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The government is mulling a collaboration with banks to provide seamless services to pensioners. At a two day banker’s awareness program organized by the Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare (DOPPW) for officers of State Bank of India that concluded on Tuesday, it was decided that immediate efforts are needed for creation of Integrated Pension Portal by linking DoPPW and SBI existing portals to provide seamless services to pensioners.
“Awareness of field officials & pensioners are of utmost importance to ensure the benefits of Government of India’s welfare measures… Face authentication technology for Digital Life Certificate may be advertised extensively by Banks. DoPPW will take policy initiatives to address issues faced by field officials and pensioners," the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions said in a release on Tuesday.
Digital life certificate and face authentication technology would be a game changer for pensioners and banks in submission of life certificates, it added. These awareness programs would serves as huge capacity building exercise for bank officials.
The program was the first in a series of Awareness Programs for Central Pension Processing Centers and field functionaries handling pension related work in various banks. The press release pointed through these programs, the objective of enhancing ‘Ease of Living’ of pensioners will be achieved to a great extent. Four such awareness programs will be conducted in collaboration with State Bank of India to cover the whole country. On similar lines, awareness programs will be conducted in collaboration with other Pension Disbursing Banks in year 2022-23.
Detailed feedback was taken from bank officers on various policy issues to make proactive changes to ensure “Ease of Living" for pensioners.
A team of officers from DoPPW took sessions on pension policy reforms and digitization regarding disbursement of pension to Central Government pensioners, with the objective of updating the field functionaries of State Bank of India.
“Special sessions were organized on Income Tax matters related to pensioners as well as Digital means of submitting the Annual Life Certificates. Chief Controller (Pension), CPAO shared the reasons which are a cause for pensioner’s grievances and suggested actions which may be taken by the bank for redressal," said the release.