The Delhi government has started a door-to-door verification drive covering around 4.4 lakh senior citizens enrolled in its old-age pension scheme to identify deceased, duplicate and ineligible beneficiaries, officials were quoted as saying in a PTI report.
The verification exercise is expected to conclude in three months.
A senior government functionary said the exercise could create vacancies equivalent to 20-25% of the existing beneficiary base after ineligible cases are identified.
How much pension do senior citizens receive?
Under the Delhi government’s old-age pension scheme, senior citizens aged 60 to 69 years receive ₹2,000 per month, while those aged 70 years and above receive ₹2,500 per month.
How will the verification drive work?
The Delhi government’s Social Welfare Department has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Common Service Centre (CSC) network to conduct the survey. CSC operates around 6,000 centres across the city.
Verification teams will visit registered beneficiaries at their residences and conduct biometric authentication using fingerprint and iris scanners. They will also capture live photographs and update beneficiary records through electronic documentation, officials said.
The exercise had been delayed because permission for Aadhaar authentication through a third party was not available earlier. The process has now begun after the required permission was received, a senior government functionary said.
FAQs: Delhi old-age pension verification drive
Will the pension amount change after verification?
The PTI report does not announce any change in the existing monthly pension amounts of ₹2,000 for senior citizens aged 60-69 years and ₹2,500 for those aged 70 years and above.
Why is the government conducting the verification drive?
The exercise aims to identify deceased and duplicate beneficiaries, as well as those considered ineligible, including cases involving people receiving other government assistance, according to a senior government functionary.
-With PTI inputs