2 lakh pension complaints annually, urgent reforms needed: Union Secretary

India’s rapidly growing elderly population presents a major administrative challenge, with over two lakh pension grievances filed annually, said V Srinivas, Secretary of the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare, while speaking at the National Conference on Ageing in India held at the India Habitat Centre on Friday.

The session was chaired by Amitabh Kant, former CEO of NITI Aayog, and explored how India could unlock the potential of its ageing demographic. “Ageing should not be seen merely as a burden but as an asset for economic and social growth,” said Kant, adding that several countries have already recognised the elderly as valuable contributors to society.

Former Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Kiran Bedi emphasised the importance of preparing for old age early. “We must value health, friendships, finances and social security in our youth,” she said, adding that such investments pay dividends later in life.

Srinivas underlined the urgency of reforms in pension administration and healthcare delivery. “I deal with more than 200,000 pension-related grievances each year. We need to simplify pension rules and make the access easier,” he said. With over 1.6 crore pensioners in the country, he called for a more inclusive and streamlined system.

Professor T V Shekhar of the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai, cautioned against borrowing heavily from global models. “Western models might not be directly applicable. India must build a sustainable system that aligns with its diverse socio-economic realities,” he said.

The discussion also covered social and financial vulnerabilities faced by older adults. “Elderly people are increasingly becoming targets of fraudsters, losing a significant portion of their life savings to digital scams,” said Manoj Yadava, Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Justice V Ramasubramanian, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), said, “Upholding the dignity of the elderly people is the collective responsibility of society.”