The Chairman & CEO
Railway Board
New Delhi

Sub:

Revision of Pension with effect from 01.01.2006 for pre-2006 pensioners retired from the 5th CPC scale of Rs. 6500-10500 or equivalent scale.

Ref:

(i) Ministry of Finance (DoE)’s OM No. 1/1/2008-IC dated 13.11.2009.
(ii) DoP&T & PW’s OM No. 38/33/12-P&PW(A) dated 04.01.2019.
(iii) AIRF’s letters No. AIRF/44 dated 15.02.2022, 19.06.2024 & 25.11.2024.
(iv) Railway Board’s letter No. D-43/18/2023-F(E)III dated 25.09.2024.

Dear Sir,

With reference to our earlier communication cited under Ref. (iii), we would once again like to invite your kind attention to the long-pending issue regarding the revision of pension for pre-2006 pensioners who retired from the 5th CPC pay scale of Rs. 6500-10500 or the corresponding scale.

Railway Board, vide its letter dated 25.09.2024 under Ref. (iv), has stated that the Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare (DoP&PW), through its OM dated 04.01.2019, has clarified that for the purpose of revision of pension/family pension w.e.f. 01.01.2006, the staff who retired in the pre-revised scale of Rs. 6500-10500 may be assigned Grade Pay of Rs. 4600/-. Accordingly, the minimum pension in this scale has been revised to Rs. 8345/-, as against the earlier figure of Rs. 8135/-. These instructions were already adopted on the Railways vide Board’s letter dated 04.02.2019.

However, the Board has further stated that, since DoP&PW, being the nodal department for pensionary matters, has not issued instructions for revising the minimum pension of this scale to Rs. 9230/- w.e.f. 01.01.2006, the Ministry of Railways is not in a position to accept the Federation’s demand.

This position, however, does not align with the spirit and intent of the instructions issued by the Ministry of Finance (DoE) and DoP&PW, as elaborated below:

  1. The Ministry of Finance (DoE), vide OM dated 13.11.2009, had upgraded and merged the pre-revised pay scale of Rs. 6500-10500 into the higher scale of Rs. 7450-11500, with effect from 01.01.2006. This upgradation formed the basis for revising pay structures of serving as well as retired employees.

  1. Once the upgraded scale of Rs. 7450-11500 was made applicable uniformly, the pension of all pre-2006 pensioners who retired from the scale of Rs. 6500-10500 was required to be revised correspondingly, in line with the established principle of parity. This has been the consistent approach adopted for other similarly placed pensioners across Ministries/Departments.
  2. Despite the existence of comprehensive and unambiguous instructions from both the Ministry of Finance and DoP&PW, the non-issuance of consequential implementation orders by Railway Board has led to prolonged hardship, financial loss, and justified resentment among the affected pensioners. These retired employees, who have spent their entire lives in dedicated service to the Railways, continue to suffer due to an avoidable administrative delay.
  3. If the Railway Board still has any reservations in issuing necessary instructions based on the points outlined above, it is requested that a formal reference may immediately be made to the DoP&PW for further clarification. A copy of such a reference may kindly be endorsed to AIRF, enabling us to pursue the matter effectively with the nodal Ministry.

In view of the above facts and the prolonged pendency of this legitimate issue, AIRF requests the following:

  1. Immediate issuance of necessary orders by the Railway Board for revising the pension of pre-2006 pensioners who retired from the scale of Rs. 6500-10500, in accordance with the upgraded pay scale of Rs. 7450-11500 w.e.f. 01.01.2006.
    OR
  2. In case of any ambiguity, prompt referral of the matter to DoP&PW for a clear and favourable clarification.

A timely and positive decision will not only extend long-awaited relief to the affected pensioners but will also significantly reinforce their faith in the administration’s fairness and commitment to justice.

We trust that this matter will receive your highest priority and personal attention.

Yours sincerely,

(Shiva Gopal Mishra)
General Secretary
All India Railwaymen’s Federation

Copy to:
General Secretaries, All Affiliated Unions of AIRF – for information.

Revision of pension w.e.f. 01.01.2006 for pre-2006 pensioners retired from the 5th CPC scale of pay – Letter to Rly. Bd. – 08.12.2025Download