The Secretary of the National Council (Staff Side) Joint Consultative Machinery (JCM) has asked the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) and the Department of Expenditure (DoE) to issue a general order for granting a notional increment to central government employees for pension calculation purposes. This plea comes in the wake of a recent Supreme Court ruling intended to provide assistance to retirees.
As per a report in the Financial Express, Secretary Gopal Mishra, in a letter mentioning the Supreme Court decision of September 6, 2024, highlighted the importance of a comprehensive government order. The order would be applicable to employees who retire on the last working day of either June or December.
Numerous retirees, encountering difficulties in accessing their entitled pension increments, have been required to seek assistance from various Central Administrative Tribunals (CATs) throughout the nation.
While courts have generally ruled in favour of these retirees, the government has only made changes for those who pursued legal action, resulting in inconsistencies and added complexities.
To tackle this persistent issue, the Supreme Court has issued an interim order outlining crucial directives:
Starting from May 1, 2023, pension calculations for eligible retirees will include an additional increment, with no retroactive payments for periods preceding this date.
Those who have successfully filed writ petitions will promptly receive the increased pension benefits.
The order does not pertain to cases that are still in the appeal process or have not yet received a final judgment.
Retired employees who have submitted requests to participate in active cases may be entitled to increased pensions starting from the date of their application.
Following the Supreme Court’s instructions, the Secretary has requested urgent measures to guarantee that all eligible retirees receive the theoretical increment. This will bring transparency and equity to the pension calculation procedure for Central Government personnel.