SRINAGAR: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said governance and pension reforms introduced under Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the past 12 years are benefiting a wider section of employees and pensioners in Jammu and Kashmir following its transition into a Union Territory.
Speaking at the 59th Pre-Retirement Counselling Workshop and the 13th Bankers’ Awareness Programme organised by the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre, Singh said the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir significantly increased the number of Central Government employees in the region and brought certain administrative challenges that have gradually been addressed through coordinated efforts.
He credited the Jammu and Kashmir Central Pensioners’ Associations for playing a constructive role in facilitating the transition and helping implement pension reforms by bringing issues and practical suggestions to the government’s notice.
The minister said the government’s approach towards pensioners has shifted from merely processing pension cases to focusing on pensioners’ welfare, dignity and ease of living. He noted that several citizen-centric initiatives launched during the past decade have transformed pension administration across the country.
The programme was attended by Secretary, DoPPW, Nivedita Shukla Verma; Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo; Managing Director and CEO of Jammu and Kashmir Bank Amitava Chatterjee; Joint Secretary (Pension) Dhrubajyoti Sengupta and other senior officials, bankers and employees approaching retirement.
On the occasion, DoPPW and Jammu and Kashmir Bank signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at expanding pension-related services and improving accessibility for pensioners across the Union Territory. Singh said the collaboration would strengthen service delivery mechanisms and make pension services more accessible.
Highlighting digital reforms, the minister said the Bhavishya platform has enabled end-to-end digitisation of pension processing, while Pension Payment Orders are now integrated with DigiLocker for seamless and paperless access to pension documents.
He described Digital Life Certificates through Face Authentication Technology as one of the most successful reforms, allowing pensioners to submit life certificates from home using mobile phones. Singh said the nationwide campaign conducted in November 2025 generated over 1.91 crore Digital Life Certificates, including more than 1.16 crore through face authentication.
The minister also highlighted reforms in grievance redressal through CPENGRAMS, National Pension Adalats and thematic review mechanisms, as well as measures relating to family pension, additional pension and retirement benefits.
Referring to the Anubhav platform, Singh said the government is encouraging retiring employees to document their experiences, innovations and best practices for future generations of public servants. He also welcomed the launch of the Anubhav Scheme 2026 to recognise exemplary contributions made by retiring government employees.
Emphasising the importance of pre-retirement counselling, Singh said such programmes help employees understand pension procedures and prepare for a productive post-retirement life. He urged retirees to continue contributing to society and participate actively in the vision of a developed India by 2047.
He said senior citizens and pensioners, with their experience and institutional knowledge, have an important role to play in the country’s development journey.
