In a recent directive, the Finance Department has instructed Treasury Officers (TOs) to conduct physical verification of pensioners and family pensioners by September 2024 for the fiscal year 2024-25.
This mandate, outlined in the J&K Treasury Code Volume-I, requires all pensioners, including those served by J&K Bank Business Units, to personally appear for verification annually.
TOs have been tasked to begin this process promptly, aiming for completion by September’s end. Exceptions are granted to pensioners unable to attend due to illness, advanced age (80 years and above), or other valid reasons. In such cases, TOs are directed to dispatch a staff member for verification, with a specific focus on elderly pensioners.
For pensioners residing abroad, procedures under Rule 5.80(b) of the Treasury Code Volume-I will be strictly adhered to.
The directive emphasizes that TOs and J&K Bank Business Unit Branch Heads refrain from requesting additional forms or photographs from pensioners. Instead, Branch Heads are instructed to deliver PPO halves detailing pension payments directly to TOs.
Post-verification, TOs are required to photograph pensioners and upload these images, accompanied by a signed certificate confirming verification either at the treasury or at the pensioner’s residence.
“This process aims to ensure the integrity of pension entitlements, noting any discrepancies discovered,” read the order accessed by The Kashmiriyat.
These instructions, issued by the Director General of Accounts and Treasuries, aim to streamline the verification process and uphold pensioner entitlements efficiently.
Meanwhile, Awami National Conference Senior Vice President Muzzafar Shah has strongly criticized this directive, urging Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Jammu & Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to revoke the order immediately.
Shah denounced the requirement for physical appearances by all retired senior citizens, irrespective of their health or personal circumstances, as deeply disrespectful and condemnable.
“This is an inhumane directive that speaks volumes about the inefficiency of the Department and its ignorance of modern technological tools. In this digital age there exist numerous technological solutions and digital devices capable of verifying an individual’s existence and activities without necessitating physical appearances,” he said.