EPFO to use common service centres for life certification of pensioners

Retirement fund body EPFO will use the Common Service Centre (CSC) network for life certification of its pensioners, an official statement said.

Around 6.5 million pensioners can submit their life certificate (Jeevan Pramaan) through over 365,000 CSCs, it added.

Looking to bring service delivery closer to the doorsteps of Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS) pensioners, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, EPFO has partnered with CSC to provide facility to submit Digital Jeevan Pramaan, the labour ministry said in a statement.

EPS pensioners are required to submit their life certificates each year to continue to draw pension.

In addition to CSCs, the EPS pensioners can also submit Jeevan Pramaan through 135 regional offices and 117 district offices and pension disbursing banks.

A multi-agency model adopted by the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) empowers EPS pensioners with choice and autonomy to select the service delivery agency as per their convenience, it said.

A key policy change has been to allow EPS pensioners to submit Digital Jeevan Pramaan at any time during the year as per their convenience.

The life certificate will remain valid for one year from date of submission.

Earlier, the pensioners were required to submit the life certificate in the month of November.

This resulted in difficulties faced by pensioners and generated large number of grievances on account of stoppage of pension.