Guwahati, May 20: The Assam government has introduced a new penalty mechanism aimed at ensuring timely processing of pension cases, with financial penalties to be imposed on officials responsible for unnecessary delays in pension settlement procedures.
In a notification issued by the Administrative Reforms, Training, Pension and Public Grievances Department, the government stated that Heads of Offices (HOOs) would face action if pension cases are delayed beyond the timelines and procedures prescribed under an Office Memorandum issued on June 23, 2003.
Under the new arrangement, delayed pension cases will be tracked every month through the Kritagyata portal. The identified cases will be shared with the concerned Heads of Offices, while copies of the list will also be sent to respective District Commissioners and the senior-most secretaries of the departments involved.
The government has fixed a penalty of Rs 250 per day for delays in pension processing, with the amount capped at a maximum of Rs 5,000. Recoveries will be made from the salaries of officials found responsible at different stages of the process through the FinAssam portal, and the deductions will appear in the subsequent month’s salary bill.
According to the notification, Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) will be responsible for ensuring that recoveries are implemented properly and that details of deductions are submitted to the Administrative Reforms, Training, Pension and Public Grievances Department.
The order has taken effect immediately.
The notification also referred to the earlier 2003 Office Memorandum that laid down detailed procedures for pension settlement. Under those guidelines, Heads of Offices are required to maintain superannuation registers containing information such as the names of employees approaching retirement, their dates of birth, retirement schedules and progress of pension-related formalities.
The memorandum further stipulates that employees should be informed in writing about their retirement dates and supplied with relevant forms two years before retirement. Departments are also expected to examine pension papers and submit them to the Accountant General or Director of Pension at least six months before retirement to ensure Pension Payment Orders (PPOs) are issued on time.
The earlier guidelines had also cautioned that delays arising from administrative negligence could make the government liable for interest payments, while departments would be expected to determine responsibility and initiate disciplinary action against officials found accountable.
The latest move is intended to strengthen accountability within government departments and accelerate the disposal of pension cases across Assam’s administrative system.
