Number of pensioners more than number of active staff: Union Minister Jitendra Singh ‘About 6,000-7,000 pensioners over the age of 100 drawing pension equal to what they earned as salary’

 Number of pensioners more than number of active staff: Union Minister Jitendra Singh ‘About 6,000-7,000 pensioners over the age of 100 drawing pension equal to what they earned as salary’

-Union Personnel Minister Jitendra Singh said on Monday that the number of persons drawing pension from the Central government is more than the number of active employees. Mr. Singh said, “There are more pensioners, about 77 lakh, than active service personnel, which is about 50-60 lakh.”

“Today, about 6,000-7,000 pensioners are in the age bracket of ‘above 100 years’ and are drawing the same amount as pension as what they earned as salary. And nearly one lakh pensioners are in the ‘90 to 100 years’ age bracket. I am looking forward to the day when there will be more than one lakh pensioners above 100 years of age,” he said.

Mr. Singh addressed the 49 th pre-retirement counselling workshop on Monday. He said currently, divorced daughters are eligible for family pension and the seven-year service eligibility for entitlement of pension/family pension has been done away with. “The intention is to free the regulatory regime of feudal mindset,” he added.

Mr. Singh launched the integration of pensioners portal of Canara Bank with Bhavishya portal and also the new services on ‘SBI Integrated Portal’. He also unveiled the Central Civil Services Extraordinary Pension Rules Book, 2023. CCS (EOP) Rules is the revised/streamlined version of Extraordinary Pension Rules, 1939.

Secretary, Pensions & Pensioners’ Welfare, V. Srinivas, said the government aims to bring all 11.25 lakh pensioners online. This will help the department remain in touch with the pensioners for their welfare.

“The task of integration of Pension Seva portals of SBI and Canara Bank with Bhavishya portal has been completed. With this integration, the pensioners can get their pension slip, status of submission of Life Certificate and Form-16 through the Integrated Pensioners’ Portal. All 18 pension-disbursing banks will be part of the Integrated Pensioners’ Portal,” he said.