**Executive Summary**
The Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare is holding the 35th meeting of the Standing Committee of Voluntary Agencies (SCOVA) on March 10, 2026. This meeting, chaired by Dr. Jitendra Singh, aims to foster constructive deliberations between pension welfare associations and government departments to address pensioners' grievances and enhance their ease of living.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Purpose of SCOVA:**
* To institutionalize coordination among the Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare (DoPPW), other Ministries/Departments, and Pensioners' Welfare Associations.
* To provide an institutional forum for Pensioners' Welfare Associations to raise issues concerning pensioners' welfare directly before concerned Ministries/Departments.
* **Constitution of SCOVA:**
* Established in 1986 by the Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare.
* Chaired by the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
* The Secretary, Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare, serves as the Secretary.
* Comprises 15 non-official members representing Pensioners' Welfare Associations and official members from various Ministries/Departments.
* **35th SCOVA Meeting Details:**
* To be chaired by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
* Scheduled for March 10, 2026, in New Delhi.
* Participants will include Pensioners' Welfare Associations from various states (Delhi, Karnataka, Telangana, Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir, Odisha, Assam, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Gujarat).
* Government departments participating include Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Controller General of Defence Accounts, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Railways, Controller General of Communication Accounts, Department of Financial Services, Department of Ex-servicemen Welfare, Department of Revenue, and Department of Telecommunications.
* **Objectives of the Meeting:**
* To discuss issues concerning pensioners.
* To bring about an 'ease in the life' of central government pensioners.
**Impact Analysis**
**Central Government Pensioners**
* **Impact:** They are the primary beneficiaries of the initiatives discussed and decisions made in the SCOVA meetings, which aim to improve their welfare, address grievances, and enhance their ease of living.
* **Action Required:** To actively participate through their respective Pensioners' Welfare Associations in raising issues and contributing to discussions.
**Pensioners' Welfare Associations**
* **Impact:** They serve as a direct channel for raising pensioners' concerns and have an institutional forum to interact with government bodies for constructive deliberations.
* **Action Required:** To represent their members by raising issues concerning pensioners' welfare and participating actively in the SCOVA meetings.
**Government Ministries and Departments (participating in the meeting)**
* **Impact:** They are directly involved in understanding and addressing the issues raised by pensioners and their associations, contributing to policy formulation and grievance redressal.
* **Action Required:** To actively participate in the 35th SCOVA meeting and deliberate on the issues concerning pensioners.
**Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare (DoPPW)**
* **Impact:** As the constituting and coordinating body, DoPPW plays a crucial role in ensuring the welfare of central government pensioners through policy formulation and grievance redressal, with SCOVA being a key platform.
* **Action Required:** To chair and facilitate the SCOVA meetings, coordinate with other departments, and implement decisions to improve pensioners' welfare.
Key Entities Referenced
Standing Committee of Voluntary Agencies (SCOVA): A committee constituted by the Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare to institutionalize coordination between the department, other ministries, and Pensioners' Welfare Associations.
Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare (DoPPW): The department responsible for formulating pension policies and addressing grievances of Central Government pensioners.
Dr. Jitendra Singh: Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, who chairs meetings of SCOVA.
Pensioners' Welfare Associations: Organizations representing Central Government pensioners, participating in consultation for welfare measures.
New Delhi: The location where the 35th meeting of SCOVA is being held.
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
Dr. Jitendra Singh to chair 35th meeting of
SCOVA on 10th March, 2026
DOPPW conducts 35th meeting of SCOVA
Posted On: 09 MAR 2026 5:56PM by PIB Delhi
Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare is committed towards the welfare of Central Government
pensioners. It actively coordinates with other Ministries/Departments of Government of India for
formulation of pension policies and redressal of pensioners’ grievances to ensure dignity and ease of living
for Central Government pensioners. Further, the Department also actively engages with the Pensioners’
Welfare Associations, representing lakhs of Central Government pensioners across the country for
participative consultation in recommending welfare measures for pensioners.
To institutionalize the coordination among DoPPW, Ministries/Departments and Pensioners’ Welfare
Associations, the Standing Committee of Voluntary Agencies (SCOVA) was constituted by Department of
Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare in 1986 under the chairmanship of Minister of State for Personnel Public
Grievances and Pensions with Secretary, Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare as Secretary.
The SCOVA consists of 15 non-official members, representing Pensioners’ Welfare Associations and
Official Members represented by Ministries/ Departments of Government of India. It provides Pensioners’
Welfare Associations, an institutional forum for raising issues concerning pensioners’ welfare directly
before the concerned Ministries/ Departments through constructive deliberations.
Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions will chair the 35th
meeting of the Standing Committee of Voluntary Agencies at New Delhi on 10th March, 2026.
In the 35th SCOVA meeting, Pensioners’ Welfare Associations from Delhi, Karnataka, Telangana,
Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir, Odisha, Assam, Jharkhand, Uttrakhand, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and
Gujarat would be participating. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Controller General of Defence
Accounts, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Railways, Controller General of Communication
Accounts, Department of Financial Services, Department of Ex-servicemen Welfare, Department of
Revenue and Department of Telecommunications will also be participating in the meeting to discuss the
issues concerning pensioners.
It is expected that upcoming SCOVA meeting will be instrumental in bringing the ‘ease in the life’ of the
central government pensioners.
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