NHRC takes serious view of delay in payment of retirement dues

Taking a serious view of delay in disbursement of retirement benefits, including pension and gratuity, to an employee of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued directions for an inquiry into the matter for fixing responsibility of the officials concerned.

The Commission had received a complaint from the wife of the retired official belonging to the Scheduled Tribe. According to the complaint, the employee was superannuated on March 31, 2014, after serving the BSNL for about 40 years, but his terminal benefits were withheld by the BSNL Chief General Manager.

According to the petitioner, both of them were not keeping good health and were facing severe financial constraints. They requested for NHRC’s intervention in the matter.

In response to the Commission’s notices, the Secretary, Department of Telecommunications, informed that some terminal benefits, including death-cum-retirement gratuity and commutation value of pension, were paid to the retired employee on January 21 this year.

However, the pension payment order was to be dispatched shortly.

On perusal of the material on record, NHRC Member Justice D. Murugesan observed that terminal benefits were paid only after the Commission sought the report from the authorities on the complaint of the employee’s wife.

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