Prompt Pension Dispersal to Two Million Ex-Servicemen
Dated 1/10/2008
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Defence Minister Shri AK Antony has urged the Defence Accounts Department to render prompt and efficient pensionary services to over 2 million ex-servicemen and their dependents. Addressing the Annual Day Celebrations of Defence Accounts Department in New Delhi today, Shri Antony said that during the last couple of years the Government has introduced several measures towards the welfare of Defence Pensioners.
He said the Defence Accounts Department (DAD) has to ensure that the benefits introduced for the Defence Pensioners from time to time by the Government are delivered to the intended beneficiaries promptly, efficiently and in the right measure. The Defence Minister said the Department must continue to exhibit high degree of responsiveness to redress the grievances of its valued customers and ensure that a complaint redressal apparatus is fully functional for providing optimal satisfaction to them.
Complimenting DAD for its comprehensive computerization, integration of its assigned functions across the Defence Services and integrated systems audit, the Defence Minister said all out efforts should be made to develop and implement all the modules initiated under 'Mission Excel IT' with utmost urgency. Shri Antony said General useful Management Information System reports and rendering correct financial advice are other key areas of importance of DAD. While reiterating the relevance of traditional method of audit, the Defence Minister said the Department will also need to explore emerging challenges such as audit through computers. Not only should the DAD be professional, fair, honest and efficient but also it should be seen to be so, and endeavouring to be so, the Minister added.
The Minister of State for Defence Shri MM Pallam Raju commended that DAD is holding pension Adalats regularly in different parts of the country to reach out the pensioners and resolve their grievances. He asked the officials to increase professionalism in the core functions of the Department. "Benchmarking your services to the international standard is no longer an option but has become an administrative imperative", Shri Pallam Raju said.
Earlier, Shri Antony gave away All India Defence Accounts Department Awards for Excellence Under the Motivation Scheme for the year 2008. The office of Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions), Allahabad, Office of Principal Controller of Defence Accounts, Kolkata and the Office of the Controller General of Defence Accounts (Administration Section), New Delhi were the three winners under the all India category.
Comptroller and Auditor General of India Shri Vinod Rai, Minister of State for Defence Shri MM Pallam Raju, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sureesh Mehta, Chief of Army Staff General Deepak Kapoor, Vice Admiral RF Contractor, DG Coast Guard, Mrs Bulbul Ghosh, Controller General of Defence Accounts, Mrs HK Pannu, Financial Advisor Defence Services and several other senior civil and military officials also attended the Annual Day programme.
