Pension Adalats Resolved 71 Per Cent Of Cases Since Inception: How Can Pensioners Approach Them?

Pension Adalats are a government initiative to fast-track the resolution of pension-related issues. Recently, the 13th Pension Adalat was held in Delhi. Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who attended the event, emphasised that pension-related grievances should have a time-bound redressal mechanism. He highlighted the importance of addressing these issues with sensitivity, stating that pensioners should not have to go through unnecessary hurdles to resolve their pension matters. The minister asked the authorities to adopt a ‘whole-of-government’ approach and a proactive and anticipatory approach rather than a reactive one in handling pension matters.

He also encouraged authorities to use digital tools to make the redressal process convenient for pensioners. While the Centralised Pension Grievance Redressal and Monitoring System (CPENGRAMS), a digital platform to lodge pension-related grievances, is already there, it should be utilised for real-time tracking and expediting resolution.

The minister noted that the issues drag on for a long time due to procedural issues, which can be avoided with better cooperation between departments.

How Effective Pension Adalats Have Been So Far

Pension Adalats have long existed in railways, defence, and postal services. However, the government extended this initiative to other departments in 2017. Since then, 13 nationwide Pension Adalats have been conducted, where a total of 25,416 cases were filed and 18,157 cases were resolved. It indicates a resolution rate of 71 per cent, according to the statement by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions.

This results in an impressive resolution rate of 71 per cent, according to the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions.

This time, the Adalat focused on ‘Family Pension’ pertaining to 17 departments and ministries and 417 grievances.

How Can Pensioners Approach Pension Adalat?

The Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare (DOPPW) under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, is responsible for conducting Pension Adalats. A pensioner or a family pensioner having issues related to pension can participate in these Adalats.

The concerned department determines the date, time, and venue of Pension Adalat along with the name of the officer. These details are notified in the media (print, visual, and other means) at least four months before the proposed date of Adalat.

To participate in the Pension Adalat, the aggrieved party (pensioner or family pensioner) needs to send the grievance to the officer within 90 days from the date of notification.

An aggrieved pensioner can register the complaints through any of the following modes:

• A call centre for registration of grievances. One may call on toll-free no. 1800111960 to lodge a complaint

• One may visit the CPENGRAMS portal and lodge a complaint online

• One may also lodge a complaint on the UMANG app

• A grievance can also be sent through post to the concerned department

• A pensioner may also approach Pension Adalats, which are organised twice a year

After receiving the complaint, the concerned officer checks the grievance and sends a report to the concerned department or authority at least two weeks before the date of the Adalat to let them come prepared with all the documents and possible resolutions.