CURRENT AFFAIRS
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Description
The System for Pension Administration (Raksha), better known as SPARSH, was launched by the Ministry of Defence to simplify and centralise pension services for Indian military retirees. While the initiative promised efficiency, thousands of ex-servicemen now report that the digital platform has instead made pension management more difficult, with problems ranging from technical barriers to persistent record inaccuracies, triggering widespread appeals for reform.
Background
SPARSH was designed to digitise and unify the pension disbursement process, moving away from manual and bank-based systems. Through its online portal, veterans can handle key tasks such as pension payments, life certificate submissions, and corrections to personal information. The objective was to ensure faster disbursals, centralised record-keeping, and reduced paperwork.
Challenges Faced By Veterans
For many retired soldiers particularly those living in rural areas or unfamiliar with technology the portal has proven difficult to use. Simple functions like logging in, uploading life certificates, or correcting errors are often overwhelming. Common mistakes, such as misspelt names or incorrect birth dates, require multiple online requests for rectification. Many elderly veterans lack digital literacy or family support, and facilitation centres, though present, merely collect forms without the authority to correct records, trapping veterans in bureaucratic loops.
Real-Life Cases Exposing System Flaws
Several stories highlight how SPARSH’s rigidity clashes with veterans’ realities. One retired Subedar, wrongly recorded as deceased decades ago, must file annual life certificates to prove he is alive. An 85-year-old widow in a remote village depends on neighbours just to access the portal. Another veteran, whose service documents were stolen, has been unable to restore them despite years of attempts. These cases reveal how SPARSH fails to address unique and complex circumstances faced by pensioners.
Scale Of Grievances And Official Response
Reports suggest there are over 6.5 lakh unresolved pension complaints under SPARSH. The frustration has spilled onto social media under hashtags like #SPARSHFailsVeterans, and lawmakers have raised the issue in Parliament, flagging instances of veterans stranded without pensions. Many ex-servicemen are calling for options to return to the older, bank-based system, particularly for those retired before 2016 or above the age of 60. Some have even suggested an audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to assess SPARSH’s performance.
Veterans’ Advocacy And Legal Action
Ex-servicemen’s organisations are stepping in to support affected veterans. They host weekly meetings to collect unresolved cases and escalate them through official channels. When bureaucracy stalls, many resort to legal measures notably, none of these court cases have been dismissed so far. Veteran groups stress that their movement is not an attack on the Ministry but a plea for a functional, veteran-friendly pension system that honours those who served the nation.
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