edited by: Namit Singh Sengar
Last Update: January 10, 2023, 13:28 IST
The RBI had advised agency banks following several complaints from pensioners alleging delay in payment of revised pension and arrears.
In order to mitigate the difficulties faced by the pensioners, the agency banks (banks with which the pensioner maintains the account) were mandated by RBI to issue duly signed acknowledgments.
Many senior citizens face problems with their pension at various stages of the approval process and final disbursement. However, there are instances where the pensioner has to face hardship due to delay on the part of the bank or pension disbursing offices. Many times the pension gets stopped even due to delay in submission of life certificate.
However, the problem of pensioners-cum-senior citizens has been resolved from time to time by the central bank and government agencies. There are designated portals where a person can lodge a complaint. Many pensioners are not aware of these facilities.
Even RBI has underlined that there have been complaints that life certificates deposited at the counter of pension paying branches have been lost, leading to delay in disbursement of monthly pension.
In order to mitigate the difficulties faced by the pensioners, the agency banks (banks with which the pensioner maintains the account) were mandated by RBI to issue duly signed acknowledgments.
The RBI had advised agency banks following several complaints from pensioners alleging delay in payment of revised pension and arrears.
Banks have been advised to put in place a mechanism to obtain copies of pension orders directly from the pension paying authorities immediately and make payments without waiting for the receipt of instructions from the Reserve Bank of India. India So that the pensioners can get the benefits announced by the government in the next month’s pension payment itself.
Pension paying banks should compensate the pensioner for delay in crediting pension/arrears at a fixed rate of interest of 8 per cent per annum for delay beyond the due date of payment.
When the agency bank is computing the pension, the branch should continue as a referral point for the pensioner, lest he/she feel deprived.
All branches having pension accounts should guide and assist the pensioners in all their dealings with the bank.
Suitable arrangements should be made for placing the arithmetic and other details regarding pension calculation on the web, which should be made available to the pensioners through the net or at the branches at periodic intervals and adequate advertisement should be given about such arrangements.
All pension disbursing agency banks are advised to provide considerate and sympathetic customer service to pensioners, especially old age pensioners.
Agency banks have been asked to display the instructions issued in this regard on their notice boards in the branches so that sick and disabled pensioners can make full use of these facilities.
In case the pensioner is not satisfied with the resolution of the grievance, there are various options where one can lodge the grievance online.
Pension Delay Problem: How to File a Complaint?
Pensioners can e-mail their specific problem related to processing of their pension papers in the Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO), Ministry of Finance on the mail id CCPAO.[at]NIC[dot]in, citing their Pension Payment Order (PPO) no.
For the convenience of the pensioners, a toll free number 1800-11-77-88 has been set up in the CPAO which is dedicated to receive the grievances of the pensioners.
– via www[dot]Android[dot]Government[dot]In: Pensioners can access the Centralized Pension Grievance Redressal and Monitoring System (Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions) and register complaints.
If a pensioner has a complaint against his/her bank, they can register a complaint by visiting the official website of the bank and if the problem is not resolved, they can register their complaint in the online complaint management system of RBI.
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