New Delhi: The Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO) has ordered that pension-related complaints should be redressed by the respective departments within 45 days of receiving the same.
Earlier, the period of redressal was 60 days.
The period for redressing pension-related complaints of those above 80 years of age and of those availing family pension was reduced to 30 days.
The Pension Accounting Office has also warned of stringent action against officials who have the habit of sitting on pension-related complaints.
At the end of every three months, starting from July, each department of the Central Government should submit a report specifying the action taken against those officials delaying resolutions on pension-related complaints.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Pension had earlier expressed its displeasure over the delay in redressing the complaints of pensioners.
The panel pointed out that many ministries and departments were not adhering to the 60-day period for disposing of complaints.
Online portal for complaints
Pensioners can now register their complaints through the online portal CPENGRAMS (Centralized Pension Grievances Redress And Monitoring System).
By clicking "View Grievance" and "Appeal Status", the current status on their applications can be known.
Pensioners DR hiked
The Union Pension Department has issued an order to increase the Dearness Relief (DR) of Central Government pensioners by three per cent.
The DR, which was 31 per cent earlier, will now be 34 per cent.
At the Union Cabinet meeting held on March 30, the Union Government hiked DR and DA for pensioners. The order hiking DA was issued on March 31.