The supreme court last week ruled that every pensioner will now be entitled to pension at the beginning of every month.
NEW DELHI: The supreme court last week ruled that every pensioner will now be entitled to pension at the beginning of every month.
A bench of justices AK Mathur and P Sathasivam said the authorities must ensure that every pensioner retired from service in union, states, public or private sector undertakings, is entitled to pension at the beginning of every month. Hence, every pensioner should get the amount due to him from a bank between the 1st and 7th of every month.
Disposing of a writ petition filed by the Society of Retired Forest Officers from Uttar Pradesh seeking enforcement of rules on the payment of pension, the judges held, “As and when there is a revision of dearness allowance and pay scales, the effect of that revision should be ensured promptly and the fixation released… within two months, but that revision shall not suspend the payment of pension at the old rate till it is finalised.”
Accordingly, “as and when the fixation is done, the arrears should be released to the incumbent promptly within two weeks,” the judges added.
Keeping in view the fact that country’s population is greying — some 90 million are 60 plus — the government enacted the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007.
Human development activities have successfully raised the life span in India. By 2026, there would be 173 million senior citizens, around 12.4% of the population. However, these activities have failed to improve the quality of life for the elderly, who feel much more insecure and lonely.
According to a study by Prof Irudaya Rajan, from the Centre for Development Studies, Kerala, only half of the 90 million get a meagre pension — 10 million under the Annapoorna Scheme, 20 million get the state level pension, 10 million get pension from the organised sector and five million from the Welfare Fund Board. Rajan argues that all 90 million be given pension. Rs200 a month may not much for the Centre, but it means a great deal for the elderly.
In 2001, with 79.5 million people over 60 years in its urban population, India ranked fourth on the geriatric population scale, globally. But today, it ranks second to China. It is estimated that more than 300 million people will be eligible for pension by 2030, that is, if the government or the private sector does not extend the retirement age.
b_rakesh@dnaindia.net
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}