Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Oct 13: Addressing the meeting of Standing Committee of Voluntary Agencies (SCOVA) of various pensioners’ organizations here today, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh proposed pre-retirement counselling programmes for pensioners which would, on the one hand, help in guiding the pensioners to fruitfully utilise their professional experience after retirement and at the same time, also help them lead a more compatible social and family life after superannuation.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, this has become necessary because the total number of pensioners has surpassed the number of serving employees in India today which is a recent phenomenon, With an increase in the average lifespan of an Indian, he said, not only the number of pensioners have increased but a majority of them superannuate at the age of around 60 when they are, by and large, in a fit state of health to shoulder active responsibilities. In other words, he said, they are “retired but not tired” and, therefore, still capable of rendering valuable services.
Dr Jitendra Singh suggested that retiring personnel should be formally or informally engaged in important decision making processes of the Government, particularly in relation to the Pensions Department or their own respective Departments. A mechanism can be worked out as to how best to use their talent depending upon their experience, expertise and area of interest without letting them go waste, he added.
Referring to Prime Minister’s landmark programmes like “Skill India” and “Start Up India, Stand Up India”, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the pensioners can certainly help in such programmes because their experience in various areas of skill can guide the youth to carry forward these initiatives.
Dr Jitendra Singh expressed satisfaction over some of the new pensioner-friendly measures adopted by the Department of Pension including “Jeevan Pramaan” pertaining to life certificate, Pensioners’ Portal for grievances, “Sankalp” and “Bhavishya” programmes and the most recently launched programme “Anubhav” beginning February this year wherein the pensioners are offered opportunity to share their experiences.
Union Secretary, Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances and Pensions, Devendra Chaudhry, Joint Secretaries Vandana Sharma, Archana Varma, senior officers, representatives from different Ministries and representatives of various pensioners’ organizations were present on the occasion.
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