The Central government has pursued twelve years of reforms such as Jeevan Pramaan and participatory governance to improve the quality of life of pensioners and make pension-related services more accessible, transparent and citizen-centric, an official statement said
The Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) has leveraged technology, stakeholder engagement and grassroots outreach to ensure that pensioners across the country receive timely support and services, the statement from Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions said.
Launch of Aadhaar-based Digital Life Certificates (Jeevan Pramaan) in 2014, followed by Face Authentication technology in 2021 enabled pensioners to submit their life certificates anytime and anywhere using a smartphone. To maximise outreach, DoPPW has conducted four Nationwide Digital Life Certificate Campaigns since 2022.
The latest DLC Campaign 4.0, held in November 2025, generated over 1.91 crore Digital Life Certificates, including over 57 lakh by Central Government pensioners.
The government has also strengthened participatory governance through an active network of 57 Pensioners’ Welfare Associations (PWAs), acting as an extended arm of the Department.
“These associations play a vital role in disseminating information, assisting pensioners in availing services, facilitating grievance redressal and supporting Digital Life Certificate campaigns,” the statement noted.
Regular outreach meetings organised by DoPPW with PWAs across states have helped bring grassroots concerns directly to policymakers, ensuring responsive and inclusive governance.
DoPPW has institutionalized Bankers’ Awareness Programmes (BAPs) to improve service delivery at pension disbursing banks.
A total of 13 awareness programs have been conducted in collaboration with major pension disbursing banks to familiarise field functionaries with evolving pension rules, procedures and digital initiatives. These programs strengthened the capacity of banking personnel and contributed to more efficient and pensioner-friendly services, it added.
Pensioners’ Awareness Programmes (PAPs) were also organised across the country to educate pensioners about pension rules, digital services, grievance redressal mechanisms and welfare initiatives. These programs provided a platform for direct interaction between pensioners and stakeholders, promoting awareness and empowering pensioners to access government services with confidence.
