Pensioner : Recently an order was issued by EPFO. It was said in this order that from 01.01.2024 dearness allowance has been increased to 50%. As per the recommendation made in the Seventh Central Pay Commission, as soon as dearness allowance reaches 50%, the gratuity rate will be increased from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 25 lakh. In such a situation, the gratuity limit was increased by EPFO from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 25 lakh. Its order was also issued on 30 April 2024. But now this order has been postponed.
EPFO has issued a new order on 07.05.2024. In which the order to increase the limit of gratuity to Rs 25 lakh has been postponed. Now according to this new order, the limit of gratuity will remain only Rs 20 lakh till the next order.
Big decision of Punjab and Haryana High Court
Punjab and Haryana High Court has given a huge judgment in Case No. CWP-602-2023 Hiralal Karkara vs. State of Punjab in which it has been said that if there is a delay in getting the retirement benefits to the employee after retirement. Will be entitled to interest.
High Court Justice Namit Kumar said the petitioner has retired and no departmental or criminal proceedings are pending against him while in service or thereafter. Therefore, the petitioner should be released the retirement benefits within a reasonable time frame after retirement.
The order to give old pension to those central employees whose recruitment advertisement was issued before 22 December 2003 and who got the job on the basis of that advertisement, was issued by the Central Government. An order was issued by the Central Government on March 3, 2023 that such employees can go to OPS. Such employees were given the option to choose OPS option till 31 August 2023.
Now the question was coming that those employees whose jobs were given on the basis of recruitment advertisement dated 22 December 2003 and they had retired from NPS before 3 March 2023, then how would such employees be taken into OPS. A clarification has been issued by the Central Government.
The Central Government has said that such personnel will have to follow certain conditions. For example, if he has taken all the benefits of NPS on retirement, then it will have to be returned. They can avail the benefits of OPS only if they return the money received from NPS on retirement.
It is necessary to link CGHS ID with ABHA ID.
CGHS beneficiaries are currently in a big dilemma whether to link CGHS ID with ABHA ID or not? If you want to link then for how long? So regarding this, let me tell you that the Central Government has made it mandatory to link CGHS ID with ABHA ID and earlier the last date for linking it was 30 April 2024, which has now been extended to 31 October 2024.
20 percent increase in pension
Often pensioners are in a dilemma whether 20 percent increase in basic pension should be given on completion of 80 years or as soon as they enter 80 years. So here let us tell you that according to the current rule, 20 percent increase in basic pension is given on completion of 80 years. 20% additional pension is paid to you after you attain the age of 81 years.
Although Madras High Court, Guwahati High Court and Delhi CAT had said in their decision that as soon as pensioners complete 79 years of age and enter 80 years, their basic pension should be increased by 20%, but the Central Government did not accept it. Doesn’t. And the pension increases by 20% only after completing 80 years.
