Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government has issued a fresh directive to ensure that eligible government employees receive their full pension on the day of their retirement.
Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja on Friday wrote a letter to all Additional Chief Secretaries / Principal Secretaries /Commissioner-cum-Secretaries in this connection.
The directive aligns with the provisions of the Odisha Civil Service Pension Rules, 1992, and previous instructions issued by the General Administration and Public Grievances Department, including circular no. 4028 of 12th December 2019.
Despite earlier guidelines, reports indicate lapses in compliance, prompting the government to emphasize the issue once again. Departments and pension-sanctioning officers have been instructed to streamline processes to facilitate timely pension payments.
In cases where departmental disciplinary actions or vigilance inquiries are pending against an employee, the concerned departments have been asked to resolve such matters promptly to avoid delays in pension disbursement.
Highlighting the administrative and humanitarian importance of this initiative, the government emphasized that ensuring pension disbursal on the retirement day reflects the efficiency of the respective departments and officials.
Departments have also been directed to report monthly data on the number of retiring employees who received their pension on time. This information is to be submitted to the Special Secretary of the General Administration and Public Grievances Department by the 7th of each subsequent month.
The state’s renewed focus on pension payment aims to reinforce accountability while honouring the contributions of retiring government employees.