Why in news?

Pensioners, including retirees from government, Defence, Railways, PSUs, and educational institutions, must submit a life certificate annually in November to continue receiving pensions.

Since 2014, Digital Life Certificates (DLCs) via the Jeevan Pramaan system allow online submission without visiting banks or post offices.

The Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) is running its third DLC campaign from November 1-30, with 1,900 camps to assist pensioners. Physical submission of life certificates at banks or post offices remains an option for those who prefer it.

What’s in today’s article?

• Jeevan Pramaan
• Pensioners in India
• Generation of Digital Life Certificates (DLCs)
• Campaign Takeaways

Jeevan Pramaan

• About
  • It is a digital life certificate initiative launched by the Government of India in 2014.
  • It allows pensioners to submit their life certificates online, eliminating the need for physical visits to pension-disbursing authorities.
• Nodal Ministry
  • The initiative is overseen by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions through the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW).
• Features:
  • Convenience: Enables pensioners to submit life certificates from anywhere.
  • Digital Access: Certificates are directly sent to pension-disbursing authorities via a digital platform.
  • Wide Reach: Facilitates submission at banks, post offices, and through biometric devices.
  • Campaigns: Annual campaigns (e.g., in November) with camps to assist pensioners in generating DLCs.
• Challenges:
  • Digital Divide: Limited access for pensioners in rural or remote areas lacking digital literacy or internet connectivity.
  • Technical Glitches: Biometric authentication failures due to age-related issues like faded fingerprints.
  • Awareness: Some pensioners are unaware of the digital system and continue with physical submissions.

Pensioners in India

• Number
  • As of March 31, 2024, there were 64.88 crore central government pensioners.
  • This includes 10.09 lakh civilian pensioners, 31.92 lakh Defence pensioners, 15.25 lakh Railways pensioners, 4.56 lakh telecom pensioners, and 3.04 lakh postal pensioners.
• Jeevan Pramaan numbers
  • During last year’s Digital Life Certificate (DLC) campaign, 1.47 crore certificates were generated, including 45.46 lakh from central government pensioners.
  • This year, over 50 lakh central government pensioners are expected to participate in the November campaign camps.

Generation of Digital Life Certificates (DLCs)

• Authentication Methods
  • The Jeevan Pramaan portal uses Aadhaar for biometric authentication, which can be done by pensioners on their own or at a camp.
  • Since 2021, face authentication has been introduced as an alternative.
  • To generate a DLC, pensioners need a linked Aadhaar, mobile number, and Aadhaar registration with the pension disbursing authority.
  • If using the app or website independently, a biometric device is required.
• Campaign and Participation
  • Camps are being held in 800 cities across India and at Indian missions abroad, with post offices and banks also organizing their own camps.

Campaign Takeaways

• Face Authentication: In the first 11 days of the campaign, 31.02% of pensioners opted for face authentication, a significant increase from less than 20% last year.
• DLC Generation: Between November 1-11, 48.10 lakh DLCs were generated, with 63% using fingerprint authentication.
• Age-wise Distribution: In the first week, 45% of DLCs were generated for pensioners aged 60-70 years, 28% for those aged 70-80, and 21% for those below 60.
• Regional Distribution: The highest number of DLCs were generated in Maharashtra, followed by Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka.
• Impact: The campaign's success marks significant digital empowerment for pensioners, reducing the need for physical visits to pension offices every November.