Business Desk, ETV Bharat: In a bid to provide relief to the country’s elderly in times of a pandemic, the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has announced that pensioners can submit the Jeevan Pramaan Patra, or Life Certificate, up to 28 February 2021 in order to avail their monthly pension.
As per the current norms, the Jeevan Pramaan Patra has to be submitted anytime up to 30 November every year and is valid for a period of one year from the date of the issue.
A statement by the Ministry of Labour and Employment explained that during this extended period till 28 February, pension will not be stopped for those 35 lakh pensioners who could not submit the Jeevan Pramaan Patra during November 2020.
In case you are a beneficiary of the government’s pension scheme or have an elderly at home who draws a pension, here’s what you should know:
What is Jeevan Pramaan Patra?
Jeevan Pramaan Patra is basically a biometric-enabled Aadhaar-based digital life certificate for pensioners to prove that they are alive and eligible to draw pension. It is generated for individual pensioners by using their Aadhaar number and biometrics.
Pensioners of central government, state government or any other government organization after their retirement from service compulsorily need to provide life certificates to the authorized pension disbursing agencies like banks, post offices etc., following which their pension is credited to their account.
How can one obtain Jeevan Pramaan Patra?
In order to get the life certificate, the individual drawing the pension is required to either personally present oneself before the Pension Disbursing Agency, or have the Life Certificate issued by authority where they have served earlier and have it delivered to the disbursing agency.
Another way is to obtain a Digital Life Certificate (DLC) which digitizes the whole process of securing the life certificate. Pensioners can obtain a DLC from:
1) various Citizen Service Centre (CSCs) located across India
2) office of Pension Disbursing Agencies (PDA) such as Post Office, Banks, Treasury etc.
3) It can also be generated from home/any location on a Windows PC/Laptop or Android Mobile.
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From this year, EPS pensioners can also get DLC using the UMANG app. To facilitate the process, India Post Payments Bank has recently launched the doorstep Digital Life Certificate service for pensioners. They can submit online requests for availing doorstep DLC service on payment of a nominal fee.
Soon after a request is made, a postman from the nearest Post Office will visit a pensioner and will complete the process of generating DLC at the home of the pensioner only.
How can a pensioner find Citizen Service Centres (CSCs)?
One can search nearest CSC by clicking on 'Locate a Centre' on https://jeevanpramaan.gov.in portal or alternatively can send an SMS to 7738299899. The SMS body must start with the keyword “JPL” and after space write your pin-code. e.g. JPL 110003 and send it to 7738299899.
What information is required to be provided to generate Jeevan Pramaan Patra?
The Pensioner has to provide Aadhaar Number, Name, Mobile Number and self-declared Pension Related Information like PPO Number, Pension Account number, Bank details, Name of Pension Sanctioning Authority, Pension Disbursing Authority, etc. The pensioner has to also provide his/her biometrics, either Iris or Fingerprint.
Is Jeevan Pramaan Patra valid for life?
The Jeevan Pramaan Patra is not valid for life. The validity period of the certificate is as per rules specified by the Pension Sanctioning Authority and is generally one year from the date of issue. Once the validity period is over, a new Jeevan Pramaan Patra needs to be obtained.
Who can avail the benefit of the extension on the submission date announced by EPFO?
The extension of the last date for the submission of the Jeevan Pramaan Patra will apply to the pensioners drawing pension under the EPS 1995 and whose life certificate is due in any month till 28 February 2021.
According to government data, 63.31 lakh pensioners have already submitted Digital Life Certificates since 1 November 2020. However, a labour ministry statement said the extension is likely to benefit 35 lakh pensioners with EPFO who have still not submitted their certificates. “During this extended period, pension will not be stopped in respect of such 35 lakh pensioners who could not submit JPP during November 2020,” said EPFO.
