9333 - Very few pensioners opt for digital life certificates

MYSURU, February 9, 2016

Very few pensioners opt for digital life certificates

• LAIQH A. KHAN

One would think that the option of submitting a digital life certificate would make a pensioner’s life easy, considering it saves the bother of travelling to the disbursing centre every year, irrespective of where he/she lives and their health conditions.

However, in Karnataka, including in the IT capital of Bengaluru, the Union government’s ambitious Jeevan Pramaan scheme to allow pensioners this option has very few takers. In Bengaluru, those opting for digital certificates have not even reached the double digit.

Though the scheme was rolled out in 2014, the number of pensioners opting for biometric-enabled digital certificate has not crossed 1,000 across the State, according to an official in the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT), Kozhikode, which is overseeing its implementation in Karnataka and Kerala. The Central government pensioners alone number close to two lakh in Karnataka, besides State government, and armed forces pensioners.

A representative of the lone Common Service Centre (CSC) run by NIELIT in Bengaluru said they were unable to enrol more than five to six pensioners ever since they signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with NIELIT a year ago. “There is no demand for digital certificates. So, we have discontinued issuing them,” he said.

Jeevan Pramaan gives pensioners an option to submit a digital certificate instead of presenting themselves physically once a year before the pension disbursing agency, which in most cases is the bank. It is useful for sick and infirm pensioners and those who have relocated to a different city.

NIELIT, an autonomous body of the Department of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, has identified 39 CSCs and equipped them with a biometric reading device. This is uploaded to the central database, which is made accessible to the pension disbursing agency.

Ashok S. Kololgi, Secretary of Karnataka Central Government Pensioners’ Association, told The Hindu that pensioners are not even aware of the existence of CSCs. They should be spread across the city to enable pensioners to go to the nearest one, he said. Also, banks should also have the infrastructure to issue these certificates, he said.

However, NIELIT officials said private agencies do not come forward to take up the work as they need to collect no more than Rs. 10 for each enrolment.

“Earlier, the remuneration for each enrolment by the CSC was Rs. 50, but it has now been brought down to Rs. 10. The CSCs will have to sign a MoU with us,” the official said.

Though NIELIT officials said banks that volunteer to enrol pensioners for Jeevan Pramaan scheme will also be given the biometric reading device, many pensioners said their banks insisted on their physical presence for the life certificate.

Pensioners have to produce Aadhaar card, pension payment order number, bank account number, bank name, and mobile number Jeevan Pramaan scheme uses Aadhaar platform for biometric authentication of pensioner

Details available at NIELIT, Kozhikode (0495-2287266)

9111 - All 50000 retiring babus in 2016 to get dues, pension orders on day of retirement - Economic Times

All 50000 retiring babus in 2016 to get dues, pension orders on day of retirement

Aman Sharma, ET Bureau Nov 27, 2015, 08.34AM IST

NEW DELHI: Remember the iconic scene in the Munnabhai sequel of movies where a senior citizen strips in an office to get his pension? Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh did not have to do that but did concede on Thursday that he too had to wait for a year for his pension to start after taking voluntary retirement.

Singh cited his own example, when he quit government service to take the plunge into politics, to stress on the Modi Government's ambitious idea of a computerized pension sanction and payment tracking system named 'Bhavishya' to be extended to all 9000 central government offices in India and push all states to replicate it after the UPA had launched the same on a pilot basis. The Modi government aims that next year, all 50000 central employees retiring in 2016 will get their retirement dues and their Pension Payment Order (PPO) on the very day of their retirement.

"Last year of a retiring employee is spent in preparation of PPO and collecting no-dues certificates as he fears no one will let him in after he retires. The reputation of a retiring government servants becomes such that he is preparing to get his pension on time. This is just not done," Singh said. Secretary of Pensions Department, Devendra Chaudhary said Bhavishya "would remove the fear of retirement and worry of an employee on if he would get his pension on time."

He said government got 40000 grievances regarding delay in pensions this year. "Our experience shows pension payments are considerably delayed. Retirees need a dignified exit from service and can't be expected to run around for their dues or make requests to someone for it," Joint Secretary (Pensions) Vandana Sharma said.

