Defence Ministry Extends Pension Payments For SPARSH Pensioners By 3 Months

The Ministry of Defence announced that it has approved a three-month extension of pension payments for pensioners who migrated to the SPARSH platform and whose identification was due in November. 

SPARSH, or the System for Pension Administration (Raksha), is a web-based system for processing pension claims and crediting pension payments directly into the bank accounts of defence pensioners without the use of an intermediary.

“The Ministry of Defence has approved a three-month extension of pension payment for bank pensioners who migrated to SPARSH… and whose identification was due in November 2022,” the statement said on Wednesday.

“The process of annual identification and life certification is reiterated as a statutory requirement for continued and timely credit of monthly pension. As a result, the statement added that all defence pensioners who have yet to complete their annual identification or life certification are urged to do so by February 2023 to ensure smooth processing and credit of their pension entitlement,” the statement added.

In another statement, the ministry said that the annual joint humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercise, “Samanvay 2022,” which began on 28 November, will conclude at the Air Force Station in Agra.

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) also held the 24th National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan and Preparedness Meeting on Wednesday in Chennai, according to the ministry.

It was attended by approximately 100 delegates, including representatives from various ministries, central and state government departments and agencies, the state pollution control board, ports and oil handling companies.

National capabilities were reviewed with the common goal of ensuring collective preparedness to respond to any oil and chemical spill contingency in Indian waters, according to another statement from the ministry.