ICTA's e-Pensions project:

Pensioners to benefit

The 'e-Pensions' project, a brainchild of President Mahinda Rajapaksa benefiting all pensioners in the country, will be launched today. The ICT Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA), which functions under the Presidential Secretariat and Public Administration and Home Affairs Ministry Pensions Department have put the project in place jointly.

ICTA Chairman Professor P W Epasinghe said that under this project the whole procedure from computation to the payment of pension would be subjected to a positive change benefiting the pensioner.

"The e-pensions project fulfills yet another of the pledges envisaged in the Mahinda Chintana 'Vision for the Future' policy statement for fulfilling the Government's responsibility towards the senior citizens and to secure for them an honourable place," ICTA Chairman said. Commenting on the ease in administration that this project will bring in, Pensions Department Director General K. A. Tilakaratne said that once this e-pensions project was implemented the bulky file currently containing a large number of paper documents would be reduced to a thin one with a few basic paper documents.

"As a result of the e-pensions project it will be possible for the pensioners to draw their pension as early as during the first month after they reach the date of retirement and their gratuity on the day of retirement," the Pensions Chief said.