New facility for female government employees: Can nominate their child instead of their husband for pension

Women government employees can now nominate one of their children or children for a family pension. The central government gave this information on Tuesday. It has been told by the government that in cases of marital dispute, women employees have now been given the facility to nominate one of their children or children for family pension. Rule 50 of the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 2021 allows for the grant of family pension after the death of a government servant or retired government servant.

If a deceased government employee or pensioner has a spouse in his/her family, the family pension is paid to the spouse first. As per the rules, other members of the family become eligible for family pension in their turn only when the spouse of the deceased Government servant/pensioner becomes ineligible for family pension or dies.

The Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare (DoPPW) has now amended the rules and allowed a female employee to nominate her child/children instead of her husband for a family pension. DOPPW Secretary V Srinivas said, "The amendment will allow in all cases where a woman government servant has filed a divorce petition or filed cases under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act or the Indian Penal Code, to give an eligible child to the woman government servant. Allows distribution of employee's family pension."

He said that the DoPPW, in consultation with the Ministry of Women and Child Development, had prepared the amendment keeping in mind the representations received. Srinivas, a 1989 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Rajasthan cadre, said, "The amendment is progressive in nature and it empowers women employees in family pension matters."

DoPPW said in an order that if any woman government employee or woman pensioner has divorce proceedings pending in the court or has filed a case against her husband under the Protection of Women Act Dowry Prohibition Act or Indian Penal Code related to domestic violence. If so, such women government employees or women pensioners will get the facility to nominate a child or children for pension.