Bhavishya involves preparation of advance list of employees retiring in the next 12 months and sending each such employee a login and password for 'Bhavishya' portal eight months before the date of his retirement on his mobile phone and e-mail ID. The employee fills up his details on the portal and based on that information, pension forms are auto-generated by the software and submitted for processing. The system then sends SMS and e-mail alerts to the employee, his head of department and disbursing officers for every action due and performed. Retirees hence can track the process online as government aims to give them their dues and the PPO on the day they hang their boots.

The Minister said the Centre plans to inspire all states to replicate the system once it is fully implemented by next year in all central government offices. "We have more pensioners in India than serving employees," Singh stressed.

Govt may do away with annual life certificates

MoS PMO Jitendra Singh said the government was thinking about doing away with the need for pensioners to submit annual life certificates to renew their pensions as expecting someone to prove every year that he or she is alive is a ironical proposition. Secretary (Pensions) Devendra Chaudhary said government has to trust its own employees for the purpose. The government last year launched an idea of the life certificates to be submitted digitally by pensioners by linking the process to Aadhaar but it has since got caught up in privacy issues following the Supreme Court ruling that Aadhaar is not mandatory for any government service.

8743 - Govt seeks review of Supreme Court’s Aadhaar order - Live Mint

Govt seeks review of Supreme Court’s Aadhaar order

UIDAI petition seeks court’s permission to use Aadhaar for social benefit schemes till it decides on the case

New Delhi: The government has moved the Supreme Court seeking modification of its 11 August interim order restricting the use of Aadhaar, the unique identity number, to paying subsidies for the public distribution system and cooking gas.

The restriction is threatening to undermine the government’s digital India initiatives such as biometric attendance, Jan Dhan Yojana, digital certificates and pension payments. It could also hurt the prospects of payments banks.

The petition filed by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) on Wednesday—a copy has been reviewed by Mint—has sought court’s permission to use Aadhaar for all government social benefit schemes till it decides on the case.

UIDAI is seeking clearance to include use of the unique identity number for schemes such as biometric attendance system, Jan Dhan Yojana, digital certificates and pension payments, based on prior consent from the Aadhaar holders.

Separately, the central bank is also planning to move the apex court to seek approval on whether banks can use customers’ Aadhaar numbers as an acceptable form of identity proof, Mint reported (mintne.ws/1OOV0Io) on Wednesday.

A concerned government is making a determined effort to undo the damage to its Digital India initiatives.

“All government agencies have been asked to come up with how they intend to use Aadhaar so that a fool-proof defence can be put up in the Supreme Court,” a lawyer close to the development said, asking not to be identified.

Representatives of various government department’s met the Attorney General late on Tuesday to discuss the necessary steps that should be taken before approaching the court.

“The government’s stand is clear and it is that Aadhaar is here to stay. We have begun a round of consultation on how to back the scheme,” said the lawyer.

However, the petitioners challenging the Aadhaar scheme say they will continue to oppose any use of Aadhaar number for welfare schemes. “When the issue comes up for hearing, we will argue against use of Aadhaar for any purpose, including the PDS and LPG subsidies. What will start out as voluntary consent will soon transform to it being made mandatory,” said Anish Gupta, additional advocate general of Haryana and an advocate for the petitioners.

The three-judge bench of the apex court comprising justices J. Chelameswar, S.A. Bobde and C. Nagappan had said that “UIDAI/Aadhaar will not be used for any other purposes except PDS, kerosene and LPG distribution system. Even for the public distribution system (PDS), kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) distribution system, the card will not be mandatory”.

The bench was hearing several pleas challenging the validity of Aadhaar. Some relate to Aadhaar numbers being made mandatory to avail of certain government benefits and services. Others deal with the number itself being a violation of an individual’s privacy, especially in the absence of any backing regulation or oversight, and some deal with possible misuse of the information. The case has been referred to a larger constitutional bench to determine whether the right to privacy of a citizen is a fundamental right or not.

However, Nandan Nilekani, who had headed the Aadhaar project, has challenged the notion that individual privacy is being compromised.

