RBE No. 27/2009: Emoluments – Pension Rules

No.F(E)III/2008/PN1/11, dated 06.02.2009

Sub: Verification of correctness of emoluments of Railways servants.

1.     In terms of Rule 78 of Railway Services (Pension) Rules, 1993, the Head of Office shall undertake the work of preparation of pension papers of retiring railway servants two years before the date of retirement. Rule 79(1)(b)(iii) of the Pension Rules ibid and Para 1023 of the Indian Railways Code for the Accounts Department stipulate that for the purpose of calculation of average emoluments, the Head of Office shall verify from the service book the correctness of the emoluments drawn or to be drawn during the last ten months of service and that verification of correctness of emoluments should not go back to a period beyond 24 months preceding the date of retirement.

2.     In the backdrop of the rules quoted in para 1 above, one of the Zonal Railways has stated that difficulties are being experienced by the Railway in effecting recovery of the amount of over payment of pay and allowances from the retirement gratuity of the retiring employees due to the provisions under these rules as also various Court orders though Rule 15 of the Railway Services (Pension) Rules, 1993 provides for adjustment of over payment of pay and allowances from the DCRG. AIRF has also raised the issue stating that withholding of settlement dues for the purpose of recovering over payment of wages due to wrong fixation of pay a long time ago is causing pecuniary loss and harassment to retired railway servants.

3.     The matter has been examined in consultation with the Accounts Directorate, Withholding of retirement gratuity for the purpose only of assessing overpayment of pay and allowances and effecting recovery thereof is a matter of concern for the retired railway servant as it causes hardship to him/her. With a view to obviate the need of effecting recovery of overpayment of pay and allowances from the retirement gratuity, the Personnel and Accounts Departments of the Zonal Railways are advised to undertake verification of correctness of emoluments of Railway servants at regular intervals and one such review should be done in the beginning of the third year preceding the date of retirement in order that irregularities in pay and allowances, if any, are rectified and recoveries effected from the salary of the railway servant well before the retirement.

4.     Please acknowledge receipt.

Download Railway Board Circular RBE No.27/2009

Forward reference ⇒ dated 30.11.2022,