The Pensions Department quoting
Public Administration Circular 6/2001 of 4th March 2001 has
stirred a hornets nest requesting Divisional Secretaries to
transfer existing files to regional offices and mandating
Pensioners who retired even before 2001 to open new Bank
Accounts in areas they reside to remit the monthly pensions. At
present all, pensioners are paid through banks or post offices
by the Divisional Secretariats. Most widowers, aged and disabled
pensioners have no permanent postal address as they reside with
the children or in-laws. They continue to make use of the
original bank accounts, including joint accounts, which are
convenient. The circular in question was not enforced in full as
pensioners who retired before the year 2001 had opted to open
bank accounts to remit pensions and other transactions in banks
convenient to them. After making representations by the
pensioners in this regard to the relevant authorities in 2001,
they were allowed to operate existing bank accounts if under the
purview of the relevant Divisional Secretariats.Pensioners
too have obligations and have standing orders with existing
banks to deposit cheques, receive payments like interest from
other institutions, pay electricity, water bills, etc.
Facilities like transacting through ATMs, limited overdrafts
etc., are also provided. Presently, to open a new bank account
to remit pension requires a deposit of Rs. 5,000/- or over and
also maintaining a minimum balance according to bank’s
regulations. Savings Accounts holders are not provided with
facilities unlike Current Account holders. The position of
pensioners operating Aaccounts in private banks is also not
clear.
The decision to do away with existing ‘Joint Accounts’ is
another deadly blow to old, feeble and disabled pensioners. At
present, provision exists for pensioners unable to attend
personally to draw pensions is to grant authority to a second
party to draw pensions on their behalf. The formula to furnish
frequent affidavits that the pensioner is alive is an unwelcome
alternative.
The pension receipt hitherto sent to pensioners indicating
the pension amount and the monthly abatements, which receipt is
an acknowledgement by the pensioners has been discontinued. This
is yet another unreasonable decision, affecting pensioners.
There had been occasions where the consolidated pension and
abatements calculated at the Divisional Secretariat level were
erroneously computed. Further, pension amounts are not always
static. Pension amounts differ with increased pensions —
adjustment to Cost of Living allowances and anomaly
rectifications from time to time. Pensioners should be informed
of the variations as already done through the ‘Pension Receipt’.
Pensioners welcome the payment of pensions through banks, but
the unhealthy provisions as explained above are unacceptable to
the existing bank account holders who retired before 2001. The
new proposals will certainly create unnecessary heartburn and
tormenting problems to the aged, feeble and disabled pensioners.
The Ministry of Public Administration and Director Pensions
should review the new directives issued by Divisional
Secretariats and permit existing bank accounts to continue and
re- introduce the issue of ‘Pension Receipts’.
Organisation for Affected Pensioners
