Pension administration needs urgent, systemic reforms: MoS Jitendra Singh

Union minister Jitendra Singh called for urgent reforms in pension administration, given that the number of central government pensioners now exceeds serving staff and a number of pending legal cases

Union Minister of State for Personnel, Jitendra Singh, has called for immediate institutional coordination and systemic reforms in the administration of pensions. "The number of central government pensioners has now surpassed the count of serving government employees," he said, according to a report by the Press Trust of India.

 

Speaking at the first national workshop on pension litigation held at Vigyan Bhawan, Singh underscored the government's strong commitment to pensioners’ welfare. However, he also warned about the increasing financial burden caused by pension-related litigation.

 

Highlighting the need to resolve such issues quickly, he said, "In no case should the vital energies of our elder citizens be allowed to be consumed inconsequentially for avoidable reasons."

 

According to a statement from the Ministry of Personnel, the country now has over 6 million pensioners, more than the number of active government employees. Singh said this shift has created fresh challenges that demand immediate reform.

Misinterpretation and unresolved grievances

 

“Pension-related litigation often arises from misinterpretation of rules, and unresolved grievances can lead to unnecessary hardship for senior citizens,” Singh said.

 

He revealed that over 300 pension cases are pending in various legal forums, nearly 70 per cent of them in the Central Administrative Tribunals (CAT). In most of these cases, the government is also named, reflecting deeper systemic issues. 

 

"Litigation is usually the last resort, not the first," he added, cautioning against ignoring pensioners' concerns.

 

Meanwhile, Attorney General of India, R Venkataramani, who joined the workshop virtually, called for a national strategy to manage legal cases more effectively -- especially those involving pensions. He proposed an ambitious goal: "zero pension litigation" by 2028.

 

He recommended better administrative measures, timely grievance redressal, and a culture of accountability. Highlighting the emotional and administrative nature of pension cases, he urged the use of mediation instead of legal battles wherever possible.

 

Venkataramani also flagged consistent delays in processing pension claims, particularly for defence personnel. He suggested using digital platforms to link nodal officers, law officials and his office for better coordination. He proposed a dedicated digital platform to oversee litigation across departments.

 

“Pursuit of happiness,” he said, “should extend to our retirees,” encouraging collective efforts to protect pensioners from legal struggles in old age.

Publications and campaigns launched

 

As part of the workshop, Minister Singh launched several key initiatives. These included:

 

* A compendium of case studies on pension litigation

* A flyer on pension litigation awareness

* A booklet summarising last year’s special campaign on family pensioners' grievances

 

Singh also pointed out that both winners and losers in tribunal rulings often go on to file appeals, showing a broader dissatisfaction and difficulty in achieving resolution.

 

The workshop focused on improving legal training for nodal officers and ensuring better coordination with the Department of Legal Affairs. The use of digital tools -- including AI dashboards and data repositories -- was also discussed.

 

However, Singh warned against relying solely on technology. “AI can assist, but welfare must be guided by intelligence of the humane kind,” he said.

 

Calling for a change in how retirees are perceived, he added, “They may retire from government service but not from serving the nation.”

 

He also officially launched "Special Campaign 2.0" -- a nationwide, month-long effort to resolve pending issues faced by family and super senior pensioners.

Department’s perspective 

Earlier in the event, V Srinivas, Secretary of the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare, explained the purpose behind holding the workshop. He said it aimed to build the skills of nodal officers, improve administrative systems, and reduce unnecessary pension litigation.

 

He also stressed the need to address recurring court cases, prevent errors in notifications, avoid contempt charges and develop a better system for managing legal knowledge.

 

The department, he noted, has been involved in nearly 6,000 pension-related court cases, underlining the need for early-stage legal reviews and coordination.

 

Furthermore, Srinivas also announced fresh initiatives, including inter-ministerial talks on the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) Rules 2025 and a new nationwide campaign to raise awareness on family pension rights starting from July 1.