Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 11

It’s good news for all Central government pensioners who retired prior to 2006. Reason: The clause of pro-rata reduction in pension for those who did not complete 33 years of service has been done away with and they would now get enhanced pension, along with arrears, equal to those who retired in 2006 and thereafter.While the provision of having 33-year service for earning full pension was done away with in 2006 on the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission, this benefit was not extended to pre-2006 pensioners and till date, the pension in cases with less than 33 years of service was being calculated with proportionate reduction. Orders to this effect were issued by the Department of Pensions and Pensioners Welfare on April 6, after the orders of the Central Administrative Tribunal de-linking the service requirement of 33 years for grant of full pension, were upheld by various high courts and finally the Supreme Court.“The arrears of revised pension would be payable with effect from January 1, 2006,” the orders add. The new orders will financially benefit a large number of government pensioners across all hierarchical levels all over the country, especially those who opted for voluntary or premature retirement and those released from service on medical grounds before completing 33 years of service.