The Controller of Defence Accounts (CGDA), Chennai, organized the 214th SPARSH Outreach Programme of the Defence Accounts Department in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on October 16th, 2025. The event was inaugurated by the Governor of Kerala, Shri Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, and was attended by over 1100 defence veterans and family pensioners.
During the event, cheques worth Rs 40 lakh were distributed by the Governor to five defence pensioners and family pensioners, and six Veer Naris were honored. The Governor praised the sacrifices of the Veer Naris and addressed them as VEER MATHAS.
The Defence Accounts Department was congratulated for opening SPARSH Service Centres in 12 out of 14 districts in Kerala, with a call to open two more in Idukki and Malappuram to ensure 100% coverage. The efforts of CDA Chennai in setting up thirty help desks in coordination with CGDA headquarters, PCDA (Pensions) Prayagraj, eight Record Offices, four Banks and other agencies to assist pensioners were lauded.
Shri Raj Kumar Arora, Controller General of Defence Accounts, New Delhi, and Shri T. Jayaseelan, Controller of Defence Accounts, Chennai, attended the event. Shri Raj Kumar Arora stated that SPARSH outreach programs are conducted nationwide to resolve grievances and provide pension-related services. He highlighted that CGDA disbursed over Rs 1200 crores of One Rank One Pension (OROP) 3 arrears to over 20 lakh defence pensioners and family pensioners within 15 days.
Release ID: 2180270. Posted on 17 OCT 2025 2:15PM by PIB Delhi.
Key Entities Referenced
SPARSH: An initiative to provide pension-related services to defence pensioners and family pensioners.
Kerala: The Indian state where the SPARSH outreach program event took place.
Controller of Defence Accounts (CGDA): The organization that organized the SPARSH Outreach Programme.
One Rank One Pension (OROP): A scheme related to pension disbursements to defence pensioners.
Ministry of Defence
CGDA organises 214th SPARSH outreach
programme of Defence Accounts Department in
Kerala
Posted On: 17 OCT 2025 2:15PM by PIB Delhi
Controller of Defence Accounts (CGDA), Chennai organised the 214th SPARSH Outreach Programme of
Defence Accounts Department in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala on 16th October 2025. Governor of Kerala,
Shri Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, inaugurated the event. More than 1100 defence veterans and family
pensioners from Thiruvananthapuram and nearby districts attended the programme.
During this occasion, cheques worth Rs 40 lakh were distributed by the Governor of Kerala to five defence
pensioners and family pensioners whose grievances were redressed through SPARSH. He also honoured six
Veer Naris whose husbands had made the supreme sacrifice on the line of duty.
In his address, the Governor praised the sacrifices of the Veer Naris and addresed them as VEER MATHAS.
He congratulated the Defence Accounts Department for opening dedicated SPARSH Service Centres in 12
out of the 14 districts in Kerala. He also urged the Department to open two more SPARSH Service Centres in
Idukki and Malappuram to ensure 100% coverage in the state. He lauded the efforts of CDA Chennai in
setting up Thirty help desks in coordination with CGDA headquarters, PCDA (Pensions) Prayagraj, eight
Record Offices, four Banks and other agencies to assist defence pensioners and family pensioners in resolving
SPARSH-related issues.
Shri Raj Kumar Arora, Controller General of Defence Accounts, New Delhi and Shri T. Jayaseelan,
Controller of Defence Accounts, Chennai graced the occasion. In his address Shri Raj Kumar Arora said that
the SPARSH outreach programmes are conducted across the country to resolve maximum number of
grievances and provide pension related services at the doorsteps of pensioners. He highlighted that CGDA
disbursed the One Rank One Pension (OROP) 3 arrears of more than Rs 1200 crores to more than 20 lakh
defence pensioners and family pensioners within a span of just 15 days.
***
SR/PC
(Release ID: 2180270)