Revision of Media Post rates of advertisement under various activities/services under Media Post

 Revision of Media Post rates of advertisement under various activities/services under Media Post

Read More ->>

Model Representation 19. Draft on contributory negligence Another interesting draft

 Model Representation 19. Draft on contributory negligence Another interesting draft

One major SB fraud had taken place in one BO and the fraud was unearthed after 13 years. Later, in order to recover the amount, one SPM who was officiating was identified as a subsidiary offender to recover the loss sustained to the Department. Inspecting officers were untouched. This was the reply submitted on that occasion.

Sub: Submission of explanation in lieu of identification of subsidary offender and recovery of loss sustained by the department - Reg. 

I pray to submit the following for your benign consideration with fervent hope of getting justice in response to the letter cited under Reference which was communicated to me on …. 

Sir, Kindly permit me to begin this as an intra about me and a gist of the erstwhile events till date, which I believe would be of immense help to your good self  in comprehending my issue.

I had worked as SPM, ………. SO during the period from …………2015 to ……….2016 to the maximum tune of only 9 months.

The Fraud was said to be committed from 2004 to 02.11.2017 in ……… BO a/w ……… SO by Sri……… GDSMD(POD) for almost 13 years. This may be kindly taken note of.

 Non adherence to the principals of Natural Justice :

Vide my representation dated ……...2021, 1 I’ve prayed the benign SPOS to ponder over and introspect the below mentioned documents in original based on the procedural lapses leveled against me.

1.    SB-Cards(Account opening form),SB-7A(Closure form) for the Account numbers ……….,……,……,……

2.    Inspection report of ………. B.O for the year 2015, 2016, conducted by Sub divisional inspector/ASP/Divisional Head.

Vide the D.O letter cited under Ref2, Only the SB-7 Voucher pertains to the withdrawal allowed in RD Account no…………. for Rs 3000 dated ……...2015 is provided for my perusal and the other documents like SB-Card for the half withdrawal RD Accounts ………………….,which I have sought to introspect is not provided to me with a mere remark that it has got no relevancy to the show cause notice issued by this office letter dated ………….2021.

Since procedural lapses against me, I have the right to introspect the documents which are also directly/indirectly related to the cause of fraud.. The inspection report of ……….BO for the previous years of 2015,2016 is also not provided. When the timely verification of passbooks during MO visit/Sub divisional head visits also could have averted the loss caused to the department.

As per DG(P) No. 17-3/2006 – Inv dated 08.09.2006, the identification of offenders in fraud case should be done with due care in a just and equitable manner. All the officials who are responsible should be identified as offenders keeping in view their responsibility/role in the case and no one should be allowed to go scot-frees. This indicates that I have become a scapegoat in this case while the other authorities were allowed to go scot free.

As per Rule 37 of P&T Manual Volume III, if the charged official requested to access the relevant document, it should be provided and in case of any rejection, it should be reasoned. Hence the version of competent authority is against the rule 37 of P&T Manual Volume III  has not stated any reasons and merely rejected the perusal of other vital documents stating it has got no relevancy to the show cause notice issued.

This is against to the principles of natural justice. This amounts to denial of reasonable opportunity and denial of natural justice.

Denial of Procedural lapses

At the outset I deny all the procedural lapses leveled against me vide the entire charges framed against me F/VII/1/……./dlgs dated at ……… the …….2021.In this context I humbly putforth the following facts :

1. On ……..2016 I had closed the RD accounts bearing Account no…………. of the same person Name:……… as per rules envisaged in the POSB(CBS) Manual Volume Rule no:81. Since SB-3 Card is not traceable I had obtained the revised SB-3 Card with supportive documents (Voter id) as per the Appendix XII in lieu of Know your customer(KYC) as per the POSB(CBS) Manual Volume.

 While persuing the documents in the Division office it has come to the notice that two RD Passbooks has been issued for the same RD Account no:……….. in the year 2013 .One RD passbook was issued with amount, date stamp impression, and SPM Signature on the date …….2013. For that Passbook only I had passed the closed warrant after obtaining KYC documents duly signed by the Customer, attested by the BPM and with impression of date stamp of Branch office .

