Latest News: Govt Issues New Rules to Banks to Benefit 65 lakh Pensioners

The personnel ministry has issued guidelines to the pension disbursing banks on updated rules in order to create awareness among Central Pension Processing Centre (CPPC)/ bank branches. These guidelines will be new and will urge banks to adopt different procedures while releasing pension or seeking certificates from pensioners at different periodicity, as per the Ministry. The ministry has taken this step after analyzing the grievances received by the Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare.

The order issued by the department stated, "It has been observed that updated and consolidated instructions will help improve the processing of pensioner's requests by banks and others. Hence, an attempt has been made herein, to consolidate relevant instructions issued by the Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare from time to time with regard to disbursement of pension."

While issuing the order, the department said, "These banks are adopting different procedures, while releasing pension/ family pension or seeking declarations/certificates from pensioners/family pensioners at different periodicity."

As per the data, there are 65.26 lakh central government pensioners registered in India. These guidelines talk on different matters of the pensioners’ scheme. Such matters include the banks insisting the spouses to open separate bank accounts for family pension, submitting a life certificate, the certificate for disability, and so on. The banks are advised to adhere to these guidelines and to educate pensioners by updating their websites and notice boards with these new instructions.

As per the department, the bank will identify the family pensioners based on the information provided in the PPO and Know Your Customer procedure while there is no compulsion for the pensioners to be physically present in the paying bank.