How to check pension status / PPO number

• Before retirement: register on Bhavishya at least 8 months before retirement. Track all 9 stages: Form 5/6/7 submission → HoO scrutiny → AG/CPAO → e-PPO → Bank credit.
• After retirement: visit cpao.nic.in → Pensioners Corner → Pension Status — enter PPO number + DOB.
• Bank route: log in to your disbursing bank's net-banking → check “Pension” section. Most PSBs (SBI, PNB, Canara, etc.) show pension credit history.
• Find PPO if lost: contact disbursing bank with retirement letter + Aadhaar + service certificate. They can re-issue PPO copy.
• Provisional pension under Rule 68 — if final PPO is delayed beyond 6 months, provisional pension equal to 100% of basic must be released. Most don't know to demand this.
• Family pension activation — surviving spouse must apply with death certificate + bank statement; revision within 30 days mandated.

What we hear from RTI Wiki users: Mr. Ramamurthy, a 60-year-old retired Junior Engineer from CPWD Delhi, hadn't received any pension 7 months after retirement. He filed an RTI to his last drawing office (CPWD Division) asking (a) date of forwarding pension papers to AG/CPAO, (b) current location of file, © reason for delay beyond Rule 65's 8-month timeline, (d) provisional pension status under Rule 68, (e) projected sanction date. Reply in 26 days revealed the file was held up at AG's office for 5 months on a single missing service-verification entry. He chased AG; PPO issued in 14 days; arrears (7 months × Rs. 36,000) credited.

• Service verification gaps — break-in-service, leave records missing. Fix: collect all service certificates from past postings.
• Last-pay certificate (LPC) issue — wrong basic, allowance, or DA noted. Fix: rectification request to last drawing office.
• Bank account issue — joint account vs single, KYC pending. Fix: bank visit.
• Aadhaar-PAN mismatch — DBT routing fails. Fix: update both with consistent data.
• Family details not updated for spouse and children. Fix: Form 12 to HoO for nomination.
• Pension fixation calculation error — 7th Pay Commission revisions may have been applied incorrectly. Fix: file RTI for fixation worksheet.
• HoO transferred / unreachable — common after restructuring. Fix: contact next administrative officer in line.

• Provisional pension under Rule 68 of CCS Pension Rules 2021 — 100% of basic + DA, payable indefinitely until final PPO. ASK FOR THIS in writing if delay exceeds 6 months — most HoOs don't volunteer it.
• Bhavishya app (Android) lets you track pension stages from your phone. Notifications at each stage transition.
• Annual life certificate is mandatory each November via biometric (Jeevan Pramaan app or bank visit). If missed, pension freezes.
• Pension can be received in any bank in India — not just disbursing bank. CPAO portal allows bank change without re-application.
• Family pension is 30% of basic (50% if death-in-service); can be claimed by parents (if no spouse/children) or unmarried daughter (any age) or disabled child (any age). Most family-pension claimants don't know about the disabled-child clause.

Bhavishya: 1800-11-3000 · CPAO: 1800-11-7788 · DoPPW: 011-26194914 · Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

The official SLA on this service is published. If your status is stuck beyond it, you have a statutory right under §6 RTI Act 2005 to demand information from the public authority. Reply mandatory in 30 days.

File an RTI to: Pay & Accounts Office (PAO) + AG (Audit) + Last Drawing Office

Ask these 5 questions:

1. date pension papers forwarded to AG/CPAO
2. officer-in-charge
3. reason for delay beyond 8-month rule
4. provisional pension status (Rule 68)
5. projected sanction date

→ Use our free AI RTI Drafter to generate a complete §6(1) application in 60 seconds. The Drafter pre-fills your name, address, fee statement, and the 5 questions above.

→ Or speak it in हिन्दी / English / 9 other Indian languages via AwaazRTI.

→ For deeper case-law on this scenario: Read the full RTI guide for pension delay.

CCS Pension Rules 2021 mandate 8-month pre-retirement processing. First installment should hit your bank by retirement date or within 30 days.

Rule 68 of CCS Pension Rules — 100% of basic + DA, payable when final pension is delayed > 6 months post-retirement. Demand in writing.

Yes — pensioner is free to choose any bank. CPAO portal handles transfer without re-application.

Disbursing bank can issue duplicate. Contact bank with Aadhaar + service certificate.

Spouse files Form-14 with HoO + death certificate + bank passbook. Revision within 30 days mandated. Children eligible till 25 (sons) / lifelong (unmarried/disabled daughters).

To check status: use the official portal listed above with your reference number. SLA is published; if stuck beyond it, file a free RTI.

• If status is normal → wait the published SLA, then download/use your document
• If status is delayed → click 🪄 AI RTI Drafter now; complete §6 application in 60 seconds
• If status is rejected → demand reasons under §4(1)(d) RTI Act; appeal/represent
• For state-specific guidance → see state-by-state guide

• 🪄 AI RTI Drafter — type problem, get §6 application
• 🎤 AwaazRTI — voice-to-RTI in 11 Indian languages
• 🔮 Outcome Predictor — score your draft's win-likelihood
• ⚖️ First Appeal Generator — §19(1) draft on Day 31
• 📬 PIO Reply Checker — analyse evasive replies
• 📅 Timeline Calculator — track 30-day window
• 💰 Fee Calculator — state-wise fees
• 🔍 RTI Research — AI Q&A from this site

• Master guide: Full RTI for pension delay
• State-by-state: Pick your state
• Citizen RTI playbook: All 100+ scenarios
• The RTI Act 2005: Complete guide
• All status-check guides: All 25 status-check pages

• RTI Act 2005 §§6, 7, 19
• Official portal (linked in Quick Facts)
• Statute referenced in Quick Facts

Last reviewed: 25 April 2026.

