.

The minister said that the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has taken concerted efforts to increase the representation of women in central government jobs and to provide them a balance between professional as well as family life.