Subject: Non-payment/Delay in payment of retirement benefits on account of delay in verification of caste certificate in respect of retiring employees.
Undersigned is directed to say that instructions/ orders have been issued by Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT) from time to time for timely initiation/ completion of verification of caste certificate of the employees.
In spite of these instructions, completion of verification of caste certificate is inordinately delayed and in many cases, the verification is not completed even till the retirement of the employee and pensionary/retirement benefits of such employees are not released till the completion of caste certificate.
2, This issue has also been raised before the parliamentary committee on the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and the Committee has taken serious note of the same. The Committee has directed to sensitize the concerned Ministries/ Departments/ organizations about the need for timely completion of Completion of verification of caste certificate and also for timely release of pensionary benefits to the employees in respect of whom verification of caste certificate is delayed due to administrative reasons or lapse
3. The matter has been examined in the department in accordance with Rule 9 & Rule 69 of the Central Civil Service (Pension) Rules 1972, provisional pension may be sanctioned to an employee against whom any departmental or judicial proceedings are pending at the time of retirement. In that case, no guarantee shall be be paid till the conclusion of the departmental or judicial proceedings and issues of final orders there on. The Central Civil Service (Pension ) Rules 1972 are instructions/guidelines issued by the department, however do not provide for withholding of the retirement benefits under any other circumstances, including on account of pending verification of caste status of the employee.
4. All the ministries/Departments are therefore advised to ensure that the verification of the caste certificate of employees is completed expeditiously.
