Do’s and Dont’s for Pensioners

DOs
1. A copy of every communication regarding pension is required to be endorsed to the pensioner by each node of pension delivery. Please ensure that your full contact postal address (preferably with PIN code) is always updated. Promptly intimate any changes of address to: –

a. Your Bank Branch

b. The Head of Office and the PAO in the Ministry from where you retired;

c. Central Pension Accounting Office

2. There should be proper nomination for pension account. Please retain the acknowledgement received from the bank carefully. It is advisable to open a joint account with your spouse if you are pensioners so that she/he does not hardship later.

3. Please direct your bank branch with proof establishing your Identity for first appearance at Paying Branch alongwith the copy of the special seal authority.

4. CPAO has sent two halves of PPO – the pensioner’s and the Bank’s. Your half of the PPO is to be handed over to you by your Bank branch when they call you for verification. Your signature will be obtained on their half for their record.

5. Please produce proper and acceptable evidence of eligible savings from time to time for the purpose of Income Tax calculation by the Bank.

6. Please collect Certificate of Income from pension from bank at the close of financial year, even if income tax is not deducted from the pension. Please collect form-16- income tax was deducted.

7. Please furnish Life Certificate early in the month of November every year.

8. A pensioner who produces a life certificate in the prescribed form in Annexure -XVII signed by any person specified hereunder, however, is exempted from personal appearance- :-

(i). A person exercising the powers of a Magistrate under the Criminal Procedure code;

(ii). A Registrar or Sub-Registrar appointed under Indian Registration Act;
(iii). A Gazetted Government servant;

(iv). A Police Officer not below the rank of Sub-Inspector in -charge of a Police Station; Offices;

(vi). A Class-I officer of the Reserve Bank of India, an officer (including Grade II officer) of the State Bank of India or of its subsidiary;

(vii). A pensioned Officer who, before retirement, exercised the powers of a magistrate;

(viii). A Justice of Peace;

(ix). A Block Development Officer, Munsif, Tehsildar or Naib Tehsildar;

(x). A Head of Village Panchayat, Gram Panchayat, Gaon Panchayat or an Executive Committee of a Village;

(xi). A Member of Parliament, of State legislatures or of legislatures of Union Territory Governments /Administrations.

(xii). Treasury Officer.

In the case of a pensioner drawing his pension through a Public Sector Bank the life certificate may be signed by an officer of a Public Sector Bank. In the case of a pensioner residing abroad and drawing his pension through any other bank included in the Second Schedule to the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, the life certificate may be signed by an officer of the Bank, A pensioner get exemption from personal appearance subject to production of Life Certificate signed by the above mentioned officer of the bank.

A pensioner not resident in India in respect of whom his duly authorized agent produces a life certificate signed by a Magistrate, a Notary, a Banker or a Diplomatic Representative of India is exempted from special appearance.

9. Non-employment Certificate/Re-employment Certificate should also be furnished every year in the month of November/May & November in case of retired Group ‘A’ officer.

10. Please apply in a prescribed proforma to the paying branch for restoration of commuted portion of pension on completing 14 years and 11 months in case your bank does not have a CPPC.

11. Please provide the Pensioner’s half of the PPO to your paying Bank Branch in the case of revision of pension for entry of enhanced pension with break up in this half.

12. Please ask for a due and drawn statement from your bank branch in case you have received any arrears in a lump sum.

13. Please ask for a pension slip with break up of in case of any doubt from bank branch

14. If Pensioner’s half is lost, worn or torn, a written request is to be immediately made to your paying Bank branch alongwith Pensioner’s half of PPO (if available).

15. Please keep all your Pension related documents including Pensioner’s half of PPO, safely, as these are important documents.

16. For any clarification on pension payments, contact your bank branch grievance officer of the Bank or CPAO Toll Free /Call Centre 1800 11 7788.

DON’Ts
1. Do not delay in submitting the Pension Papers before retirement as it ultimately effects the time schedule to be followed by the various offices as under: –

(i). Pay & Accounts Officer issuing PPO – Despatch of PPO by PAO to the CPAO on the last working day of the month preceding the month of retirement

(ii). Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO) – Despatch of PPO by CPAO to Link Branch of PSB by 20th of the month of retirement

(iii). Link Branch – Despatch of PPO by Link Branch to paying branch by 23rd of the month of retirement.
(iv). Paying Branch – Paying Branch will complete all formalities and ensure that the pension has been credited to the pensioner’s account on the last date of the month.

2. Please do not provide address and contact number which is likely to change in immediate near future. Please update your address by informing your bank branch, PAO, CPAO and DDO of the ministry you retired from.

3. In case you wish to change your bank or bank branch for pension disbursement, do not close your pension account unless new account is confirmed for pension disbursement.

4. Please do not fail to check whether you are receiving full pension/family pension authorized by the Govt. of India to you including is related pension with Dearness Relief if you are aged 80 and above.

5. Please do not forget that under the scheme of pension department through authorized banks, banks are required to pay pension to each pensioner by the last day of the month and the Govt. of India fully