Increasing Retirement Age to 65 for Central Government Employees

Raise age of retirement 60 to 65: House panel

NEW DELHI: A parliamentary panel has urged the Centre to raise the retirement age to 65 years, noting that growing lifespan was adding to the need for "productive ageing". 

The recommendation for increase in retirement age comes with a reminder that senior citizens would form 12.4% of the total population in 2026 from 7.5% in 2001. 

"The committee feels that with the increase in life expectancy and relatively better state of health of people, the government needs to look at continuity of employment up to 65 years," said the report of standing committee of Parliament on social justice and empowerment tabled on Friday. 

It also recommended that government look at greater post-retirement opportunities for senior citizens and create greater financial support for the elderly by hiking the old age pension to Rs 1,000 per month from the present Rs 200 for those above 60 years and Rs 500 for those above 80 years. 

While suggesting immediate redressal for the ageing population, the panel sought to train the government's focus on the 60-plus group by pointing out that its growing numbers would be a serious challenge in health and social care. 

Specifically, it underlined that as per population projections, the 80-plus bloc, the most-vulnerable group, would see a sharper rise in numbers. 

The urgency of parliamentarians towards senior citizens comes amid growing global realization that increasing lifespan is creating a new demographic bloc requiring state intervention. 

Seeking government attention, the committee noted that senior citizens comprised 7.5% of the total population in 2001 but their share is likely to increase to 12.4% in 2026. Importantly, UN projections say while India's population will rise by 55% by 2050, that of 60-plus would increase by 326% and that of 80-plus would go up by 700%. 

Given the rising challenge, the panel headed by Hemanand Biswal found the government response inadequate, noting that "issue of rapid population ageing in the country has not received due attention of the government and the community at large". 

The panel said special focus should be on the octogenarian bloc. "This age group is the most vulnerable and runs the risk of getting dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson disease, depression in their older years," it said, and asked the Centre to constitute an expert group of relevant government departments to devise specialized healthcare programme for them. 

Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Raise-age-of-retirement-to-65-House-panel/articleshow/30015235.cms

Reimbursement of Medical Claims-Regarding

No. 21/26/2013-EC-X 

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA 

DIRECTORTE GENERAL OF WORKS 

CENTRAL PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT

Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi 

Dated the 24th January, 2014

To 

1. All the CEs/SEs/SEs(Coord.)/EEs/DDG (Hort.)/DDOH.

Subject: Reimbursement of Medical Claims-Regarding

Sir, 

After repeated requests and making available of the required formalities for processing of reimbursement of medical claims, it has been observed that the medical reimbursement claims are still being received in this Directorate are forwarded/processed in a very casual manner resulting in delay in final settlement of claims of individuals and settling medical claims of different C.G.H.S. approved Hospitals.

To minimize the delay and to streamline the process of scrutinizing and submission of reimbursement of medical claims the stage wise steps required are appended below for action on the part of field units of this Directorate:-

1. The duly filled up Modified Check list for Reimbursement of Medical Claims and Medical Claims Form as per prescribed Performa.

2. The Copy of new CGHS card.

3. The Copy of Permission Letter from concerned office.

4. The Original Bills along with discharge/ Death summary from the Hospital.

5. Emergency Certificate in original from Hospital.

6. In case of death of CGHS Card Holder following documents as prescribed in modified checklist: 

i. Affidavit on stamp paper by claimant. 

ii. No objection from other Legal Heirs on stamp paper. 

iii. Copy of Death Certificate.

7. Whether any advance was granted in the medical Reimbursement Claim? If so, provide the details of the same and under which rules the facility was allowed to applicant.

8. Whether credit facility was granted for the treatment? If so provide the details of the same. Under which rule the credit facility was allowed to serving Govt. official?

9. Medical Reimbursement Claim has to be submitted in duplicate.

10. It has to be mentioned by the forwarding /concern office (Chief Engineer) as to whether the amount claimed for reimbursement is as per the CGHS prescribed rate or not and it has also need to be certified that there is no need of any relaxation of rules in the instant case.

11. Original pouch of Stent packets along with requisite documents prescribed by MOHFW from time to time needs to be enclosed in the MRC file in order.

12. The amount mentioned for stents and other consumables may please be checked as per ceiling rates fixed by MOHFW and the same may be indicated in the forwarding letter.

13. As per the observations of IFD and Works Division in the precedent cases the case requires to be submitted in line with the guidelines of precedent cases providing the details of amount charged by the hospital indicating the S.I. No. of the CGHS items with relevant instructions and thus arriving at the amount admissible.

The case may be submitted with the details of amount charged by the hospital indicating the S.I. No. of the CGHS items with relevant instructions and thus arriving at the amount admissible as per the below format:- 

(i) Name of the Hospital ……………………………… Period of treatment from ………..   to ………… 

(extracts of hospital recognition be placed in the file or instructions relating of treatment from non-empanelled hospital be placed in the file and it may be averred all stipulations have been complied with

S.No.

Particulars/Name Item/(SI. No. of the CGHS items list with extracts.

