Master Circular No.63: Pension Adalat – Updation of Master Circular

No.E(W)2019/PA-1/2, dated 20.08.2019
MC No.63

Sub: Conduct of Pension Adalat on Railways – Updation of Master Circular reg.

1. At present, the orders relating to conduct of Pension Adalat on Indian Railways are compiled in Master Circular No.63 issued under Board’s letter No.E(W)95/PA/1, dated 12.10.1995. Since then, a number of instructions regarding conduct of Pension Adalats have been issued. The question of consolidation of these existing orders/ circulars into an updated Master Circular has been under the consideration of the Ministry of Railways (Railway Board). It has now been decided to issue a consolidated Revised Master Circular on the subject for the information and guidance of all concerned.
2. The intention of conducting Pension Adalats is to examine the grievances of pensioners so as to redress the same by taking on-the-spot decision and to obviate the delay, if any, in the settlement of their pending dues, if any. Such a step would go a long way in instilling a sense of being cared for and attended to in the minds of pensioners.
3. Railway Board have circulated detailed guidelines for holding the Pension Adalats based on guidelines formulated by the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DOP&PW) i.e. the nodal Department for looking after the welfare of Central Government Pensioners. The guidelines are given below:-

3.1 The Pension Adalat should be held normally on Railways/ Production Units on 15th December each year or the first working day after that date in case 15th is a holiday. However, this date may be proponed/ postponed depending on DOP&PW’s directives.
3.2 Wide and adequate publicity, i.e. through print and visual media and other means like posters at prominent places, should be done in advance to enable the pensioners to send their cases in time for consideration in such Adalats. This is necessary as checking of various records is very often essential before a grievance can be redressed. For this purpose, the following time frame should be adopted:-

(a) Issue of notice by Railway through print and visual media and other means about holding of Pension Adalat indicating date, venue, time of Adalat and the name of Officer to whom the grievances have to be submitted. By first week of August every year.
(b) Last date for submission of grievances by Pensioners, which should be indicated in the Notification mentioned above. 31st October every year.

3.3 The representation of Pensioners may be acknowledged indicating the date, venue, and time of Pension Adalat.
3.4 The Pension Adalat should be conducted at the level of senior Officers i.e. General Manager/ Addl. General Managers, Principal Chief Personnel Officers, PFAs and DRMs/ ADRMs besides other Officers of Personnel, Accounts and other Departments concerned. The representatives of Bank/ Other Pension Disbursing Authorities should also be co-opted in the Pension Adalats.
3.5 All Officers dealing with pension viz. Senior Officers of Personnel and Accounts Department and Managers of the pension-disbursing Bank of Zonal or Divisional Headquarters should be present with all relevant records to expedite the decisions.
3.6 The Officers present in the Pension Adalats should be able to take decisions on-the-spot in order to redress the grievances. In this connection, it is pertinent to note that such Adalats are not meant to take up policy mattress, rather it is meant for dealing with specific grievances of the individual pensioner, when represented by him personally or by a family member of the pensioner.
3.7 Cases involving purely legal points e.g. succession etc. cannot be taken up in these Pension Adalat.
3.8 The authorized representatives of the “Standing Committee of Voluntary Agencies” (SCOVA) and the recognized Trade Unions may also be invited to attend the Pension Adalats. However, they should not be permitted to present the grievances of the Pensioners.
3.9 However, in the case of illiterate pensioners, widows, minors etc. it may not be possible for them to effectively prepare and present cases before the Adalat. In such cases, if the pensioner is not able to present his/ her case and he/ she seeks the assistance of the representatives of the SCOVA attending the Adalat, the SCOVA representatives may be permitted to present the grievances of such pensioners.
3.10 There are only two members in the SCOVA representing the Railways. Therefore, it may happen that Railway nominees on the SCOVA may not be available when Pension Adalats are being held on different dates and at different places on the Zonal Railways. In such cases representatives of SCOVA, as authorized by the member of the SCOVA and whose credentials are sent in advance to the Railway Administration, should be allowed to attend the Pension Adalat and to present the cases, if necessary.
3.11 In the 13th Standing Committee on Voluntary Organization (SCOVA) meeting, it was mentioned that the time available in the SCOVA meeting held by Department of Personnel & Pensioners’ Welfare (DOP&PW) was not sufficient to discuss all the issues relating to different Ministries as these issues required thorough discussion with the Ministries concerned.
As only one or two items concerning Railway appears in the Agenda items, it has, therefore been apprised that setting up of a separate forum for discussion of one or two items is not desirable. However, the representative of the Pensioner’s Association may meet and discuss the issues with the concerned Officers of the Railways as and when necessary.

