The Odisha Government has introduced a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to ensure timely payment of maintenance allowances and alimony ordered by competent courts.
Under the new procedure, the amount awarded by a court can be deducted directly from the salary of a government employee and transferred to the eligible beneficiary.
The SOP, issued on Thursday, has been prescribed for immediate implementation across government departments. The move comes after the state government received reports of delays by some employees in complying with court directions relating to maintenance and alimony.
According to the government, delayed payments can place dependent spouses, children and parents under financial hardship and may compel beneficiaries to repeatedly approach courts through execution proceedings.
Court-Ordered Amount To Be Deducted From Salary
Under the new mechanism, the concerned Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) will initiate the deduction after receiving a certified and operative court order directing recovery of maintenance or alimony.
The ordered amount will be recorded in the employee’s monthly pay bill through the Human Resource Management System (HRMS) and flagged as a “Private Deduction.”
The deducted amount will initially be credited from the Treasury to the designated Government Current Account linked to the concerned DDO. It will subsequently be transferred electronically to the beneficiary.
DDO To Verify Court Order And Beneficiary Details
Before making the first payment, the DDO will be required to verify the authenticity, validity and operative status of the court order.
The beneficiary’s identity and bank account information will also have to be verified to prevent errors in disbursement.
In addition, the beneficiary will be required to submit a signed undertaking in the prescribed format under Annexure-A before the payment process begins.
These verification requirements are intended to ensure that deductions are made strictly in accordance with valid judicial directions and that the money reaches the correct beneficiary.
Maintenance And Alimony To Be Transferred Electronically
After completing the required verification, the DDO will transfer the deducted amount directly into the beneficiary’s verified bank account.
The payment can be made through NEFT, RTGS, ECS or another approved electronic payment method.
The system is designed to reduce delays between salary deduction and receipt of court-ordered maintenance or alimony.
Beneficiaries Must Undergo Periodic Verification
The SOP also introduces a physical verification requirement for beneficiaries.
Eligible beneficiaries will have to appear before the concerned DDO twice a year for physical verification. The first verification will be conducted in April, followed by another verification six months later in November.
Beneficiaries will also have to provide an undertaking acknowledging that subsequent payments may be withheld if they fail to complete the required verification within the stipulated period.
If the beneficiary does not appear for verification, the DDO will stop further disbursements until the verification process is completed.
The DDO will also be required to maintain records of the verification exercise.
DDOs Responsible For Timely Compliance
The concerned DDO will have overall responsibility for ensuring that the deduction corresponds correctly with the court order and that payments are transferred to the verified beneficiary without unnecessary delay.
DDOs will also have to maintain records covering salary deductions, Treasury credits and onward electronic transfers for reconciliation and audit purposes.
The procedure is intended to establish accountability at the departmental level while ensuring compliance with judicial orders.
Interim Arrangement Until Automated System Is Developed
The Odisha Government has described the new SOP as an interim arrangement.
The long-term objective is to establish an integrated and automated mechanism within HRMS/IFMS that can handle the deduction, accounting and direct electronic transfer of court-ordered maintenance and alimony.
Until such a system becomes operational, the new SOP will provide a structured process for salary deductions and payments to eligible beneficiaries.
The move is aimed at ensuring that court-ordered financial support reaches dependent spouses, children and parents in a timely manner while reducing the need for repeated enforcement proceedings.
