In a significant step aimed at making things easier for pensioners, the India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) is set to collaborate with the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). According to a new agreement, pensioners will now have the option to submit their Digital Life Certificates (DLCs) from the comfort of their own homes, effectively eliminating the need to visit a bank or an EPFO office.
Under the new initiative, IPPB will offer the Digital Life Certificate service at the doorstep of pensioners across India. Importantly, the service will be provided free of cost, as the EPFO will bear the entire cost of issuing the certificates.
Doorstep Banking devices
After being equipped with Doorstep Banking devices, postal staff will assist pensioners in completing the process through fingerprint or face authentication. Thus, pensioners will no longer be required to travel long distances or wait in long queues to get their certificates verified.
In a statement, R. Viswesvaran, MD and CEO of IPPB, asserted the collaboration between IPPB and EPFO will bolster the bank’s aim to deliver financial and citizen services to every doorstep.
He went on to add that the partnership between EPFO and IPPB gives a boost to the government’s ‘Ease of Living’ vision while strengthening the ‘Digital India’ campaign. The process for pensioners is slated to be eased considerably by making pension and financial services seamlessly accessible to every citizen via IPPB’s reliable postal network.
Doorstep Digital Life Certificate
Notably, the Doorstep Digital Life Certificate service is based on Jeevan Pramaan. It is a digital certificate that helps confirm a pensioner’s life status by utilising Aadhaar-based biometric verification.
IPPB introduced this service in 2020, which gave pensioners the option to either visit a post office or contact their local postman or Gramin Dak Sevak.
Following the verification process, the pensioner gets a confirmation SMS, and the certificate subsequently becomes available online the next day.
