INDEX
| SL No. | Subject |
|---|---|
| 1 | Opening GPF |
| 2 | Maintenance of GPF |
| 3 | Subscription & Deduction |
| 4 | Nomination |
| 5 | Advances |
| 6 | Interest |
| 7 | Final Payment |
Opening and Maintenance of the GPF Account
Opening a GPF Account
- Mandatory Requirement: Every regular government employee must subscribe to the General Provident Fund (GPF) after completing one year of service.
- Application Process:
- Group-D Employees: The GPF account is opened by the head of the office immediately after completing one year of service.
- Group-A, B, and C Employees: The account is opened by the Accountant General, West Bengal. Applications should be sent to the Accountant General, West Bengal.
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Maintenance of GPF Account
- Group-A, B, and C Employees: The Accountant General, West Bengal, maintains these accounts.
- Group-D Employees: The head of the office maintains the GPF account and keeps the following records:
- Ledger Account (Form No. I)
- Broad Sheet (Form No. II)
- General Index Register (Form No. III)
- Monthly Statement of Debits and Credits (Form No. V)
Subscription Amount and Deduction
- Subscription Rate: Employees can subscribe any amount from a minimum of 6% to 100% of their pay. Pay includes basic pay, dearness pay, and special pay.
- Deduction Process: Subscription is deducted from the salary bill by the Drawing and Disbursing Officer (D.D.O.). If there is a delay in opening the account, arrear subscriptions will be deducted. Subscription rates, once fixed, remain unchanged for the financial year. During suspension, subscription can only be deducted from subsistence grants if the employee provides written consent.
- Foreign Service: GPF deductions for foreign service are remitted through Bank/Treasury with the appropriate challans.
- Pre-Retirement: Subscription must cease three months before retirement (G.O. No.1991-F dated 01.03.1999).
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Nomination
- At Joining: Subscribers must nominate one or more persons to receive the GPF amount in case of death. If the subscriber has a family, nominations can only be made in favor of family members.
- Changing Nominees: If a subscriber acquires a family after making a nomination, the nomination becomes invalid unless updated. Subscribers must specify the share for each nominee and can also appoint alternative nominees.
- Submission: Nomination forms must be submitted to the head of the office (for Group-D) or forwarded to the Accountant General, West Bengal (for Group-A, B, and C employees).
Family Definition
- For Male Subscribers: Includes wife or wives, children, and widows of a deceased son. A legally separated wife or one no longer entitled to maintenance is excluded unless otherwise notified.
- For Female Subscribers: Includes husband, children, and widows of a deceased son. A female subscriber can exclude her husband if notified in writing.
Advances from the Fund
- Temporary Advance (Rule 15(1)(a)): Can be granted for:
- Prolonged illness of the subscriber or dependents.
- Overseas passage for health or education.
- Obligatory expenses related to marriage, funerals, or ceremonies.
- Higher education costs. Temporary advances cannot exceed three months’ pay or half the credit balance, and must be recovered in up to 24 installments.
- Special Temporary Advance (Rule 15(1)(c)): Up to 75% of the balance, if the amount required exceeds regular temporary advances.
- Non-Refundable Advance (Rule 15A): Available after 15 years of service or within 10 years before retirement for purposes such as higher education, marriage, illness, house construction or purchase. Up to 75% of the balance can be withdrawn, with an utilization certificate required within six months.
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Interest
- Calculation: Interest is credited annually by the Accountant General, West Bengal (for Group-A, B, and C) or by the head of the office (for Group-D employees). The interest rate for 2006-2007 is 8%.
Final Payment
- Retirement/Resignation/Dismissal: Applications for final payment must be submitted in Form-10A (Group-A, B, and C) or through the head of the office (Group-D).
- Death of Employee:
- With Nomination: Nominees apply using Form-10B, with the head of the office certifying details and forwarding to the Accountant General, West Bengal.
- Without Nomination: The amount is distributed among family members or according to a succession certificate, with applications submitted in Form-10B. For Group-D employees, the head of the office issues the final payment order.
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Sources and Reference