Can’t take both salary, pension

GOVT TO CHIEFS OF REGULATORY BODIES

NEW DELHI: The chairpersons and members of regulatory bodies cannot take both salary and pension, the Centre has said.

Existing norms provide that chairpersons and members shall be deemed to have retired from central or state government service on the date of their appointment to any regulatory authority.

“In case such officers are in receipt of pension, the same shall be deducted in accordance with the prevailing orders applicable to the re-employed pensioner,” the Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT) said.

The directive comes as there have been complaints against chairpersons and members of a few regulatory bodies for receiving pension in addition to the salary.

“With the latest order, such persons will have to face a cut in their salary. The amount of pension will be deducted from their salary,” a DOPT official said.

After the implementation of the seventh central pay commission report, the pay and allowances of chairpersons and full-time members of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA), Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and Competition Commission of India (CCI) have been de-linked from government salaries.

The pay and allowances of the chief and members of Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB), Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA), Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERAI), Railway Development Authority (RDA) and Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) have also been de-linked.

Their pay is governed by the orders issued by the Department of Expenditure.

With respect to the existing members of the remaining regulatory bodies set up under the Acts of Parliament, the pay commission has recommended normal replacement pay.