In a column published in the Indian Express on 15 September, Nilekani claimed that no banking information is shared with UIDAI. “The UIDAI system is completely ignorant of the usage of Aadhaar for seeding and for the Aadhaar Payments Bridge (maintained by the National Payments Corporation of India, an RBI-regulated entity). When a customer does an Aadhaar authentication at, say, a microATM, the Aadhaar system knows that an authentication was done, but not the purpose for which it was done,” he added.

Apurva VishwanathSaurabh Kumar

8700 - NDMC camp for pensioners to enrol for digital life certificate - Economic Times

NDMC camp for pensioners to enrol for digital life certificate

By PTI | 14 Sep, 2015, 07.54PM IST

Post a Comment

NEW DELHI: NDMC is organising a camp to facilitate enrolment of its pensioners for digital life certificates to ensure hassle-free disbursal of pension. 

"The camp for the pensioners to register themselves for 'Jeevan Pramaan Digital Life Certificate' kick-started today at Palika Kendra," New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) spokesperson Jagjivan Bakshi said. 

"The basic idea of the scheme is to minimise the hardship and inconvenience to pensioners for being physically present for submission of life certificate every year," he added. 

The civic-body plans to run the camp on daily basis till majority of the pensioners are enrolled. 

"After the registration, pensioners will enjoy the freedom to submit their digital life certificates from their place through mobile or nearest such centres/banks providing this facility," he said. 

In order to spare the pensioners from the trouble of visiting banks for submission of life certificates annually, the Centre had in November last year launched an Aadhaar-based biometric verification system 'Jeevan Pramaan'. 

The system enables pensioners to submit digital life certificates online to pension-disbursing banks.

8582 - ‘Jeevan Pramaan’ – Banks asked to attain weekly targets -Niti Central

‘Jeevan Pramaan’ – Banks asked to attain weekly targets

AUTHOR: NITI PIB BOT - AUGUST 20, 2015

The Government has asked banks to achieve weekly targets set for the purpose of enabling “Jeevan Pramaan” – an “Aadhaar-based Digital Life Certification system for Pensioners so as to cover at least 50% in next 2-3 weeks.

Pensioners can approach their paying branches with the PPO, Aadhaar card and bank pass book for trouble-free seeding of Pensioners’ Aadhaar number in their bank account.

Various steps are being taken by the Government to sensitize pensioners and bank branches to link up the Aadhaar number, PPO number and bank account number. All pension disbursing banks observed 1st to 7th August, 2015 as ‘Aadhaar Seeding Week for Pensioners.’

All through the week, priority was given to pensioners visiting the bank branches for seeding Aadhaar number in their bank account.

Besides, five camps were organised from 13th to 17th July, 2015 at different locations covering Delhi, NOIDA and Faridabad to facilitate seeding of Aadhaar number in the bank accounts of pensioners. All banks participated in these camps. Facility was also provided by UIDAI for on-the-spot registration for Aadhaar numbers.

Conventionally, pensioners are required to give a Life Certificate to the pension disbursing authority in November, every year – either by presenting themselves before the Branch Manager or by means of a Certificate issued by a Gazetted Officer or other designated authorities.

The “Jeevan Pramaan” – an “Aadhaar-based Digital Life Certification system with an objective to facilitate on-line submission of Life Certificate by pensioners, was launched by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 10th November, 2014. This facility is in addition to the other existing methods of submitting Life Certificates. It is hoped that all pensioners who have Aadhaar numbers will make use of this additional facility of biometric life certification.

With “Jeevan Pramaan” the pensioners and family pensioners need not visit the pension disbursing agency or Gazetted/designated authority for submission of Life Certificates.

The Life Certificates may be submitted from personal computers and laptops at home or by visiting a conveniently located Common Service Centre or the nearest branch of any pension disbursing bank. There are about 55,000 branches of pension disbursing banks and 40,000 Common Service Centres throughout the country. Submission of Digital Life Certificate also ensures authenticity of pension payments.
  

8574 - 'Jeevan Pramaan', the Aadhaar-based Digital Life Certification system, for Pensioners

Delhi 

August 20, 2015 Last Updated at 14:20 IST

Jeevan Pramaan, the Aadhaar-based Digital Life Certification system, for Pensioners 

The Government has asked banks to achieve weekly targets set for the purpose of enabling Jeevan Pramaan an Aadhaar-based Digital Life Certification system for Pensioners so as to cover at least 50% in next 2-3 weeks. Pensioners can approach their paying branches with the PPO, Aadhaar card and bank pass book for trouble-free seeding of Pensioners Aadhaar number in their bank account. 

