Aadhaar not necessary for pensioners to submit life certificate: EPFO

New Delhi: Employee Pension Scheme (EPS) pensioners can now submit a life certificate without the 12-digit unique identity number, Aadhaar, the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), said on Tuesday.

The above facility can also be availed by pensioners who do possess Aadhaar, but fail the fingerprint authentication.

EPFO on Tuesday issued instructions to all pension disbursing banks and post offices, directing them to provide alternative mechanisms, for pensioners facing problems in providing digital Jeevan Pramaan (an Aadhar based digital life certificate for pensioners).

The body listed out the following mechanism, for giving pension to the pensioners who cannot get and submit Jeevan Pramaan:

Effort should be made to ensure that such pensioners are facilitated for Aadhaar enrolment. Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has already directed that banks shall set up Aadhaar enrolment centers in 1O per cent of their branches. The list of the bank branches with Aadhaar enrolment facilities, are available on the UIDAI's website. The bank manager may coordinate with the bank branch where the Aadhaar enrolment facility is available and get the beneficiary enrolled for Aadhaar.

As per Aadhaar (Enrolment and Update) Regulations 2016, banks should also make special arrangement for the bed-ridden, differently abled, or senior citizens who are unable to visit the Aadhaar involvement Centre.

Till such time Aadhaar is assigned to such pensioners, a paper life certificate may be accepted after collecting Aadhaar enrolment application receipts from such pensioners. After due verification through alternate identification documents as deemed necessary by the bank, pensions may be disbursed. An entry with necessary details such as paper life certificate, Aadhaar enrolment application receipts etc may be recorded in an exception register which should preferably be maintained in an electron.

Further, for giving pension to the pensioners whose fingerprint authentication fails for any reason, the following mechanism maybe adopted:

Banks may make provisions for IRIS scanner along with the fingerprint scanner in bank branches. It has been observed that in many cases IRIS authentication is successful even though finger print authentication may have failed. This is particularly true for many senior citizens. In such cases, digital life certificate may be generated on the basis of IRIS authentication and pension may be given.

In case where finger print or IRIS authentication is not feasible for any reason, an entry should be made in the exception register with reasons and pension may be provided on the basis of paper life certificate and physical Aadhaar card or E-Aadhaar card of the pensioner after due verification as deemed fit by the bank.

QR Code on E-Aadhaar card downloaded after 1 April, 2018 has photograph and other demographic details which are digitally signed by UIDAI. A QR code scanner which works even offline can thus confirm the authenticity of a paper E-Aadhaar card.

The exception register which would contain the details of exception granted in aforesaid situations alongwith paper life certificate, Aadhaar number or Aadhaar enrolment ID etc, maybe reviewed and audited periodically by senior management of the bank.

The life certificate in physical form alongwith Aadhaar card, printed E-Aadhaar or Aadhaar enrolment application receipt of the pensioner should be forwarded to the concerned office of EPFO on day to day basis, the EPFO said.