Amount Claimed

(Quantity X CGHS Rates)

Extracts of Relevant Instruction s of CGHS Placed at F/….

Amount Admissible as per CGHS rates

(ii) All relevant OMs pertaining to the case (item wise-reimbursement) may be placed in the file alongwith the Mb o Health & Family Welfare OM No. S-11011/23/2009/CGHS D-11 dated 17th August, 2010 and subsequent clarificatory OMs issued thereafter.

(iii) It may be indicated whether 10% discount has been availed and case may be put up as per prescribed format as mentioned above.

14. Clarification regarding admissible and non-admissible items under CGHS provided in Mb o Health & Family Welfare’s O.M. No.F.No.2-1/2012/CGHSNC/CGHS(P) dated 01st August, 2013 has to be complied with.

15. As per Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's Draft MOA F.No. D.12034/22/09/CGHS-Desk-I following has to be checked.

(i) DISCOUNT : Hospital shall also allow a discount of 10% on every cash payment.

(ii) CREDIT: On production of a valid permission by the CGHS beneficiary- the hospital shall provide credit facilities to the Members of Parliament, Pensioners, Ex-Members of Parliament, Freedom Fighters, Serving CGHS employees, serving employees of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, serving employees of Directorate General of Health Services and such other categories of CGHS cardholders as notified by the Government. In case of emergency the hospital shall provide credit to all CGHS beneficiaries.

(iii) TREATMENT IN EMERGENCY: 

In emergency the hospital shall not refuse admission or demand an advance payment from the beneficiary or his family member and shall provide credit facilities to the patient whether the patient is a serving employee or a pensioner availing CGHS facilities, on production of a valid CGHS card and the hospital shall submit the bill for reimbursement to the concerned Deptt./Ministry/CGHS. The refusal to provide the treatment to bonafide CGHS beneficiaries in emergency cases without valid ground, would attract disqualification for continuation of empanelment.

The list of ailments which may be treated as emergency has been mentioned in the MOA for the Hospitals, which is illustrative only and not exhaustive, depending on the condition of the patient.

(iv) For serving employees (other than CGHS/ DGHS /Ministry of H&FW), the payment shall be made by the patient and he shall claim reimbursement from his office subject to the approved ceiling rates. The Private Hospital shall allow a discount of 10% on all payments made in cash.

(v) The treatment procedure shall be performed on the basis of the authorization letter issued by the Chief Medical Officer of the concerned CGHS dispensary in case of pensioners and by the administrative department / ministry in case of serving employees.

(vi) The Hospital agrees that during the In-patient treatment of the CGHS beneficiary, the Hospital shall not ask the beneficiary or his attendant to purchase separately the medicines / sundries / equipment or accessories from outside and shall provide the treatment within the package deal rate, fixed by the CGHS which includes the cost of all the items. Appropriate action, including removing from CGHS empanelment and / or termination of this Agreement, may be initiated on the basis of a complaint, medical audit or inspections carried out by CGHS teams / appointed TPA.

(vii) The hospital shall not refer the patient to other specialist / other hospital without prior permission of CGHS authorities. Prior intimation shall be given to CGHS whenever patient needs further referral.

(viii) Entitlement for various types of wards to CGHS beneficiaries has also been provided in the aforesaid MOA.

This issues with the approval of DDG (HQ)

Sd/- 

(Rahul Ranbir Singh) 

Deputy Director (Administration)

Source:http://cpwd.gov.in/WriteReadData/other_cir/9291.pdf

Regulation of pay on imposition of a penalty under CCS (CCA) Rules, 1965 – Dopt Orders

No.6/3/2013-Estt (Pay-I) 

Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions 

Department of Personnel & Training

North Block, New Delhi 

Dated the 6th February, 2014

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Regulation of pay on imposition of a penalty under CCS (CCA) Rules, 1965. 

  

The undersigned is directed to say that the following penalties prescribed in the Rule 11 of CCS (CCA) Rules, 1965, have a bearing on the pay of the officer:

11. Penalties

Minor Penalties – 

(iii a) reduction to a lower stage in the time-scale of pay by one stage for a period not exceeding three years, without cumulative effect and not adversely affecting his pension. 

(iv) withholding of increments of pay;

Major Penalties – 

(v) save as provided for in clause (iii) (a), reduction to a lower stage in the time- scale of pay for a specified period, with further directions as to whether or not the Government servant will earn increments of pay during the period of such reduction and whether on the expiry of such period, the reduction Will or will not have the effect of postponing the future increments of his pay

(vi) reduction to lower time-scale of pay, grade, post or Service for a period to be specified in the order of penalty, which shall be a bar to the promotion of the Government servant during such specified period to the time-scale of pay, grade, post or Service from which he was reduced, with direction as to whether or not, on promotion on the expiry of the said specified period –

(a) the period of reduction to time-scale of pay, grade, post or service shall operate to postpone future increments of his pay, and if so, to what extent; and

(b) the Government servant shall regain his original seniority in the higher time scale of pay , grade, post or service;

2. Consequent upon implementation of the recommendations of 6 th CPC under the CCS (RP) Rules, 2008 pay scale of a post/grade for below HAG level means the Pay Band and Grade Pay specified for that post. Under the CCS (RP) Rules, 2008 a Pay Band may cover Government servants in more than one Grade Pay or posts in the hierarchy. As per Rule 9 of the CCS (Revised Pay) Rules, 2008, the rate of increment in the revised pay structure is 3% of the sum of the pay in the Pay Band arid Grade Pay applicable, which is to be rounded off to the next multiple of 10. Further, as per Rule 10 of the CCS (Revised Pay) Rules, 2008, there is now a uniform date of increment, that is, lst July of the year.

