Technology-Driven Pension Reforms and ANUBHAV Awards Ceremony
Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Dr. Jitendra Singh presided over the 9th National ANUBHAV Awards Ceremony and 60th Pre-Retirement Counselling Workshop at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, emphasizing the government's continued efforts to simplify pension rules and strengthen family pension benefits for ease of living of elderly citizens. The ANUBHAV initiative, launched in 2015 on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision, aims to preserve and utilize the vast experience acquired by government employees during their public service, turning retired employees' experiences into valuable feedback for governance reforms.
Dr. Singh highlighted that technology-driven pension service delivery has brought greater efficiency while saving significant manpower and financial resources. He described superannuating employees as a national asset and called for continued use of technology and pensioner feedback to make the pension system simpler and more responsive to changing social requirements. The government has removed unnecessary provisions from pension forms and replaced cumbersome procedures with simpler processes, including strengthened family pension provisions relating to eligible daughters and family members.
Digital Transformation and Institutional Learning
The Minister highlighted the transformation brought by Digital Life Certificate and Face Authentication initiatives, which have replaced physical verification with convenient digital processes. This has evolved into a wider public campaign involving banks, government departments, pensioners' associations, and family members helping elderly citizens submit Digital Life Certificates. The increasing use of technology in pension services has simultaneously improved convenience and reduced administrative burden.
The ANUBHAV program has received over 14,000 experiences shared on the portal, with the 2026 awards receiving over 2,000 nominations—the highest number so far. Dr. Singh cited an example from early ANUBHAV years where an employee's transfer after specialized training resulted in loss of institutional investment, demonstrating how these experiences provide practical feedback to improve policies and administrative practices.
Workshop Details and Publications
The 60th Pre-Retirement Counselling Workshop brought together approximately 800 Government of India officials in the National Capital Region scheduled to retire in March 2027. The workshop covered retirement benefits, CGHS facilities and procedures, Digital Life Certificate and Face Authentication, cybersecurity, investment choices for pensioners, Bhavishya and Integrated Pensioners' Portal, family pension, income-tax related issues, CPENGRAMS, and ANUBHAV.
During the ceremony, Dr. Singh released the Handbook on Pension Mitra, Anubhav Awardees' Citation Booklet, and Guidelines for the Nationwide Digital Life Certificate Campaign-5. A short film on the National ANUBHAV Awardees 2026 was screened, and awards were conferred on five awardees along with Jury Awards.
Administrative Initiatives and Future Direction
Secretary Nivedita Shukla Verma highlighted the appointment of Pension Mitras, Digital Life Certificate campaigns, Pension Adalats providing on-the-spot grievance resolution, and the Department's work toward developing an integrated pensioner ecosystem that brings multiple pension-related services and information onto a single platform. The Department continues to address pension grievances and reduce litigation by resolving issues at their source.
Dr. Singh emphasized that pension reforms are not merely about processing retirement benefits but about ensuring dignity, convenience, and continued engagement with the experience and expertise of those who have contributed to nation-building. The government is creating avenues for retired employees' knowledge, skills, and energy to continue contributing to national development.