Principal Accountant General’s Office clarifies pension process, counters allegations

In response to allegations made in a recent news report, the Office of the Principal Accountant General (A&E), Nagaland, convened a press conference on July 4 to clarify misconceptions about its functioning, particularly regarding pension processing for State Government employees.

The press conference, held at the Principal Accountant General’s office in Kohima, was addressed by Principal Accountant General Frederick Syiemlieh, IAAS, along with Sr DAG (Audit) Kahoto J Yepthomi, IAAS, and Sr. DAG Azhar Jamal, IAAS.

Clarifying the pension process, the officials stated that the Pension Sanctioning Authority lies with the respective State Government Departments under which employees serve. Upon retirement, pension papers are first verified and submitted by the concerned Department to the Office of the Principal Accountant General (A&E), Nagaland. The office then authorises the pension or family pension accordingly.

As per the Citizens’ Charter, the office is mandated to prepare and issue Pension Payment Orders within 30 working days of receiving complete pension documents. The officials noted that transparency is maintained by displaying the names, contact details, and email addresses of the responsible officers both on the official website (https://cag.gov.in/ae/nagaland/en) and the office notice board.

Providing data from the past year, the office received 3,927 pension cases from various Departments:
· 2,415 submitted within 0–6 months of retirement
· 922 submitted after 7–12 months
· 590 submitted after more than a year

Out of these, 3,515 cases were settled within the stipulated 30-day timeframe, demonstrating the office’s adherence to its chartered timelines.

Responding to an RTI-related case, officials pointed out that the names and contact details of the Public Information Officer and Assistant Public Information Officer are clearly displayed at the office’s reception and on its official website.

Additionally, the names and mobile numbers of the Grievance Redressal Officer and all Branch Officers are made publicly accessible online to ensure that complaints regarding entitlement functions (like pension or GPF) are addressed promptly. Visitors may meet officers on any working day except Wednesday in the office’s Visitors’ Room.

Reaffirming the office’s commitment to transparency and service, the Principal Accountant General’s team assured that the institution is open to suggestions for improvement and is focused on delivering timely and quality services to pensioners.

For grievances, applicants can:
· Submit complaints or suggestions online via: Complaint/Suggestion Portal or email:  agaenagaland@cag.gov.in
· If unsatisfied, escalate the matter to the Sr. Administrative Officer (Complaint) at grstate2@cag.gov.in or through CPGRAMS
· For other matters, visit the ‘Contact Us’ section of the website

MT