Jitendra Singh Backs ‘CSS Shield’ for Bereaved Families
Minister calls for more responsive service rules and greater support for families of deceased CSS officers
- ‘CSS Shield’ launched to provide financial assistance to bereaved families
- Jitendra Singh presents aid to families of two deceased officers
- CSS officers have contributed around ₹1.30 crore since 2020
- Forum plans to expand support, including scholarships for children
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 5th Sept: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences and MoS in PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh called for continued efforts to make government service rules more responsive to employees and their families.
Speaking at the launch of ‘CSS Shield’, a mutual support initiative of the Central Secretariat Service (CSS) Forum for bereaved families of CSS officers, Singh said collective efforts could create a culture of standing by families during times of sudden loss.
The Minister said the initiative was not difficult to implement and depended largely on collective will and willingness to contribute. He said colleagues coming together as one family to support a bereaved family sends a meaningful message beyond the organisation.
Singh presented financial assistance to the families of late Mohan Chandra Bhatt and late Rajendra Chandra as part of the initiative. The programme was attended by CSS Forum office-bearers and members, serving CSS officers, colleagues and family members of the two deceased officers.
The Minister said the initiative aligns with the Personnel Ministry’s broader efforts to make government service systems more responsive to employees and their families. He said several service provisions had been changed in recent years to reflect contemporary requirements and that the government remained open to modifying existing rules or introducing new provisions where necessary.
Singh also suggested expanding the initiative as its participation and corpus grow. He said scholarships for children of deceased CSS officers could be considered to provide longer-term support to affected families.
The CSS Shield initiative operates on the principle of “Contribute for Family, Support with Dignity” and seeks to establish a structured mechanism for collective financial assistance to bereaved families.
According to the CSS Forum, members had voluntarily supported families of deceased officers even before the formal launch of the initiative. The experience during the COVID-19 period further highlighted the need for a structured support mechanism.
The Forum said CSS officers have collectively contributed around ₹1.30 crore since 2020, providing assistance to families of approximately 65–70 deceased officers. Under CSS Shield, the Forum aims to provide at least ₹15 lakh to a bereaved family, with plans to increase the assistance as participation grows.
The initiative aims to leverage the participation of around 13,000 CSS members to strengthen the support available to families of deceased officers.
