1.      Pension disbursement is one of the core functions performed at regional offices. The present Management of EOBI has issued directives to quicken the pension award process. As part of the Management’s endeavour, EDP has designed the software to keep track of the pension award process.

2.      This software has the following advantages:

2.1.      The software would enable the regions to efficiently manage the pension award process.

2.2.  If data entry is done carefully, the data entry workload in respect of Pension Payment Control Register in Pension system would be reduced.

2.3.  This software would also assist in improving the quality of the data available with regions.

2.4.  In future, when centralized database would exist, a claimant would be identified if he applied for the 2^nd time, after being declined earlier. Thus the probability of forged pension claims could be reduced.

2.5.  This software would assist in getting insight on the causes of rejection of claims by way of keeping stock of the reasons cited for rejection of claims. It would reduce the tendency of not issuing claim forms based on prima facie evidence.

3.      This Circular also delineates the procedure for handling source data (Pension Claim Register) and instructions for using the software. The following paragraphs detail the above-mentioned issues.

 3.1.  Cut-off Date for updating current data:

3.1.1.     All regions would be required to enter data for Pension process cases against applications received from July 2003. As regards data earlier to July 2003, zones may set specific targets for regions under their jurisdiction keeping in view the volume of work and availability of DEO/DPO.   

 3.2.  Preparing source data for entry:

3.2.1.     Pension Claim Register will serve as the source document for data entry. Special care is required in filling all columns of PCR with complete/correct information.

3.2.2.     To fill the missing information in Pension claim register, the following sources can be used to get the required data:

o       Claim Form

o       Pension Payment Control Register (Where Pension is awarded)

o       Pensioner’s File (Where Pension is awarded)

4.      About the Pension Claim Register (PCR) software v 2.00

4.1.  The current release of the PCR software (ver 2.00) is, as usual, menu-driven with options for ENTRY, QUERIES, STATISTICS, REPORTS, and EXIT. Details of each option are given in the following paragraphs:

4.2.  ENTRY:

Keeping in view the requirements of the regional office and having complete track of a case, two data entry screen are designed. The data entry screens are designed in such a way that it is totally compatible with the manual register available in regional offices. Titles of the screens are:

o       Processed cases

o       Under-Process cases

4.2.1.     Data Entry for Processed Cases:

4.2.1.1.          This screen is designed to enter settled cases, either pension has been awarded or claim rejected. In this screen only complete record is to be entered.

4.2.1.2.          Validation checks are applied on all fields to ensure that correct data is being captured. Following are some of the details of validation checks.

4.2.1.2.1.    Some of the fields are mandatory i.e. Serial No., Date Receipt, Name, Fname, EOBI No. etc. A record can not be entered if any of the field is left blank.

4.2.1.2.2.    In NIC/New fields if both fields are empty, record will not be accepted. If any one of NIC is empty, a message will appear in window ‘Important information is missing’.

4.2.1.2.3.     In order to facilitate/Intimate DEO, this system also access master data files of pension system. If NIC/EOBI/New NIC is entered, it is searched in master files if found, a message appear in window ‘Already a Pensioner’ and give facility to get data from master files, thus easing data entry work.

4.2.1.2.4.     If the claim is rejected, the field of ‘Reason of reject’ list following reasons to select:

o       Disputed Date of  Birth

o       Premature Pension Claim

o       Non-Receipt of contribution

o       Already a pensioner under provincial social security

o       Any other reason

 4.2.1.2.5.    Field of ‘Pension type’ also list following options to select, Old Age, Survivor, Invalidity and Grant.

4.2.1.2.6.    Please note that data entry through processed cases screen would not be completed until all fields involving dates are provided. There are checks on dates to remove the possibility of entering invalid period. For instance, “Date receipt” is the date on which application for pension claim is received in the region. “Form issue date” is the date on which pension claim form is issued. “Form issue date” must not be a date prior to “Date receipt”. Other date-fields also have similar checks.

4.2.1.2.7.    The entire record of “processed pension case” would not be “saved” until all relevant date-fields are filled. This is similar to Pension module of PICE where software does not allow incomplete records to be saved.

4.2.2.     Data Entry for Under Process Cases:

4.2.2.1.          The data entry screen for “Under Processed Cases” is exactly similar to that of “Processed cases”. However, it differs in the sense that date-fields may remain blank as long as the case is under process. For instance, if a claim is handed over to EO for verification (Referral to EO”), the corresponding field of “Receipt Back from EO” would remain blank and the record could be saved.

4.2.2.2.          The utility of this data entry screen for under process cases is that the Statistics/Reports to reflect count for under process or pending cases can be produced. The data of under process cases is also required to generate MPR.

4.3.  STATISTICS:

4.3.1.     In the current release, only one statistics is available which could be viewed or printed for a given period. The statistics provide details of disposal of Pension and Old-Age Grant cases. This statistic is, in fact, Revised Annexure-II, which regions are required to send along with MPR. Thus, the software will minimize manual preparation of the said report and once data entry is done for a month this report would automatically be generated.

4.4.  QUERIES:

4.4.1.     Data could be queried on following parameters with print facility:

o       By Serial Number of pension processing register

o       By NIC number of claimant

o       By EOBI Number of claimant

o       By Claim Form number that was issued to the claimant

o       By pension card number

4.5.  REPORTS:

4.5.1.     The current version provides 16 types of reports. Following are the titles of the reports available:

o       Claim form not returned by claimant

o       Cases lying with EO

o       Cases lying with Audit

o       Rejected cases

o       Pension award cases

o       Cases settled in 45 days

o       Cases not settled in 45 days

o       All pending cases

Each of above reports are available for a specific period or on cumulative basis.

It is once again reminded that the objective of developing this software is to facilitate quality record building in respect of pensioners’ data. The software developed is only a beginning and we would be keen to improve it further in the light of the feedback received from our users.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                     (Syed Zahid Yezdan)

                                                                                 Assistant Director General

Copies to:-

1.      Chairman Sect.

2.      DG(I) Sect.

3.      DG(B&C)

4.      All Zonal heads

5.      All Regional Heads

6.      Office Copy

 

                                                                                                       

 

                                                                                                            

This circular has been issued with the approval of Chairman.