Various steps are being taken by the Government to sensitize pensioners and bank branches to link up the Aadhaar number, PPO number and bank account number. All pension disbursing banks observed 1st to 7th August, 2015 as Aadhaar Seeding Week for Pensioners. All through the week, priority was given to pensioners visiting the bank branches for seeding Aadhaar number in their bank account. Besides, five camps were organised from 13th to 17th July, 2015 at different locations covering Delhi, NOIDA and Faridabad to facilitate seeding of Aadhaar number in the bank accounts of pensioners. All banks participated in these camps. Facility was also provided by UIDAI for on-the-spot registration for Aadhaar numbers. 

Conventionally, pensioners are required to give a Life Certificate to the pension disbursing authority in November, every year either by presenting themselves before the Branch Manager or by means of a Certificate issued by a Gazetted Officer or other designated authorities. 

The Jeevan Pramaan an Aadhaar-based Digital Life Certification system with an objective to facilitate on-line submission of Life Certificate by pensioners, was launched by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 10th November, 2014. This facility is in addition to the other existing methods of submitting Life Certificates. It is hoped that all pensioners who have Aadhaar numbers will make use of this additional facility of biometric life certification. 

With Jeevan Pramaan the pensioners and family pensioners need not visit the pension disbursing agency or Gazetted/designated authority for submission of Life Certificates. The Life Certificates may be submitted from personal computers and laptops at home or by visiting a conveniently located Common Service Centre or the nearest branch of any pension disbursing bank. There are about 55,000 branches of pension disbursing banks and 40,000 Common Service Centres throughout the country. Submission of Digital Life Certificate also ensures authenticity of pension payments. 

7818 - Government Introduces Digital Certificates for Pensioners in UT - New Indian Express

Government Introduces Digital Certificates for Pensioners in UT

By Debjani Dutta

Published: 19th April 2015 06:03 AM

PUDUCHERRY:The territorial administration has decided to implement Digital Life certificate - Jeevan Pramaan - for pensioners of the government of Puducherry.

According to a government order issued on April 15, the digital certification would do away with the requirement of a pensioner having to submit a physical Life Certificate in November each year in order to ensure continuity of pension getting credited into his account. The Department of Electronics and IT has developed a software application which enables recording of the pensioner’s Aadhaar and bio-metric details from his mobile device or computer. Key details of the pensioner including bio-metric information will be uploaded to a central database on a real-time basis. The details are stored in the life certificate repository, ultimately enabling the Pension Disbursing Agency to access a Digital Life Certificate. This will conclusively establish that the pensioner was alive at the time of authentication.

All that a pensioner has to do is get himself registered in Jeevan Pramaan website (www.jeevanpramaan.gov.in) by providing his Pension Payment order, Bank Account number and Aadhaar Number. This can be done by visiting the nearest Jeevan Pramaan centre located in National Informatics Centre (NIC), PSU banks, Directorate of Accounts and Treasuries or even from his home if he has a computer and a bio-metric reader.

Once the data provided is authenticated, he will receive a one time password (OTP) on his registered mobile number. With this, he can log in and generate a digital life certificate by providing his bio-metrics, either a finger print or Iris through a bio-metric reader and authenticate himself. The bio-metric reader of both thumb or iris will authenticate the bio-metric data online in the UIDAI database. Once the authentication is successful, his digital life certificate will be generated (PDF format) and stored in the repository. The pensioner can download and use it anytime.

7785 - New digital life certificate service to save pensioners from hectic process - Hindustan Times

New digital life certificate service to save pensioners from hectic process

HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times, Panchkula| Updated: Apr 15, 2015 14:11 IST

With the district administration launching service of Aadhaar-based digital life certificates for pensioners, the senior citizens seeking life certificates for pension will be spared from the ordeal of running from pillar to post.

To begin with, the service has been introduced for pensioners receiving pension through the treasury. At present, the process of getting a life certificate is time-consuming -marred by red-tapism - and pensioners have to undergo a long-drawn process from submitting of documents personally to the official concerned. As per the norm, to ensure continuity of pension, a pensioner is required to submit a life certificate physically in November every year.

