LAHORE: The Punjab government has notified a 10 percent increase in pensions of provincial government employees with effect from April 1.

In this connection, the Punjab Finance Department issued a notification on Friday which stated that the Punjab Governor has sanctioned the increase of 10 percent of net pension with effect from April 1 to all civil pensioners of the Punjab government. “The increase in pension will also be admissible to the pensioners who would retire on or after April 1,” it added.

Moreover, the benefit of the increase in pension sanctioned will also be admissible to those civil pensioners of the Punjab government who are residing abroad (other than those residing in India and Bangladesh) who retired on or after August 15, 1947, and were not entitled to, or were not in receipt of pension increase under the British government’s Pension (Increase) Acts. The payment will be made at the applicable rate of exchange.

According to the notification, for the purpose of admissibility of increase in pension sanctioned in this circular letter, the term ‘net pension’ means pension being drawn minus medical allowance. The increase will also be admissible on a family pension granted under the Pension-cum-Gratuity Scheme 1954, Liberalised Pension Rules 1977, on pension sanctioned under the Punjab Civil Services Pension Rules as well as on the Compassionate Allowance.

It said that if the gross pension sanctioned by the Punjab government was shared with any government in accordance with the rules laid down in Part-IV of Appendix-III to the Accounts Code, the amount of the increase in pension will be apportioned between the Punjab government and the other government concerned on a proportionate basis. It maintained that the increase in pension will not be admissible on Special Additional Pension allowed in place of pre-retirement Orderly Allowance.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022