INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Minister of State for Worker Jitendra SinghBanks have actually been advised to pay out pension expeditiously to guarantee ease of living
for the elderly amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh stated on Friday
Instructions have actually also been issued that in case of death of a pensioner, the partner or the family member must not go through any
trouble by seeking unneeded information and files, and instead the family pension should be paid out at the earliest, he said.Briefing about
a circular released by the Department of Pension - Pensioners Welfare, Singh said that some instances have actually been brought to the
notice of the department where on the death of a pensioner, the relative were asked by the paying out banks to send different details and
files, which are otherwise not required for beginning of family pension.He stated the government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is
dedicated to making sure ease of living for all, including the pensioners, and for that reason, such inconvenience to the senior people
has to be prevented, especially during the time of the pandemic, according to a Worker Ministry statement.In a communique to the heads to
all pension paying out banks, it has been advised that without causing harassment to the relative of the pensioner, the household pension
should be commenced on the production of the death certificate and in case where the pensioner had a joint account with his/her spouse,
submission of a basic letter or application need to suffice.In cases where the partner did not have a joint account with the pensioner, a
basic application in Form-14 bearing the signature of two witnesses ought to be held legitimate for commencement of household pension, it
said.The Department of Pension - Pensioners Welfare (DOPPW) has also advised the banks to carry out special awareness programs to sensitise
the officers concerned in order to make them familiar with the latest instructions along with for compassionate handling of family pension
cases.It has actually also been instructed that the bank websites ought to prominently display the name and contact details of a nodal
officer who can be called by a family pensioner in the event of any trouble dealt with in processing family pension cases after the death of
the pensioner.In addition, a half-yearly declaration on development of sanction of family pension cases may be sent to the department of
pension in the prescribed format, the declaration said