Under the new system, a pensioner will just need to visit the treasury office to give thump impression on a biometric device mapped with one's Aadhaar Card, and the digital life certificate will be generated. The National Informatics Centre (NIC) has developed the software.

Deputy commissioner (DC), Panchkula, Vivek Atray, said there were around 50,000 pensioners, of which around 10,000 draw their pension from the treasury, while remaining through banks.

Vivek Atray added, “The new system will save a lot of time of the pensioners, and they will not face any harassment as well. The service will also be made available to those receiving pension through the bank soon.”

The service will be made available at all 34 community service centres (CSC) across the district. Lauding the initiative, Rakesh Aggarwal, general secretary, Lok Saravhitkari Society, said the new initiative would help the pensioners in the district.

The Panchkula administration has also decided to assist elderly people at government offices under the Aadaar-Sammaan Scheme. For this, around 20 volunteers will be deployed at the DC's office, general hospital, municipal corporation office, Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) office besides other places of the city. The service will be launched soon.

7550 - Digital Life Certificate for Pensioners; More Than One Crore Pensioners May be Benefitted by the Scheme - Business Standard

Digital Life Certificate for Pensioners; More Than One Crore Pensioners May be Benefitted by the Scheme

Delhi  March 13, 2015 Last Updated at 00:21 IST

Under the 'Digital India Mission', Government has launched 'Jeevan Pramaan - an Aadhaar based Digital Life Certificate' for pensioners on 10.11.2014. This facility provides an option to the pensioners to submit their life certificate digitally by authenticating biometrically using UIDAI Database. The pension disbursing agencies integrated with the Jeevan Pramaan Portal will get access to digital life certificate. The pensioners need not go to the pension disbursing agency in person. 

Aadhaar numbers is used for bio-metric authentication of pensioners. All pensioners having Aadhaar number may avail this facility. More than one crore pensioners may be benefitted by the scheme. 

Government has taken a number of steps to bring awareness among the pensioners regarding the digital life certificate scheme such as publicity through leading newspapers, organization of camps for pensioners, regular meetings with pension disbursing agencies etc. 

This was stated by Shri Jayant Sinha, Minister of State in Ministry of Finance in written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today. 

* * * * *

DSM/KA

5996 - Technology Can Surely Help Reduce Hardships - New Indian Express

Technology Can Surely Help Reduce Hardships

By The New Indian Express

Published: 12th November 2014 06:00 AM

Prime minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched the “Jeevan Pramaan” project, a digital version of the “life certificate” scheme that could eventually benefit 10 million claimants. The biometric-based software means pensioners will now no longer have to visit banks every year to give proof of their being alive to continue receiving benefits. Around 50 lakh people draw pension from the central government, and an equal number from state and UT governments. Several PSUs also provide pensions, and over 25 lakh retirees draw pensions from the armed forces. The software will be made available to pensioners and other stakeholders on a large scale at no extra cost. It can be operated on a personal computer or smartphone, along with an “inexpensive” biometric reading device.

The facility will also be made available at common service centres being operated under the National e-Governance Plan for the benefit of pensioners in inaccessible areas. The pensioner’s details, including date, time, and biometric information will be uploaded to a central database on real-time basis, ultimately enabling the pension disbursing agency to access a Digital Life Certificate. The Aadhaar-based certificate will go a long way in reducing hardships undergone by many senior citizens to produce a Life Certificate every year, the IT department said. After the push towards self-certification, this is another enabling mechanism for the benefit of the common man.

The recourse to these measures shows that Modi’s idea of development extends well beyond “big ticket” reforms to embrace the middle class. The use of Aadhaar shows why he insisted on continuing the project although some in his party wanted it to be scrapped since it was started by the previous government. But Modi saw its scientific benefits. The wide use of technology in these and other initiatives will also spread the scientific temper and accelerate the entry of more people into the modern age.

5995 - Indian Govt launches Aadhaar-linked digital life certificate for pensioners - Medianama

Indian Govt launches Aadhaar-linked digital life certificate for pensioners

By Vivek Pai on Nov 12th, 2014  |  Post a Comment

The Indian Government has launched an Aadhaar-based digital life certificate called Jeevan Pramaan for pensioners, which is expected to make the process of pension payments simpler.