On subsequent date of RD new account opening for the account no: ………… i.e on ……..2013, one duplicate RD Passbook has been issued for the same account no:……… bearing date stamp impression of ……...2013 without SPM Signature. It has been noted as Duplicate Passbook.

If the inspection authorities checked the stock balance of pass books  on the inspection date  as per the SO inspection questionnaire 2018 Point no:49(b) then it would have come to light in the year 2013 itself.

2. It is evident after perusing the Documents that the RD Account no: ……………. has been prematurely closed as per the instructions enshrined in the POSB(CBS) Manual Volume Rule no:81 (5) duly verifying the signature and other parameters procedurally.
3. As per instructions stipulated in the POSB (CBS) Manual volume Rule no:76 I had passed the half value withdrawal for the RD Account numbers : ………………………. duly comparing the signature. Mail overseer had verified the BO Journal on ………...2016 and Inspector of Post offices had inspected and duly signed the BO Journal on ……….2016. This may be kindly taken note of sir.
4. In respect of SB Account no:…………. withdrawal was allowed by the BPM ,Alambadi BO for Rs 5000 in the date ……..2016 & ……...2016 subsequently with in his Branch office withdrawal limit. In the show cause notice under the nature of lapses column it has been mentioned that failed to make special error entry. SB account no: ……… was opened on ………2015 and the annual interest due date is 31.03.2016 then where comes the necessity of mentioning the Said account number in the Special error book entry in the January month itself. .The mentioned procedural lapse is not in consonance with the rules.
5. I had checked the signature of BPM and Date stamp of BO daily accounts. As per the tenor of rules daily account should be signed by the BPM and the same has been found correct for all the days.

This indicates that the procedural lapses are void and defective. The lapses framed are not in consonance with the rule quoted and hence on this ground the lapses shall be set aside. The procedural lapses are in ostensive in nature and not in consonance of violation of any specific rules . The charges are vague and in presumptive in nature only with the intention to make me as a scapegoat in this case. I submit that the charges leveled should be based on violation of specific rules and thus it should be treated as vague and non sustainable as per the rules and also law of the land.

As per DG P&T No. 114/176/78 – Disc II dated 13.02.1981, it is emphasized that the disciplinary authority merely established certain lapses on the part of the government servant without explaining the facts leading to the loss and the manner in which the lapses on the part of the government servant had a link with the loss sustained to the department is not lawful. Violation of rules is a must and charges cannot be framed on presumption and assumption. Therefore it is absolutely necessary to mention the rules constituting the misconduct as the sole purpose of the charge is to make the charged official in clear terms what is the allegation against him and how it led the charges etc.

Therefore, it humbly requested the benign and renowned SSPOs that the procedural lapses leveled against me may kindly be dropped and favorable orders may please be issued.

 

Courtesy : /yourskayveeyes.blogspot.com

Read More ->>

PO & RMS Accountants Examination, 2024 scheduled to be held on 08.12.2024 clarification regarding eligibility of PA SBCO who merged in PA (PO) Cadre.

 PO & RMS Accountants Examination, 2024 scheduled to be held on 08.12.2024 clarification regarding eligibility of PA SBCO who merged in PA (PO) Cadre.

Read More ->>

EASE OF LIVING FOR THE PENSIONERS THROUGH DIGITAL EMPOWERMENT: DLC CAMPAIGN 3.0 ACHIEVES MILESTONES IN SECOND WEEK

 PRESS NEWS

MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS

EASE OF LIVING FOR THE PENSIONERS THROUGH DIGITAL EMPOWERMENT: DLC CAMPAIGN 3.0 ACHIEVES MILESTONES IN SECOND WEEK

MASSIVE RESPONSE AND ENTHUSIASM ACROSS ALL STATES IN NATIONWIDE DLC CAMPAIGN 3.0, MORE THAN 77 LACS DIGITAL LIFE CERTIFICATES GENERATED ACROSS THE COUNTRY BY THE END OF 2ND WEEK OF LAUNCH OF DLC CAMPAIGN3.0

