29 September 2018, 3:52 pm
CM Launches PFMS of NSAP
This article has been preserved from The Voice Of Sikkim historical news collection and reflects information available at the time of its original publication.
CM Launches PFMS of NSAP
Gangtok, Sept 29: (IPR) Chief Minister Shri Pawan Chamling lauched the PFMS enabled platform for the disbursement of Pensions under National Social Assistance Program (NSAP) here at a function held at Mintogang this evening. With this launching, Sikkim becomes one of the pioneer States to introduce this transparent system of direct benefit transfer through which beneficiaries will directly receive the pension amount in their bank account in real time. The Aadhar-linked platform has been created by National Informatics Centre, Government of India in collaboration with Ministry of Rural Development.
Four schemes will be covered under this online payment platform namely Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme, Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme, Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme and National Family Benefit Scheme.
The program had the presence of Chief Secretary Shri A.K. Shrivastava, Chief Economic Adviser, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India Shri Sudhaker Shukla, Principal Secretary Social Justice, Empowerment and Welfare Department, Government of Sikkim, Shri K. Sreenivasulu, Secretary RM&DD Government of Sikkim Shri C.S. Rao, Deputy Secretary Ministry of Rural Development ? NCAP Smt Rekha Chauhan, State Informatic Officer NIC Sikkim Shri Birendra Chettri, Principal System Analyst, NIC New Delhi, Shri Brijesh Shrivastava, and officers of State Social Justice Department.
Principal Secretary, SJEWD, Shri K. Sreenivasulu, in his opening remarks, gave a brief outline of the new online payment platform and the schemes to be covered under it. He expressed his gratitude to the Chief Minister for sparing his time to launch the PFMS platform for the State. He added that it will bring about speed and transparency in the transfer of pension funds directly to the beneficiary without any delay.
Chief Economic Adviser, MoRD, Shri Sudhaker Shukla said that Sikkim has been a pioneer State and one of the first States to achieve maximum percentage of Aadhar seeeding (97%) for Direct Benefir Transfer Schemes. It has shown the way to the rest of the States, he added. He also mentioned that the Unmarried Women Pension Scheme initiated by the Government of Sikkim is the first of its kind in the country, and congratulated the Chief Minister for it. He stated that today?s launch has brought Sikkim under the ambit of a robust Public Financial Management System.
Principal System Analyst, NIC New Delhi Shri Brijesh Shrivastava explained the highlights of the NSAP-PPS, its key features, the process cycle and the payment system through PFMS.