Last date for submitting e Jeevan Pramaan was last extended upto 31 January 2017 has been further extended upto 28 February 2017. Well, even after so many extensions the message does not seem to be meaningfully conveyed.
A part of this may be attributed to the ill-planned, whimsical and fickle approach by EPFO in conveying it to the stakeholders. The turn of events have kept everyone (Pensioners/Pensioner Associations/Field Offices) guessing.
Lets recount the events unfolded till now :
- A circular dated 20 October 2015 issued on “Implementation of Jeevan Pramaan” stated that submission of digital life certificates was to be only a preferred option. Manual life certificates were to continue.
- No circulars regarding implementation of Jeevan Pramaan was issued till November 2016 so as to warn of any change for the current year.
- Pensioners as well as field offices were ready with enough stocks of Manual Life Certificates(LCs). Yearly ritual of distributing among the banks for collection of Manual LCs were completed.
- Demonitization threw the banking system into a tailspin and the whole Indian Economy was standing in queue to secure enough valid cash for survival.
- It was then that government/EPFO decided to extend the period of submission of life certificates upto 15 January 2017 through this circular.
- Inspite of Supreme Court guidelines to keep Aadhar as optional, circulars and notifications were issued which just stopped short of making Aadhar compulsory.
- A notification dated 4th January 2017 mandated that application for Aadhar should have been made by 31st January 2017 to continue receiving pension. The import of this notification is to either
- Submit e Jeevan Pramaan with Aadhar OR
- Manual Life Certificate with proof of Aadhar application
- The time to submit e Jeevan Pramaan was further extended to 28th February 2017 through this circular. It has also been directed not to accept Manual Life Certificates.
The sequence of events leave much food for thought.
a) What would EPFO do with already collected Manual Life Certificates (through post, bank etc)
b) How would the very old, sick and bedridden senior citizens be forced into Aadhar enrolment, even if they want to?
c) The Bank Reconcilliation Statements for Pension is generated by the field offices around 25th of the month. Does the last date of 28th Feb for submitting Jeevan Pramaan imply further extensions?
Hope sanity prevails and decisions affecting senior citizens ensure smooth transition to a new system over a period of time.
SimplifyPF 