THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The finance department is examining a proposal by the India Post to launch the annual mustering exercise for social security pensioners.
The first-ever mustering of social security pensioners was launched in November 2019. Its success prompted the department to think of an annual mustering that would help in the regular pruning of the beneficiaries’ list. The previous mustering exercise was in association with Akshaya centres. The fees Rs 30 for mustering at the centre and Rs 130 for doorstep mustering per person were paid by the government.
The India Post is learnt to have proposed Rs 40 per person. The biometric authentication is done through the Jeevan Rekha portal developed by the National Informatics Centre. Technical support is provided by the Information Kerala Mission.
At present, there are 52 lakh beneficiaries under different categories of the social security pension scheme. Payment to 1.46 lakh people among them has been withheld for not mustering. The department is taking continuous efforts to exclude ineligible people by cross-checking their financial status with different databases.
Next in line are about 25,000 beneficiaries who also draw Employees Provident Fund pensions. EPF pensioners who retired from service as executives or staff of PSUs or other business establishments drawing more than Rs 4,000 per month are ineligible for social security pension.
Income certificate
The finance department had asked pensioners who got enrolled in the scheme until December 31, 2019, to submit fresh income certificates. This resulted in heavy rush at village offices affecting other functions there. Now, the department has asked the LSG department to schedule a timetable for each local body. It will have specific dates for people from each ward to visit the village office. The last date to submit the certificate is February 28, 2023.