Maha govt gives family pension to employees in case of death in service

The Maharashtra government on Friday decided to give the option to avail one-time ex gratia or family pension to its employees in case of their death while in service.

The decision was taken in a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde here, official sources said. At present, under the National Pension System (NPS), there is a provision of ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of a state government employee in case of death while in service. The sources said if the option of family pension is availed, ex gratia payment will be scrapped.

The cabinet decision has come at a time when state government employees are on an indefinite strike since March 14 seeking restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), which under a staffer gets a monthly pension equivalent to 50 per cent his/her last drawn salary.

The contribution-based NPS was launched in January 2004.