Latest family pension rule: How a female central government employee can nominate children for pension instead of husband

The government has amended the long-standing established rule, granting a woman central employee the right to nominate her son or daughter for family pension, instead of her husband as has been the practice up until now

In accordance with the women's empowerment policy, the Department of Pension & Pensioners' Welfare adjusts the CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021 to let female government employees to nominate their kid or children for family pension before their spouse

New pension rules: These female central govt employees can now nominate children for family pension instead of husband

According to a Press Information Bureau (PIB) release dated January 29, 2024, “Sharing this with the media, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the Department of Pensions and Pensioners' Welfare (DoP&PW) has introduced an amendment to the CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021, allowing female government employees or pensioners to grant family pension to their eligible child/children after their own demise, instead of their spouse.”

How a female government employee can nominate her child/children for family pension

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As per the circular “In an office memorandum, the DoP&PW said, the female government servant or pensioner must make a written request to the concerned Head of Office, stating that family pension should be granted to her eligible child/children in precedence to her spouse, in the event of her death during the ongoing proceedings. If the female government servant or pensioner passes away during the proceedings, the family pension will be disbursed accordingly.”

In case of no eligible kid, minor kid or a child with a mental illness
The widower will receive the family pension if the woman employee passes away and she does not have an eligible kid, according to the DoP&PW announcement. Nonetheless, the widower will get the family pension for as long as he continues to serve as the guardian of a minor kid or a child with a mental illness. The family pension will be paid to the kid straight when they reach majority and continue to be eligible.

What was the previous rule?
The spouse of a deceased government employee or pensioner was formerly the only family member eligible for a family pension; other family members weren't eligible until after the spouse's death or ineligibility.

What is the new rule?
The recently enacted amendment permits female employees or retirees to apply for a family pension to their qualifying kid or children upon their own death, rather than their spouse.

Children who have attained majority
In circumstances when the deceased female government official or pensioner is left by a widower and children who have reached the age of majority but are still eligible for the family pension, the family pension will be paid to such children. After all eligible children are no longer eligible for the family pension, it will be paid to the widower until his death or remarriage, whichever comes first.