Government Pension Reforms and ANUBHAV Awards Ceremony Highlight Technological Efficiency
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh addressed the 9th National ANUBHAV Awards Ceremony and the 60th Pre-Retirement Counselling Workshop at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on August 17, 2026, emphasizing 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 feedback from pensioners to make the system simpler and more responsive. The ceremony was attended by Secretary of the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare Ms. Nivedita Shukla Verma, Additional Member of Railway Board Shri Pravash P. Pandey, DMD of SBI Shri Chander Shekhar Sharma, and senior officials from various ministries and departments.
Dr. Singh conferred National ANUBHAV Awards on five awardees and presented Jury Awards as part of the event. He released the Handbook on Pension Mitra, Anubhav Awardees’ Citation Booklet, and Guidelines for the Nationwide Digital Life Certificate Campaign-5, and a short film on the 2026 awardees was screened. The ANUBHAV initiative, launched in 2015 on the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aims to preserve and utilize the vast experience of government employees for governance reforms, with over 14,000 experiences shared on the portal and over 2,000 nominations received for the 2026 awards, the highest number so far. An example from an early awardee was cited, where an employee's specialized training in tourism was undermined by a transfer, illustrating systemic gaps and the loss of institutional investment.
Pension reforms have simplified procedures by removing unnecessary provisions from pension forms and replacing cumbersome processes with simpler ones, while family pension benefits have been strengthened to address contemporary social realities, including provisions for eligible daughters and family members. Digital initiatives like Digital Life Certificate and Face Authentication have transformed verification processes, making them more convenient and reducing administrative burden, with banks, government departments, and associations supporting elderly citizens. The Bhavishya portal and other technology-enabled services have integrated pension-related information, and Pension Adalats provide on-the-spot grievance resolution to reduce litigation.
The 60th Pre-Retirement Counselling Workshop brought together around 800 Government of India officials from the National Capital Region scheduled to retire in March 2027, covering topics such as retirement benefits, CGHS facilities, Digital Life Certificate, cyber security, investment choices, Bhavishya portal, family pension, income-tax issues, CPENGRAMS, and ANUBHAV. Secretary Verma highlighted the appointment of Pension Mitras, digital campaigns, and efforts to develop an integrated pensioner ecosystem. Dr. Singh reiterated that pension reforms ensure dignity, convenience, and continued engagement with retirees' expertise, guided by experience and evolving social requirements.