Calcutta, March 24: The Sixth Pay Commission has recommended higher pension linked to age and offered something for almost everybody in the family of a central government employee.

If the recommendations are implemented, retired government employees will get more pension after they turn 80.

On attaining the age of 80, a retired government employee will get an additional 20 per cent of the basic pension. At the age of 85, 30 per cent of basic pension will be given as the additional payout.

The incremental pension will be 40 per cent for those aged 90 years and 50 per cent for 95 years. The basic pension will double on becoming a centurion. The same formula for increments will be followed in family pension, too.

The young have not been forgotten either. All central government employees will now get reimbursement of up to Rs 1,000 a child a month for sending their offspring to schools.

If the kids are put in a hostel, the parents will be able to claim an additional Rs 3,000 per child a month. However, the allowances can be claimed only up to two children.

The increases in the children’s education allowances are substantial compared with the current levels. The employees now get reimbursement up to Rs 50 per child a month towards tuition fees and Rs 300 as hostel subsidy.

“This is a very welcome recommendation and the government should implement it in earnest. Education costs are going up day by day and it is very difficult for middle-income families like us to get our children admitted in a good school,” said Subrata Mondal, a commercial officer with the Indian Railways.

Widowed or divorced daughters of a government employee or a pensioner or their minor girl children will get medical facilities such as Central Government Health Services (CGHS). So far, this facility was limited to dependent sons of government employees or pensioners irrespective of their age.

The commission has also recommended the inclusion of widowed/divorced daughters in the first category for the purpose of nomination for eligibility to get family pension. At present, sons and unmarried daughters are included in this category, which has precedence over the second category (in which widowed/divorced daughters are included) for getting family pension.

Family pension is now payable to widowed/divorced daughters till the time they remarry or start earning more than Rs 2,550 a month.

Under the recommendations submitted today, the childless widow of a deceased government employee will continue to get family pension even after her remarriage. However, once her independent income becomes equal to or higher than the minimum family pension, her pension income will stop.

With the government working out a new medical insurance scheme for pensioners, the commission refrained from suggesting any specific medical care benefits for pensioners.

Pensioners residing in areas where CGHS facilities are not available currently get a fixed medical allowance of Rs 100 for day-to-day expenses on medicine and consultation in outpatient departments.

Inflation index

The commission has suggested formulation of a separate consumer price index for government employees to calculate dearness allowance.

Already four consumer price indices, tracked by the RBI, exist in the country. The RBI is formulating a composite consumer price index to replace the four indices.