Illustratively put, if an employee, who has retired prior to 25.6.2004, had a qualifying service of 22 years only but, however, by reckoning the period of training undergone by him under a Half a Million Jobs programme beyond the initial nine months period is added, the qualifying service in the case of such an employee will jump to 24 years. If 24 years is taken into account for reckoning the pensionary benefit, the same would help him secure pension at a higher quantum. Once that is done, the benefit of actual payment must also necessarily be from the time the original pensionary benefits have been settled and paid. For purposes of payment of the pensionary benefits, an artificial date should not have been fixed. I am conscious that whenever pensionary benefits are revised upwardly, the benefit of payment of arrears would be conferred with effect from a common date prescribed, such as 1st January, 1st July or 1st April, as the case may be. But, in the instant case, it is not a case of mere revision of the admissible pensionary benefits. The revision now ordered is with regard to qualifying length of service. Once the qualifying length of service is revised upwardly, the eligibility to receive pensionary benefits on the strength and basis of the same starts flowing from the very initial date for receiving the pensionary benefits. Illustratively put, let us suppose that for having rendered 28 years of qualifying service, a monthly pension of Rs.5,000/- is paid and to that qualifying service, 2 more years is added making it 30 years, the pensionary benefits jump to Rs.5,500/-. In such cases, no other artificial date could be chosen or prescribed for payment of such enhanced pension. The same will have to be paid from the date it was decided to add to or revise the qualifying length of service. Therefore, the emphasis is