24 LACS DLCS I.E MORE THAN 34 % OF DLCS GENERATED THROUGH FACE AUTHENTICATION

 

Posted On: 18 NOV 2024 10:58AM by PIB Delhi

 

Jeevan Pramaan is the vision of the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi for Digital Empowerment of Pensioners. All key stakeholders – Pension disbursing banks, Department of Pensions and Pensioners Welfare, Controller General of Defence Accounts, Ministry of Railways, Department of Telecom, Department of Posts, IIPB, UIDAI and Pensioners Welfare Associations are working with whole of government approach to realise the vision of Digital Empowerment of Pensioners.

 

Department of Pensions and Pensioners Welfare launched the Nation-wide Digital Life Certificate Campaign 3.0 for Digital Empowerment of Pensioners at National Media Center, New Delhi on 6^th November 2024. The DLC Campaign 3.0 is being held in 800 cities/ towns of India from November 1-30, 2024. 1575 camps have been held from November 1-17, 2024 in 800 cities/districts, 1.8 lac postmen deployed across the country.

In this campaign, the Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare is putting all efforts to create awareness amongst all pensioners regarding DLC-Face Authentication technique by way of banners / posters placed strategically in offices and all Bank Branches / ATMs. All Banks have created a team of dedicated staff at their branches having downloaded the desired apps in their smart phones who are using this technology extensively for submission of Life Certificates by the pensioners. In case, the pensioners are not able to visit the Branches due to old age/illness/weakness, the Bank officials are also visiting their homes/hospitals for the above purpose.

 

The Pensioners’ Welfare Associations are extending their full support to the Campaign. Their representatives are motivating the pensioners to visit the nearby Camp locations and submit their DLCs. The officials from Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare are also visited major locations through-out the Country to assist pensioners in use of various digital modes to submit their Life Certificates and monitoring the progress very closely.

 

As a result, Digital Life Certificate (DLC) Campaign 3.0 has made remarkable progress by the end of 2nd second week, achieving significant milestones in its mission to bring convenience and accessibility to pensioners across the nation. The campaign has successfully generated over 77 lacs Digital Life Certificates by the end of 2nd week of launch of the 3.0 Campaign, out of which about 1,77,153 pensioners above 90 years old and 17,212 pensioners between 80 – 90 years category could submit their DLCs from the comfort of their home/locations/offices/branches. This incredible momentum underscores the commitment of our pensioners, banking institutions, and government agencies towards a digitally empowered India. A lot of excitement has been observed amongst all the stakeholders, particularly sick / very old pensioners at all the locations.

 

KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CAMPAIGN INCLUDE:

 

• Mega Camps: As part of the Campaign, 4 Mega camps have been organized, 2 in Delhi (4-5 November), 1 in Bengaluru (8 November) and 1 in Hyderabad (12 November) involving all stakeholders. Secretary PPW participated in all these camps and encouraged pensioners to adopt digital modes of submission of LCs.
• Bank-wise Achievements: SBI and PNB are leading the Campaign by generating more than 9 lacs DLCs by the end of 2nd week of the month-long Campaign, while Canara Bank and Central Bank of India registered impressive performances by generating 1 lacs and 57,000 DLCs respectively.
• State-Wise Progress: Maharashtra led the way with over 10 lacs certificates generated, followed by Tamilnadu and West Bengal 6 lacs each. Uttar Pradesh has also done well with more than 5 lacs DLCs.
• Departmental Contributions: The Defence Department stood out with a 21 lacs DLCs, while the Telecom Department generated an impressive 3.1 lacs DLCs. Civil Departments also contributed significantly with over 3.4 lacs certificates generated.
• IPPBs Performance: IPPB generated 4.4 lacs DLCs by the end of 2^nd week of the campaign. IPPB has played key role in delivering doorstep delivery of services.
• Face Authentication: Advanced authentication methods such as Face Recognition contributed to 24 lacs certificates, making up 34% of the total DLCs generated. There is 204 times increase in DLCs submitted through Face Authentication under DLC Campaign 3.0.

