ISLAMABAD: The government on Wednesday notified 25 percent ad hoc relief to all federal government employees with effect from July 1, 2024, in Grade 1-16, and 20 percent in Grade 17-22 besides a 15 percent increase in pension.
The Finance Division (Regulation Wing) Office Memorandum (OM) said that the president has sanctioned with effect from 1 July 2024 and till further orders, an ad-hoc relief allowance-2024 to all the federal government employees; i.e. armed forces, civil armed forces and civil employees of the federal government, as well as, the civilians paid from Defence estimates including contingent paid staff and contract employees employed against civil posts in Basic Pay Scales on standard terms and conditions of contract appointment.
The rate of ad-hoc relief allowance-2024 to grade 1-16 has been 25 percent of running basic pay, and for grade 17-22, 20 percent of running basic pay.
Federal govt employees: Up to 35pc ad hoc relief allowance notified
The amount of ad-hoc relief allowance-2024 will be subject to;(i) income tax; (ii) will be admissible during leave and entire period of LPR except during extraordinary leave; (iii) will not be treated as part of emoluments for the purpose of calculation of pension/ gratuity and recovery of house rent; (iv) will not be admissible to the employees during the tenure of their posting/ deputation abroad; and (v) will be admissible to the employees on their repatriation from posting/ deputation abroad at the rate and amount which would have been admissible to them had they not been posted abroad.
The term “basic pay” for the purpose of ad-hoc relief allowance will also include the amount of the personal pay granted on account of annual increment (s) beyond the maximum of the existing pay scales.
The ad-hoc relief allowance shall be accommodated from within the budgetary allocation for the year 2024-25 by the respective ministries/ divisions/ departments and no supplementary grants would be given on this account.
In another OM, the Finance Division noted that the President has sanctioned an increase 15 percent of net pension with effect from 1st July 2024 until further orders to all civil pensioners of the federal government including civilians paid from defence estimates, as well as, retired armed forces personnel and civil armed forces personnel.
The increase in pension of 15 percent will also be admissible to the pensioners who would retire on or after July 1, 2024 and for the purpose of admissibility of increase in pension sanctioned in this term “net pension” means “pension being drawn” minus “Medical Allowance”.
The increase will also be admissible on family pension granted under the pension-cum-gratuity scheme, 1954, liberalised pension rules, 1977, on pension sanctioned under the central civil services (Extra Ordinary Pension) rules as well as on the compassionate allowance under CSR-353. If the gross pension sanctioned by the federal government is shared with any government, the amount of the increase in pension will be apportioned between the federal government and the other government concerned on proportionate basis.
The increase in pension will not be admissible on special additional pension allowed in lieu of pre-retirement orderly allowance and monetised value of a driver or an orderly.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024