[Railway Board’s letter No.E(W)95/PA/2, dated 19.12.1997]

3.12 It was again reiterated that the instructions regarding conduct of Pension Adalat should be implemented properly. Complaints received from Pensioners’ Association should be examined thoroughly and replies should be sent to them on time. The concerned staff dealing with pensioners’ cases should be very courteous and lenient while dealing with pensioners cases. Pensioners should not be allowed to run from one place to another for solving their problems, if the same can be redressed at one place. Any complaint received against staff about their misconduct or unfriendly attitude may be viewed seriously.

[Railway Board’s letter No.E(W)2001/PA/1, dated 30.09.2004]

3.13 To extend Cooperation to the Pension and Pensioners’ Association, it was further decided that CPO(IR) on Zonal Railways Headquarters, a nominated Sr.DP/DPO on Divisions and a Dy.CPO in Production Units will be the nodal officer for dealing with Pensioners’ Association and coordinating with other departments for addressing pensioners’ concerned raised by Association and individual pensioners and replying to their representations. Other units may also nominate officers of the appropriate level for this purpose. It is also advised that such information and other information regarding Pension Adalat etc. may be posted on respective websites of Zonal Railways/ PU on the Pensioners’ related web page. It needs no emphasis that the staff in the concerned departments should also be sensitized for dealing with pensioners with due respect and according urgency to redress of their grievances.

[Railway Board’s letter No.E(W)2011/PA-1/4, dated 20.12.2011]

3.14 Time and again, instructions have been reiterated for conduct of Pension Adalat and prompt disposal of grievances of Pensioners. The list of the 27 Pensioners’ Association identified by DOP&PW to facilitate lodging of grievances by Pensioners had been circulated for prompt disposal of pensioners’ grievances.

[Railway Board’s letter No.E(W)2011/PA-1/4, dated 21.06.2012 & 17.09.2012]

3.15 It should be ensured that all the cases which are admissible and tenable should be settled at the time of Pension Adalat itself, but in cases where it is not possible to settle the same on the spot, it should be settled and finalized within a period of three months from the date of holding the Pension Adalat.
3.16 In the cases of grievances, which are not admissible/ tenable the Pensioners may be suitably advised about reasons of rejection in writing.
3.17 While DRMs may be instructed to hold Pension Adalats in their respective Divisions, once in 3 months or so, the working of this grievance machinery should be monitored at Headquarters level.
3.18 After holding of the Pension Adalats, the requisite details in the prescribed Proforma as laid down in Board’s letter dated No.E(W)92/PA-1/1, dated 17.11.1993 should be furnished to the Railway Board by 31st January every year.

4. It must be mentioned that efforts should always be made to make payment of settlement dues immediately on retirement as per normal practice. No case should be held up for decision in Pension Adalats unless the delay is absolutely inescapable.
5. As the conduct of Pension Adalat is being monitored at the level of the Railway Board and DOP&PW, the guideline should be followed scrupulously to ensure that the grievances of the Pensioners/ Family Pensioners are settled expeditiously.

IMPORTANT RAILWAY BOARD CIRCULARS ON PENSION ADALATS

Download Railway Board Circular MC No.63

Forward reference⇒RBE No.