There is no change in pension rules, says Sitharaman

FINANCE minister Nirmala Sitharaman, during her reply on the Finance Bill, 2025, and the Appropriation (No 3) Bill, 2025, in the Rajya Sabha, clarified that the recent amendments to pension rules are only a validation of existing policies and do not alter benefits for civil or defense pensioners.

- ENS ECONOMIC BUREAU @ New Delhi

She clarified that the 6th Central Pay Commission (CPC) had introduced a distinction between pensioners based on the January 1, 2006, cut-off, which was upheld by the Congress-led UPA government. However, the 7th CPC has since ensured parity between pre-2016 and post-2016 retirees. The upcoming 8th CPC, approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2025, is expected to further revise salaries and benefits for government employees and pensioners.