Enhancing Pensioner Welfare: Key Initiatives of DoPPW in 2024
The Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) has launched several initiatives in 2024 to improve the lives of pensioners across India. These initiatives focus on enhancing welfare, streamlining grievance redressal, and promoting digitization in pension processes. The department aims to address the needs of pensioners effectively while ensuring that their grievances are resolved promptly. This article delves into the significant actions taken by the DoPPW to support pensioners this year.
100 Days Action Plan: A Comprehensive Approach
The DoPPW implemented a 100 Days Action Plan that included various activities aimed at improving pensioner welfare. One of the key initiatives was a month-long campaign focused on addressing grievances from family pensioners. This campaign successfully resolved 1,737 grievances, demonstrating the department’s commitment to listening to and addressing the concerns of pensioners.
Additionally, the 54th Pre-Retirement Counselling Workshop was held in Jammu, chaired by the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions. This workshop aimed to assist officials nearing retirement in navigating the superannuation process. The department also issued instructions to increase the maximum limit for retirement and death gratuity for central government employees from ₹20 lakh to ₹25 lakh, contingent upon the Dearness Allowance reaching 50 percent.
Furthermore, the Anubhav Awards Scheme recognized outstanding contributions from retiring officials, with five awards and seven jury certificates conferred in 2024. These initiatives reflect the DoPPW’s dedication to enhancing the overall experience of pensioners and ensuring their needs are met effectively.
Digital Life Certificate Campaign 3.0: A Technological Leap
The Digital Life Certificate (DLC) Campaign 3.0 marked a significant milestone in the DoPPW’s efforts to digitize pension processes. Conducted from November 1 to 30, 2024, this campaign was the largest of its kind in India, covering 800 cities and towns. With 1,950 camps and 1,100 nodal officers involved, the campaign generated an impressive 1.30 crore Digital Life Certificates.
A notable achievement of this campaign was the use of face authentication technology, which accounted for 39.18 lakh DLCs—over 30 percent of the total. This advancement proved particularly beneficial for elderly pensioners with faded fingerprints, differently-abled individuals, and those living in rural areas. The campaign also saw significant participation from pensioners aged 80 and above, with 8 lakh DLCs submitted. Major banks, including the State Bank of India and the India Post Payments Bank, played a crucial role in generating these certificates, showcasing a collaborative effort to enhance pensioner welfare.
Streamlined Grievance Redressal Mechanisms
The DoPPW has made significant strides in addressing pensioner grievances. In 2024, over 1.06 lakh grievances were resolved across 90 ministries and departments. This included 21,860 family pension cases and 9,818 cases involving super senior pensioners. The average resolution time for grievances has improved, decreasing from 36 days in 2018 to just 26 days in 2024. Currently, only 0.54% of grievances remain unresolved for more than six months, indicating a more efficient grievance redressal system.
The introduction of the CPENGRAMS portal has further enhanced the grievance resolution process. Monthly reports ranking ministries and departments based on their performance in grievance redressal have been implemented. New features allow tracking grievances by their source, whether online, postal, or via call center, and provide insights into the average disposal time for resolutions. Additionally, a special campaign focused on family pension grievances achieved a remarkable 94% success rate, resolving 1,769 out of 1,891 cases.
National Anubhav Awards: Celebrating Excellence
The National Anubhav Awards Scheme 2024 recognized the exemplary contributions of retiring officials. This year, 15 outstanding write-ups were awarded, with a notable 33% of the awards going to women—marking the highest percentage in the scheme’s history. The initiative aims to honor the experiences and insights of retiring employees, encouraging them to share their stories and knowledge.
In addition to the awards, the DoPPW hosted a monthly webinar series titled “ANUBHAV Awardee Speak.” This series featured awardees and prominent retired personalities, inspiring retiring employees to reflect on their careers and share valuable experiences. The 19th edition of this series highlighted speakers from 13 ministries, further enriching the dialogue around retirement and pension-related matters.
These initiatives underscore the DoPPW’s commitment to recognizing the contributions of retiring officials while fostering a culture of sharing knowledge and experiences among pensioners. Through these efforts, the department aims to create a supportive environment for those transitioning into retirement.
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