Govt ropes in civil pensioners for social welfare projects

In good news for lakhs of pensioners, the central government has decided to use their services on voluntary basis for implementing various welfare programmes.
The Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare (DPPW) has started a unique initiative - Sankalp - to provide a platform for pensioners to access opportunities available for useful interventions in the society.
"Considering the fact that the average life expectancy today is 76 years, it is felt that government servants when they superannuate at 60 have a number of years of active life left which can be devoted towards contribution to society.
"There are close to 50,000 fresh retirees from the Central Civil category every year. A large number of these pensioners feel the loss of a daily routine as well as a feeling of not being wanted. Keeping these factors in mind, the Sankalp initiative was started," a senior DPPW official said.

The initiative, started on pilot basis for channelising the experience and skill of civil pensioners into meaningful social activities, also helps organisations working for welfare of society select appropriate skill and expertise from the available pool of volunteers, the DPPW said.
There are about 53,79,121 central government pensioners including those from defence. Of these, 11,80,554 are civil pensioners, according to data updated till March 2013 by the Centre.