Parliamentary panel recommends faster disposal of pensioners complaints

The Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee (DRPSC) on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice’s 110th report (Rajya Sabha Secretariat) on “Pensioner’s Grievances – Impact of Pension Adalats and Centralized Pensioner Grievance Redressal and Monitoring System (CPENGRAMS)” has noted with concern that, on average, 20% of grievances are not being resolved within the stipulated time limit of 45 days and 30 days in case of family pensioners and super senior pensioners (80 years and above).

CPENGRAMS is a web-based system that allows various Central Government Ministries, Departments, and Organizations to quickly resolve pension-related disputes.

According to the office memorandum issued on April 4, 2022, “The Committee has recommended that all the Ministries/Departments of Central Government should identify core grievance-prone areas and streamline their systems accordingly and to resolve the grievances within the prescribed time limit.”

“ It shall be the responsibility of each Ministry/Department to coordinate with their Attached/Subordinate/Autonomous bodies for disposal of grievances within the stipulated time frame of 45 days in case of pensioners and 30 days in case of family pensioners and super senior pensioners (80 years and above). A detailed action taken report be sent on every quarter starting from 2nd quarter of 2022 (i.e. 1st July/1st October/1st January/1st April) as per Proforma annexed to DoPPW regularly,” the memorandum stated.

Also, as recommended by the DRPSC in its 113th Report, ministries/departments should ensure accountability of government officials dealing with pensioner grievances and take administrative action against officials who are habitually responsible for delayed action or summary disposition of grievances without qualitative action.