FUTAB seeks MP model for pension payments

Patna/Gaya: The Federation of University Teachers Associations of Bihar (FUTAB) has urged the state govt to outsource the pension payment system for university employees to a nationalised bank, preferably the State Bank of India (SBI), citing frequent delays and administrative shortcomings affecting over 40,000 retired teachers and non-teaching staff.In a petition addressed to chief secretary Pratyaya Amrit, FUTAB working president Kanhaiya Bahadur Sinha and general secretary Sanjay Kumar Singh (MLC) highlighted persistent issues such as delays in issuance of pension payment orders (PPOs), complications in updating dearness allowance (DA) revisions, and inadequate technical capacity within universities to manage pension disbursal efficiently.The association has recommended adoption of the Madhya Pradesh model, under which SBI has been appointed as the single nodal agency for pension payments. Under this system, the state govt transfers the entire pension fund to SBI, which then credits the amount directly into the existing bank accounts of pensioners, irrespective of their bank. This replaces the earlier multi-bank system and ensures a more streamlined, transparent and time-bound process.FUTAB said the model addresses long-standing bottlenecks in pension delivery, including delays caused by fragmented banking channels and procedural inefficiencies. It also minimises scope for errors and discretionary delays, thereby reducing grievances among retirees.The federation noted that thousands of pensioners in Bihar’s universities continue to face hardship due to irregular payments and administrative lapses. It expressed hope that adopting a centralised, bank-led system would ease the burden on the already stretched university administration while ensuring timely disbursal.Sources said the chief secretary has taken cognisance of the demand and, on Friday, forwarded the proposal to the additional chief secretaries of the education and general administration departments for examination of its feasibility.FUTAB leaders expressed optimism that the state govt would take a positive decision, stating that a shift to a nodal agency-based system could bring much-needed relief to retired university personnel across Bihar.