Madhya Pradesh High Court

Smt. Savita Kacchi vs The State Of Madhya Pradesh Judgement ... on 7 May, 2013
W.P.NO. 9839/2011 (S)

7.5.2013

Shri K.N. Pethia, learned counsel for the petitioner.

Smt. Sheetal Dubey, learned Govt. Advocate for respondent

State.

Grievance   put­forth   by   the   petitioner   in   the   present
petition is against non­grant of family pension in lieu of death
of   her   husband   employed   as   Helper   on   regular   contingency
establishment   in   the   department   of   Public   Health   and
Engineering who expired on 23.12.2010.

Husband   of  the   petitioner  was   initially  appointed   in  the
Public Health & Engineering Department on 1.12.1977 on daily­
wages.  Thereafter, w.e.f. 9.2.2005 he was brought in the regular
work­charged establishment as Helper.   While discharging his
duties   as   Helper   on   regular   work­charged   establishment.
Husband of the petitioner died while in service on 23.12.2010.
After   his   death,   petitioner   approached   the   authorities   for
settlement   of   retrial   dues   including   family   pension.     The
request of the petitioner for grant of family pension was turned
down by the respondents on the ground that since her husband
has   not   rendered   10   years   of   service   in   the   regular   work­
charged establishment and has thus not qualified for pension
under   Madhya   Pradesh   (Work   Charged   &   Contingency   Paid
Employees) Pension Rules, 1979; therefore, she is not entitled
for family pension.   Aggrieved of the denial of family pension
the petitioner has filed this petition.
It   is   contended   that   the   respondents   have   misconstrued
the provisions of Rules of 1979 in denying the family pension
which she is entitled for as per provisions contained under Rule
4 A.  It is further contended that for grant of family pension the
requirement of minimum 10 years of service in regular work­
charged establishment is not necessary and if a person engaged
on   a   regular   work­charged   establishment   even   for   a   day   his
dependent would be entitled for family pension  in case of his
death while in service.

Respondents   on   their   turn   embedded   to   the   stand   that
petitioner   is   not   entitled   for   family   pension   because   her
husband  did not  render qualifying  service  of  10  years  as  per
Rule 6 of the Rules of 1979.  It is urged that since the petitioner
has   no   right   for   family   pension   the   petition   deserves   to   be
dismissed.

Rule   4   A   of   the   Rules   of   1979   and   Rule   6   thereof
respectively provide for:

"4 A.   Not withstanding anything contained in rule 4
the family of a permanent employee, who dies while
in service or after retirement on pension on or after
the 1st April 1981 shall be entitled to family pension at
the rate of 30% of his/her pay drawn at the time of
death/retirement subject to minimum, of Rs.40/­ per
month and maximum of Rs.100/­ per month subject
to other conditions of Rule 47 of Madhya Pradesh Civil
Services (Pension) Rules, 1976 except sub­rule (3) of
the said Rules.

6. Commencement   of   qualifying   service.­   (1)
Subject to the provisions of Chapter III of the Madhya
Pradesh Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1976 or section
IV of the Madhya Pradesh New Pension Rules, 1951 as
the case may be, for calculating qualifying service of a
permanent employee who retires as such, the service
rendered   with   effect   from   the   1st  January,   1959
onwards shall be counted.

(2) On   absorption   of   a   permanent   employee
without interruption against any regular pensionable
post, the service rendered with effect from 1st January,
1959 onward shall be counted for pension as if such
service was rendered in a regular post.
(3) On absorption of temporary employee without
interruption against any regular pensionable post, the
service   rendered   with   effect   from   1st  January,   1974
onwards, if such service is of less than six years shall
be counted for pension as if such service was rendered
in a regular post.

When the aforesaid two Rules are read together, it is clear
as crystal that the provisions which govern the family pension
has a different field of operation than the provisions regarding
pension   to   an   employee   who   retires   from   the   work­charged
establishment and are governed by Rule 6 of Rules of 1979.

By   virtue   of  Rule  4   A  the   provisions   as  contained   under
Rule   47   of   the   M.P.   Civil   Services   (Pension)   Rules,   1976   are
attracted.  The said Rule provides for

47. Contributory   Family   Pension.   -   (1)   The
provisions of this rule shall apply:­

(a) to   a   Government   servant   entering   service   in   a
pensionable   establishment   or   on   after   1st  April
1966, and

(b) to a Government servant who was in service on 31st
March,   1966   and   came   to   be   governed   by   the
provisions of the Family Pension Scheme for State
Government   Employees,   1966   contained   in
Government   of   Madhya   Pradesh   Finance
Department memo No. 1963/C.R903­IV­R. II dated
17th August, 1966 as in force immediately before the
commencement of these rules.
(2) Subject   to   the   provision   of   sub­rule   (5)   and
without prejudice to the provisions contained in sub­
rule (3), where a Government servant dies­

(a) during   the   period   of   service   he   was   found
medically fit at the time of appointment,

(b) after retirement from service and was on the date
of death in receipt of a pension or compassionate
allowance, referred to in Chapter V other than the
pension referred to in Rule 34, on the date of death,
the   family   of   the   deceased   shall   be   entitled   to   a
contributory   family   pension   (hereinafter   in   this
rule referred to as Family pension) the amount of
which shall be determined as follows:­

Pay of Government Servant Amount   of   monthly
Family Pension

(i) Below Rs.400 30   per   cent.   Of   pay
subject to minimum of
Rs.60   and   a   maximum
of Rs.100.

(ii) Rs.400   and   above   but 15   per   cent   of   pay
not exceeding Rs.1200. subject to minimum of
Rs.100 and a maximum
of Rs.160.

(iii) Above Rs.1200 12   per   cent.   Of   pay
subject   to   a   minimum
of   Rs.160   and   a
maximum of Rs.250.

A harmonious reading of Rule 4 A of Rules, 1979 and Rule
47 (2) (a) of Rules, 1976 would fresco that if a person employed
in a regular work­charged establishment dies while in service,
his family cannot be deprived of the pension which it would be
entitled for by virtue of Rule 4 A  of Rules, 1979.

In   view   of   above   the   decision   taken   by   the   respondent
authority depriving the petitioner of the family pension on the
anvil that her husband did not complete 10 years of service in
regular work­charged establishment is without any basis and is
hereby set aside.  The respondents are directed to settle family
pension   in   favour   of   the   petitioner   within   a   period   of   three
months   from   the   date   of   communication   of   this   order.
Petitioner would also be entitled for interest at the rate of 6%
from the date of entitlement till final payment.

In   the   result   petition   is   allowed   to   the   extent   above.
However, no costs.

(SANJAY YADAV)
J U D G E
Vivek Tripathi