Government relaxes norm for widows for getting family pension

Widows will no longer have to present themselves before gazetted officers to verify their status for getting family pension. The government has decided to do away with the requirement of submission of 'Form 14' for commencement of family pension where the pensioner and spouse hold a joint account.

This was informed by Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions V Narayanasamy to members of Standing Committee of Voluntary Agencies (SCOVA), said a press release issued today. The government received representations from various quarters to do away with the condition of applying for family pension through 'Form 14' as it was causing inconvenience to widows, who find it difficult and embarrassing to present themselves before two gazetted officers or persons of repute for attestation. "The spouse may inform the (pension disbursing) bank of death of the pensioner by way of a simple letter enclosing a copy of death certificate. The paying bank will identify the spouse based on the information given in the Pension Payment Order (PPO) and its own 'Know Your Customer' procedures," said the release issued by Ministry of Personnel.

In other cases, where the pension is not being credited to the joint bank account of the pensioner and his or her spouse, the condition of attestation of 'Form 14' has been done away with and giving witness of two persons has been considered as sufficient, it added. Form 14 serves as a standard processing sheet, which defines and delineates the exact requirement of information to be given to the pension disbursing bank. There are about 30 lakh central government pensioners.