For pensioners, there is Bhavishya

The on-line tracking system for pension sanction and payment processes has been implemented in the main secretariat of 89 ministries/departments.

The Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare (DOPPW) has made the life of retired central-government employees a little easier.

Now they do not need to do the rounds of pension departments to check on the status of their pay out and pensions.

DOPPW has implemented an online system, Bhavishya, for retiring central- government civil employees in the main secretariat of 89 ministries/departments except the ministries of Railways and Defence, and the departments of post, atomic energy, telecommunication and some security-related sensitive organisations.

The system facilitates on-line tracking of the pension sanction and payment process.

Both individuals as well as administrative authorities can track the process and take necessary action for grant of pension and other retirement benefits. Through this system, the Government aims to ensure transparency and accountability in systems and processes.

There is no proposal to revamp the payment of pension through public-sector banks. However, the database for existing pensioners is being updated by the banks authorised for payment of pensions once in a year, through a master data reconciliation with the Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO), and from time to time based on the Special Seal Authority (SSA) issued by CPAO to the Central Pension Processing Centres (CPPCs) of Banks.

The authorised banks submit the report of payment of pension through e-scrolls to CPAO, after making the payment of pension. Life Certificate is submitted by the central civil pensioners/family pensioners in the month of November every year, and excess payment of pension may happen if the pensioner dies before the coming November, that is, the next due date of submission of Life Certificate.

If excess or wrong payment of pension is made to the pensioner by the public-sector banks then the entire amount is recovered by the banks from the pensioners or family of pensioners as per the guidelines of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in this regard.

During the financial year 2016–17, an amount of approx. Rs 73 crore was received/ recovered from the authorised banks by the CPAO in respect of central civil pensioners/family pensioners.