This campaign is a testament to DoPPW’s unwavering commitment to harnessing digital tools for the benefit of every pensioner. All stakeholders extended their full support to this campaign. This momentum shall continue to make DLC Campaign 3.0 a historic success. NKR/AG/KS (Release ID: 2074158) 

Read More ->>

Victory for Pensioners !: Recovery of Commutation of Pension Ends After 12 Years ! – CAT Mumbai Interim Order Grants Pensioners a Major Relief

CAT, Mumbai Grants Interim Relief to Pensioners: Recovery of Commutation of Pension Stopped After 12 Years

Recovery of Commuted Portion of Pension after 12 Years

CAT Mumbai Interim Order

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Mumbai, has granted interim relief to a group of pensioners from the Department of Posts, directing the authorities to stop recovering the commuted portion of their pensions after they have completed 12 years of retirement.

The applicants contended that the commuted amount of their pensions has already been recovered within 12 years, and further recovery beyond this period is unwarranted. They cited recommendations from the 5th Central Pay Commission, which suggested reducing the restoration period of commuted pensions to 12 years. They also pointed out precedents where state governments such as Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh implemented similar reductions in the recovery period.

The respondents opposed the plea, stating that the pensioners had voluntarily opted for commutation, fully aware of the 15-year recovery rule under Rule 10A of the CCS (Commutation of Pension) Rules, 1981. They also argued that challenging this statutory rule after more than four decades was barred by limitation.

The tribunal, however, observed that the respondents had not provided a convincing explanation as to why recovery should continue beyond 12 years if the commuted pension is already recovered. It noted that similar interim relief had been granted in other cases, including by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, where such recovery was deemed excessive.

As a result, the CAT, Mumbai, ordered the cessation of further recovery for specific applicants who have completed 12 years since their retirement. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on December 19, 2024.

Summary of Case: OA No. 860/2024

A group of pensioners from the Department of Posts filed an Original Application (OA No. 860/2024) before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Mumbai, seeking interim relief regarding the recovery of commuted pension. The applicants argue that recovery should cease after 12 years of retirement, instead of the currently prescribed 15 years under Rule 10A of the CCS (Commutation of Pension) Rules, 1981.

Facts in Brief

Background: The applicants retired from the Department of Posts and commuted 40% of their pensions. They claim the commuted amount has already been recovered in 12 years.

Rule in Question: Rule 10A specifies that commuted pensions are restored after 15 years from the date of commutation.

Justifications Presented to stop Recovery of Commutation of Pension :

• 5th Pay Commission: Recommended reducing the restoration period to 12 years.
• Economic Factors: Lower mortality rates and declining interest rates from 16% to 5.4%-6.5% between 2014 and 2024.
• State Governments’ Policies: Governments of Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh have already reduced the restoration period to 12 and 13 years, respectively.
• Representations Rejected: Despite representations by the applicants, their requests were denied by the respondents.

Calculation : to show that the commutation of pension Recovered within 12 years.

Date of  retirement	Basic  Pension	Amount of  40%  Pension  commuted	Commuted  value of  pension	Amt. being  recovered  during 15  years
31.01.2017	40,000/-	16000/-	15,73,248/-	28,80,000/-

Respondents’ Contentions

• Rule Validity: The applicants are challenging a statutory rule that remains valid and has not been struck down by any court.
• Delay in Challenge: The rule was framed in 1981, and the applicants’ challenge in 2024 is barred by limitation.
• Voluntary Nature of Commutation: Pension commutation is optional, and retirees agree to the 15-year recovery period upon opting for it.
• Legal Grounds: No case has been made for the rule violating legislative competence or fundamental rights.

