By Ibankyntiew Mawrie
SHILLONG: With 30 per cent arrears of revised pay to the pensioners released, the state government is finding it difficult to create a pension database in respect of those pensioners drawing pension directly from the banks and other treasuries outside the state.
“We find it very difficult to create a pension database of those pensioners drawing money directly through the banks and other treasuries outside the state as there is irregular reimbursement claims”, Joint Director of Accounts and Treasuries PA Sawain told The Shillong Times recently.
Creation of pension database has been initiated in the state since 2009 which involves three stages—(I) in respect to those drawing their pension through the state government treasuries, (II) in respect to those drawing their pension through public sector banks in the state and (III) in respect to those drawing their pension through treasuries and banks outside the state.
There are about 22,000 (approx) state government pensioners of whom 12,687 draw their pension through the state government treasuries and about 9,313 (approx) draw their pension through public sector banks in the state, treasuries and banks outside the state.
In September 2011, the Directorate of Accounts and Treasuries (DAT) sent a letter of request to treasuries of other states to share the database information of the state government’s pensioners.
“However, till date, few responses were received from some treasuries. But nothing could be made of the response received as they are in Hindi language”, Sawian said while admitting that there is a huge gap between the state government and the public sector banks and treasuries outside the state.
Regarding the difficulties faced by the state, in a meeting held on Tuesday to discuss on the status of the creation of the Pension Database, the Chief Secretary WMS Pariat has decided to write to those public sector banks and treasuries outside the state where no response has been received till date despite the submission of a letter of request many times in order to complete the scrutiny of pension database by February 2012 and upload information to the state database by May 2012.
It is learnt that in June, DAT has sent a letter of request to Accountant General Meghalaya (A & E) to share information on treasuries, banks outside the state which submitted reimbursement claims for disbursement of pension to the state government’s pensioners.
However, re-imbursement claim submitted to AG Meghalaya through AG of other states is only in the form of the consolidated amount and not accompanied with details of pension payments or names of pensioners.
There are four public sector banks in the state—State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, United Bank of India and UCO Bank while there are 15 treasuries in the state.
There are 19 states where pensioners draw their pension through treasuries outside Meghalaya of which 11 states are yet to response to the request of the state government.
Meanwhile, the Joint Director of Accounts and Treasuries also mentioned that the state government has decided to give an additional increment to those pensioners after they cross 80 years of age.
According to the details received from the Treasury Officer, Shillong South Treasury Hughbert Syiem, the additional quantum of pension for pensioners above 80 to less than 85 years is 20 percent of basic pension, 85 to less than 90 years is 30 percent, 90 to less 95 years is 40 percent, 95 to less than 100 years is 50 percent and 100 years or more is 100 percent of basic pension.
There are 12,719 pensioners who draw their pension from the state treasuries and sub treasuries. There are 3513 pensioners who are less than 58 years old, 8722 who are between 58-79 years, 300 who are between 80-84 years, 145 between 85-89 years, 33 between 90-94 years, 5 between 95-99 years and 1 pensioner who is 100 years old.