How to Apply for Pensioners' Benefits Online

If you are a retired government employee or a family member of a pensioner, this guide will help you understand all pension-related services available online — from checking your pension status to applying for family pension and downloading your pension slip.

Types of Government Pension in India

1. Superannuation Pension

This is the most common pension. You get it when you retire after completing the minimum qualifying service (usually 10 years). The pension amount depends on your last drawn salary and years of service.

2. Family Pension

If a government employee or pensioner passes away, their spouse (or eligible family member) receives family pension. There are two rates:

• Enhanced rate — for the first 7 years or till the pensioner would have turned 67, whichever is earlier
• Normal rate — after the enhanced period ends

3. Disability Pension

If a government employee becomes disabled during service due to reasons attributable to government duty, they are eligible for disability pension. The amount depends on the percentage of disability.

4. Retiring Pension / Voluntary Retirement Pension

For employees who take voluntary retirement after completing 20 years of qualifying service under Rule 48-A of CCS (Pension) Rules.

5. Compassionate Allowance

If a government employee is dismissed or removed from service but the case deserves special consideration, the government may grant a compassionate allowance.

How to Track Pension Status

Using CPAO Portal (cpao.nic.in)

The Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO) handles pension payments for all central government civil pensioners.

Steps to check pension status:

1. Go to cpao.nic.in
2. Click on "Pensioner's Corner"
3. Select "Know Your PPO Status" or "Pension Payment Status"
4. Enter your PPO Number (Pension Payment Order number) — this is printed on your pension documents
5. Enter your Date of Birth for verification
6. Click Submit to view your pension details

What you can check on CPAO:

• Whether your PPO has been issued
• Monthly pension amount credited
• Bank through which pension is paid
• Any arrears or revisions

⚠️ Safety Warning: CPAO will never call you or ask for your PPO number, bank details, or OTP on phone. If someone calls asking for these details, it is a scam.

Using Bhavishya Portal (bhavishya.nic.in)

Bhavishya is the Pension Sanction & Payment Tracking System run by the Department of Pension & Pensioners' Welfare.

Steps to use Bhavishya:

1. Go to bhavishya.nic.in
2. If you are a retiring employee, your department should have already created your account
3. Log in with your credentials
4. You can track your pension case from sanction to first payment

Services available on Bhavishya:

• Download Pension Slip (monthly pension statement)
• Download Form 16 (for income tax filing)
• Download ePPO (electronic Pension Payment Order) via DigiLocker
• Download eSSA (electronic Service & Sanction Authority)
• Apply for CGHS Card after retirement
• Track Family Pension cases (including provisional family pension)

How to Download Your Pension Slip

Your pension slip shows the monthly breakdown — basic pension, dearness relief, income tax deducted, and net amount credited.

From Bhavishya Portal:

1. Visit bhavishya.nic.in
2. Log in with your username and password
3. Go to "Download Pension Slip" section
4. Select the month and year
5. Click Download — the slip will be saved as a PDF

From your bank:

• Many pension-disbursing banks (SBI, PNB, etc.) also show pension credit details in your bank statement or internet banking portal

How to Track Your PPO (Pension Payment Order)

Your PPO is the most important pension document. It contains your pension details, family pension nominee, and commutation details.

To track PPO status:

1. Go to cpao.nic.in
2. Click "Pensioner's Corner" → "PPO Status"
3. Enter your PPO Number or Application Reference Number
4. The system will show whether your PPO has been generated, sent to the bank, or is pending

ePPO on DigiLocker:

• New retirees can access their electronic PPO directly through DigiLocker via the Bhavishya portal
• This removes the need to carry a physical PPO document

How to Submit Life Certificate (Jeevan Pramaan)

Every pensioner must submit a life certificate once a year (usually by 30th November) to continue receiving pension.

The easiest way is through Jeevan Pramaan — the digital life certificate system.

👉 Read our detailed guide: How to Submit Jeevan Pramaan Life Certificate Online

Quick summary:

• You can submit it using the Jeevan Pramaan app on your phone with Aadhaar-based biometric verification
• You can also visit any Common Service Centre (CSC), bank branch, or post office
• Defence pensioners can submit through SPARSH Service Centres

How to Apply for Family Pension After Death of Pensioner

When a pensioner passes away, the eligible family member (usually spouse) needs to apply for family pension.

