Introduction of a new Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS) for the Gramin Dak Sevaks working in the Department of Posts.


No.6-11/2009-PE-II
Government of India
Ministry of Communications & IT
Department of Posts
(Establishment Division)
Dak Bhawan, Parliament Street
New Delhi-110001
1st September 2010

All Chief Postmaster General
Postmaster General
General Manager (Finance)
Directors of Accounts (Postal)

Sub: Introduction of a new Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS) for the Gramin
Dak Sevaks working in the Department of Posts.

Sir/Madam,

You may be aware that the Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority (PFRDA) has launched a New Pension Scheme called NPS-Lite for the benefit of Common man and workers in unorganized sectors. Using the same platform of NPS-Lite, a proposal for introduction of Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS) for the benefit of the Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS), working in this Department, on monthly contribution basis (from Department’s side only) has been under examination and consideration in this Department for quite some time. The Proposal has been approved by the Government for introducing Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS) for the Gramin Dak Sevaks in the Department of Posts, throughout the country. This scheme will, however, be offered in lieu of the existing Severance Amount scheme on an optional basis for the existing Gramin Dak Sevaks while it will be mandatory for the new Gramin Dak Sevaks entering into the service with effect from 1-1-2011. The existing scheme of payment of Ex-gratia Gratuity to the Gramin Dak Sevaks shall, however continue of the existing terms and conditions without any change,

2. The salient features of the proposed Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS)
are as under:

ELIGIBILITY TO JOIN THE SDB SCHEME

All regularly appointed Gramin Dak Sevaks, who have been selected after due process in accordance with the Service & Employment Rules and after rendering one year’s satisfactory service, are eligible to join the scheme. The existing Gramin Dak Sevaks who are left with three years or less service as on 01-01-2011, shall not be eligible to join the Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS).

OPTION FOR THE EXISTING INCUMBENTS
The existing regularly appointed Gramin Dak Sevaks on the date of notification of the Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS), shall have option either to switch over to the new Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS) or to continue in the existing Severance Amount Scheme. In case they opt to join the Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS), the Severance amount accrued till the date of their joining, @ Rs.1500 for every completed year of service till their enrolment will be added to the accumulated contributions at the time of discharge for annuitization.

NEW ENTRANTS

The New Gramin Dak Sevaks, appointed on or after the date of introduction of the Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS), shall mandatorily have to get themselves enrolled under the new Scheme (SDBS). The will not be entitled to receive the benefit of severance amount.


CONTRIBUTION

Only the Government shall contribute @ Rs.200 per month for each enrolled Gramin Dak Sevak. The Gramin Dak Sevaks shall not be required to make any contribution from their side under the scheme. The contributions made by the Department shall be credited to the Trustee Bank designated by the Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority (PFRDA) and invested through Pension Fund Managers(PFMs) designated by the PFRDA.

However, no such contribution/subscription shall be made by the Department in respect of the Gramin Dak Sevaks, who are placed ‘Put off” duty or unauthorizedly absent. Similarly, the provisionally appointed Gramin Dak Sevaks or substitutes engaged for leave periods of the regular GDS, etc., are also not eligible for joining the Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS).

ON APPOINTMENT/ABSORPTION OF A GRAMIN DAK IN A REGULAR DEPARTMENTAL POST

The Gramin Dak Sevaks, who are enrolled under this Service Discharge Benefit Scheme(SDBS), on their absorption/appointment in the Department against any regular Departmental posts, shall have to quit the Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS) and to seek transfer of the accrued accumulations under the SDBS till their date of absorption/regular appointment to a Departmental posts, to their new account under the New Pension Scheme for Departmental employees, already in existence, for which he/she shall become eligible on such regular appointment to a Departmental post. Such transferred funds/accumulations shall then be regulated / invested under the New Pension Scheme.

NODAL AGENCY

The pension Fund Regulatory Development Authority (PFRDA) is the Nodal Agency and Central Record Keeping Agency (CRA) appointed by the PFRDA will maintain the data/records as well as upload/transmit the data to the Trustee Bank and also advise the Trustee Bank to transfer the funds to the relevant Pension Fund Manager (PFM) for investment purposes.

ENROLMENT AND ASSIGNING PERMANENT RETIREMENT ACCOUNT NUMBER (PRAN)

(iii) The Gramin Dak Sevaks opting to come under the new
Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS), shall have to submit an application in the prescribed proforma for their enrolment in the Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS). Such applications for enrolment will be sent to the Postal Divisional Office concerned by the Sub Divisional Inspector/ASPOs., duly attested and verified as required.

