Over 31 Lakh Defence Pensioners Registered on SPARSH Portal: Government
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Synopsis
As of March 29, nearly 31 lakh out of 32 lakh defence pensioners have been registered on the SPARSH portal, with pensions being directly credited to their bank accounts. This initiative aims to streamline pension management for armed forces personnel and veterans across India.
Key Takeaways
- 31 lakh defence pensioners onboarded onto SPARSH.
- Pensions directly credited to bank accounts.
- Initiative started in October 2020.
- Over 200 DAD offices assisting pensioners.
- Multiple outreach programmes to support veterans.
New Delhi, March 29 (NationPress) Out of the total 32 lakh defence pensioners, nearly 31 lakh individuals have been successfully onboarded onto the System for Pension Administration-Raksha (SPARSH), with their pensions being directly deposited into their bank accounts, as reported by the government on Saturday.
Initiated in October 2020, SPARSH is part of the ‘Digital India’ initiative, designed to deliver a comprehensive and efficient framework for managing defence pensions. This includes the sanctioning and disbursement of pensions to Armed Forces personnel and Defence civilians throughout the nation.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Defence, over 200 Defence Accounts Department (DAD) offices, 16 bank branches, and nearly five lakh Common Service Centres (CSCs) are currently operational to assist pensioners.
To aid veterans and their families, especially elderly women and individuals in remote areas lacking computer and internet access, Raksha Pension Samadhan Ayojans (RPSA) have been organized in various locations to address their issues.
From January 2024 to December 2024, seven RPSAs were conducted across different regions of the country.
Additionally, more than 90 SPARSH outreach programmes were held by DAD during the same timeframe to support veterans and their families, as stated by the ministry.
“Ex-servicemen and their families can also receive assistance and necessary information regarding their pensions by calling the PCDA (P) toll-free number 1800-180-5325, where trained staff are available to help. Since its launch in December 2014, over 50 lakh calls have been answered, providing necessary assistance and information,” the ministry noted.
Previously, multiple agencies, a lack of technical expertise, a siloed work approach, and inadequate coordination led to incorrect payouts to pensioners, resulting in delays or errors in pension revisions, with widows often receiving minimal pension rates.
This situation not only caused delays in monthly pension payments but also left pensioners without visibility or transparency regarding their data and entitlements. Grievances often went unaddressed due to a lack of knowledge or negligence from the PDAs.
To resolve these issues, SPARSH was conceived and successfully implemented, consolidating the sanctioning and disbursement of pensions directly into the pensioners' accounts onto a single platform.
