Nagaland govt working to digitise pension process: CM Rio

The Nagaland government has constituted a committee to examine delays in pension and other retirement benefits and is working towards digitising the pension process, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio told the state Assembly on September 3.

Replying to a question from MLA Nuklutoshi on recurring delays in pension, gratuity, GPF/NPS and other retirement benefits, Rio attributed the delays partly to non-compliance with procedures and inadequate guidance to retiring employees on submitting pension papers and required documents.

He said delays also occur when departments issue provisional release orders late, affecting the process of obtaining no-demand certificates. In some cases, departments compile pension papers and forward them in bulk to the Accountant General's office instead of sending them individually, further delaying settlement.

Under existing rules, pension papers should reach the Accountant General's office at least six months before an employee's retirement to ensure timely finalisation of retirement benefits, Rio said.

The Chief Minister said final GPF withdrawals were also delayed as proposals pass through multiple levels of the administration and are sometimes returned due to incomplete documents, including release and sanction orders. In cases involving deceased employees, death and succession certificates are also required.

Rio said the newly constituted committee would examine these procedural issues and work towards digitising the pension process to reduce delays and errors.

MLA Nuklutoshi said pension was a rightful entitlement earned through years of public service and that delays could cause serious hardship to retirees, particularly in meeting household and medical expenses.

He called for pre-retirement verification of service records, preferably beginning around two years before retirement, along with clear timelines and accountability for pending pension cases.

Nuklutoshi also urged the government to develop a digital, proactive and time-bound pension system, suggesting that online pension tracking and financial management systems adopted by other northeastern states could serve as models for Nagaland.