Govt approves amendments allowing women employees to nominate children for family pension

Jitendra Singh, the Union Minister of State for Personnel and In-charge of Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) on Monday gave the nod to the amendments in family pension rules introduced by the Department of Pensions and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) department under the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 2021, on January 1, 2024.

As per the amendment, central government women employees can now nominate their children (son and daughter) for family pension. Family pension is granted to the beneficiary after the death of the employee. You may read it in detail here. This move is especially beneficial in cases of marital discords, where proceedings have been undertaken under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, Dowry Prohibition Act, etc. to settle nomination issues.

According to the minister, “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”, reported PTI.

How Can Family Pension Rules Change Help?
Earlier, the spouse of the deceased pensioner was the first eligible person to receive a family pension, and children or the other family members were eligible only after the spouse’s demise or if the spouse was ineligible for receiving the family pension. After this amendment, women central government employees if they want can nominate their children for family pension. This rule applies to the armed forces, including the Permanent Commission, as well.

Singh highlighted that other women-centric reforms were initiated by the DoPPW earlier, such as family pensions for divorced daughters after parents’ death, etc., to ensure social security.

He also pointed out to reforms like reducing the FIR period to six months to claim a family pension in case of a missing employee covered under the National Pension System (NPS). Earlier, if an employee covered under NPS goes missing, the family had to wait for seven years before the employee is considered dead. The minister added that if a government employee dies within seven years of taking a job, a family pension of 50 per cent of the last drawn pay will be payable for the first 10 years and 30 per cent of the last pay after 10 years.

The latest change in the nomination rule for family pension is a step further to ensuring women’s equal rights.