Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Oct 10: The Delhi government has directed district social welfare officers to clear all pending old-age pension applications within seven working days after a departmental review found that more than half of the applications had not been sanctioned or disposed of within the prescribed 45-day deadline, officials said on Saturday.
In a circular issued on September 29, the Social Welfare Department instructed all district social welfare officers (DSWOs) to ensure time-bound disposal of pending applications, particularly those nearing or exceeding the stipulated service-level agreement (SLA) period.
The directive followed an earlier circular dated September 14, which cited a status report as of September 8 and flagged delays in processing applications for old-age assistance. The scheme provides financial support to elderly and vulnerable residents.
The seven-working-day deadline is a special measure to clear the existing backlog and does not alter the prescribed 45-day timeline for processing fresh applications under the Delhi (Right of Citizen to Time Bound Delivery of Services) Act, 2011.
To speed up the process, the department has deployed additional verifiers across districts. District officers have been instructed to make effective use of the additional staff and monitor pending applications daily.
The September 14 circular stated that no application should remain pending without valid and recorded reasons. It also warned that delays beyond the prescribed timeline would be reviewed and responsibility fixed on the officials concerned, with administrative or disciplinary action initiated under applicable rules.
Separately, through an order dated September 16, the department assigned six welfare officers additional duties as members of a quick-response team to verify old-age pension applications submitted through the e-District portal in the North and North West-I districts.
Each team member was directed to verify at least 50 applications daily in addition to their regular duties. The department said progress would be monitored by its Financial Assistance Section and senior officials.
According to Delhi government data, more than 4.35 lakh senior citizens are currently enrolled under the scheme. Beneficiaries aged between 60 and 69 years receive a monthly pension of Rs 2,000, while those aged 70 and above are entitled to Rs 2,500 per month.