3. The mode of implementation of these penalties has been clarified to individual Ministries/Departments wherever references have been received. It is now proposed to issue detailed guidelines on the issue. The regulation of pay on imposition of these penalties is in the subsequent pants:

A. Reduction to a lower stage of pay by one stage (Rule 11( iii a)

On imposition of a penalty under this Rule, the pay would be fixed at the next lower stage in the Pay Band. In other words, in case of reduction by one stage, the revised pay would be the pay drawn in the Pay Band at the stage before the last increment. Grade Pay attached to the post would remain unchanged. The pay will be fixed by reversing the mode of allowing increments given in Rule 9 of the CCS (RP) Rules, 2008. The formula would be:-

Reduced Pay In Pay Band = {(Pay in Pay Band+ Grade Pay) x 100/103} less (Grade Pay) (rounded off to next 10) 

Pay would be Pay in Pay Band as above + Grade Pay

B. Withholding of increment {Rule 11(iv)} 

As the uniform date of increment now is 1st July, on imposition of a penalty of withholding of increment, the increment(s) due on the 1st of July falling after the date of imposition of the penalty would be withheld. In case where penalty of withholding of more than one increment is imposed, increments due on 1st of Juty in the subsequent years would similarly be withheld. The increment would be restored at the end of the period for which the penalty is imposed.

This also applies to cases where the penalty is imposed for part of a year. For instance, if the penalty of withholding of the increment for six months is imposed on a Government servant in April 2013, then the increment falling due on 1.7.2013 will be withheld for a period of six months, that is, till 31.12.2013. The increment would be released w.e.f. 1.1.2014. In this case the next increment falling due on 1.7.2014 will also be allowed.

C. Reduction to a lower stage in the time-scale of pay for a specified periodfRule 11(v)} 

The process of imposition of penalty of reduction by one stage under Rule 11(iii a) explained above shall be repeated for every additional stage of reduction by taking the pay arrived at notionally as pay for the second reduction, and so on. Grade Pay shall remain unchanged.

NOTE 1: It is not permissible to impose a penalty under this rule if the pay after imposition of the penalty would fall below the minimum of the Pay Band attached to the post.

NOTE 2: A Pay Band may cover Government servants in different Grade Pays or holding posts at several levels in the hierarchy. It needs to be kept in mind that reduction to lower pay scale or grade is a distinct penalty, under Rule 11(vi).Therefore, while imposing a penalty of reduction to a lower stage in the time-scale of pay under Rule 11(v) of the CCS (CCA) Rules, 1965, Disciplinary Authorities should weigh all factors before deciding upon the quantum of penalty, i.e., the number of stages by which the pay is to be reduced.

D. Reduction to lower time-scale of pay under Rule 11(vi) 

As a result of imposition of a penalty of reduction to lower time-scale of pay, the pay of the Government servant would be reduced to the stage of pay he /she would have drawn had he/she continued in the lower post for the period of penalty. The mode of fixation of pay in this case is similar to reversing the mode of fixation of pay on promotion. Therefore, both pay in Pay Band and Grade Pay would be reduced.

However, Disciplinary Authority has the power, in terms of FR 28, to indicate the pay which the Government servant on whom a penalty of reduction in rank has been imposed, would draw. The Government servant will be entitled to the Grade Pay of the post to which he has been reduced. Thus, the power of the Disciplinary Authority under FR 28 is limited to indicating the pay in the Pay Band applicable to the lower rank/post.

In some cases imposition of a penalty under Rule 11(vi) may also involve a change in Pay Band. For instance a Government servant holding a post in PB-2 with Grade pay of Rs.4200/- may be reduced to a post in PB-1 with Grade Pay of Rs.2800/-

It may also be noted that a Government servant cannot be reduced in rank to a post not held earlier by him in the cadre. For example, an LDC who qualifies as Assistant as a Direct Recruit and is later promoted as Section Officer cannot be reduced to the rank of LDC but only to that of an Assistant.

4. Some illustrations on pay fixation in above types of cases are annexed.

Sd/- 

(Mukesh Chaturvedi) 

Deputy Secretary to the Government of India 

Source:http://ccis.nic.in/WriteReadData/CircularPortal/D2/D02est/6_3_2013-Estt.Pay-I-06022014.pdf