Pensioners urged to use digital life certificates in nationwide campaign
The Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare is running a month-long campaign across 2,000 cities to promote face-authentication technology.
Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare (DoPPW) Secretary Nivedita Shukla Verma encouraged pensioners on Tuesday to lead the way in digital adoption by using digital life certificates (DLCs). According to Telangana Today, the secretary spoke at a mega camp in New Delhi organised by the DoPPW and Punjab National Bank (PNB).
The nationwide DLC Campaign 5 is being held in 2,000 cities and districts across India from November 1 to 30. The initiative helps pensioners and family pensioners submit their annual certificates using face-authentication technology to ensure the continued receipt of pensions.
Verma noted that pensioners can use smartphones to generate DLCs from their homes via the biometric-enabled Jeevan Pramaan service. This allows them to complete the process without visiting bank branches or relying on others. She stated that the campaign's success relies on reaching all pensioners, including those in remote locations.
DoPPW Joint Secretary Dhrubajyoti Sengupta said that face-authentication technology, introduced in 2021, has made the service more accessible. He noted that certificates generated through this method rose from approximately 50 lakh to about 1.25 crore during the last campaign.
The secretary also highlighted that more than 14 lakh pensioners aged 80 years and above submitted their DLCs during the previous cycle. For those unable to use digital tools or visit camps, doorstep services remain available through post offices and banks.