Guwahati, May 20 -- The Assam government has introduced a penalty mechanism against officials responsible for delays in processing pension cases, in a move aimed at ensuring timely disbursal of pension benefits to retired employees.

Announcing the decision, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said retired government employees had contributed significantly to the state's development and deserved to receive their pensions with "respect and dignity".

"Our retired employees have contributed richly to Assam's progress. It is their right to receive a timely pension. To achieve this, we're enforcing an accountability framework, which also imposes a penalty on those responsible for delays," Sarma said.

According to a notification issued by the ...