FINANCE (PENSION) DEPARTMENT
G.O.Ms.No.8, Dated 5th January, 2024
(Sobakiruthu, Margazhi-20, Thiruvalluvar Aandu 2054)
ABSTRACT
Pongal Festival, 2024 Grant of Pongal Prize to ‘C’ and ‘D’ Group Pensioners / All Family Pensioners – Orders – Issued.
Read the following:-
1. G.O.Ms.No.374, Finance (Pension) Department, dated: 26-12-2022.
2. G.O.Ms.No.7, Finance (Allowances) Department, dated: 05-01-2024.
ORDER:
The Government sanction a lumpsum Pongal Prize amount of Rs.500/- (Rupees Five Hundred only) to all Government Pensioners who retired from the categories of ‘C’ and ‘D’ Group (‘C’ and ‘D’ Group of Scales of Pay (Ordinary Grade) is annexed to this order) including all ‘C’ and ‘D’ Group of Pensioners of Aided Educational Institutions, Local Bodies, Ex-Village Establishment (Ex-Village Officers and Village Servants / Assistants), Ad-hoc Pensioners of all categories (Pensioners those who are drawing Special Pension of Rs.2,000/- with effect from 1-10-2017 i.e. Noon Meal Organisers, Anganwadi Workers, Mini Anganwadi Workers, Cooks, Cook Assistants, Anganwadi Helpers, Panchayat Secretaries, Village Librarian, Sweepers / Sanitary Workers / Scavengers, Plot Watchers, Anti-poaching Watchers, Police Station Cleaners, Ayah) and to all Family Pensioners irrespective of the Groups from which the Pensioners / Deceased Government employee had retired/ died while in service.
2. This order shall also be applicable to all ‘C’ and ‘D’ Group provisional pensioners. The Pongal Prize amount shall not be admissible to those employees who retire on or after 05-01-2024.
3. Those who have retired/died in harness on or after 01.10.2022 are not eligible for the Pongal Prize amount if they are paid Adhoc Bonus as per the orders issued in the Government Order second read above. For this purpose, the Pension Disbursing Officers shall obtain non-drawal certificates from the departments concerned before making payment to these Pensioners.
4. This order is not applicable to the following categories of pensioners:-
(i) Special Pensioners such as Ulema Pensioners, State Freedom Fighters Pensioners and Social Pension for Scholars and Eminent persons, etc.
(ii) Family Pensioners who are appointed on compassionate grounds if adhoc bonus/special adhoc bonus is paid to them as applicable to the employees in service.
(iii) All Pensioners who retired from Group ‘A’ and ‘B’ posts including All India Service Officers and Officers governed by University Grants Commission (UGC) / All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Regulations.
5. The Government also direct that the procedure indicated below shall be followed for disbursement of Pongal Prize amount in respect of Pensioners/Family Pensioners coming under the Pension Pilot Scheme.
(i) In respect of those Pensioners /Family Pensioners to whom pension/family pension is sent by Money Order at Government cost, the Pongal prize amount also shall be sent by Money Order at the Government cost.
(ii) In respect of Pensioners/Family Pensioners to whom pension/family pension is paid through Banks,
(a) In Pension Pay Office, Chennai and District Treasuries/Sub-Treasuries where the cheque system of payment of bills/Electronic Clearing System is in vogue, the Pension Pay Officer, Chennai and District Treasury Officers/Sub Treasury Officers are permitted to issue cheques and send the cheques to the respective paying branches of the bank with a covering list of Pensioners/Family Pensioners for crediting the amount to the pensioners’/family pensioners’ savings bank account.
(b) As regards Banking Sub-Treasuries where the cheque system of payment of bills/Electronic Clearing System is not in vogue, the Sub-Treasury Officers are permitted to get Banker’s cheque/Bank draft and send them to the respective Pensioners for crediting the amount to the pensioners’/family pensioners’ savings bank account.
6. In respect of Pensioners /Family Pensioners for whom expenditure is met from State Consolidated Fund, the expenditure shall be debited to the following Head of Account:-
“2071. Pensions and Other Retirement Benefits 01. Civil – 800. Other Expenditure State’s Expenditure- AF. Pongal Prize to Pensioners and Family Pensioners 327. Pensions- 09.Others.
IFHRMS: (D.P.C. 2071 01 800 AF 32709)”.
In respect of payment of Pongal Prize to Ex-Village Officers, the expenditure shall be debited to the following Head of Account:-
“2071. Pensions and Other Retirement Benefits-01.Civil- 800.Other Expenditure State’s Expenditure AK. Other Expenditure Pongal Prize to Ex-Village Officers 327. Pensions-09. Others.
IFHRMS: (D.P.C.2071 01 800 AK 32709)”
7. In respect of Pensioners (‘C’ and ‘D’ Group)/Family Pensioners of Local Bodies for whom expenditure is met from the fund maintained by the Director ofLocal Fund Audit or Municipal Funds, as the case may be, the expenditure shall be met from the respective funds. In respect of Special Pensioners of Noon Meal Organisers, Anganwadi Workers, Mini Anganwadi Workers, Cooks, Cook Assistants and Anganwadi Helpers, the Block Development Officers / Child Development Project Officer concerned shall debit the expenditure under the head of account mentioned in para-6 above.
8. The Pongal Prize amount sanctioned above shall be paid to the eligible Pensioners/Family Pensioners and Ex-Village Officers immediately.
9. Necessary provisions have been made under the relevant head of account in Budget Estimate 2023-2024.
(BY ORDER OF THE GOVERNOR)
PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT