Punjab, Chandigarh AG office to have IVRS for pension cases

Chandigarh, Feb 28 (UNI) In order to bring further improvements in the services being provided to pensioners, the office of the Accountant General (A&E), Punjab and Chandigarh now intends to introduce an innovative 'Interactive Voice Response System' (IVRS) in the near future.

''The pensioners sitting at a distant place will be able to access the complete information about their pension and GPF cases in an instant and user friendly manner through IVRS'', AG Onkar Nath said here today.

The IVRS would be in addition to the Suvidha Kendra or Grievances Redressal (GR) Cell which is already functioning at the AG office here to ensure effective and speedy settlement of grievances of the pensioners of Punjab and Chandigarh, Mr Nath told mediapersons.

The aim of the GR Cell which started functioning about a year back is to create confidence in the minds of the pensioners/stakeholders, he said while expressing satisfaction with the functioning of the Cell.

Mr Nath said that the AG's office intends to achieve the goal of providing satispactory atisfactory service to pensioners by making it responsive and proactive in character and approach by having complete concern involving human element in the entire process. The GR Cell comprises of six dedicated officials headed by one Sectional Head under the supervision of a branch officer.

With a view to ensure seriousness and to attach sense purpose behind the establishment of GR Cell, apart from the usual staff working under the supervision of Sectional head and Branch Officer, Group 'A' and 'B' officers including Accountant General personally, take care of the day's business by overseeing the work of GR Cell in person daily or on rotation basis, he added.

The working of Suvidha Kendra or GR Cell is quite open and transparent which is done in an organised manner with positive spirit for creating confidence in the minds of pensioners, he added.

On an average, the Suvidha Kendra is receiving about 40-45 visitors daily and their grievances are redressed on the spot, he claimed.

The GR Cell received 9025 visitors during the last one year since its establishment from January 24, 2007 to January 23, 2008.

The facilities for pensioners at the AG office here also include a Land Line Telephone Facility in the GR Cell itself. Now, complainants can avail of this facility for registering their complaints for eventual redressal thereof by the office, Mr Nath added.

Besides the AG office also has an official website www.agpunjab.org for getting updated information.

UNI HS VN BJR RN1509