Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday described pensioners as a “valuable national resource” and said India’s pension administration has undergone a major transformation over the past decade, shifting from a rule book-driven system to a technology-enabled and citizen-centric governance model.
Chairing the 16th All India Pension Adalat at Vigyan Bhawan, the minister said the government has focused on ensuring dignity, transparency and ease of living for pensioners through digital reforms and simplified procedures. He said pensioners should not merely be treated as beneficiaries but as contributors to nation building whose experience and institutional memory continue to remain valuable.
The Pension Adalat, organised by the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW), took up 985 long-pending grievances related to 37 ministries and departments that had remained unresolved for over 45 days as of April 15, 2026. According to the government, 728 cases — nearly 74 per cent — have already been resolved.
During the proceedings, 26 major cases linked to 16 ministries and departments were presented before the minister. Of these, 12 were related to the Ministry of Defence, eight to the Ministry of Home Affairs and two to the Ministry of Railways. In one case, pensionary benefits exceeding Rs 74 lakh were released, while two other beneficiaries received around Rs 46 lakh each.
Eight pensioners and family pensioners attended the Adalat physically, including participants from Akola in Maharashtra and Haldwani in Uttarakhand, while 18 others joined virtually from different parts of the country.
Highlighting reforms introduced since 2014, Jitendra Singh said the Digital Life Certificate campaign and biometric authentication systems have significantly reduced hardships faced by elderly pensioners. He added that over one crore pensioners have already benefited from the digital system, making pension delivery more accessible and hassle free.
The minister also referred to reforms such as simplified family pension rules, relaxation in procedures involving missing-person cases, and measures benefiting divorced daughters and disabled dependents. Stressing the importance of Mission Karmayogi, he said governance should move beyond mechanical interpretation of rules and focus on practical, solution-oriented public service delivery.
Since the launch of Pension Adalats in 2017, the government has conducted 15 such Adalats, taking up 27,812 cases, of which 19,948 grievances were resolved during the proceedings themselves, reflecting a success rate of over 71.72 per cent, according to official data.
