This state govt pays life long pension after two years of service

The personal staff under the ministers in Kerala are eligible for a pension commencing the following month after two years and one day on the job.

The issue was brought into highlight when the Governor in the spat with the government questioned the political appointments in personal staff. Since politicians are the beneficiaries of this pension scheme, both the ruling party and Opposition are united against the Governor. They want the people to provide for them. They claim the scheme has been in force for decades, and, therefore, it must not be amended.

When K Karunakaran was the chief minister in 1994, he implemented this flawed pension scheme. Every successive state government has replaced most personal staff after two years and one day as a result of this amendment. As a result, two people in the same job would be eligible for a government pension during a five-year ministry term, and instead of the 30 personal staff members allowed for a minister, 40-60 people would be eligible.

According to a government order issued in March 1959, personal staff for ministers and the opposition leader were appointed for the first time in Kerala. Their number was set at 20, and their pay was determined by the order. The chief whip was also given the authority to appoint personal staff beginning the following month.

Pensions were later approved in 1994, with retroactive effect from 1984. Personal staff, on the other hand, only had to work for three years to be eligible for a pension, whereas regular state government employees had to work for a minimum of ten years. This period was later reduced to two years and one day by a subsequent amendment. Furthermore, a dearness allowance was permitted.

When personal staff were reappointed after an interval, another amendment in November 1997 allowed them to receive increments and commuted leave. Another amendment, passed in June 2012, allowed personal employees to commute 40% of their basic pension to match that of regular employees. This amendment also approved a family pension.