Currently, pensioners are required to submit a physical Life Certificate issued by authorities and specified by the Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO) in November each year in order to continue receiving pension. Alternatively, the person had to be personally present at the Pension Disbursing Agency.

The new system, being developed by the Department of Electronics and IT (DeitY), consists of a software application which enables recording the pensioner’s Aadhaar number and biometric details from a mobile device or computer via a biometric reading device. Key details about the pensioner, along with the date, time and biometric information can then be uploaded to a central database in real-time, enabling the Pension Disbursing Agency to directly access a Digital Life Certificate. This will establish that the pensioner was alive at the time of authentication, without them having to be physically present.

This software will be made available to pensioners and other stakeholders at no extra cost, and can be operated from a computer or a smartphone with a biometric device. The facility will also be available at Common Service Centres under the National e-Governance Plan, to benefit pensioners living in remote and inaccessible areas.

As of now, about 50 lakh individuals get pension from the Central Government, with a similar number drawing from the State and Union Territory Governments, and about 25 lakh drawing pension from the armed forces. While this move will certainly benefit many, it will be interesting to see if linking Aadhar will be made mandatory for drawing pensions at all.

SC ruling on Aadhaar: The Supreme Court had ordered the government to not link social benefits to Aadhaar, in September last year. the West Bengal Assembly had also passed a resolution asking for the Central government to delink Aadhar from the Direct Benefits Transfer scheme, specifically LPG subsidy, in December the same year.

A number of state government run schemes had made Aadhaar mandatory, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) which linked Aadhaar to employee salary, the revenue department made Aadhaar mandatory for services offered by the department, and the Bombay High Court had even suggested the state government to consider linking Aadhaar to ration cards to reduce instances of fake and duplicate cards.

Category : Digitization, Government, News | Tags : DEITY, Digital Life Certificate, Jeevan Pramaan, pension

5987 - Life certificate for pensioners to go digital - TNN

Life certificate for pensioners to go digital

TNN | Nov 11, 2014, 01.22AM IST

NEW DELHI: The government on Monday launched an Aadhaar-based digital life certificate for pensioners, a move that could eventually benefit over one crore pensioners.

The proposed digital certification will do away with the requirement of a pensioner to submit a physical life certificate in November each year, in order to ensure the continuity of pension being credited into his or her account. While the system is in its early stage, it is bound to ease life for pensioners once implemented.

The department of electronics and information has developed a software application that will enable the recording of a pensioner's Aadhaar number and biometric details from his mobile device or computer, by plugging in a biometric reading device.

Key details of the pensioner, including date, time and biometric information will be uploaded to a central database on real-time basis, ultimately enabling the pension disbursing agency to access a digital life certificate. This will conclusively establish that the pensioner was alive at the time of authentication.

The software application system will be made available to pensioners and other stakeholders on a large scale at no extra cost. It can be operated on a personal computer or a smartphone, along with an inexpensive biometric reading device.

This facility will also be made available at common service centres being operated under the national e-governance plan, for the benefit of pensioners residing in remote and inaccessible areas.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who launched 'Jeevan Pramaan', said after the push towards self-certification, the digital life certificate was another enabling mechanism which would benefit the common citizen.

The government has scrapped the previous practice of getting documents verified by gazetted officers and pushed for self-certification in a number of cases in a move to help citizens access public services in a transparent and time-bound manner.

The earlier requirement entailed that a pensioner either personally present himself or herself before the pension disbursing agency, or submit a life certificate issued by authorities specified by the Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO).

Every November, pensioners have to rush to the pension disbursing office or banks to get their life certificate verified and attested by gazetted officials and bank employees. While banks have a provision of sending staff to issue life certificate for very old and disabled pensioners, the practice sometime leads to delays and harassment.

Currently, 50 lakh individuals draw pension from the central government alone. A similar number draw pension from state and Union Territory governments. Several state-run companies also provide pension benefits and over 25 lakh retired personnel draw pension from the armed forces.

