INDIAN ARMY LAUNCHED PROJECT NAMAN

Why in the News?

  • Project Launch: The Indian Army launched the first phase of Project NAMAN, a significant initiative to support Defence Pensioners, Veterans, and their families.
  • SPARSH Focus: Project NAMAN is built around the SPARSH (System for Pension Administration Raksha) digital pension system, streamlining pension processes for Defence Pensioners across India.

Key Features and Implementation:

  • Comprehensive Services: Project NAMAN offers SPARSH-enabled pension services, Government to Citizen (G2C) services, and Business to Consumer (B2C) services at dedicated Common Service Centres (CSCs).
  • Strategic Collaboration: The project is supported by a tripartite MoU between the Indian Army, CSC e-Governance India Limited, and HDFC Bank Limited, ensuring robust infrastructure and seamless operation.
  • Initial Rollout: In the first phase, 14 CSCs have been established across India in key locations, including New Delhi, Jalandhar, Leh, and Bangalore.
  • Veteran Empowerment: Each CSC is managed by a Village Level Entrepreneur (VLE), selected from among Veterans or Next of Kin (NOKs), who receive training and financial support to deliver the required services.
Source:pib

Expansion and Impact

  • Nationwide Plan: The project plans to expand to 200 centres nationwide over the next 2-3 years, enhancing support for Veterans and their families.
  • Veteran Empowerment: Each CSC is managed by a Village Level Entrepreneur (VLE), selected from among Veterans or Next of Kin (NOKs), receiving support and training to provide essential services and create entrepreneurial opportunities.
About SPARSH (System for Pension Administration Raksha):

  • Automated Pension System: SPARSH is an integrated web-based system for automating the sanction and disbursement of defence pensions.
  • Direct Credit: It processes pension claims and credits the pension directly to the bank accounts of defence pensioners, eliminating the need for external intermediaries.
  • Pensioner Portal: Provides a dedicated portal for pensioners to view pension-related information, access services, and register complaints.
  • Service Centres: Establishes Service Centres for pensioners who may not have direct access to the SPARSH portal, with SBI and PNB as key service providers.