The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has taken an important step to help elderly pensioners. EPFO has launched a free doorstep service in collaboration with India Post Payments Bank (IPPB).
Through this service, pensioners under the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS) will no longer need to visit a bank or an EPFO office to submit their Digital Life Certificate (DLC).
EPFO has issued an official circular announcing this facility. The service is specially meant for elderly pensioners who face difficulty in traveling outside their homes. It will also benefit pensioners who are not comfortable using smartphones or modern technology.
Postman Will Register Digital Life Certificate at Home
Under this scheme, postmen or postal staff will visit the pensioner’s home to register their Digital Life Certificate. Pensioners will not be charged any fee for this service.
The full cost of the service will be paid by the Central Pension Processing and Record Centre (CPPRC), EPFO. Payment will be made only for successful registration of the Digital Life Certificate.
The Digital Life Certificate is an Aadhaar-based biometric service. Pensioners confirm that they are alive by using fingerprint or face authentication, which ensures that their pension continues without interruption.
Unlike many other pension schemes, EPS-95 pensioners can submit their Digital Life Certificate at any time. Once submitted, the certificate remains valid for one year from the date of submission.
How Pensioners Can Apply for the Doorstep Service
To use this doorstep service, the pensioner must first place a request through any India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) channel.
After this, an IPPB employee will verify whether the Digital Life Certificate is due or will be due within the next 30 days.
The employee will also verify the name and date of birth by matching details from the PPO (Pension Payment Order) and Aadhaar records.
The Digital Life Certificate will mainly be registered using Face Authentication Technology (FAT). If required, other biometric methods will also be used.
Pensioners can request a home visit by calling the India Post Payments Bank customer care number: 033-22029000 to avail this service.
