Central government employees, including those serving in the country’s armed forces, periodically raise their concerns at various forums. Employee unions and various representative bodies of government employees have also written to and engaged with the Centre in recent times over issues such as family pension, One Rank One Pension (OROP), and pension commutation.
Pensioners’ Welfare Issues
The National Council of JCM (Joint Consultative Machinery) is actively engaged in discussions regarding various aspects of central government employee and pensioner welfare. The NC-JCM, a joint body of union leaders and government officials, is working to resolve disputes and improve communication between employees and the government.
SPARSH Portal Issues
The central government held the 34th meeting of SCOVA (Standing Committee of Voluntary Agencies) at Vigyan Bhavan in Delhi on 11 March 2025. Many important problems related to retired government employees and defense pensioners were raised in this meeting. The meeting was chaired by the Union Minister of State (Personnel).
Problems arising on SPARSH portal include issues with additional pension, restoration of commutation, and timely payment for elderly pensioners. SPARSH i.e. System for Pension Administration (Raksha) is an important digital initiative of the Ministry of Defense which was launched in October 2020.
Family Pension and OROP Issues
The government has directed MOD to issue an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) on problems related to SPARSH so that pensioners can get help. The process of starting family pension should be easy, and the government is working to create a common procedure (SOP) for this purpose.
