Govt Makes This Protocol For Pensioners To Submit Life Certificates

The Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare (DoPPW) under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions mandated pensioners to follow COVID rules while obtaining Life Certificates. The department has said in view of the Covid pandemic, all Pension Disbursing Banks are advised to ensure proper social distancing measures as well as compliance of Covid appropriate behaviour, while obtaining life certificates from pensioners/family pensioners who physically visit the branches. Officials deployed for this task should be fully vaccinated and should take the highest possible care while attending to Pensioners. Banks are also requested to devise their own innovative mechanisms to avoid rush at the branches during the submission of life certificates.

DoPPW has stated in the circular that "Doorstep Banking service, which also includes collection of Digital Life Certificate from the home of pensioners, caters to a very vulnerable group w.r.t the pandemic. It may be ensured that all representatives of the Banks who visit the homes of the pensioners to obtain Life Certificates should be fully vaccinated. They should be equipped with a proper mask and sanitizer and should be advised to follow the highest possible care while obtaining the Life Certificate through biometric devices. These biometric devices shall be sanitized by the representative before and after each use. These instructions shall also be applicable to Postmen and Gramin Dak Sevaks deployed for "Doorstep Service for submission of Life Certificate" by India Post Payments Bank (IPPB)."

The department has also clarified that "As senior pensioners (aged 80 years and above) are scheduled to submit Life Certificate from 1st October 2021 onward, all Pension disbursing banks are also requested to enable Video-based Customer Identification Process (V-CIP) methodology of Life Certificate, within the permissible RBI guidelines, before October 2021. In the current pandemic, this option will ensure adequate safety and "Ease of Living" for senior pensioners."

Meanwhile, the department has also released an office memo (OM) requesting annual life certificates from Central government pensioners and family pensioners residing abroad. All central government pensioners and family pensioners must submit an Annual Life Certificate in November to maintain their pension or family pension. For more information, click here.