Govt imposes cuts in pension check bureaucratic corruption

In a bid to tackle corruption in bureaucracy, Government has decided to impose a 10% cut in pension in cases of minor penalty and 20% in the case of those compulsorily retired as a major penalty.

It has also decided to fast track cases of public servants accused of graft by eliminating certain tiers in consultation process, sources said.

These steps are part of a series of measures accepted by the government for immediate implementation following the recommendations made in the first report of the Group of Ministers headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

The government's decisions comes in the midst of Anna Hazare's anti-corruption campaign for a Lokpal Bill that would also cover bureaucratic graft.

Until now, a government servant on the verge of retirement can escape proceedings for minor penalty. The GoM has now now decided mere superannuation should not be a ground for dropping proceedings for minor penalty.

A cut in pension upto 10% may be imposed in case of minor penalty. This cut will have a ceiling of five years as a life-long reduction in pension would come under the category of major penalty.

The existing major penalty of compulsory retirement with full benefits may be changed to compulsory retirement along with a provision that the competent authority may impose upto 20% cut in pension.

However, there would be no no cut in pension in those cases of compulsory retirement of officers being weeded out for non-performance.