New Delhi, Sep 28 (PTI) The defence ministry on Tuesday said it has decided to enhance the income criteria for grant of family pension to children and siblings suffering from mental or physical disability.

At present, a disabled child or sibling of a deceased pensioner is eligible for family pension if his or her monthly income from sources other than family pension is not more than Rs 9,000 along with the dearness allowance component.

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"The Ministry of Defence has decided to enhance the income criteria for grant of family pension to children/siblings suffering from mental or physical disability," the ministry said.

"Accordingly, such child/sibling shall be eligible for family pension for life, if his/her overall income from sources other than family pension remains less than the entitled family pension at an ordinary rate that is 30 per cent of the last pay drawn by the deceased government servant/pensioner concerned plus the dearness relief admissible thereon," it said in a statement.

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The financial benefit in such cases will come into effect from February 8, 2021.

"Presently, the disabled child/sibling is eligible for family pension if the overall monthly income of disabled child/sibling from sources other than family pension is not more than Rs 9,000 along with dearness relief thereon," it said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)