Tribunal’s Interim Order

The CAT considered arguments from both sides and observed the following:

• Admissibility of 12-Year Recovery Period: Respondents have not denied that recovery of the commuted pension is generally completed within 12 years.
• Continuing recovery beyond 12 years, when the full amount is already recovered, lacks justification.
• Estoppel Does Not Apply: The doctrine of estoppel is irrelevant as the government is in an advantageous position and has not suffered detriment.
• Precedent: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted similar interim relief in a comparable case, and its decision has not been stayed by the Supreme Court.
• State vs. Central Rules: Respondents failed to establish significant differences between state and central government rules to justify a differing stance.

Interim Relief Granted : Stop Recovery of Commutation of Pension after 12 Years

The tribunal has directed that recovery towards the commuted pension shall cease for applicants No. 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 27, and 39, as they have completed 12 years post-retirement. Further recovery in these cases is barred until further orders.

The OA is listed for further hearing on December 19, 2024. 

Read More ->>

CAT Mumbai Puts Brakes on Pension Recovery Beyond 12 Years for Retired Postal Staff

 CAT Mumbai Puts Brakes on Pension Recovery Beyond 12 Years for Retired Postal Staff

In a landmark interim order, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Mumbai Bench, has directed the government to halt the recovery of commuted pensions from a group of retired postal employees who have completed 12 years since their retirement. Delivered on November 11, 2024, the ruling brings much-needed relief to pensioners challenging the outdated rules mandating a 15-year recovery period.

The Case: A Battle Over Pension Rules

The applicants, retired officials from the Department of Posts, had commuted 40% of their pensions upon retirement. As per the Central Civil Services (Commutation of Pension) Rules, 1981, this commuted portion is recovered in installments over a 15-year period.

However, the applicants argued that the recovery period is no longer reasonable or fair. They based their claims on several grounds:

• Changing Demographics and Economics:
  The 5th Central Pay Commission had recommended reducing the recovery period to 12 years, citing falling mortality rates and reduced interest rates, which now stand at 5.4%–6.5% compared to 16% in the 1980s.
• Precedents from States:
  States like Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh have already implemented shorter recovery periods of 12 and 13 years, respectively.
• Calculations Supporting Their Claims:
  The applicants demonstrated, using detailed examples, that the entire commuted pension amount is recovered within 12 years, making the additional three years unnecessary.

In addition to these points, the applicants contended that continuing recovery beyond 12 years amounts to unjust enrichment by the government.

---

Applicants’ Demands

The retirees sought several key reliefs, including:

1. Amendment to Rule 10A of the Central Civil Services (Commutation of Pension) Rules to reduce the recovery period from 15 years to 12 years.
2. A refund, with 6% interest, of any amounts recovered beyond the 12-year period.
3. A halt to future recoveries for pensioners who have completed 12 years since retirement.

---

The Tribunal’s Interim Ruling

After considering arguments from both sides, the tribunal granted interim relief to seven applicants who had completed 12 years post-retirement. In its order, the tribunal directed the government to cease recovery of commuted pensions from these applicants until the final verdict is issued.

Key observations by the tribunal included:

• Admitted Recovery Timeline:
  The respondents did not dispute that the full commuted pension amount is recoverable within 12 years. This undermined their case for continuing deductions until 15 years.
• Support from Judicial Precedents:
  The Punjab and Haryana High Court, in similar cases, has already granted relief to pensioners, a decision that has not been stayed by the Supreme Court.
• Inconsistent Policies:
  The tribunal questioned why other states have adopted shorter recovery periods while the central rules remain unchanged.

---

Arguments from the Government

The Union of India opposed the interim relief, arguing:

• The challenge to the 1981 rules is barred by limitation, as these rules have been in force for over four decades.
• Commuting one’s pension is a voluntary decision, and pensioners agree to the recovery terms when opting for it.
• As long as Rule 10A is in effect, it is legally binding, and the tribunal cannot grant relief.

Despite these arguments, the tribunal sided with the applicants, highlighting the government’s failure to justify the extended recovery period.

---

What This Means for Pensioners

This decision is a game-changer for central government retirees, many of whom have long argued that the 15-year recovery period is excessive. While this is an interim relief, it signals growing judicial support for revising outdated pension rules to reflect current economic and demographic realities.

