Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh launched an e-Booklet on one year achievements of the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW)” through Video Conferencing.
While addressing the officers of the department, he congratulated the team for carrying out a series of reforms which not only highlighted the sensitivity of the government but also the dedication of the team during the trying times of the pandemic. He stated that the department went outside its call of duty to organise a webinar on COVID by bringing in doctors to address the anxiety of the pensioners.
Among a series of reforms in pension policy, the most notable was the Amendment of Rule 54 of CCS Pension Rules, 1972 to provide enhanced family pension in the event of unfortunate death of government servant even before completion of seven years of service.
Earlier only those families were eligible for enhanced family Pension (@50 per cent of last pay drawn) wherein the deceased government servant had completed seven years of service.
Another OM in the recent year was extending the Old Pension scheme to those employees who joined on or after January 1, 2004 but whose result for recruitment had been declared before the same date. This was a long standing demand of employees covered under the National Pension System (NPS) and was the cause of several court cases and anxiety among such employees.
Soon after the formation of the new government a series of welfare measures for the pensioners were also carried out such as opening of an Integrated Grievance Cell & Call Centre with toll free number 1800-11-1960 to facilitate elderly pensioners in registering their grievances and get information of pending grievances, holding of “All India Pension Adalat” wherein more than 50 locations were connected through live interactive video conferencing which resulted in resolution of more than 4000 grievances by a single event.
The other welfare activities carried out in the last one year include facilitating doorstep service for submission of life certificate with the help of Pension Disbursing Banks, DLC from home campaign by involving Pensioners’ associations in 24 cities, organising the First Regional Adalat at Jammu, and issuance of consolidated instructions to banks in order to ensure ease of living for pensioners.
The department also organised a tele-consultation for pensioners on COVID-19 with pulmonologist and director, AIIMS, Dr Randeep Guleria and Dr Prasun Chatterjee, Associate Professor AIIMS.
Dr Kshatrapati Shivaji, Secretary (P&PW), thanked the Union Minister for guiding DoPPW to make pension reforms which affected the lives of the pensioners. He stated that departments, even prior to the pandemic was an e-office and therefore, the transition to work from home was easy to implement. All officials have been provided with a VPN which enables them to work from wherever they are and therefore the working of this department remained unaffected during the pandemic.
Joint Secretary, Sanjiv Narain Mathur conducted the proceedings which were completely online with all senior officers of the department. Ruchir Mittal, DS gave the vote of thanks.
