Jeevan Pramaan Portal (www.jeevanpramaan.gov.in) was launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister on November 10, 2014. Jeevan Pramaan initiative provides facility to pensioners to submit Aadhaar based Digital Life Certificates (DLC) which are maintained in a central digital repository at NIC. Initially targeted towards Central Civil and Defence pensioners, Jeevan Pramaan has started necessary amendments in the relevant rules by Controller General of Accounts to recognize it as a method to provide life certificate digitally. The system while providing genuine help to the pensioners will also help in reducing the leakages which may be happening due to payment of pension to the pensioners who are not alive. While the system allows remote marking of DLCs, so far, the facility has been extended in the assisted mode for most cases due to newness of the facility. Nearly 30,000 CSCs were identified as Jeevan Pramaan Centres at the time of launch of the portal for providing such facilitation. The number of Digital Life Certificates received through the Jeevan Pramaan portal as on March, 2015 is 1,06,700 (out of these, nearly 74,000 pertain to various Banks, 19,000 pertain to DPDO and 11,000 pertain to EPFO) and 72,000 DLCs have been successfully verified by various Pension Disbursing Agencies (PDA). The following steps have been taken since the launch of the portal: yy NSDL Centres NIELIT Centres, NIC offices etc. across the country other than CSCs have become Jeevan Pramaan Centres for pensioners to submit their life certificates. yy The client version of the Jeevan Pramaan software available for Windows and Android environment provides the facility through which the pensioners can submit DLC from their home with the use of PC, laptops or smart phones with biometric devices attached. yy Automatic updation of pensioner database with DLCs: To further reduce efforts to update the pensioners’ database, the banks and other Pension Disbursing Agencies can automate their backend wherein the DLCs can be easily picked up from Jeevan Pramaan portal to update the pensioner database. Seeding of Aadhaar Number in pensioners’ accounts would facilitate automatic updation of pensioners’ database. yy Special camps have been held in coordination with Defence and EPFO organizations. yy Several State Governments have come forward to have the facility for their pensioners. Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, Odisha and Punjab are some among these states. Efforts are underway to extend the facility to pensioners of these states. yy Collaboration with pensioner organizations like Ex-Servicemen Welfare Organizations, Bharat Pensioners etc. has been established to enlist their support to create awareness among pensioners about the scheme. WAY FORWARD yy Creating greater awareness As we move to next annual cycle for life certificate i.e. in November, there is a need to create widespread awareness among pensioners for availing this facility. A sustained and strategic publicity campaign through media such as posters, advertisement in magazines having longer shelf life needs to be carried out. yy Extending Scheme to other major pensioner groups Focused efforts are essential in Railways, Post and Telecom to encourage their pensioners to use the facility. Similarly, State Governments which are not on board would also need to be encouraged to avail this facility.