Kohima, Sep 3 (PTI) The Nagaland government has constituted a committee to examine delays in pension and other retirement benefits and is working towards digitising the process, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said in the Assembly on Thursday.
Replying to a question from MLA Nuklutoshi on recurring delays in pension, gratuity, GPF/NPS and other retirement benefits, Rio attributed the problem partly to non-compliance with procedures and inadequate guidance to retiring employees on submitting pension papers and required documents.
He said delays also occur when departments issue provisional release orders late, affecting the process of obtaining no-demand certificates.
In some cases, departments compile pension papers and forward them in bulk to the Accountant General’s office, instead of sending them individually, further delaying settlement.
Under existing rules, pension papers should reach the Accountant General’s office at least six months before an employee’s retirement to ensure timely finalisation of benefits, Rio said.
He said final GPF withdrawals were also delayed because proposals pass through multiple levels of the administration and are sometimes returned due to incomplete documents, including release and sanction orders and, in cases of deceased employees, death and succession certificates.
Rio said the committee would examine these issues and work towards digitisation to reduce procedural delays and errors.
Nuklutoshi said pension was a rightful entitlement earned through years of public service and that delays could cause hardship to retirees, particularly in meeting household and medical expenses.
He called for pre-retirement verification of service records, preferably beginning about two years before retirement, along with clear timelines and accountability for pending pension cases.
Nuklutoshi also urged the government to develop a digital, proactive and time-bound pension system, citing online pension tracking and financial management systems adopted by other northeastern states as possible models for Nagaland. PTI NBS NBS RG
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