By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, MAR 12, 2025: A childless widow can remarry and yet claim her deceased husband's Pension or Family Pension. Family Pension is now available also for the divorced or separated  daughters without waiting for the outcome of a Divorce suit in the court and she can claim Family Pension through her deceased parent if her divorce proceedings have been constituted during the lifetime of her parent. A woman pensioner can now nominate her children for Family Pension, in precedence to her husband in the event of a marital discord leading to filing of Divorce suit or filing of case under Protection of Domestic Violation Act or Dowry Prohibition Act.

These are some of the revolutionary reforms which the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology; Earth Sciences and Minister of State for PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, had been brought in the recent few years.

Addressing the 34th meeting of the Standing Committee of Voluntary Agencies (SCOVA) here yesterday, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, it is gratifying to note that we have been able to introduce several reforms in the Service Rules pertaining to women, which was called for with the changing norms of the society but the earlier government continued to follow a status quoist approach and hence avoided doing so. He said, we could carry forward these pathbreaking reforms with courage and conviction because we have the support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Elaborating on this, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, Family Pension to a childless widow will now continue even after remarriage, provided her income from other sources is less than the minimum Family Pension that she is receiving.

In another progressive decision, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, Family Pension is now available also for the divorced or separated daughters without waiting for the outcome of a Divorce suit in the court and she can claim Family Pension through her deceased parent if her divorce proceedings have been constituted during the lifetime of her parent. Citing another woman-centric reform, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, rules have been changed and a woman pensioner can now nominate her children for Family Pension, in precedence to her husband in the event of a marital discord leading to filing of Divorce suit or filing of case under Protection of Domestic Violation Act or Dowry Prohibition Act.

The Minister reaffirmed the government's commitment to improving the lives of pensioners by streamlining processes and introducing technology-driven solutions. The meeting saw deliberations on key policy reforms and digital initiatives aimed at enhancing pensioners' welfare, ensuring ease of living, and resolving long-pending grievances.

Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted that in the past decade, several steps have been taken to simplify pension procedures. Notably, the Jeevan Pramaan Digital Life Certificate, launched in 2014, has now expanded to include face authentication technology, making it easier for pensioners to submit life certificates remotely. A nationwide campaign in November 2024 saw 1.5 crore life certificates generated, with 8 lakh submitted by senior citizens aged 80 and above.

Another major reform discussed was the Bhavishya portal, which integrates pension processing with government health schemes like CGHS. This will ensure that retirees receive their CGHS cards at the time of retirement, eliminating delays. The Integrated Pensioners' Portal has also been linked with major banks such as SBI, PNB, and Canara Bank to ensure seamless pension disbursals.

Dr. Jitendra Singh lauded the success of the Pension Adalat initiative, which has resolved over 70% of grievances across 12 editions since its inception in 2017. The most recent adalat, held in February 2025, saw 490 out of 531 cases settled on the spot. Similarly, the CPENGRAMS grievance redressal system has achieved record efficiency, addressing over one lakh pension-related complaints, with a special focus on Defence pensioners.

The meeting also reviewed the National Anubhav Awards, which now recognize contributions from Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) and Public Sector Banks. The Pre-Retirement Counseling Workshops were another focal point, having guided over 10,000 retiring personnel on financial security and post-retirement opportunities.

Dr. Jitendra Singh reiterated that the government remains committed to doing away with outdated rules and ensuring pensioners' concerns are addressed with urgency. "If any rule is causing inconvenience, we are open to revising it. The focus is on reducing bureaucratic hurdles and improving senior citizens' quality of life," he assured.

The meeting saw the participation of Secretary, DoPPW, Sri V. Srinivas, along with senior officials from various ministries and representatives of pensioners' associations, who actively participated in the discussions on key policy matters and welfare initiatives.