Death gratuity is paid as a one-time benefit to the dependents of public servants who have completed 60 months of gross service in a pensionable post and who die in service while being permanent in service. The covenant for the Payment of death gratuity is provided under Section 2 B(1) of the Pension code.
Background
Death gratuity (D G) is paid as a benefit paid once in life time to the dependants of male/female officers, who demise whilst in service. Provisions have been made under section 2 b (1) of Pensions Minute for the payment of Death Gratuity. For the payment of death gratuity, certain requirements should be satisfied.
- To serve in a pensionable post
- To have been confirmed in service
- To have completed the gross service period of 60 months
- To die whilst in service
The category number applied in the issuance of death gratuity number to civil officers is 16
Activities pertaining to the payment of death gratuity to the officers of three Armed Forces, who demise whilst in service, are carried out by the Armed Forces Division.
Death gratuity is paid to Clergies, who die whilst in public service, only for the purpose for the recovery of amounts due from them to the government
The persons, who are entitled to death gratuity,
- Legal widow/ widower
legal children, who are unemployed and unmarried by the date of death of the male/ female contributor ofmarried male/ female contributors - Father and mother
Unmarried and unemployed brothers and sisters, in case where both the father and mother have died of unmarried male/ female contributors - In case where there are no legal dependants, entitlement to death gratuity is made only for the purpose of making recoveries due from male/female contributor to the government
Methodology
- 1. Online system
- 2. Non-online system
Role of the relevant institution in the application process
Online system
- The officer in charge the subject of the institution should submit the application through the personal file of the male /female contributor
- Once the particulars and relevant documents are obtained from the widow/ widower/ orphans/parents/ brothers and sisters, ( copies of the certificate of birth, marriage, death and national identity card, pass books of bank accounts, reports of dependents etc.) following steps should be taken by the officer in charge of the subject
Non-online system
When applications for the death gratuity are submitted in relation to the following instances, the application indicated in the Pension Circular No 9/2015 and other documents should be submitted to the Widows’ and Orphans’ Pensions Division of the Department of Pensions through the institute where the officer served for the last time.
- Payment of death gratuity for male/ female officers demised before 01.01.2006
- Payment of death gratuity for male/ female officers demised due to terrorist activities
- Payment of the parts of death gratuity entitled only to other dependents retaining parts of gratuity entitled to one or several dependents
Application should be submitted by the officer in charge of the subject through the personal file of the demised male/ female contributor.
Calling documents and information from widow/ widower/ orphans/ parents/ brothers and sisters (Certificate of Death/ Birth/ marriage, copies of National Identity Cards etc).
To perfect old PD 5 application, to get it certified by the Head of Institution and refer to the Department of Pensions along with relevant other annexes.
Applications send through online system (Online)
Applications are called through online system as per Pension Circular No. 09/2015 (III) at every occasion except occasions mentioned in 02.1.1. above. In this case attention should be paid to upload only the data relevant to the application to the data system and all the documentary evidences should be sent by post to the Department of Pensions.
Process to be followed by the Department in relation to the applications submitted online
Process followed by the Department on the applications submitted though non online method
Required Documents
- Application PD 5 (Online or previous application)
- Copy of the National Identity Card of the officer
- Certificate of death of the officer
- Certificate of death of the officer
- Copy of the Certificate of birth of spouse Obtained from Addl/Assist District Registrar
- Certificate of birth of dependents
- Certificate of marriage
- History Sheet
- Copy of the National Identity Card of spouse
- Letter of Permanent and Pensionable appointment of the officer
- Letter of confirmation in the appointment
- Copies of the National Identity Cards of dependents
- No claim certificate (Inclusion of all the amounts due to the government correctly)
- Report of dependents (Signed by Grama Niladhari and Divisional Secretary)
- Confirmation of the Head of Institute, if any difference is observed in the name of the demised officer
- Affidavits or any documentary proof, if any difference is observed in the name of the spouse
- Letter of salary conversion as per Public Administration Circular No. 03/2016
- Certified copies of the letters for confirmation, if service breaks are found. (Letter of Vacation of post/Interdiction/ reinstatement in service)
- Certificate of death of dependents if they have demised
- If a periods of service with no pay or service break are found, report to confirm that the contributions to widows and orphans fund have been recovered
- If service period on daily wages is available, following documents should be submitted,
- Letter of appointment pertaining to that service
- History Sheet [Form general 226(a)]
- Following documents relevant to each marriage, if several marriages are available,
- Certificate of marriage (Certified by Addl/ Assist District Registrar)
- Certificates of death of spouses (Certified by Addl/ Assist District Registrar)
- Absolute Orders of the divorces (Certified by the Registrar of the Court)
Ordinances, Acts and Circulars applied
- Pension Circular 09/2015 and 09/2015(III) - Applying through online
- Pension Minute - Provision of allocation
- Public Administration Circular No 369 - Instructions for the payment of death gratuity to those who died due to terrorist activities
When the death gratuity has been paid to the dependents of the officers entitled to death gratuity, payment of W&OP will also be made by the relevant officer in charge of the subject.
Instances where the application should be submitted through non online method
- Non-inclusion of the salary particulars of the officers demised before 01.01.2006 in the data system
- Inability to make payments retaining parts of death gratuity
- Non-inclusion of salary codes in the data system pertaining to the changes occur in salaries due to transfer among posts
- When the demised officer has no National Identity Card