The New Town Kolkata Development Authority(NKDA) has planned to start a camp at Snehodiya from December 1 where pensioners can deposit their life certificates.

Pensioners have to deposit the certificate every November to their pension disbursing agency (bank or post office) in person as proof of their survival to continue to receive their pensions from the government.

This year, in view of the pandemic, senior citizens are wary of queuing up at banks or post offices.

NKDA has tied up with the State Bank of India to offer the service. The facility will be offered to senior citizens irrespective of which bank they hold their pension account with at the Snehodiya Activity Centre every day from noon to 2pm, except Sundays.

According to NKDA sources, pensioners will be let in one at a time into the activity centre of Snehodiya while others can wait outdoor in the lawn in chairs. “The pensioner has to bring his or her pension payment order, Aadhaar card, pension account number and the mobile phone, which is linked to the account,” said an official.

India Post has launched a doorstep delivery service, through its India Post Payments Bank, to generate digital life certificates (Jeevan Pramaan) by having postmen visit pensioners at home. While the Action Area III post office is offering the service in New Town, in Salt Lake it is being done by CC Block and Sech Bhavan post offices for a fee of Rs 70.
The central government has extended the last date for submitting life certificates to February 28.