3 lakh life certificates generated using face authentication in Oct-Dec

Union minister Jitendra Singh said three lakh life certificates have been generated using face authentication technology between 1 October and 6 December for central government pensioners in comparison to 72,338 in the previous year. 

In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, the minister said that all central government pensioners are required to submit life certificates. “Face Authentication is not mandatory and the pensioner can submit life certificate by other modes also.” 

Singh added that India Post and Payment Bank (IPPB) provides doorstep service for the submission of life certificates of central government pensioners. “IPPB is utilizing its national network of more than 1,36,000 access points in Post Offices and more than 1,89,000 Postmen and Gramin Dak Sevaks with smartphones and biometric devices to provide Doorstep Banking Services.” 

The government introduced face authentication technology in November 2021 for pensioners to submit a life certificate. 

In November, the minister informed that 25 lakh digital life certificates (DLCs) were created for central government pensioners in 20 days of a nationwide campaign by the Department of Pension. 

“Out of 25 lakh DLCs, 2.20 lakhs were created through face authentication by latest face recognition technology, providing a huge relief, especially to the aged and infirm elderly population,” he said. 

The objective of the nationwide campaign was to promote the use of face authentication technology and DLC, and ensure transparency and ‘Ease of Usage’. 

The submission of life certificates is an important activity to be carried out by pensioners every year in the month of November to ensure the continuity of their pension. The Department of Pension was the first in India to develop a Face Recognition Technology system based on the Aadhaar database in association with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.