The Aadhaar-based digital life certificate will go a long way in reducing hardship which so many senior citizens have to go through to produce a life certificate every year, a statement from the Prime Minister's Office said on Monday.

Times View

The idea of making pensioners free of the obligation of proving they are alive by registering their physical presence at bank branches once a year is welcome and long overdue. It was a truly inhuman requirement that forced old people, many of them rendered immobile by the ravages of time, to go through an ordeal to ensure their pension kept coming. In an e-enabled world, physically marking presence should really not be needed and there are surely many better ways of verifying that the person claiming the pension is actually alive.

5986 - Aadhaar to Make Passport Issuance Hassle-Free and Ease Life for Pensioners - IB Times

Aadhaar to Make Passport Issuance Hassle-Free and Ease Life for Pensioners

• By Neha Singh November 11, 2014 17:44 IST

In a relief to over a crore pensioners, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched "Jeevan Pramaan" – an Aadhar-based digital life certificate – which will be rolled out soon. 

The government is working towards easing lives of crores of Indian citizens by making use of Aadhaar identification in issuance of passport and pensions for the retired government employees.

While the government has decided to do away with prior-police verification for issuing fresh passport with Aadhaar identification card, soon the pensioners too will not be required to submit physical "life certificate" each year as they can simply submit a digital report from anywhere in the country.

The department of electronics and information has already developed a software required to facilitate the process. The software application will help the pensioners enter their Aadhaar number and biometric details by plugging in an inexpensive biometric reading device into their smartphone or personal computer, The Times of India reported.

After entering the Aadhaar number, the date, time and "biometric information will be uploaded to a central database on real-time basis", which the pension disbursing agencies will be able to access as digital life certificates.

For those living in remote and inaccessible areas, common service centres being operated under the National e-Governance Plan will be equipped with the aforesaid facility.

This will come as a huge relief to those who live on pensions and are required to go in person to the pension disbursing agency to submit a physical life certificate issued by Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO) authorised person in November each year to continue receiving pensions.

It's not just the senior citizens who would benefit from Aadhaar. Every Indian will be relieved from the delay in passport issuance that often takes time due to prior-police verification. When implemented, the applicant will need to compulsorily put in his Aadhaar card number or Aadhaar enrolment number, if card has not been issued.

Ministry of external affairs' consular, passport and visa division pitched in this idea before home ministry, law ministry and Intelligence Bureau and held a discussion on Monday. Following this, the MEA asked the UIDAI to work on its implementation which is expected to be over by the end of November.

While the verification of applicant's identification and citizenship will be carried out with the details on Aadhaar, his crime records will be verified on the National Crime Records Bureau's (NCRB) database. The police verification, in this case, will be done after issuing the passport, according to the TOI report.

At present, a fresh or first-time passport is issued only after police verification, which is either not required or carried out post issuance in case of minor applicants, tatkal applications and re-issue.

The central government's efforts to make the passport issuance procedure hassle-free for its citizens and to do away with senior citizens' trouble of getting a life certificate to continue availing pension, will come as a greater relief for majority of India's population.

5968 - Quicker passports, digital life certificates, thanks to Aadhaar - Hindustan Times

Quicker passports, digital life certificates, thanks to Aadhaar

Aloke Tikku, Hindustan Times  New Delhi, November 10, 2014

First Published: 22:11 IST(10/11/2014) | Last Updated: 22:49 IST(10/11/2014)

Leveraging the Aadhaar identity to simplify government processes, the government on Monday launched a digital life certificate for 5 million pensioners and discussed plans to use the unique number to halve the period taken to issue passports.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Aadhaar-based Digital Life Certificate that would end the need for pensioners to submit a life certificate in November to continue getting their pension.

Following Modi’s meeting on rolling out Aadhaar-linked applications, the external affairs ministry also held discussions with the home ministry to use Aadhaar for reducing delays in issuing passports.

Currently, all applications are sent to the local police for verification that often delays issuance of passports. Once Aadhaar is made mandatory, the external affairs ministry believes this would essentially confirm the applicant’s identity.

So it would be suffice to run the applicant’s details through a central database of criminal antecedents of people maintained by the National Crime Records Bureau. Based on the NCRB validation, Aadhaar number and self-declaration, the passports can be issued and the police verification carried out later.