Will you have to travel around the capital now in old age? District pension offices are going to be closed in this state from April 1

News India Live, Digital Desk: After retiring from a government job after serving for 30-40 years, a person thinks that now he will live a happy life. Pension will come on 1st of every month and old age will pass comfortably. But, if you come to know that the government is going to lock the office on which you depended, where you used to go with your problems, then it is natural to feel scared. A similar news has come out for about 5 lakh pensioners of Madhya Pradesh, which has worried everyone. Taking a big decision, the Finance Department of Madhya Pradesh Government has made preparations that all the ‘District Pension Offices’ of the state will be closed from April 1, 2026. What does this mean and why is there a stir? This order simply means that now there will be no office in your city or district where you used to go to lodge your pension complaint, talk about arrears or submit documents. Now all the work will be done only and only This will be done from the ‘Pension, Provident Fund and Insurance Directorate’ located in the capital Bhopal. Just think practically, a 75 or 80 year old man, who cannot even walk properly, will he travel 300-400 kilometers to Bhopal to get his pension problem resolved? As ‘modern’ as this decision sounds, in reality it is equally ‘difficult’ for the elderly. Government’s argument: The system will be centralized. The government says that this step has been taken to improve the system. He argues that the way of working was different in the districts and there was a burden of files. Now everything will be centralized from Bhopal and most of the work will be done online (digital mode). The treasury office will now look after only some limited work. But the big question is whether every elderly person in our state is so ‘tech-savvy’ that he can solve his problem by opening the portal on his smartphone or computer? Even today, village pensioners consider it safe to go to banks and offices only with Babuji passbook. Pensioners’ anger erupted. As soon as this news came out, different ‘Pensioners’ Associations’ have started strongly opposing it. He says that this decision is injustice to the elderly. Letters are being written to the Chief Minister to stop this. Their demand is that even if the system is made online, at least some window should remain open for hearing at the local level (in the district). An elderly pensioner says, “Sir, I don’t have the strength in my body to take the bus ride to the capital, and I don’t know how to go online. Will taking pension of my own earnings now become a punishment?” Our advice (Friendly Advice) If you or someone in your family is a pensioner of Madhya Pradesh government, then before April 1, 2026 Get all your pending work completed. Paperwork: If any document is incomplete, if the name of the nominee needs to be changed or the life certificate needs to be submitted, then get it done before the district office is closed. Digital literacy: Learn to operate the pension portal with the help of children at home, because the future is now online. Stay aware: Stay connected with your local pensioners group so that if there is any change in the rules or the government withdraws the decision, you will know immediately. Go.Hopefully the government will understand the problems of the elderly and some middle path will be found. Till then take care!