Option for old pension scheme in case of deceased employee

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(RAILWAY BOARD)

No. D-43/12/2018-F(E)III

New Delhi, Dated: 11.12.2023.

The General Managers/Principal Financial Advisers,
All Zonal Railways/Production Units etc.,
DGs of RDSO and NAIR.

Subject: Coverage under Railway Services (Pension) Rules, 1993 in accordance with Board’s instructions dated 10.03.2023.

References have been received from Zonal Railways seeking clarifications on the admissibility of option for coverage under Railway Services (Pension) Rules, 1993 in terms of Board’s instructions dated 10.03.2023 in cases of railway servants who were appointed against posts or vacancies which were advertised/notified for recruitment/ appointment prior to the notification for National Pension System i.e. 22.12.2003, but subsequently died before issue of instructions dated 10.03.2023.

2. The issue has been examined in consultation with the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoP&PW). It is clarified that if a railway servant who was otherwise eligible to exercise option in terms of instructions dated 10.03.2023, has already died, the option exercised by the member of the family, who is eligible to receive NPS benefits on death of the railway servant in accordance with PFRDA (Exits and Withdrawals under NPS) Regulations, may be accepted and processed in accordance with the instructions contained tn letter dated 10.03.2023.

(Sanjay Prashar)
Joint Director, Finance (Estt.)-II
Railway Board