Continuation of ongoing scheme - “Pensioners’ Portal” beyond 31st March, 2021: DOP&PW

Continuation of ongoing scheme – “Pensioners’ Portal” beyond 31st March, 2021 for next five years upto 31st March, 2026: DOP&PW OM dated 09.08.2021

F. No. 20(1)/2020-P&PW (H)-6884
Department of Pension Ministry of Personnel PG & Pension
Department of Pension & Pensioners Welfare

8th Floor, ‘B’ Wing, Janpath Bhawan
Janpath, New Delhi-110001
Dated: 9th August, 2021

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject:- Continuation of ongoing scheme-“Pensioners’ Portal” beyond 31st March, 2021 for next five years upto 31st March, 2026

The undersigned is directed to say that the Pensioners’ Portal was launched as a Mission Mode Project of the Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare (DoP&PW) Government of India under the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) in March, 2007 for its implementation during the 11th Plan Period (2007-2012) and was extended for its continued implementation during the 1 h Plan Period (2012-2017) vide this Department’s communication No.41(2)/2011-P&PW(C) dated 2nd April, 2012 as modified vide letter No.55/24/2013 -P&PW(C) dated 19th December, 2013. The scheme was further extended for the remaining 14th Finance Commission Period i.e for a further period of 3 years beyond 31st March, 2017 to 31st March, 2020 vide this Department’s O.M No 55/12/2017-P&PW(C) dated 23rd November, 2017. The Scheme was further extended beyond 3151 March, 2020 (beyond 14th FC Cycle) for a period of one year till 31st March, 2021 vide this Department’s O.M No. 55/2/2019-P&PW(C)- 5855 dated 01.09.2020.

I. OBJECTIVES OF THE SCHEME

The Scheme is primarily aimed at making the pension/retirement online processing related services, Pensioners’ Welfare activities, information dissemination, awareness campaigns and grievances handling mechanism accessible online to the pensioners. This help bridge the gap between the pensioners and the Government. It is also expected to serve as a one stop grievance handling and information source for the pensioners of Government of India (especially civil pensioners) across the country.

The objectives of the Scheme are:-

To smoothen the process of sanctioning and disbursement of pension and gratuity.
To enable Ministries/Departments/organization to pay the dues to retiring Govt. Employees on or before the date of retirement.
To build an effective grievance redress mechanism related to pensioners.
To keep the pensioners aware of their rights and responsibilities/obligations.
To enable the Pensioners’ Associations/Welfare Organizations to access information/lodge grievances on behalf of their members.

II ACTIVITIES OF THE SCHEME

At present following activities are being operational through the Pensioners’ Portal: –

CPENGRAMS (Centralized Pension Grievance Redress And Monitoring System)- CPENGRAMS is an online grievance registration and redressal portal. All Ministries/Departments including Railways, Post, Defence with their subordinate units are linked in CPENGRAMS and is providing online resolution to the pensioners’ grievances .
Pension Adalat-This Department has started unique experiment of holding Pension Adalat, wherein grievances received from pensioners are segregated by their nature and accordingly linked to the department concerned. The stake-holders viz. the concerned Department, the PAO, the concerned Bank and representative of the pensioner are invited on a single platform and the grievances are resolved across the table.
Bhavishya– It is a landmark in digitization of Pension processing for civil pensioners which enables generation of e-PPO. It is mandatory for all civil ministries excluding Defence, Post and Railways to process the pension case through Bhavishya.
Sankalp – It aims to prepare retirees for post-retirement life and act as a facilitator in the entire process.
Anubhav-It is online facility for retirees to submit their experiences of working with government and to preserve their rich experience for future generation . All Ministries/Departments including Railways, Post and Defence are on the board of Anubhav .
Promotion of DLC– Unavailability of life certificate in banks’ record is major cause for discontinuation of pension payment. To ensure transparency in the system and to provide comfort for pensioners in submitting life certificate, DoPPW is promoting use of Digital Life Certificate amongst Central Government Pensioners.
Awareness workshops– Workshops are being organized at 3 levels:-
1. Employees who are about to retire -About their pensionary benefits, entitlements and post-retirement life.
2. Pensioners – On updated pension rule and health issues
3. Dealing staff on pension matters in Ministries/ Departments – To make them aware on the interpretation of pension rule while processing critical cases.
4. Since pensioners are scattered throughout the country: electronic, print and social media is extensively used to create awareness on updated rules, entitlements and welfare measures.

