Peace Drives Development, Says Jitendra Singh at PRC Meet

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Dr. Jitendra Singh on Friday underscored the intrinsic link between peace and development, stating that "when peace prevails, development accelerates, and when development reaches people, it strengthens peace," while addressing a Pre-Retirement Counselling (PRC) Workshop in Guwahati, Assam.

The workshop, organised by the Department of Pension & Pensioners' Welfare in collaboration with the Government of Assam, brought together senior state officials, representatives from banking institutions including SBI, and employees nearing superannuation. It marked the second such programme in Assam this year, reflecting strengthened Centre–State coordination on pension reforms.

North East Transformation Highlighted

Referring to the sweeping transformation of the North Eastern region over the past decade, Dr. Jitendra Singh said the scale of change is most visible to those who witnessed the region before 2014.

He cited major improvements including:

• Enhanced road connectivity between Guwahati and Shillong

• Railway expansion to states that previously had no rail access

• Development of new airports across the region

• Landmark infrastructure such as the Bhupen Hazarika Bridge

• Improved security conditions

He described the mainstreaming of the North East as one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's significant contributions, noting the Prime Minister's frequent visits to personally review development initiatives.

Harnessing the Potential of Retirees

With rising life expectancy and improved healthcare standards increasing the number of pensioners nationwide, Dr. Singh explained that the Pre-Retirement Counselling initiative was designed to channelise the expertise and experience of retiring employees into continued nation-building.

"Individuals retiring at 60 today are often in their prime of health and professional capability. Their potential should not be lost to society," he said.

The PRC workshops aim to help employees plan financially and socially for retirement while encouraging them to remain active contributors to India's growth journey.

Digital Pension Reforms: From Paperwork to Portals

Dr. Singh detailed wide-ranging pension reforms undertaken over the past decade to simplify procedures and eliminate legacy inefficiencies.

Key reforms include:

• Rationalisation of the CCS (Pension) Rules

• Replacement of multiple coloured pension forms with a single integrated digital form

• Removal of obsolete colonial-era provisions

• Advance initiation and end-to-end online processing of pension papers

He noted that cumbersome requirements such as repeated No Objection Certificates have been eliminated, significantly reducing delays.

Expanding Family Pension Eligibility

The Minister highlighted progressive changes aimed at social equity, including:

• Eligibility for family pension extended to single, divorced and separated daughters without prolonged legal processes

• Family pension granted even if an employee dies before completing ten years of service

• Revision of the rule for missing employees, reducing the earlier seven-year waiting period for families to receive benefits

These changes, he said, have eased hardship, particularly in regions previously affected by law-and-order challenges.

Digital Life Certificates Go Mobile

Dr. Singh described the Digital Life Certificate (DLC) campaign as having evolved into a nationwide movement. Camps are organised across thousands of cities, and Face Recognition Technology has been introduced to help elderly pensioners, particularly where biometric authentication may fail.

Lakhs of pensioners now submit life certificates from home using mobile devices, reducing the need for physical visits to banks or offices.

Technology-Driven Transparency and Grievance Redressal

Other key initiatives include:

• The "Bhavishya" portal for online pension processing

• Integration of pension-disbursing banks into a single-window system

• Regular Pension Adalats for on-the-spot grievance resolution

• Enhanced grants to pensioners' welfare associations

Dr. Singh said several long-pending cases, some unresolved for decades, have been cleared through these interventions.

Towards Viksit Bharat

The Minister emphasised that reform is not merely about introducing new rules but also about removing outdated and unnecessary ones that no longer serve society.

He urged retiring employees to see themselves as active stakeholders in India's journey towards Viksit Bharat, contributing their skills and wisdom beyond superannuation.

Expressing confidence in the Pre-Retirement Counselling initiative, Dr. Jitendra Singh said it would enable retirees to approach the next phase of life with clarity and purpose, while allowing the nation to continue benefiting from their experience and institutional memory.