Hundreds of State pensioners can heave a sigh of relief as their monthly payouts will not be withheld for want of an undertaking to remit back any excess amount paid to them.
The State Treasuries officials said reports of blocking pensions for want of letters were baseless.
The State Finance department issued an order early this year asking those who were receiving pensions through their bank accounts and money order to submit a Letter of Undertaking promising to remit back excess payments, which triggered rumours of withholding the pension.
Reports that disbursal of pensions to those who fail to submit the undertaking by June 10 would be stalled has created confusion and panic among beneficiaries. Several pensioners complained that they were not given adequate time for submitting the letter. The absence of an online facility for the same also invited the ire of pensioners.
Clarification issued
However, senior officials of State Treasury department said currently no deadline was fixed for submission of the letter. No order was issued directing that the payments would be blocked for want of the letter. The pensioners can submit the document at their convenience, they clarified.
The department regularly collects the undertaking when the pension is first disbursed. Such letters were earlier sought from those who collected their pension through their Pensioners Treasury Savings Bank Account, the official said.
The department decided to collect the letter from the other sections of pensioners after it took over the responsibility of pension disbursal from banks and post offices. The recent order, which insisted that those receiving the pension through bank account and money orders too shall submit the letter of undertaking, was part of a usual procedure. Those who had earlier submitted the letter need not re-submit it, he clarified.
Though the letter can be submitted only manually, provisions for the online submission of the documents will be introduced in due course, he said.
Currently, around 5 lakh former government employees are getting pensions through the State treasury.
