The Sindh government finance department has recommended digitization of service book and record of the employees to streamline the payment of pension and gratuity.
The finance department in its proposals to minimise the sufferings of the elderly pensioners, said that the employee should have a duplicate of the service book.
Currently, the fate of government servants hang in the hands of head of departments who have their service books, leaving a grey area for manipulation and exploitation.
The Sindh finance department said that delay in processing of pension cases cause peculiar hardships to the pensioners and their families.
The main cause of delay is attributable to the fact that service records of government servants are not timely updated.
Since the determinant factors for pension are qualifying service rendered by government servants and the emoluments which require verification of service personal files of government servant concerned and therefore it is essential to ensure that these records are kept up-to-date and complete.
Accountant General Sindh and District Account Offices are entrusted to maintain personal file and history of service of civil servants in BS-16 and above, while service books of civil servants in BS-01 to BS-15 are maintained by the Head of Offices and Disbursing Offices concerned. Each event in the service of civil servant such as appointment, transfer, promotion, leaves, EOL, penalties, pay, increment, etc.
As it occurs, is required to be recorded and attested every year by Head of the Office to ascertain emoluments and qualifying service, in order to make any interruption in service excluded. The Service Book of every government servant is also required to be verified by AG Sindh or District Accounts Officer concerned after 10, 25 and 29 years of service of a civil servant.
When the amount of gratuity become payable, it is the duty of the accounts officer to make payment according to the procedures." Yet there are number of instances, where cases are pending for several years without any plausible justification agonising the pensioners and their families. In view of the above and to expeditiously dispose of pension cases, a few guidelines are suggested by Sindh government.
Suggested guidelines
The finance department suggested that directions may be issued to the Pension Sanctioning Authorities (Appointing Authorities) for timely disposing of pension cases.
Service books should be maintained in duplicate, with original copy retained in the office of Appointing Authority and Head of Office and duplicate copy provided to Government Servant.
Efforts may also be taken to digitise the service books and archive on secure digital storage space.
Due diligence and proper attention must also be paid to the maintenance and verification of service record and pension calculations regarding emoluments and qualifying service, which must be done strictly in accordance with relevant rules.
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A list of civil servants retiring within one year should be maintained at departmental level and follow up from subordinate offices may be sought on monthly basis to speed up completion of pension papers by Pension Sanctioning Authorities.
Pension contribution in respect of a Government servant must be obtained well before his/her retirement. Regular trainings and refreshers of Pension Sanctioning Authorities and Drawing Disbursing Officers should be organised to develop understanding of West Pakistan Civil Servant Pension Rules 1963, the Sindh Liberalised Pension Rules, 1977, the Sindh Civil Services Rules and various guidelines issued from time to time , in order to develop expertise in preparation of pension papers, verification of service record, and calculation of pension, family pension, commutation, restoration of pension, pension contribution, qualifying service, and emoluments, and admissibility of family pension claims.
The NADRA Family Registration Certificate (FRC) must be obtained to ascertain claims of widows, widow daughters, sisters, widow of deceased sons, as the case may be.
Dependency certificate must be obtained from the Deputy Commissioner concerned in respect of divorced daughters, divorced/widow sisters, as the case may be. Cases of complicated nature involving admissibility of pension claims and other matters ancillary to pension which require clarification, may be referred to Provincial Pension Cases Disposal Committee notified by Services, General Administration & Coordination Department.
Cases of delayed payment by Accounts Offices may be reported by Pension Sanctioning Authorities to the Provincial Pension Cases Disposal Committee to fix responsibility and make recommendations for necessary disciplinary proceedings against the delinquent officers and officials. (l) Any suggestions to streamline and simplify the process may be referred to Secretary Provincial Pension Cases Disposal Committee.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 19th, 2022.
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