System for Pension Administration – Raksha (SPARSH)

The System for Pension Administration – Raksha (SPARSH) has successfully addressed longstanding issues related to defence pension administration, significantly improving the efficiency and transparency of the process. It has reduced the time for grievance redressal and resolved legacy discrepancies, benefiting a large number of pensioners across India and Nepal. By integrating modern technology, SPARSH has streamlined pension distribution, ensured quicker resolutions, and created a more reliable support system for ex-servicemen. This initiative marks a major shift toward digital governance, strengthening trust between the government and defence pensioners.

About SPARSH:

• Legacy Discrepancy Resolution:
  SPARSH has resolved 87% of legacy discrepancies, amounting to 5.60 lakh out of 6.43 lakh cases, ensuring the protection of entitlements for defence pensioners.

• Grievance Redressal:
  The system has strengthened grievance redressal mechanisms, reducing the average disposal time from 56 days in April 2025 to just 20 days as of September 2025.

• Onboarding of Pensioners:
  A total of 31.54 lakh defence pensioners, both from India and Nepal, have been successfully onboarded on the SPARSH platform.

• Outreach Programs and Events:
  More than 100 outreach events were held in the past year to facilitate pension-related awareness and resolution. So far, 211 SPARSH Outreach Programmes and 193 Raksha Pension Samadhan Ayojans (RPSAs) have been conducted. Additionally, the 13th and 14th All India Pension Adalats helped resolve 260 and 252 grievances, respectively.

• Financial Disbursements and Scrutiny:
  In May 2025, ₹3.02 crore was disbursed to 48 pensioners following suo-moto scrutiny of pension cases. During the financial year 2024-25, a Defence Pension Budget of ₹1,57,681 crore was disbursed on a real-time basis.

• One Rank One Pension (OROP) Implementation:
  In July 2024, when One Rank One Pension (OROP)-III was implemented, ₹1,224.76 crore was transferred to 20.17 lakh beneficiaries within just 15 days.

Significance of SPARSH:

• World's Largest Pension System:
  SPARSH is recognized as the world’s largest pension system for defence personnel, transforming pension administration from a fragmented and delayed system to a more integrated and efficient model.

• Inclusive and Transparent Governance:
  It has created a transparent, inclusive, and efficient model of governance, ensuring that pensioners' entitlements are met with dignity.

• Widespread Service Network:
  The system operates through 202 Defence Accounts Department (DAD) offices, 4.63 lakh Common Service Centers, and over 5,200 bank branches functioning as SPARSH Service Centers across the country.

Conclusion

SPARSH has revolutionized the pension administration for defence personnel, not only resolving longstanding issues but also making the process more efficient and accessible. By leveraging technology, it has streamlined pension disbursement, improved grievance redressal times, and ensured timely payments, thus enhancing the overall well-being and dignity of defence pensioners.