If the final decision upholds the applicants’ claims, it could pave the way for a broader overhaul of the CCS (Commutation of Pension) Rules, 1981, benefitting lakhs of pensioners across the country.

Future Proceedings

The tribunal has scheduled the next hearing for December 19, 2024. In the meantime, the interim relief remains in place, offering immediate respite to the affected retirees.

Read More ->>

There Is No Plan To Raise Retirement Age Of Central Government Employees To 62 Years

 There Is No Plan To Raise Retirement Age Of Central Government Employees To 62 Years 

Read More ->>

Senior Citizen Scheme (SCSS) - FAQ

 Senior Citizen Scheme (SCSS) - FAQ

Sr .No.	Query	Reply
1	Who is eligible for investment in SCSS 2004 Scheme	Indian Resident who has attained the age of 60 years. (55 years in case of retirement on Superannuation .VRS or a special voluntary scheme and for retired Defence Personal on attaining the age of fifty years subject to fulfilment of other specified conditions.
2	Are Non-resident Indians, Persons of Indian Origin and Hindu Undivided Family eligible to invest in the SCSS, 2004	Non resident Indians (NRIs), Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) and Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) are not eligible to invest in the accounts under the SCSS, 2004. If a depositor becomes a Non-resident Indian subsequent to his/her opening the account and during the currency of the account under the SCSS Rules, the account may be allowed to continue till maturity, on a non- repatriation basis and the account will be marked as a Non-Resident account. [Rule 13 and GOI letter F.No 2/8/2004/NS-II dated June 19. 2006)
3	Whether SCSS account can be opened in favour of a mentally retarded person to be operable by a Guardian appointed by the Court	There is no such provision exists under Senior Citizen Savings Scheme. Therefore such account can not be opened in favour of mentally retarded person
4	What is the age limit in the case of retired Defence Personnel for investment in the scheme	The retired personnel of Defence Services (excluding Civilian Defence Employees) will be eligible to subscribe under the scheme is 50 years (amended in Oct, 2017) subject to the fulfillment of other specified conditions. (The Senior Citizens Savings Scheme (Amendment) Rules, 2004 notified on October 27 2004)
5	Is there a period prescribed for opening deposit account under the SCSS scheme, by the senior citizen, from the retirement benefits	If the investor is 60 years and above, there is no time period prescribed for opening the SCSS account(s) However for those below 60 years, following time limits have been prescribed. (a) the persons who have attained the age of 55 years or more but less than 60 years and who has retired on superannuation or otherwise on the date of opening of an account under these rules, subject to the condition that the account is opened by such individual within one month of the date of receipt of the retirement benefits
		(b) the retired personnel of Defence Services (excluding Civilian Defence Employees) will be eligible to subscribe under the scheme on attaining the age of 50 years subject to the fulfillment of other specified conditions.
6	Can a joint account be opened under the scheme with any person	Joint account under the SCSS, 2004 can be opened only with the spouse [Rule 3 (3)]
7	Whether both the spouses can open separate accounts in their individual capacity with separate limit of Rs.15 lakh for each of them	Both the spouses can open individual and / or joint accounts with each other with the maximum deposits up to Rs. 15 lakh each, provided both are individually eligible to invest under relevant provisions of the Rules governing the Scheme. (Rules 3 and 4
8	Can more than none account be opened	YES, The facility of opening of multiple accounts is available under the scheme. The retired person can open more than one account on receipt of the retirement benefits in piecemeal, provided the relevant account is opened with in one month of receipt of the particular retirement benefit
9	Is the age of the 2nd holder is one of the factor to decide the eligibility to invest under the scheme.	In case of a joint account, age of 1st applicant/ depositor is the only factor to decide the eligibility to invest under the scheme. There is no age bar/limit for the 2nd applicant/joint holder (i.e. spouse). -Rule-3(3)
10	What will be the share of the joint account holder in the deposit in an account.	The whole amount of investment in an account under the scheme is attributed to the first applicant depositor only. As such, the question of any share of the second applicant joint account holder (i.e. spouse) in the deposit account does not arise. [Rule 3 (3)]
11	Can a nomination be made	yes
12	Whether only one person or number of persons can be nominated in the accounts opened under the Scheme?	The depositor may, at the time of opening of the account, nominate a person or persons who. in the event of death of the depositor, will be entitled to payment due on the account. [Rule 6 (1)]
13	Can a nomination be made after the account has already been opened	Yes, nomination may be made by the depositor at any time after opening of the account but before its closure, by an application in Form 1 accompanied by the Pass book to the deposit office [Rule 6 (2)]
14	Can a nomination be cancelled or changed	Yes, the nomination made by the depositor may be cancelled or varied by submitting a fresh nomination in Form 1 to the deposit office where the account is being maintained [Rule 6 (3)]
15	Can nomination be made in joint account also.	Nomination can be made in joint account also. In such a case, the joint holder will be the first person entitled to receive the amount payable in the event of death of the depositor. The nominee's claim will arise only after the death of both the joint holders. [Rule (4)]
16	Can a person holding a Power of Attorney sign for the nominee in the nomination form ?	No, person holding a Power of Attorney cannot sign for the nominee in the nomination form. (GOI letter No F.15/8/2005/NS-II dated March 02 2006)
17	Whether any fee has been prescribed for nomination and or change cancellation of nomination	No fee has been prescribed for nomination and / or change / cancellation of nomination(s) in the accounts under the SCSS, 2004. (GOI letter F. No 12/8/2004/NS- Il dated October 13, 2004)
18	Can deposits under the SCSS scheme be made only from amounts received as retirements benefits	In case an investor has attained the age of 60 years and above, the source of amount being invested is immaterial [Rule 2 (d)(i)] However, if the investor is 55 years or above but below 60 years and has retired on superannuation or under a voluntary scheme or a special voluntary scheme or has retired from the Defence services, only the retirement benefits can be invested in the SCSS [Rule 2(d) (ii)]
19	What is the meaning of 'retirement benefits' for the purpose of SCSS, 2004	Retirement benefits' for the purpose of SCSS Rules have been defined as "any payment due to the depositor on account of retirement whether on superannuation or otherwise and includes Provident Fund dues, retirement superannuation gratuity, commuted value of pension, cash equivalent of leave, savings element of Group Savings linked Insurance scheme payable by employer to the employee on retirement, retirement-cum-withdrawal benefit under the Employees' Family Pension Scheme and ex-gratia payments under a voluntary retirement scheme' (Rule 2 (a) of the Senior Citizens Savings Scheme (Amendment) Rules, 2004 notified on October 27, 2004)
20	What is the maturity period of the investment or it can be extended further	5 Years which can be extended by 3 years once.

