Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Minister of State for PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh today said that India’s pension governance has witnessed a transformational shift during the last decade, evolving from a procedure-bound system into a technology-enabled, citizen-centric mechanism focused on dignity, transparency and ease of living for pensioners.

Addressing the 16th All India Pension Adalat at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, Dr. Jitendra Singh said pensioners must be viewed not merely as beneficiaries of government support but as “valuable contributors to nation building” whose experience, expertise and institutional memory remain a national asset. He said the Government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has consistently worked towards ensuring simplified, compassionate and responsive pension administration.

The Minister said one of the biggest strengths of the Pension Adalat mechanism is that all stakeholders sit together on a common platform and resolve issues collectively, often on the spot, instead of limiting interactions to routine file movement and official correspondence. Such direct engagement, he said, also brings a change in administrative mindset and promotes a more practical and humane approach to governance.

The 16th Pension Adalat organised by the Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) took up 985 long-pending pension grievances relating to various Ministries, Departments and organisations for expeditious redressal. During the programme, Success Stories Flyers were released, Guidelines on Pension Adalat were unveiled and important pension cases were presented before the Minister by the Joint Secretary (Pension).

The Pension Adalat considered 985 cases pertaining to 37 Ministries and Departments which had remained pending for more than 45 days as on 15.04.2026. As on date, 728 cases, accounting for nearly 74 percent of the total grievances, have already been resolved.

A total of 26 important cases relating to 16 Ministries and Departments were presented before Dr. Jitendra Singh during the proceedings. Of these, 12 cases pertained to the Ministry of Defence, 8 to the Ministry of Home Affairs and 2 to the Ministry of Railways, while the remaining cases related to other Ministries and Departments.

Eight pensioners and family pensioners participated physically in the Pension Adalat, including beneficiaries travelling from Akola in Maharashtra and Haldwani in Uttarakhand, while 18 others joined through video conferencing from different parts of the country ranging from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh and Bikaner in Rajasthan to Kolkata and Erode in Tamil Nadu, reflecting the growing nationwide outreach of the initiative.

In one of the cases resolved through the Pension Adalat mechanism, pensionary benefits exceeding Rs. 74 lakhs were released, while in two other cases, benefits of around Rs. 46 lakh each were paid to the beneficiaries.

Secretary, Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare, senior officers of the Government of India, representatives of Ministries and Departments, pensioner associations, banks and other stakeholders participated in the proceedings.

Tracing the evolution of pension reforms since 2014, Dr. Jitendra Singh said there was a time when the Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare remained largely outside public attention and functioned within a limited administrative framework. Over the years, however, it has emerged as one of the most responsive departments of the Government through continuous reforms, digital interventions and citizen-oriented decision making.

Dr. Jitendra Singh referred to the Government’s decision to simplify life certificate procedures through biometric authentication and digital technology. He said the Digital Life Certificate campaign has now evolved into a mass participatory initiative and has significantly reduced hardships faced by elderly pensioners. More than one crore pensioners have already benefitted from the system, making pension delivery more accessible, transparent and hassle free.

The Minister also referred to a series of reforms undertaken in recent years, including simplification of family pension rules, removal of outdated provisions relating to missing-person cases, relaxation of procedures concerning divorced and separated daughters and reforms benefiting disabled dependents. He said these reforms were guided by practical realities and sensitivity towards the difficulties faced by pensioners and their families.

Referring to Mission Karmayogi, Dr. Jitendra Singh said governance must move beyond mechanical interpretation of rules and focus on the larger purpose behind public service delivery. He said administrators should work with a solution-oriented mindset so that citizens receive timely and meaningful outcomes rather than getting trapped in procedural complexities.

Dr. Jitendra Singh said Pension Adalats have emerged as an effective institutional mechanism for resolution of complex and long-pending grievances. Since the launch of the initiative in 2017, a total of 15 Pension Adalats have been conducted in which 27,812 cases were taken up. Out of these, 19,948 grievances were resolved during the Adalats themselves, reflecting a success rate of more than 71.72 percent. Remaining cases were subsequently resolved through inter-ministerial coordination and review mechanisms.

The Minister also stressed the need for greater outreach and awareness regarding pension-related reforms and grievance redressal platforms. He called upon departments and organisations to make wider use of social media and modern communication tools so that pensioners across the country remain better informed and connected with government initiatives.

 

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