RJ Kesari News Desk: Under the proposed system, the government is considering allowing age verification based on the documents of the beneficiary's eldest son or daughter. Officials have also clarified that no eligible pensioner's benefits will be discontinued until the verification process is completed.

Old Age Pension Beneficiaries Facing the Biggest Challenge

The majority of verification-related issues have been reported under the Old Age Pension Scheme, where applicants must be at least 60 years old to qualify.

Recently, the state government sent SMS notifications asking pension beneficiaries to verify their date of birth within 30 days using one of the five approved documents.

However, many elderly citizens do not possess these documents, making it difficult for them to complete the verification process.

Government Considering Verification Through Eldest Child's Age

According to Dr. Satish Khola, PPP Coordinator, the government is evaluating an alternative verification method to address this issue.

Under the proposal:

• The age of the beneficiary's eldest son or daughter listed in the Family ID will be verified.
• If the eldest child is 42 years or older, the beneficiary may be considered 60 years or above for pension eligibility.
• This alternative could help genuine beneficiaries who lack official age-related documents.

The proposal is currently under consideration and is intended to ensure that deserving senior citizens are not deprived of pension benefits.

Government Assures No Eligible Pension Will Be Stopped

Dr. Satish Khola stated that, following the directions of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, no eligible beneficiary's pension will be discontinued because of pending verification.

He said the verification process is being carried out to ensure uninterrupted pension payments in the future and to improve the accuracy of Family ID records.

The government is also examining additional alternative documents and verification methods to make the process more convenient for senior citizens.

Why DOB Verification Is Important

The Family ID database is used to determine eligibility for several government welfare schemes, including old age pensions.

Updating and verifying the correct date of birth helps:

• Ensure benefits reach eligible citizens.
• Prevent data discrepancies.
• Improve transparency in welfare schemes.
• Enable uninterrupted pension payments.