Gratuity Benefits Extended to NPS Employees: Dr. Jitendra Singh Announces Major Reform

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New Delhi:Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh today outlined the sweeping governance reforms undertaken by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions over the last 11 years, marking what he described as a transformational journey towards simplified administration, citizen empowerment, and human-centric policymaking. Speaking at a special commemorative event at the National Media Centre, Dr. Singh also made a significant policy announcement that central government employees covered under the Unified Pension Scheme (National Pension System) will now be eligible for retirement and death gratuity benefits, as per the Central Civil Service (Payment of Gratuity under NPS) Rules, 2021.

Describing the move as a major step towards social security for government staff, Dr. Singh said it addressed a long-pending demand from lakhs of employees and brought much-needed parity in retirement benefits. He emphasized that the government remains committed to ensuring equal treatment and financial dignity for all categories of employees.

Reflecting on the Ministry’s reform trajectory since 2014, Dr. Singh said governance under the Modi government has focused on dismantling redundant bureaucratic structures and building systems of trust. He pointed to the repeal of over 1,600 obsolete rules—many from the colonial era—as a historic initiative to instill faith in the citizens, especially the youth. One landmark step, he said, was the discontinuation of job interviews for certain categories, announced by Prime Minister Modi from the Red Fort and implemented nationwide by January 2016. This reform, Dr. Singh added, signaled a transparent, merit-based recruitment process.

He noted that many of the reforms carried a broader socio-cultural message. Amendments to the Prevention of Corruption Act were aimed at balancing accountability with protection for honest officials, while new guidelines for dealing with unfair means in exams shifted focus from punishing students to targeting organized cheating rackets. “We are here to punish the racketeers, not the students,” the Minister said, underlining the shift from suspicion to support as the new governance approach.

Dr. Singh placed particular emphasis on the human-centric aspect of reforms, sharing how many changes were informed by real-life experiences of insensitivity in the system. The introduction of digital life certificates for pensioners, recognition of separated and divorced daughters under family pension norms, and the provision of maternity leave in cases of stillbirth were cited as examples. He also mentioned that over 19,000 long-pending promotions had been expedited to recognize the contribution of officials who had long awaited career progression. “We combined human concern with technology to create solutions that respect individual dignity,” he remarked.

Innovation and adaptability were highlighted as the fourth pillar of reform. The Minister spoke about the establishment of the Capacity Building Commission and the rollout of the iGOT-Karmayogi platform, which he described as game-changers in training civil servants for real-world challenges. He also lauded the CPGRAMS grievance redressal portal, which now handles over 26 lakh complaints annually with a disposal rate of 95 to 96 percent. Initiatives like the Anubhav platform, where retiring officers document their experiences, and the Assistant Secretary Programme for IAS officers were mentioned as efforts to create a knowledge-driven, responsive bureaucracy. “We have moved from red tape to real-time, from file-pushing to feedback-based policy,” Dr. Singh said, summing up the spirit of the reform drive.

During the event, Dr. Singh also released several key publications and digital tools, including the 11-year achievement booklets of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), and the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW). He also unveiled a Compendium of Circulars covering the period from August 2024 to June 2025, Guidelines for the Special Campaign for Family Pensioners’ Grievances, and a set of circulars related to Central Civil Services rules. To strengthen training capacity, the Minister launched the Sevottam Training Modules to institutionalize service excellence.

DoPT Secretary Rachna Shah outlined a series of administrative reforms rooted in the Prime Minister’s principle of “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance.” She cited the discontinuation of interviews, acceleration of recruitment timelines, digital platforms like e-HRMS and e-APAR, and multi-language exams as milestones. She also highlighted initiatives like the National Recruitment Agency, Rojgar Melas, and the fast-tracking of 4.5 lakh backlog vacancies in reserved categories. She noted that over one crore government employees are now engaged with Mission Karmayogi, fostering a culture of continuous learning and capacity building. DoPT’s focus on transparency and digital innovation, she added, has been reinforced by modernized RTI platforms and a reformed Central Administrative Tribunal, which has disposed of more than 8.9 lakh cases using virtual hearings and e-governance tools.

Secretary of DARPG and DoPPW, V. Srinivas, spoke about the Ministry’s work in translating the Prime Minister’s vision of “Citizen First, Nation First” into action. He described how CPGRAMS has become one of the largest AI-enabled multilingual grievance redressal platforms in the world, reducing average response times to under 14 days. Feedback from over 20 lakh citizens has been used to drive continuous improvement in service delivery. He also cited initiatives like Sushasan Saptah, Swachhata campaigns, National e-Governance Awards, and the spread of e-office practices in the Northeast and Jammu & Kashmir. On pension reforms, he highlighted the digital empowerment of over 4 crore pensioners, resolution of more than 25,000 cases through Pension Adalats, and efforts like integrated pension forms and simplified CCS Rules that promote ease of living for retirees.

The event was attended by senior officials from all three departments under the Ministry, including Establishment Officer Manisha Saxena, Additional Secretaries A.P. Das Joshi and Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, and DARPG’s Puneet Yadav. Their presence underscored the coordinated effort that has driven the Ministry’s reform journey over the past decade.

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