JCM : Request for providing ex-gratia financial assistance of Rs. One Crore, Compassionate Appointment to the dependent family member of deceased Central Secretariat Service (CSS) officers due to COVID-19 pandemic and expedited disbursal of terminal benefits to bereaved family members.

Headquarters: Mezzanine Floor, Sanchar Bhawan, Ashoka Road, New Delhi – 110001
(Forum consisting members of CSS Group ‘B’ officers & CSS Organised Group ‘A’ officers)

Ref. No. — CSSF/0031/2021

Dated: 26th May, 2021

To,
Shri Jitendra Singh Ji,
Honorable Minister of State (PP),
North Block, New Delhi

Subject: Request for providing ex-gratia financial assistance of Rs. One Crore, Compassionate Appointment to the dependent family member of deceased Central Secretariat Service (CSS) officers due to COVID-19 pandemic and expedited disbursal of terminal benefits to bereaved family members.

Respected Sir,

CSS Forum would like to draw your kind attention towards unprecedented loss of lives due to current wave of COVID pandemic. More than Sixty (60) CSS officers have lost their lives due to COVID -19 while serving the nation. As per official reported figures in India, till now approx. 0.03% of citizens of age 21 and above have died due to COVID 19, whereas, whopping 0.6% of CSS officers have been dead due to COVID 19 till date, which is 20 times of national average. Above data shows how badly virus has impacted the Central Secretariat Service during performance of their duties.

2. Central Secretariat Service is one of the earliest Organized Services in the country and is an important constituent of the Central Government machinery. The role played out by CSS officers during the pandemic is nothing less than the role of frontline workers as they are responsible for carrying out all critical functions of Government of India and have been attending the offices regularly even during the peak of pandemic. These officers have ensured continuity in the Government functioning by putting their lives & lives of their family members at stake.

3. It is very disheartening that in this pandemic we have lost so many dedicated and hardworking officers who were in the middle of the institutional set-up of the Central Government. Bereaved families are finding themselves in grim situation of facing various hardships in addition to the loss already suffered due to death of their dear ones. Though no financial assistance can fill the void left due the death of a family member, but it is Central Government’s duty to appreciate the role played out by these dedicated officers by acknowledging their service and providing financial support to the bereaved families of deceased CSS officers.

4. Kind attention to is invited to DoP&T’s O.M. No. 14014/02/2012–Estt. (D) dated 16.01.2013 vide which “Consolidated Instructions on compassionate appointment under Central Government” were issued to grant appointment on compassionate grounds to a dependent family member of a Government servant dying in harness or who is retired on medical grounds. The scheme has been updated from time to time and as per the existing guidelines, only maximum of 5% of vacancies falling under direct recruitment quota in any Group ‘C’ post can be filled on compassionate grounds within a year in the concerned administrative Ministry/Department/Office. As of now, there is already a long list of requests for Compassionate appointments which are pending with almost all Departmental heads in different Ministries/ Departments. Hence the current provision of compassionate appointment and the procedure adopted for it is certainly not going to help the families of deceased officers as it is evident from the pendency of cases for years together.

5. Further, attention is kindly invited to DoP&PW O.M. No. No. 1/11/2020-P&PW (E) dated 29.07.2020 which stipulates for payment of provisional Family Pension on death of a Government Servant during service on immediate basis, but still the hardship are being faced by the families of the deceased CSS Officers. Lately, it is also experienced that family members of deceased officers are facing undue hardship in submission of pension papers, in retention of Government Accommodation and in getting all other admissible dues.

6. Therefore, CSS Forum requests you to consider following suggestions to provide some relief to dependent family members of deceased CSS officers:-

(i) To provide ex-gratia amounting Rs. One Crore to the families of deceased Central Secretariat Service officers at the earliest, to relieve the family of the CSS Officer concerned from financial destitution which they have to face due to demise of their earning member and to help the bereaved family get over the emergency.

(ii) Since there have been large number of loss of lives due to COVID-19 Pandemic and as there is already a long list of requests for Compassionate appointments pending for years with Department, the Compassionate Appointment quota of 5% may be relaxed to provide appointment on compassionate grounds to the dependent family member of deceased CSS Officers. Further in cases, where bereaved families are willing, Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs)/ Attached Offices/ Subordinate offices etc, under respective Central Ministries/ Departments may also be requested by concerned to explore & provide compassionate appointments to dependent family members of deceased CSS Officers at the earliest.

(iii) To ensure expeditious, prompt & hassle free disbursal of family pension and other dues which are admissible post death of Government Servant during service, necessary instructions may be issued to different Ministries/Departments & “Designated Officers’ may be appointed in each Ministry/Department.

Thanking you in anticipation.

Yours faithfully,
(Manmohan Verma)
General Secretary

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