The liveness authentication of beneficiaries receiving monthly Cheyutha pensions through core banking services (CBS) will commence from May 15, and the initial phase is targeted to be completed by June 15. Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) chief executive officer D Divya said the initiative is aimed primarily at verifying and preventing the disbursement of Cheyutha pensions to deceased persons, while also ensuring that the pensions reach the genuine and deserving beneficiaries.
In a pilot survey, the government found that Cheyutha pensions were being deposited into the bank accounts of people who had died, as their details had not been updated with the banks or SERP. As a result, liveness verification has been introduced. In a key decision, the Congress government has mandated that the approval of the respective gram sabha or ward sabha will be a prerequisite before removing the names of deceased individuals from the list of beneficiaries.
Central Government Mandate and Technology
The central government has already made “liveness authentication” mandatory for social security pensions. For this, the government has introduced a specialised mobile application equipped with Face Recognition Software (FRS) and biometric fingerprint technology. Deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka had announced in his budget speech that the government had decided to extend Cheyutha pensions to two lakh new applicants. The process of identifying new eligible beneficiaries is set to commence shortly. Officials said the liveness authentication system would not only facilitate the easy identification of genuine beneficiaries but also pave the way for extending opportunities to newly eligible individuals.
Implementation and Special Provisions
This verification process will be carried out through panchayat secretaries in villages, and through ward officers, bill collectors, and revenue staff in urban areas. The government has issued clear directives to accord special priority to the elderly, bedridden, and persons with disabilities, by conducting doorstep verification for these groups.
TG Online, a division of APTOnline Limited, a joint venture between the state government and Tata Consultancy Services Limited, has been entrusted with carrying out liveness authentication for CBS pensioners through Aadhar authentication using FRS.
