Central govt employee's family member can get family pension even if member's name not in records

Nov 11, 2022

Synopsis
In case a member of the family is not included in Form 4 and wants to claim a family pension after the death of the government employee, he or she can submit a claim for a family pension, clarified the Department of Pension & Pensioners' Welfare. All you need to know about this latest rule

An individual can apply for a family pension even if his or her name has not been previously included in the official records. The Department of Pension & Pensioners' Welfare (DoPPW) released an office memorandum on October 26, 2022 mentioning how an individual can apply for a family pension when his or her name has not been mentioned in Form 4 or in the official records.

Central govt employees: What is Form 4?
Every central government employee has to fill up Form 4 which contains the details of their family members and submit it to the head office. It includes the details of the following members of the family:

1. Wife or husband, including a judicially separated wife or husband
2. Son or daughter, whether or not eligible for family pension on the date of submission of Form 3 and the details of all children (including those from a deceased or divorced wife or a from a void or voidable marriage)
3. Parents
4. Disabled siblings

A government employee has to mention the details of these family members irrespective of whether they are eligible for the family pension or not. The employee also needs to inform the head office from time to time about the change in the size of his family, including marriage of his or her child.

The head office verifies whether the employee has properly filled out the form as per the rules. He or she also acknowledges the receipt of Form 4, mentions the date of the receipt, and keeps a note of it on the service book for the employees, the office memorandum stated.

"All further communications received from the government servant on this behalf are also required to be acknowledged by the head of office indicating the date of their receipt. The Head of Office on receipt of communication from the Government servant regarding any change in the size of family shall have such a change incorporated in Form 4 under his signature and the fact regarding disability or change of marital status of a family member shall be indicated in the ‘remarks’ column of Form 4," the DoPPW mentioned in the office memorandum.

What happens when an individual applies for a family pension whose name has not been included in the official records earlier
In case a member of the family is not included in Form 4 and wants to claim a family pension after the death of the government employee, he or she can submit a claim for a family pension. "The claim of a member of the family shall not be rejected on the ground that the details of such member of the family are not available in Form 4 or office records, if the head of office is otherwise satisfied about the eligibility of the member of the family for grant of family pension," said DoPPW in the official memorandum.

"All ministries/departments are requested that the above provisions relating to grant of family pension to a member of the family, whose name is not included in Form 4 or office records, may be brought to the notice of the personnel dealing with the pensionary benefits in the ministry/department and attached/subordinate offices thereunder, for strict implementation," the DoPPW further added.

Central govt pension norms: If a family member is added after retirement
The government employee needs to submit the up-to-date details of the family in Form 4 again with the pension papers before retirement. If a government employee marries or remarries or gives birth to a child after retirement, he or she needs to intimate about this addition to the head office. It can be informed through Form 5 along with the marriage certificate or birth certificate.

"Where the family of a Government servant undergoes a change after his retirement rendering a member of the family to be eligible for family pension on account of events such as birth of a child or disability of a child or sibling or divorce of a daughter or death of husband of a daughter, the retired Government servant or, if the Government servant has already died, his or her spouse or any other member of the family in receipt of the family pension, may give an intimation to this effect along with the supporting documents to the Head of Office," the pension department added. "The Head of Office shall return a copy of the intimation acknowledging the receipt of the said intimation," it added.

[The Economic Times]