Face Recognition Technology for Pensioners launched

Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Dr. Jitendra Singh on Monday launched unique Face Recognition Technology for Pensioners in New Delhi. He said that Face Recognition Technique of giving Life Certificate is a historic and far-reaching reform and this will bring ease of living for the retired and the elderly citizens. He said, it will touch the lives of not only 68 lakh Central Government Pensioners but also Crores of Pensioners who fall outside the jurisdiction of this Department such as EPFO and State Government Pensioners. He thanked the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology as well as Unique Identification Authority of India, UIDAI for devising this technology.

The Minister said that the Department of Pension has been extensively using technology to achieve this end, be it introduction of Digital Life Certificate, introduction of an intelligent common software “Bhavishya” for all Government of India Ministries for processing Pension cases. He said, the effort in issuing Electronic PPOs and pushing the same in Digi locker is a huge step towards Ease of Living and transparency. He said, the Department has also been bringing out e-booklets for Pensioner awareness and carrying out an Awareness campaign on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and other social media. The informative films on social media have become quite popular showing a record number of hits, he added.

Dr Singh also informed that the Department of Pension had started the system of registering Pensioners’ Associations in different cities and with around 46 registered Associations in different cities, the Department has been able to strengthen its hands in being able to reach the grass-root level of the Pensioners for helping them as well as taking help from them in spreading awareness of the Pension Policy Reforms. He added that recently the Department brought out NPS Service-related Rules as well as Gratuity Rules for officials covered under NPS. The Minister hoped that the mammoth task of Review & Rationalisation of CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 has reached the final stages and shall be released shortly.