Minutes of National Pension System (NPS) Committee Meeting on 17.03.2017.

A meeting of Pension Committee and JCM (Staff Side) held on 17.03.2017 regarding streamlining implementation of the National Pension System (NPS).

DOP&T letter no. 57/1/2016-P&PW(B) dated 23.03.2017

Subject: Minutes of the meeting of the Committee to suggest measures for streamlining implementation of the National Pension System (NPS) held on 17.03.2017 -reg.

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee to suggest measures for streamlining implementation of the National Pension System (NPS) held under the Chairmanship of Secretary (Pension) on 17.03.2017 at Sardar Patel Bhawan, New Delhi is hereby forwarded for information and further necessary action.

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Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee to suggest measures for streamlining implementation of the National Pension System (NPS) held on 17.03.2017 at Sardar Patel Bhawan, New Delhi

A meeting of the Committee to suggest measures for streamlining the implementation of the National Pension System was held under the Chairmanship of Shri C. Viswanath, Secretary (Pension) on 17.03.2017 at Sardar Patel Bhawan, New Delhi with JCM ( Staff side). The following were present:

Official side
1. Ms. Vandana Sharma, Additional Secretary (Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare).
2. Shri Gyanendra Tripathi, Joint Secretary, Department of Personnel & Training (representing Secretary DoPT).
3. Shri G.S. Yadav, Joint Secretary and Legal Advisor, Department of Legal  Affairs).
4. Shri Amar Nath Singh, Director, Department of Expenditure (representing JS (Pers), Deptt. Of Expenditure).
5. Dr. B. S. Bhandari, Member, Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority.
6. Shri Pravesh Kumar, DGM, PFRDA.

JCM (Staff Side)
7. Shri Shiva Gopal Mishra, Secretary, Staff Side (JCM),
8. Shri M. Raghavaiah, Leader(JCM Staff Side) & General Secretary, NFIR
9. Shri Guman Singh, President, NFIR
10. Shri K.K. N. Kutty, President, Confederation of CG employees & Workers
11. Shri C. Srikumar, General Secretary/AIDEF, Member National Council, JCM
12. Shri R. Srinivasan, General Secretary, INDWF, Member, National Council (JCM).

2. Additional Secretary (Pension) made a brief presentation on the recommendation of the 7th CPC and the decision of the Government on setting up of the Committee, composition of the Committee, formation of three Sub Committees and issues being considered by each of the Sub Committee. The presentation also brought out the issues raised and suggestion made by the employees’ Associations and other stakeholders for streamlining the implementation of NPS.

3. Thereafter, JCM (Staff side) made following observations / suggestion :

  • NPS amounts to discrimination between employees appointed before and after  01.01.2004 and also between service personnel and civilian employees within Defence Department. Personnel retiring with less service period are getting very  little pension with no revision linked to price index. Government employees should be excluded from the purview of NPS. In case, however  it was not possible to exempt the Government employees from the NPS, a minimum pension @ 50% of the last pay drawn with dearness relief may be ensured to all NPS employees on their retirement.
  • In the Defence Department, the contributions of around 250 employees have not been credited to their NPS accounts and are presumed to be lying in suspense account. The matter should be looked into.
  • There is lot of confusion over NPS among employees due to deficiencies in communication of information. Employees are not getting any statement of their deductions/accumulated fund. The  statement of transaction i.e. details of contribution made by employees, matching contribution  from the Government and the accumulated wealth as on date should be communicated to employees at regular intervals. This may be provided in the form of passbook to the employees in physical  form.
  • Employees  should be made aware about the grievance mechanism available under NPS and the authorities whom they could approach for redressal of their grievances. Employees should be made aware of the procedure for correction of Name, address and contact details  etc.  in the NPS account.
  • Rules on entitlements to employees / family on death or disability of an employee covered  under NPS  may  be framed.  There may be no objection to giving an option to the employee / family to get family pension / disability pension under the old  pension  scheme  or  the  benefits under NPS,  in  the  event  of  death  I disability of the employee  during service.
  • Study on International practices  on the pension  should   be done  and functional difficulties  in NPS may be sorted out. Best practices should  be adopted after the study.
  1. Secretary  (Pension) assured  that  the  concern  raised  by the  JCM  (Staff  side) would be duly  considered and addressed in the report of the Committee.
  1. The meeting ended with a vote of thanks to the Chair.

Signed Copy of the letter is attached below:



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