Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh has introduced a dedicated campaign to address grievances related to family pensions. This initiative, organized by the Department of Pension and Pensioners Welfare (DOPPW), is part of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions’ 100-day action plan.
Dr. Singh emphasized that pensioners are integral to nation-building and should be considered equal partners in this task. He asserted that making the pension disbursal process smoother for them is not an act of charity. Instead, it recognizes the significant role senior citizens play in contributing their accumulated knowledge and wisdom to society.
Reflecting on the last decade, Dr. Singh noted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strong support for pension-related initiatives. He underscored the importance of pensions in empowering senior citizens and ensuring their dignity.
Significant changes have been made to address issues faced by pensioners. For instance, divorced daughters can now receive family pensions without needing a legal divorce, and the waiting period for families of missing employees has been reduced. These amendments are designed to eliminate bureaucratic hurdles and provide timely support.
The special campaign, which runs from July 1 to July 31, 2024, aims to resolve 1,891 family pension-related grievances across 46 Departments and Ministries. Dr. Singh highlighted that 25% of the 90,000 grievances registered annually on the CPENGRAMS portal pertain to family pensions. The campaign also focuses on the human aspect of grievance redressal, with a dedicated desk to collect feedback post-resolution.
Dr. Singh stressed the importance of delivering government services directly to citizens. The Digital Life Certificate campaign, in partnership with India Post and Payments Bank, exemplifies this commitment. Additionally, plans are in place to integrate the Bhavishya portal with e-HRMS to further streamline pension-related processes.
A key focus of the campaign is women’s empowerment. Dr. Singh highlighted that childless widows, unmarried women, and divorced daughters will benefit significantly from the streamlined grievance redressal process.
During the launch event, several beneficiaries expressed their gratitude for the proactive measures taken by the government. Dr. Singh also listened to suggestions from pensioners and assured them that their feedback would be promptly addressed.
The launch ceremony was attended by distinguished officials, including Shri V. Srinivas, Secretary of DoPPW and DARPG; Dr. Nitin Chandra, Secretary of Ex-Servicemen Welfare; S.S. Dubey, CGA; Dr. Nitin Agrawal, DG BSF; Shri Dhrubajyoti Sengupta, Joint Secretary (Pensions); and Shri Pravin Raghavendra, Deputy MD, and Chief Operations Officer of SBI.
