Chandigarh 8th May, The PGI Employees Union thanks Dr. Yogesh Chawla, DPGI for releasing the long pending payment of commutation of pension of 37 employees retired between 31.10.2005 and 30.9.2006 and a sum of Rs. 1.10 crore has been released today. The cases of employees who have died in between are also under consideration and their families will be paid the payment of commutation very soon.
The longstanding demand was pending because the payment of commutation to PGI employees working under Punjab Pay Scales was reduced under PCS (Pension) Rules on an objection / para raised by o/o Pr. Auditor General, Chandigarh in 2006. The objection / para was wrongly made under the garb of UT employees who draw Punjab Pay Scales and are also are governed by Punjab Civil Service Rules whereas though, the PGI employees recruited prior to 12.9.1975 drew Punjab Pay Scales but were governed by Central Civil Service Rules. The Pr. A.G. objected the payment of commutation with factor of 9.0 and advised for payment with factor of 5.83 causing loss of lakhs of rupees to the employees.
The Union vigorously pursued the wrong and incorrect para raised by Pr. A.G., Chandigarh, which was ultimately withdrawn on 15.2.2007.
Though, the Pr. AG withdrew the objection / para on 15.2.2007 but the PGI management did not release the payment of commutation to eligible employees and in the meantime some of the employees died also. Some employees accepted commutation on reduced rates under duress.
Now, the Union took up the longstanding case with Dr. Yogesh Chawla, DPGI in the marathon meetings held on 12th and 19th April, 2012 and DPGI was pleased to accept the demand. Dr. Yogesh Chawla, DPGI has kept his words and released the payment / difference of payment of commutation to the tune of Rs. 1.10 crore to 37 employees.
This demand was part of strike held in April, 2008 which was ended after the kind intervention of Hon’ble High Court in PIL and later on it was the case was transferred to CAT, Chandigarh in TA No. 12 of 2010, which was pending consideration before it but will now become infructuous.