New Delhi, Oct. 16 -- In a move aimed at addressing a long-standing policy gap, the Department of Expenditure under the finance ministry has directed all ministries and departments to conduct a comprehensive review of government employees' pay fixation orders, service records and pension-related details four years before retirement. The aim is to prevent excess payments from being detected too late for recovery, two government officials said.

The move follows a large number of proposals received by the department seeking waivers from the recovery of excess payments made to government employees due to incorrect pay fixation, increments and benefits under the Assured Career Progression (ACP) and Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP) s...