It is compulsory for all public officers holding a permanent and pensionable post in the public service to register in the W&OP scheme.
Background
- Provisions have been made by Widows' and Orphans' Pension Fund Ordinance No 01 of 1891 to award pensions to the widows and orphans of the officers in public service after their demise. However only the male officers in public service were the compulsory contributors of W&OP scheme before year 1983.
- However, opportunities have been given also to the female officers in public service for contributing to W&OP scheme with the increase of females in public service. By way of introducing Widowers' and Orphans' Pension Act No. 24 of 1983 female officers have also been given opportunity for contributing to this pension scheme which was so far limited only to male officers.
- However, opportunities were given to the female officers, who were in public service as at 01.08.1983 obtaining appointment before the aforesaid date, to be the members of Widowers' and Orphans' Pensions Scheme on their option.
Exercising their option/ non option should be made strictly by appendix 'a' introduced by the Public Administration Circular No. 231. Further an opportunity has also been given to a female officer, who did not exercise her option to be a member of the scheme, to revise her option by Public Administration Circular No. 291 but that opportunity has expired on 10.05.1986. However, female officers have been given opportunity from time to time to exercise their option and for the last time such opportunity has been given by Pension Circular No. 03/2014 and that period also expired on 31.12.2014. - Widows' and Orphans' Pension Fund has been interpreted by Section 03 of the Widows' and Orphans' Pension Fund Ordinance No 01 of 1898 in the following manner.
'There shall be carried to the fund created under Ordinances Nos. 20 of 1885 and 21 of 1896, and which shall continue to be styled "The Widows' and Orphans' Pension Fund” (hereinafter referred to as ”the fund”), such sums as are hereinafter required to be contributed thereto and such fund, together with the accretions of interest thereto, shall be applicable to the payment of the expenses of management thereof as hereinafter provided, and of pensions to the widows and orphans now chargeable to the same under and subject to the provisions of any repealed enactments, and to the widows and orphans of the Public Officers now or hereafter contributing to the same under and subject to the provisions hereinafter contained.' - Provisions for registering an officer in W&OP scheme have been maden by Section 21 of the Widows' and Orphans' Pension Fund Ordinance No 01 of 1898.
'21. Every Public Officer shall, within three months of the date of his becoming liable to contribute to the fund, forward to the Director a declaration setting forth the date of his becoming so liable, his own name in full and the date of his birth, and if he be married the date of his marriage and the maiden name in full and the date of birth of his wife, and if he have any child or children their names in full and the date of each of their births.' - Provisions for registering a female public officer in Widowers' &OP scheme have been made by Section 5 of the Widowers' and Orphans' Pension Act No 24 of 1983.
'Every contributor shall, within three months of the date of her becoming a contributor, forward to the Director a declaration setting out the date of her becoming a contributor, her name in full and the date of her birth and if she is married, the date of her marriage, the full name of her husband and if she has a child or children; their names in full and the dates of their respective births.'
Methodology
- In year 2016 issuance of the registration numbers of widows' and orphans' pensions scheme has been commenced online as per Pension Circular No.02/2016.
- The method followed at present is the calling applications online and issuing automatically generated numbers. The circular issued for the purpose is Pension Circular No. 02/2016 and 02/2016 (Revision 1). Here, the relevant institute should upload relevant documents in the data system. .
- The officers in charge of the subject of the Department of Pensions examine the application and then issue numbers by their access to those who satisfy relevant qualifications. The membership card consists of the numbers is displayed as a soft copy and it can also be obtained a hard copy also. In order to obtain a soft copy, visit the menu 'Public Services' in the official website of the Department of Pensions (pensions.gov.lk) and enter the number of the National Identity Card.
- Further, the system takes action to refer error notes for rejecting the applications with defects and recalling them with necessary rectifications. Then the officers in charge of the subject should make rectifications and re-submit the application.
- At every step taken in connection to the application form the submission of the same, an SMS will be sent to the mobile phone of the relevant officer, who is mentioned in entering data. It is expected to make the relevant officer aware of the completion of the application or the defects, if any, regarding the work steps completed up to granting approval for the application.
- If it is confirmed in the process for making the spouse entitled to benefits on the death of married male/ female officer that there is no membership number, application should be made as per the instructions given in ii above through the personal file of the officer maintained at the office, where the officer served for the last time, in order to get widows'/ widowers' and orphans' pension number.
Further, opportunity has been given by Pension Circular No. 04/2017 to the male and female members, who have obtained online numbers of widows'/ widowers and orphans' pension scheme and still in service, to visit the website of the Department and include their particulars and thereby to re-register under the old number. However the period given for this process has expired on 31.12.2021 but the subject officers, who perform the duties pertaining to the personal files of institutions can include still the particulars of male and female members, who have obtained old numbers, using their login.
Instructions have been issued by section 8.2 ii of Pension Circular No 06/2015 (1) for updating files in the following manner' 'In future, relevant institutions should not submit the documents , which are required to update the widows' and orphans' files, to the Department of Pensions and they should be attached to the personal file of the respective person and further it is sufficient to attach them to the civil pension file when the officer retires' As per the system applied previously, the service station of the relevant contributor sent the marriage and death certificates of the contributor and birth certificates of children to the W&OP division of the Department of Pension indicating the widows'/ widowers' and orphans pension number and accordingly they were attached to the file bearing the relevant number.
Required documents
- Letter of appointment with permanent and pensionable status
- Copy of National Identity Card
- Data sheet perfected by the relevant Head of Institution
- The maximum age limit for the purpose of recruitment to public service has been determined as 45 years of age by provisions of the Establishments Code and Public Administration Circular No. 23/94. Therefore, if the officer has gone beyond the age of 45 years at the time receiving appointment, letter and documents should also be submitted to confirmed that the appointment has been made in the formal manner.
E.G.:1. Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers for granting such appointment
2. Circular issued by the Ministry of Public Administration for the purpose
- Public Administration Circular 25/2014 , 25/2014(i), 25/2014(ii)
3. If an appointment has been given on casual/temporary/contract/substitute before reaching the age of 45 years
- letter of appointment issued
- Particulars of PSPF or any other Provident Fund, if contributions have been made to such fund
- Certified copies of history sheet on form General 226
- Other documents to prove that the appointment has been given in formal manner and other documents to prove the particulars of appointment
- Particulars such as newspaper advertisement/ gazette notification etc. by which applications have been called for the relevant post
Application
Obtaining members' certificate
Circulars, which are applied
- Pension Circular No 03/2008 - Instructions for the recovery of contributions
- Pension Circular No 02/2013 - Instructions for the recovery of contributions
- Pension Circular No 03/2014 - Extending the period for exercising option.
- Pension Circular No 02/2016,02/2016(1) - Online Registration
- Pension Circular No 04/2017 - Re-registration
- Pension Circular No 3/2008(1) - Instructions for the recovery of contributions