PRESS NEWS
Ministry of
Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
UNION MINISTER DR. JITENDRA SINGH LAUNCHES
E-BOOKLET ON ONE YEAR ACHIEVEMENTS OF DOPPW UNDER MODI GOVERNMENT 2.0
PENSION REFORMS HUGELY BENEFITTED THE LIVES OF THE PENSIONERS: DR JITENDRA
SINGH
Posted On: 04 JUN 2020 7:18PM by PIB Delhi
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 today launched an e-Booklet on one year achievements of the Department of
Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW)” through Video Conferencing (VC).
Dr.
Jitendra Singh, while addressing all the officers of the Department
congratulated the team for carrying out a series of reforms which not only
high-lighted the sensitivity of the Modi 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 organize a webinar on Covid by bringing in
leading doctors to address the anxiety and fears of the Pensioners. He stated
that the Department is blessed with the unique opportunity of being able to
serve the elderly and retired which no other department has
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 7 years of service.
Earlier
only those families were eligible for enhanced family Pension (@50% of last pay
drawn) wherein the deceased government servant had completed 7 years of service.
Another landmark OM in the recent year was extending the Old
Pension scheme to those employees who joined on or after 01.01.2004 but whose
result for recruitment had been declared before 01.01.2004. 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, organizing 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 organized a tele-consultation for pensioners on Covid 19 with
renowned Pulmonologist & Director AIIMS, Dr Randeep Guleria & Dr
Prasun Chatterjee, Associate Professor AIIMS.
Dr
Kshatrapati Shivaji, Secretary (P&PW), thanked the Union Minister for
consistently guiding DoPPW to make Pension reforms which hugely affected the
lives of the Pensioners. He stated that this is one of the few Departments
which even prior to Covid pandemic was 100% on e-office and therefore the
transition to work from home at the height of the pandemic 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, Shri Sanjiv Narain Mathur conducted the proceedings which were
completely online with all senior officers of the Department present through
VC. Shri Ruchir Mittal, DS gave the vote of thanks.
VG/SNC (Release ID:
1629409)
