Guwahati, May 20: The Assam government has introduced a stringent new policy to ensure timely pension disbursement for retired employees. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that officials responsible for delays or negligence in issuing pensions will now face penalties.
In a post on the social media platform ‘X’, the Chief Minister emphasized that retired employees have made significant contributions to the development of Assam and deserve to receive their pensions on time as a matter of right.
He stated, “Our retired employees have greatly contributed to Assam’s progress. Receiving pensions on time is their right. To ensure this, we are implementing a new accountability system that will impose fines on those who cause delays. Our pensioners deserve respect and dignity.”
This announcement follows a new notification issued by the Department of Administrative Reforms, Training, Pension, and Public Grievances. Under the new system, if officials fail to adhere to the stipulated timelines and government standards for pension processing, they will face disciplinary actions.
Officials revealed that a list of pending and delayed pension cases will be compiled monthly through the ‘Gratitude Portal’, which is an online pension approval and payment tracking system launched by the Assam government for retired employees and pensioners. This list will be forwarded to relevant departments, district commissioners, and senior officials to ensure monitoring and action.
According to the new notification, officials responsible for delays at various stages of the pension process will incur a daily penalty of ₹250, with a maximum cap set at ₹5,000. The deducted amount will be directly subtracted from the respective official’s salary, with the FinAssam portal being used to reflect these deductions in the next month’s salary statement.
The order instructs Drawing and Disbursing Officers to ensure that the penalty collection process is implemented correctly and that complete information is sent to the Department of Administrative Reforms, Training, Pension, 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 any hassle. This new policy is effective immediately.