Women govt employees can now nominate children for family pension over spouse

The Department of Pensions and Pensioners' Welfare announced an important amendment to the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 2021. Now, female government employees and pensioners have the option to nominate their children to receive the family pension over their spouse.

Minister of State for Personnel, Jitendra Singh, stated that the amendment aims to address situations arising from marital discord, including divorce proceedings or cases filed under laws such as the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, Dowry Prohibition Act, or the Indian Penal Code.

Singh emphasized that this decision aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to providing just and legitimate rights to women across all sectors. The amended rule grants women employees the right to nominate their son or daughter for family pension, challenging the traditional practice of nominating the husband.

The procedure for availing this option involves the female government employee or pensioner submitting a written request to the head of the office, explicitly stating that family pension should be granted to her eligible child or children in precedence to her spouse upon her demise.

The DoPPW outlined that if the female government servant or pensioner passes away during the proceedings, the family pension will be disbursed accordingly. In cases where a woman employee is survived by a widower without eligible children, the family pension will be payable to the widower.

For situations where the widower is the guardian of a minor child or a child with a mental disorder, the family pension will be payable to the widower until the child attains majority and becomes eligible for family pension, at which point it will be paid directly to the child.

The minister noted that this initiative was prompted by numerous representations from women officials and pensioners who sought the possibility of nominating children before the spouse, especially in cases involving divorce proceedings or pending domestic violence cases against the spouse.

The government's proactive approach reflects its commitment to fostering gender equity and ensuring the well-being of women employees and pensioners.

Also Read: Elon Musk's Neuralink implants brain chip named named 'Telepathy' in first human patient