Steps:

1. Inform the pension-disbursing bank immediately with the death certificate
2. Submit Form 14 (application for family pension) to the bank along with:
   • Death certificate (original + photocopy)
   • PPO of the deceased pensioner
   • Aadhaar card of the applicant
   • Bank account details of the applicant
   • Two passport-size photographs
3. The bank forwards the case to CPAO for authorization
4. CPAO issues a revised PPO in the name of the family pensioner
5. Family pension usually starts from the day after the pensioner's death

For provisional family pension:

• The Bhavishya portal now supports provisional family pension — this means the family can start receiving pension quickly while the full paperwork is processed
• Contact the Head of Office (HOO) of the deceased pensioner's last department

Important: Family pension does not stop if the spouse remarries (for government servants who died on or after 1 January 1996, subject to conditions).

Commutation of Pension (Lump Sum Payment)

Commutation means giving up a portion of your monthly pension in exchange for a one-time lump sum amount.

Key facts:

• You can commute up to 40% of your basic pension
• The lump sum amount depends on your age at retirement and the commutation table
• After commutation, your monthly pension is reduced for 15 years
• After 15 years, your full pension is restored automatically

How commutation works:

• If your basic pension is ₹30,000/month and you commute 40%:
  • You give up ₹12,000/month
  • You receive a lump sum calculated using the commutation factor for your age
  • After 15 years, you get the full ₹30,000 again (plus any dearness relief)

How to apply:

• Commutation is usually opted at the time of retirement itself through your department
• If applying after retirement, submit Form 6-A through the Bhavishya portal or your Head of Office

Revision of Pension

Pension is revised when the government announces a Pay Commission revision or changes in Dearness Relief (DR).

How revisions happen:

• The government issues orders (usually after a new Pay Commission — e.g., 7th Pay Commission)
• CPAO calculates the revised pension and arrears
• The revised amount is credited to your bank account automatically
• You can verify the revision on the CPAO portal

If your pension has not been revised:

• Check your pension slip on Bhavishya
• Write to CPAO at their official address or use the grievance portal at pgportal.gov.in
• You can also contact the Department of Pension & Pensioners' Welfare at doppw.gov.in

SPARSH Portal for Defence Pension

SPARSH (System for Pension Administration — Raksha) is the dedicated portal for defence pensioners (Army, Navy, Air Force).

Website: sparsh.defencepension.gov.in

What you can do on SPARSH:

• View your pension details and monthly pension slip
• Submit life certificate (Jeevan Pramaan)
• Apply for revision of pension
• Apply for family pension (for dependants of deceased defence personnel)
• Track grievances and service requests
• Apply for Leave Travel Allowance (LTA) claims

How to register on SPARSH:

1. Go to sparsh.defencepension.gov.in
2. Click on Login → New Registration
3. Enter your PPO Number and Aadhaar Number
4. Verify through OTP sent to your registered mobile number
5. Set your password and log in

SPARSH Service Centres:

• If you are not comfortable using the internet, visit any Common Service Centre (CSC), partner bank branch, or India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) branch
• All SPARSH services at these centres are completely free of charge

⚠️ Warning: Beware of fake messages asking for SPARSH login details. SPARSH services through CSCs and banks are free — do not pay anyone.

Common Pension Problems and Solutions

1. Pension Not Credited This Month

• Check with your bank first — sometimes there are processing delays
• Verify on the CPAO portal if the payment has been authorized
• Submit a complaint on pgportal.gov.in

2. Wrong Pension Amount

• Download your pension slip from Bhavishya and check the breakdown
• Compare with your PPO — if there is a mismatch, write to CPAO
• For defence pensioners, raise a grievance on SPARSH

3. PPO Not Received or Lost

• Check ePPO availability on Bhavishya/DigiLocker
• Apply for a duplicate PPO through your Head of Office or CPAO

4. Dearness Relief (DR) Not Updated

• DR is updated twice a year (January and July)
• Check the latest DR order on doppw.gov.in
• If not reflected, contact your bank or CPAO

5. Bank Transfer Issues

• If you want to change your pension-disbursing bank, submit a request through CPAO
• Carry your PPO and Aadhaar to the new bank

6. Life Certificate Rejected

• Ensure your Aadhaar biometrics are updated (fingerprints can fade with age)
• Try face authentication through the Jeevan Pramaan app
• Visit a bank branch for manual submission as a last resort

Useful Helplines and Contact Information

Related Guides

• How to Submit Jeevan Pramaan Life Certificate Online — Step-by-step guide for digital life certificate
• Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS) — Best savings option for retired persons with guaranteed returns

Summary

Keep your PPO number, Aadhaar number, and bank details safe. Never share OTPs or personal details with anyone calling on the phone — no government office will ever ask for them.