Clarification on Arrears for Ordinary family Pensions(OFP)

( By Brig VidyaSagar & WO Thiru Chelvam)

Widows of officers are NOT eligible for any arrears from Circular 568 for the period Jan 2006 to Jun 2014. As the families of Officers were paid OFP  at the maximum of the service of their husbands for the rank.

This is the reason in Circular 500 there is only one row of OFP indicating whether the officer served for 33 years with rank weightage or less than that, there is no reduction in OFP. 

Where as in Circular 502 for OFP of families of JCOs /OR, in  the appendix to Circular there are rows of OFP from Sep to Sub Maj with X and Y Group. Even the letter of Min of Def  No: 1(14) /2012/D (Pen/Policy) dated 17 Jan 2013 clearly mention in para 2 that OFP is MINIMUM of fitment table for the rank  in the revised pay structure  issued in SAI 1/S/2008. In para 3, the period of commencement of pension started w.e.f. 24 Sep 2012 and is 30% of minimum of fitment table for the rank in the revised pay band i.e. as on Jan 2006.

In  Table 1, the OFP of Naiks from 15 to 24 years, the OFPs vary. That is if a Naik Group Y has put in 24 years’ service his widow is given OFP of Rs 6,185 and if Naik has put in just 15 years’ service OFP is Rs 5520. Now if a widow of Naik with 24 years’ service is given pension of Rs 5520 as per Circular 568, then it is a retrograde step. Such widows will continue to get their old pension of Rs 6,185 and hence they also are NOT eligible for arrears.

Therefore, Family pensioners whether they are widows of Officers or JCOs/NCOs do not get any arrears because of Circular 568.