Pension PPO (Pension Payment Order) status — complete guide on checking, tracking, and fixing issues:

1. Step 1: What is a PPO? (a) a Pension Payment Order (PPO) is a unique 12-digit number issued by the government (to every pensioner — central government, state government, defence, railways — at the time of retirement), (b) the PPO is the primary document for all pension transactions (the bank uses the PPO number to credit the pension — the CPAO/AG office uses it to track the pension file), © the PPO contains: (i) the pensioner's name and personal details, (ii) the retirement details (date of retirement, last pay drawn, length of service), (iii) the pension amount (basic pension, dearness relief, commuted pension), (iv) the bank account details (where the pension is credited), (d) the PPO is issued by: (i) CPAO (Central Pension Accounting Office) — for central government pensioners, (ii) AG (Accountant General) — for state government pensioners, (iii) PCDA (Pension) — for defence pensioners, (iv) Railway Board — for railway pensioners.
2. Step 2: How to check PPO status. (a) CPAO website (cpao.nic.in — for central government pensioners — enter PPO number and get status), (b) CPAO mobile app (Pensioners' Portal — available on Android — check status, download PPO), © SBIPension portal (sbipension.online — for SBI pensioners — enter PPO number and bank account number), (d) Defence pension portal (pcdapension.nic.in — for defence pensioners — enter PPO number), (e) Bank (the pension-paying bank can check the PPO status — visit the branch with the PPO number), (f) CGHS portal (for CGHS pensioners — the PPO is linked to the CGHS ID).
3. Step 3: Common problems. (a) PPO not issued (the pensioner retired — but the PPO has not been issued — the pension is not being credited), (b) PPO issued but pension not credited (the PPO is issued — but the bank is not crediting the pension — due to bank account mismatch, KYC issue, or life certificate not submitted), © wrong pension amount (the pension is being credited — but the amount is wrong — due to wrong basic pension, wrong dearness relief, or commuted pension not restored), (d) PPO number lost (the pensioner has lost the PPO number — and cannot check the status), (e) life certificate issue (the life certificate is not submitted — and the pension is stopped), (f) family pension issue (the pensioner died — and the family pension is not started — the spouse is struggling to get the family pension).
4. Step 4: Life certificate. (a) the life certificate (Jeevan Pramaan) must be submitted every November (by all pensioners — to continue the pension), (b) how to submit: (i) Jeevan Pramaan portal (jeevanpramaan.gov.in — using Aadhaar and biometric — online), (ii) Jeevan Pramaan app (mobile app — biometric at home), (iii) bank branch (visit the branch — submit the physical life certificate — Form 10), (iv) post office (for post office pensioners), © if the life certificate is not submitted: the pension is stopped (from December — and resumed after submission — with arrears), (d) if the pensioner is unable to visit: (i) the bank can do a home visit (for elderly/disabled pensioners — on request), (ii) the postman can verify (the IPPB postman can verify the life certificate — at home).
5. Step 5: File RTI. File RTI with CPAO (or AG — for state pensioners) asking for: (a) the status of PPO number [number] (whether the PPO has been issued — and the date of issue — and the pension amount), (b) the reason for delay in issuing the PPO (if the PPO has not been issued — the specific reason — and the expected date of issue), © the pension credit status (whether the pension is being credited — the bank name and account number — and the monthly amount), (d) the dearness relief rate applicable (the current DR rate — and whether it is being credited), (e) the commuted pension restoration status (if the commuted period is over — whether the full pension has been restored), (f) the family pension status (if the pensioner has died — whether the family pension has been sanctioned — and the amount).
6. Step 6: Family pension. (a) when the pensioner dies: the spouse is entitled to family pension (60% of the last drawn pension — for central government), (b) the spouse must apply (with the death certificate, the PPO number, the marriage certificate — and the bank account details), © the application is processed by CPAO (or AG — for state — or PCDA — for defence), (d) common issues: (i) the family pension is not started (the application is pending — for months), (ii) the family pension amount is wrong (less than 60% — or the DR is not included), (iii) the spouse does not have the PPO number (and cannot apply — the PPO number must be obtained from CPAO through RTI), (e) file RTI asking for: (i) the family pension status (for PPO [number] — whether sanctioned — and the amount), (ii) the reason for delay (if not sanctioned — and the expected date).
7. Step 7: Grievance and escalation. (a) file a grievance on CPENGRAMS (cpengrams.nic.in — the central pension grievance portal — or pgportal.gov.in), (b) the grievance is forwarded to CPAO (or the ministry — and must be resolved within 30 days), © if not resolved: approach the Pension Adalat (held quarterly by CPAO — and by the ministry — the pensioner can present the case in person), (d) if the Pension Adalat does not resolve: file a writ petition in the High Court (under Article 226 — the court can order the government to release the pension — with interest and compensation), (e) Example: Pension stopped for 6 months due to life certificate issue — the pensioner submitted the life certificate — but the bank did not update — RTI + grievance + Pension Adalat — pension resumed with 6 months arrears + Rs 10,000 compensation.

See PPO Status and Find PIO.