(ii) The Divisional Heads (Director / Sr./Supdt. of Post offices
will collect all such applications, and ensure that the applications are complete in all respects and forward them to the Central Record Keeping Agency’s (CRA) Facilitation Centers for enrollment and issue of digitized card containing inter alia Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN) for Gramin Dak Sevak concerned. The list of Facilitation Centres of Central Record Keeping Agency (CRA) is attached, to which the Applications of Gramin Dak Sevaks who opt to join the Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS), are to be sent,

(iii) The Gramin Dak Sevaks opting for enrollment under the new SDBS, shall also be requited to open a Savings Bank Account in the concerned Post Office and the particulars of such SB Account shall be furnished in the relevant columns of the application form by the GDS.

EXIT FROM THE SERVICE DISCHARGE BENEFIT SCHEME(SDBS)

(i) A Gramin Dak Sevak, if he so wishes to exit at any point
of time after attaining the age of 58 years, he can withdraw 20% of the accumulations and has to invest the 80% of accumulations for purchase of Life Annuity from any of the Life Insurance Company authorised by Insurance Regulatory & Development Authority (IRDA) The Department shall not make further contributions once he exits from Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS)

(ii) At the time of discharge from service also, the Gramin
Dak Sevak would be required to invest a minimum of 40% of accumulations to purchase a Life Annuity from any of the authorised Life Insurance Company duly approved by the Insurance Regulatory & Development Authority (IRDA). The remaining amount i.e. 60% of the accumulations can be withdrawn.

(iii) However there shall be no restriction on purchase of life
annuity exceeding 40% of their accumulations in the fund. In other words, the Gramin Dak Sevak, discharged on completion of his services may invest in the Life Annuity even more than the minimum required 40% if he/she so desires.

DISMISSAL/FEMOVAL FROM SERVICE

If a Gramin Dak Sevak enrolled as a member of Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS) is removed/ dismissed from service in consequence of a disciplinary proceeding, he forfeits his past service and benefits of the Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS). On the other hand, the Department reserves the right to claim refund of the contributions made in respect of such Gramin Dak Sevak till his date of dismissal/ removal and to credit it to the Government accounts. He will also be not entitled to receive the Severance Amount and Ex-Gratia Gratuity if otherwise were admissible to him/her.

CHARGES FOR DIGITIZATION AND ANNUAL SERVICING CHARGES

The Department will bear the cost of preparation of digitized cards and also Annual Service Charges of the accounts of enrolled Gramin Dak Sevaks in the Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS).


3. The following course of action is required to be taken before launching and notifying the scheme.

Step-1

1)Obtaining options from the existing Gramin Dak Sevaks. Those who have opt to join the Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS), they have to submit on application form for registration (NL SL). The Divisional Heads (Sr./Superintendent of Post Offices) will circulate the scheme amongst all the regularly appointed Gramin Dak Sevaks and obtain options in the prescribed format and also applications from those who opt to join the Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS). The Sub-Divisional Inspectors and Assistant Superintendent of Post Offices have to be made responsible for disseminating the information and also helping the Gramin Dak Sevaks in filling the option form and also the application for registration.
1) For the Gramin Dak Sevaks Mailman working in RMS units, they will be attached to the designated Postal Division for purposes of collection centers. The concerned Divisional Heads of RMS units shall obtain the Applications from the opted GDS Mailman and forward them to the designated Postal Unit for consolidation and for onward submission to the Central Record Keeping Agency (CRA) Facilitation Centre.

2) The options of Gramin Dak Sevaks who do not intend to join the Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SBDS) have to be filed separately in a Guard File at Divisional Offices for reference at the time of discharge/ death for payment of severance amount.

3) The Divisional Heads (Director / Sr./Superintendent of Post Offices) have also to obtain applications in prescribed format from the new entrants of Gramin Dak Sevaks who have been recruited on or after the date of introduction of Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS) (after rendering one year service) and send the same to the concerned Central Record Keeping Agency (CRA) after due verification of Customer details for Registration and issue of digitized card.

Step-2

All the Postal Divisional offices (Senior Superintendent of Post offices) are required to enroll as Collection Centres (NLCC) and every Postal Division has to submit an application form in the format (NL N3) for registration with Central Record Keeping Agency (CRA) of Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority (PFRDA). These applications for registration have to be sent to concerned Director of Accounts (Postal) (designated accounting authority) for attestation by 15.09.2010

Step-3

All the Directors of Accounts (Postal) are designated as Accounting Authorities and Aggregator Offices. They have to register as Aggregator Offices (NLAO) by submitting an application in the prescribed form (NL N2). This application form (NL N2) along with applications of Collecting Centres (NLCC) received from Divisional Heads (Senior Superintendent of Post offices) after due attestation have to be submitted to Directorate by 25-09-2010

Step-4

The Postal Directorate will be the Overseeing office and it will register with Central Record Keeping Agency (CRA) by submitting an application in form (NLOO). The applications of Collection Centres (NLCC) and Accounts Offices (NLAO) shall be consolidated and sent to Central Record Keeping Agency (CRA) by the Directorate for purpose of registration.

