New Delhi, Sep 18 (NationPress) Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Anil Chauhan officially launched the Sparsh Outreach Programme on Thursday in Siliguri, an initiative organized by the Controller of Defence Accounts (CDA) Patna in partnership with HQ 111 Area at the Bengdubi Military Station.

The primary goal of the programme was to provide defence pensioners with insights regarding the various services offered by SPARSH, including a comprehensive grievance redressal mechanism.

"In-depth briefings were conducted to familiarize pensioners with the advantages and operational procedures of SPARSH. Dedicated assistance counters were established to help pensioners register, address pension-related issues, and receive immediate solutions from the CDA team," stated the PRO Defence in a press release.

CDS Gen Anil Chauhan inaugurated the event, which saw attendance from Lt Gen Pawan Chadha and Lt Gen Zubin A Minwalla, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 33 Corps.

According to the press release, "The outreach programme was executed to verify documentation, rectify discrepancies, and enhance pension processing through direct interaction with officials."

This event complements the Ministry of Defence's efforts to bring services closer to veterans, particularly those located in remote regions or who have limited access to digital resources.

The CDS praised SPARSH as a reform under the Digital India and DBT initiatives, embodying the principle of "Minimum Government, Maximum Governance" by consolidating the entire pension lifecycle within one platform.

"Pensions are now directly deposited by PCDA (Pensions), eliminating intermediaries and minimizing potential errors. Pensioners were informed about self-service options to verify their details, update records, and submit grievances online, thereby enhancing transparency and efficiency," the statement continued.

Currently, around 31 lakh defence pensioners are enrolled in SPARSH, benefiting from direct credit to their bank accounts, highlighting the extensive reach of the system.

A Defence spokesperson noted that the outreach programme was designed to verify documentation, resolve discrepancies, and streamline pension processing through direct engagement with officials.

CDS Gen Anil Chauhan commended ‘Sparsh’ as a Digital India and DBT-driven initiative that consolidates the entire pension lifecycle onto a single platform.

He highlighted that approximately 31 lakh defence pensioners are now integrated into ‘Sparsh’, receiving direct payments into their bank accounts, demonstrating the system's extensive reach.

The event garnered an enthusiastic response, with numerous veterans actively participating. The CDS expressed appreciation to Lt Gen Pawan Chadha and CDA officials in Patna for the successful execution of the programme.

The event was attended by Lt Gen Pawan Chadha and Lt Gen Zubin A Minwalla, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 33 Corps.