Guwahati, May 19: The Assam government has taken a significant step to ensure timely pension payments for retired employees. Officials responsible for delays or negligence in pension disbursement will now face penalties. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced this new policy on Tuesday.
In a post on the social media platform ‘X’, the Chief Minister emphasized that retired employees have made substantial contributions to Assam’s development and deserve to receive their pensions on time as a matter of right.
He stated, “Our retired employees have played a vital role in Assam’s progress. Receiving pensions on time is their right. To ensure this, we are implementing a new accountability system that includes penalties for those who delay payments. Our pensioners deserve respect and dignity.”
This announcement follows a new notification issued by the Department of Administrative Reforms, Training, Pensions, and Public Grievances. Under the new system, if officials fail to adhere to the established timelines and government standards for processing pension cases, they will face disciplinary action.
According to officials, a list of pending and delayed pension cases will now be compiled monthly through the ‘Gratitude Portal’. This list will be sent to relevant departments, district commissioners, and senior officials to ensure monitoring and prompt action.
The ‘Gratitude Portal’ is an online pension approval and payment tracking system launched by the Assam government for retired employees and pensioners.
As per the new notification, officials responsible for delays at various stages of the pension process will incur a daily penalty of ₹250. However, the maximum penalty has been capped at ₹5,000.
The government clarified that this amount will be directly deducted from the respective official’s salary, utilizing the FinAssam portal. The deductions will be reflected in the salary statement for the following month. This system is part of the Assam government’s integrated financial management framework.
The order mandates Drawing and Disbursing Officers to ensure that the recovery process is implemented correctly and that complete information is sent to the Department of Administrative Reforms, Training, Pensions, and Public Grievances.
Government officials stated that the aim of this new system is to enhance accountability in government offices, expedite administrative processes, and ensure that pensioners receive their rightful dues without hassle. This new policy is effective immediately.
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