Pension payments go online; other schemes may soon follow suit, say Delhi govt officials

New Delhi: The Delhi government has started the process of disbursing pension of its former employees online.

State's Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam said that on Tuesday the government rolled out the entire process digitally and that all such future disbursements will also be done online.

A junior official in the department said that from filling the application form to disbursement of pension, all will be online as it makes the process faster and easier for the administration.

He also said that the government is going to see how efficient it is and then implement it in other schemes as well. "We are trying to make digital payments possible for beneficiaries enrolled under other schemes as well. Next step will be to ensure that beneficiaries listed under other schemes also get their assistance online," he added.

"Revolutionary step of Arvind Kejriwal government of Delhi. To eliminate corruption and provide convenience to the public, the entire process of pension is now online. Today the first digital payment has been made. This is a one of a kind initiative in the country. We have been able to reach this point only because of our honest politics," Gautam wrote on Twitter. The NSAP (National Social Assistance Program) PPS has been implemented in FAS (Financial Assistance Scheme) whose end to end digitization has been completed.

"Earlier, this payment could not be made digital due to technical reasons, but the Social Welfare Department of Delhi held several meetings with the Central Government, and found its solution. Now there will be no hindrance or delay in pension cases. The whole process — from filling the application form to disbursement of pension, all will be online. Now people will not have to face any inconvenience by standing in queues at government offices," the Minister said in a statement.