Mobile handset to retiring officers

NOINO wrote a letter to the ED (OS/SBU-Estates) pointing out discrepancy in their circular dated 02.09.2013 on above subject. The letter is reproduced below:

20.9.2013

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The Executive Director (OS/SBU-Estates),

L.I.C. of India.

Respected Sir,

Re: Mobile handset cost re-imbursement to officers retiring before completion of 3 years

       We invite your attention to the circular Ref:CO/OS/Mobile/2013-14/03(a) dated 2.9.2013. In this circular, the clarification regarding officers retiring before completion of 3 years (of purchase of mobile handset) is as under:--

“In case of normal retirement of an officer/superannuation before completion of 3 years from date of purchase of mobile handset, he she will have to pay 30% notional depreciated value of the mobile phone”

      Now kindly refer the earlier circular Ref:CO/OS/Mobile/2013-14/03 dated 1.7.2013. In this circular, following are the relevant references regarding the officers retiring before completion of 3 years from date of purchase of mobile handset:-

“a. In case, an officer is compulsorily retired/removed/dismissed from service….then he/she will have to pay the notional depreciated value of the mobile handset”

  “b. In case of voluntary retirement/resignation etc, before completion of 3 years from date …then he/she will have to pay the notional depreciated value of the mobile handset”.

Thus, nowhere in the earlier circular, there is a mention of normal retirement or superannuation before completion of 3 years from date of purchase of mobile handset. Not only there is no mention of normal retirement or superannuation, there is specific mention of officers who would compulsorily retire/removed/dismissed/voluntarily retired/resigned before completion of 3 years from purchase of mobile handset.

It is clear that anybody will logically deduce that the criterion for payment of notional depreciated value; therefore, do not apply to officers on normal retirement/superannuation before completion of 3 years from purchase of mobile handset. Based on this logic some officers in the above category have purchased the mobile handset. Many of them also got the re-imbursement promptly. It seems unfair & unreasonable that we should recover the notional depreciated value from such officers who have purchased the mobile handset during the period from 1^st July 2013 to 1^st September 2013.

We, therefore, request you to issue instructions specifying that the clause regarding the officers on normal retirement/superannuation in the circular dated 2^nd September 2013 would apply prospectively & not retrospectively.

Anagha Sant

GS, NOINO