The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has made vigilance clearance mandatory for the release of pensionary and retirement benefits of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) officers belonging to the AGMUT cadre.
As per the directions issued by the Ministry, pension and other post-retirement dues of retiring officers will not be processed unless their vigilance status is verified and clearance is obtained from the competent authority.The order aims to strengthen administrative accountability and ensure that officers facing vigilance inquiries, disciplinary proceedings or other related issues do not receive retirement benefits before completion of the prescribed scrutiny process.
The directive covers IAS and IPS officers of the AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territories) cadre, which includes Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Delhi, Chandigarh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, besides other regions under the cadre.
Officials said the move is part of the Centre’s efforts to tighten vigilance norms and streamline procedures relating to retirement and pension disbursement. Under the revised mechanism, pensionary benefits will be released only after certification that no vigilance-related impediment exists against the retiring officer.
The MHA has conveyed the instructions to all concerned departments and cadre-controlling authorities for strict adherence and compliance.
