Finance Department Verifies 20% of Pensioners in 3 Weeks in JK

Finance Department Verifies 20% of Pensioners in 3 Weeks in JK

Finance Department Verifies 20% of Pensioners in 3 Weeks in JK

Key Highlights:

• 44,700 pensioners verified in 3 weeks
• 70 ineligible cases detected, Rs. 61 lakh recoveries initiated
• Efforts to promote online verification using Jeevan Pramaan

SRINAGAR, JULY 27: To streamline pension disbursement, the Finance Department has initiated a comprehensive verification process for pensioners in Jammu & Kashmir. This effort, mandated by the Treasury Code but previously hindered by administrative challenges, aims to ensure accurate pension distribution.

Jammu & Kashmir has around 2.38 lakh pensioners and family pensioners, most of whom receive their pensions via J&K Bank. Annually, pensioners are required to submit life certificates.

The Principal Accountant General’s office has repeatedly highlighted deficiencies in annual verification, prompting this focused verification drive over the past three weeks across all treasuries and sub-treasuries.

Special provisions are being made for elderly pensioners who cannot visit the treasuries, with Treasury staff conducting home visits. The data shows 24,400 pensioners aged 80 to 90, 2,500 aged 90 to 100, and 126 over 100 years old

. Weekly charts are issued to minimize wait times at treasuries, and guidance is provided on using the Jeevan Pramaan online platform for biometric authentication and Digital Life Certificate generation. Currently, only 4,162 out of the 2.38 lakh pensioners in the region use this app.

In three weeks, 44,700 pensioners (about 20% of the total) have been verified, with their data digitally updated. The verification process, expected to be completed by September 2024, not only updates the government’s pensioners’ data but also facilitates a future shift to online verification.

This drive has also identified 70 ineligible cases, leading to recoveries of Rs. 61 lakh from excess pensions and allowances.

Overall, this physical verification process is enhancing data accuracy and encouraging a transition to online verification, ensuring more efficient and error-free pension disbursal in the future.