21	Is premature withdrawal of the deposits from the accounts under the SCSS, 2004 permitted	The account holder may withdraw the deposit and close the account at any time subject to the following conditions:- (i) if the account is closed before one year after the date of opening of account, interest paid on the deposit in the account shall be recovered from the deposit and the balance shall be paid to the account holder. (ii) If the account is closed after one year but before expiry of two years from the date of opening of the account, an amount equal to one and half per cent of the deposit shall be deducted. (ii) If the account is closed on or after the expiry of two years from the date of opening of the account, an amount equal to one per cent of the deposit shall be deducted. However, if the depositor is availing the facility of extension of account under Rule 4 (3), then he/she can withdraw the deposit and close the account at any time after the expiry of one year from the date of extension of the account without any deduction. [Rule 9 (1) (a) (b) and (2)]
22	Can an SCSS account be extended	A depositor may extend the account for a further period of three years by making an application to the deposit office within a period of one year after maturity (once)
23	Does an account, which is not extended on maturity, earn any interest	In case a depositor does not close the account on maturity and also does not extend the account, the account will be treated as matured and the depositor will be entitled to close the account at any time subject to the condition that the post maturity interest at the rate as applicable to the deposits under the Post office Savings Accounts from time to time will be payable on such matured deposits up to the end of the month preceding the month of the closure of the account Postal Life Insurance
24	What happens to the accounts if both the spouses are maintaining individual accounts and not any	If both the spouses have opened separate accounts under the scheme and either of the spouses dies during the currency of the
	joint account and one of them expires	account(s), the account(s) standing in the name of the deceased depositor/spouse shall not be continued and such account(s) shall be closed. The account can be closed by making an application in Form 3
25	In case of joint account, if the first holder / depositor expires before maturity, can the account be continued	In case of a joint account, if the first holder / depositor expires before the maturity of the account, the spouse may continue the account on the same terms and conditions as specified under the SCSS Rules However, if the second holder i.e. spouse has his / her own individual account, the aggregate of his/her individual account and the deposit amount in the joint account of the deceased spouse should not be more than the prescribed maximum limit. In case the maximum limit is breached, then the remaining amount shall be refunded, so that the aggregate of the individual account and deceased spouse's joint account is maintained at the maximum limit. [Rules 6 (4) and (3)]
26	What is minimum and maximum limit of investment	Minimum Rs.1000.00 and Maximum Rs 1500000.00
27	Is TDS applicable to the scheme	Yes, TDS is applicable to the Scheme as interest payments have not been exempted from deduction of tax at source (GOI letter F No 2/8/2004/NS-II dated March 28, 2006
28	Whether any minimum limit has been prescribed for deduction of tax at source	Tax is to be deducted at source as per the minimum limit prescribed by the Government
29	What is the rate at which TDS is to be deducted from the account holder	The rate for TDS for a financial year is specified in Part II of Schedule I of the Finance Act for that year. (GOI letter F No 2/8/2004/NS-II dated June 06. 2006
30	Whether TDS should also be recovered from the undrawn interest payable to the legal heirs of the deceased depositors	Tax shall be deducted at source even from any interest paid payable to the legal heir of the account holder. (GOI letter F No 2/8/2004/NS-II dated June 06. 2006)