4. The salient features of the Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS) as detailed above along with specimen format of application (NL SL) and Collection Centers (NLCC) should be sent to all the Divisional Heads (Sr./ Superintendent of Post Offices) for circulation amongst the Gramin Dak Sevaks working in their Divisions and directing them to submit an option on or before 30.09.2010. Option format is enclosed.

5. If the Gramin Dak Sevaks fail to submit their options by the prescribed date, they will be deemed to have opted to continue in the existing Severance Amount scheme. Option exercised once shall be final and cannot be revised at any later date. For the Gramin Dak Sevaks mailman working in the RMS units, the option will be obtained from them by the concerned Divisional Head (Director / Sr./ Superintendent of RMS) and send the applications in NLSL format after due authorization to the designated Postal Division.

6. The Gramin Dak Sevaks who opt for the Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS) have to submit their applications in the format NL SL filling the same and submit to Divisional Superintendent of Post Offices for verification of the customer details and for authentication and certification. The Gramin Dak Sevaks opt to join the Service Discharge Benefit Scheme(SDBS) will have to open a Savings Bank Account in the concerned Post Office and the particulars of the Account Number have to be mentioned in the respective columns of application. The applications received from the Gramin Dak Sevaks have to be sent to concerned Central Record Keeping Agency (CRA) Facilitation Centers for registration, assigning and generation of Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN) and issue of digitized cards to the enrolled Gramin Dak Sevak subscribers. The list of Facilitation Centres of Central Record Keeping Agency (CRA) duly mapped Division-wise to which the applications are to be sent for each Circle is enclosed. It should be ensured that, the applications are properly verified and sent in bundles to the designated Central Record Keeping Agency (CRA) facilitation centre. Each bundle has to contain 50 applications with an inventory indicating the name of Gramin Dak Sevaks, designation etc.

7. Before launching the Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS) and issuing formal notification by the Directorate, all the Divisional Heads (Director /Sr./Superintendent of Post offices) will designate a Nodal Officer for this purpose for obtaining options and collection of applications in format NL SL and for registration of Collection Centers (Divisional Office).

8. The following documents are enclosed:

1) Options format to be obtained from Gramin Dak Sevaks
2) Subscriber’s registration form (NL S1)
3) Collection Centers Registration Form (NLN3)
4) Account Offices Registration Form (NLN2)
5) List of Facilitation centres of Central Record Keeping Agency (CRA) for sending filled in application forms by Divisions.

9. Time Schedule for completion of the process prescribed is as below:

Sl.No.
Course of action
Time Schedule by which action to be completed.
1. Collection of Options from Gramin Dak Sevaks & Obtaining applications from willing Gramin Dak Sevaks to join Service Discharge Benefit Scheme(SDBS)
30-09-2010
2. Despatch of Applications obtained from Gramin Dak Sevaks to the concerned facilitation centres of Central Record Keeping Agency (CRA) by the Divisional offices.
10-10-2010
3. Dispatch of Application form NL-CC by Divisional heads to concerned DA(P)
15-09-2010
4. Despatch of completed and authorised NL-CC Application and NL-AO applications to Directorate by DAP
25-09-2010

10. The Circle Office will also designate a Nodal officer for overseeing the above activity and for interacting with the Directorate. After the expiry of last date fixed for obtaining applications, the Circle office will collect the information from the respective divisions and forward the compliance report in the following format to reach Directorate by 10-10-2010.

Sl.No.
Name of Division
No. of Gramin Dak Sevks opted for joining the Service Discharge Benefit Scheme(SDBS)
No. of Gramin Dak Sevaks opted for continuing in the severance amount scheme.
No. of Gramin Dak Sevaks who have not submitted options but deemed to have opted to continue in the severance amount scheme.

11. The General managers(FA)/Director of Accounts Posts will be also designate a Nodal officer for obtaining the applications from the postal divisions (Collection centre) and for forwarding the applications after due outhorization along with the application of DAP in form NL—AO to Directorate by 25-09-2010 positively.

12. The formal notification for introducing Service Discharge Benefit (SDBS) Operating and accounts Procedure will be issued separately. The contributions for opted Gramin Dak Sevaks will be done only after issue of formal Notification and issue of instructions from Directorate.

13. The receipt of this letter may kindly be acknowledged to the ADG (Establishment).

Yours faithfully,


(A.K. Sharma)
Dy. Director General (Estt)