Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules: Lok Sabha QA dated 07.08.2024

Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules – Current status, number of employees who opted to switch and future plans to extend the benefit: Lok Sabha QA dated 07.08.2024

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS
(DEPARTMENT OF PENSION & PENSIONERS’ WELFARE)

LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2606
(TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.08.2024)

CENTRAL CIVIL SERVICES (PENSION) RULES

2606. SHRI ANTO ANTONY:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

(a) the current status of the implementation of the coverage under Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules for the eligible employees who were recruited against posts/vacancies advertised/notified on or before 22.12.2003;

(b) the number of eligible employees who have opted to switch to the CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 (now 2021) from the National Pension System as of now;

(c) the average processing time for an application to switch from the National Pension System to the CCS (Pension) Rules;

(d) whether there are any future plans to extend this option or introduce similar measures for other groups of employees who might not have been covered under the current notification; and

(e) whether there are any provisions or considerations for employees who missed the deadline of 31.08.2023?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE
(DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

(a) to (e): The National Pension System (NPS) was introduced for Central Government employees by a Notification of Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs) dated 22nd December, 2003. NPS is mandatory for all new recruits to the Central Government service from 1st January, 2004 (except the armed forces). In pursuance of court judgements, the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare has issued instructions on 03.03.2023, giving one time option to the Central Government civil employee for inclusion under CCS(Pension) Rules, 1972 ( now 2021) who has been appointed against a post or vacancy which was advertised/ notified for recruitment/ appointment prior to notification for National Pension System i.e. 22.12.2003. The extant procedures state that, it is for the appointing authority of the post in the concerned Ministry/Department against which such option has been exercised to examine and decide applicability of these instructions. Fixed time schedules stipulated for every activity to be performed for examination and decision of the options exercised by the employee (i) Time limit for submission of option by employees was 31.08.2023, (ii) Time limit for examination and decision on the option by the concerned appointing authority was 30.11.2023. There is no proposal to issue any further instruction with respect to OM dated 03.03.2023.

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