31	Whether TDS on interest payments will be applicable with retrospective effect or prospective basis	TDS is applicable from the very first day when SCSS, 2004 was made operational regardless of the fact that the Central Government or Reserve Bank of India or any authority might have issued any Notification / circular / clarification at a later stage. (GOI letter F. No 2/8/2004/NS-II dated June 06, 2006)
32	Whether any income tax rebate / exemption is admissible	Investment in SCSS qualifies for deduction under Section 80C of the Income-tax (I-T) Act. However, this tax benefit is under the overall current ceiling of Rs. 1.5 lakh per annum fixed for all investments under Section 80C. Section 80C benefit is available in the financial year in which the deposit is made in SCSS. There will be no additional benefit under Section 80C for the extension of an existing account after five years
33	Can an account holder obtain loan by pledging the deposit / account under the SCSS, 2004?	The facility of pledging the deposit/ account under the SCSS, 2004 for obtaining loans, is not permitted since the account holder will not be able to withdraw the interest amount periodically, defeating the very purpose of the scheme. (GOI letter F. No 0.2/8/2004/NS- II dated May 31, 2005)
34	Can an account be transferred from one deposit office to another	Yes, account can be from one deposit office to another. If the deposit amount is rupees one lakh or above, a transfer fee of rupees five per lakh of deposit for the first transfer and rupees ten per lakh of deposit for the second and subsequent transfers shall be payable. [Rule 11 and GOI Notification GSR (E) dated March 23. 2006)
35	Whether commission is payable to the agents under the Scheme	Payment of commission on the Scheme has been discontinued w.e.f. December 1, 2011 (Government of India Notification dated November 25, 2011)
36	What happens if an account is opened in contravention of the SCSS Rules	If an account has been opened in contravention of the SCSS Rules, the account shall be closed immediately and the deposit in the account after deduction of the interest. if any, paid on such deposit, shall be refunded to the depositor. (Rule 12)

Read More ->>