Norm to bring 2 pensioners for ID goes

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 2

The government has waived the archaic requirement of an ex-serviceman having to produce two persons drawing pension from the same pension disbursing authority (PDA) to establish his identity for his pension papers to be processed.

During various defence pension adalats held across the country, numerous representations were received against the requirement on the grounds that in the present times such provisions were no longer relevant.

“Now a days, the requirement of producing two pensioners drawing pension from same PDA to identify the pensioner, which is applicable to the pensioners below officer ranks, does not seem correct, as the PDAs are required to identify the pensioner based on marks of identification furnished in descriptive rolls and photographs provided to them,” states a communiqué issued by the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions) a few days ago.

The communiqué has directed PDAs to follow the new guidelines for identification by additional documents submitted by defence pensioners in the absence of Aadhaar number, rather than insisting on producing two pensioners for their identification. The communiqué has been sent to the Reserve Bank of India, scheduled public and private banks, post offices, state government treasuries and other pension payment establishments.

Under regulations, various checks are to be observed by the PDAs before making payment for the first time on a new pension payment orders (PPO) or transferred PPOs. Identification by fellow pensioners had been part of the established process for the past many decades.