Ill GRANT-IN-AID TO IDENTIFIED PENSIONERS’ASSOCIATION

Under the Scheme provision has been made to sanction Grant-in-Aid up to a monitory limit of Rs.75000/- per Pensioners’ Association identified to participate in the implementation of the Scheme to defray expenses on specified components. The maximum permissible amount on the individual components has been prescribed as follows:-

(i)	Telephone/ Internet Connection	Up to R 12,000 per annum
(ii)	Stationery + Battery replacement	Up to Rs.19,500 oer annum
(iii)	Subsidy towards Rent of Building/ Water/electricity/ AMC of equipment	Up to Rs.28,500 per annum
(iv)	Remuneration Payable to Data entry (Part time)	Up to Rs.15,000 per Operator annum
	Total	Up to Rs.75,000 per annum

Depending upon their individual needs the Pensioners’ Associations will have flexibility on spending on various approved items of components as mentioned above within the overall sanctioned amount. This flexibility will be to the extent of 25% on higher/lower side of individual component subject to overall spending within the sanctioned grant. The Pensioners’ Associations will also be provided necessary hardware/software for the purpose of lodging grievances etc. online on CPENGRAMS.

IV. MANPOWER

Presently the Scheme is being implemented by the officials of Department with the assistance of outsourced staff such as Consultants. Data Entry Operators, and Programmers under the overall supervision of Secretary (Pension). Presently the following outsourced staff is assisting the Department for implementation of the Scheme

S.No.	Description	No. of Posts
1.	Consultants	5
2.	Operation Manager	3
3.	Technical Personnel	10
4.	DEOs/ Call Centre Executives	13
5.	MTS	4

V. FINANCIAL OUTLAYS

The cost estimates for all the components of the Scheme, clubbed together , for the extended period for Next Five years (from 01/04/2021 to 30/03/2026) have been fixed as follows:-

(Rupees in Crore)

Components	FY 2021-22	FY 2022-23	FY 2023-24	FY 2024-25	FY 2025-26	Total
1. Salary	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.05
2. Domestic Travel Expenses	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20	1.00
3. Office Expenses	0.90	0.90	0.90	0.90	0.90	4.50
4. Advertising & Publicity	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	7.50
5. Grant-In-Aid- General	0.28	0.28	0.28	0.28	0.28	1.40
6. Other Charges	0.02	0.02	0.02	0.02	0.02	0.10
Total	4.4	4.4	4.4	4.4	4.4	22.0

The financing of the Scheme will be through Demands for Grants of M/o Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions – No extra budgetary sources, external aid, state share etc., are involved.

VI. EXTENSION OF THE SCHEME

Prior to its extension, the third party evaluation was done by Indian Institute of Public Administration (llPA) vide its Third party evaluation of Scheme – “Pensioners’ Portal” in May, 2021 and its detailed appraisal having been done by AS & FA (Home) has been approved for continuance by the Competent Authority for next five years beyond 31st March, 2021.

The scheme- “Pensioners’ Portal”, with the above feature and financial outlay accordingly stands extended beyond 3151 March, 2021 for next five years till 31st March, 2026 . The extension process including appraisal of the Scheme- Pensioners’ Portal was completed in consultation with Integrated Finance Division vide Dy. No. 55150/21 dated 07.07.2021 and E-6884 0/o AS&FA(H) dated 08.07.2021.

(Ruchir Mittal)
Director

Click here to view/download the pdf

Also check the following links related to this topic:

Grant-in-Aid to Pensioners Associations with the Implementation of ‘Pensioners Portal’ Project

Identification of Pensioners Associations under the Pensioners’ Portal

Guidelines for timely and qualitative disposal of Pensioners’ Grievances