4,000 fraudsters lose benefits (Entorno Inteligente)
The Biometric Card will technologically exceed its predecessor, the Debit Smartcard, said Newallo-Hosein, and will translate biological information into digital recognition.
As a result the social safety net will become tight yet more efficient than at present.
‘Iris recognition system’ for pensions to be launched in Andhra Pradesh (Niti Central)
A biometric ‘Iris identification system’ for distribution of pension will be soon launched in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh.
At present, the pensions are being paid by taking a thumb impression of the pensioners, Krishna District Collector A Babu said in an official release. However, sometimes the illegible thumb impressions create problems, he said.
This is perhaps the first time I’ve seen one biometric modality displace another one in an existing ID management application.
The performance expectations for iris must be substantially higher than what the existing fingerprint system is producing because it looks like there will have to be a new enrollment process for pensioners in the 100 political villages and municipal wards undertaking the change.
Argentina reveals new biometric requirements for pensions (Planet Biometrics)
Argentina’s social security agency has announced that all pensioners will need to undergo biometric registration to receive payments, and that all ATM payment services for benefits must also have fingerprint readers installed by June.
¿Cómo se dice, “Ghostbusters?”
Technology Can Surely Help Reduce Hardships (The New Indian Express)
Prime minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched the “Jeevan Pramaan” project, a digital version of the “life certificate” scheme that could eventually benefit 10 million claimants. The biometric-based software means pensioners will now no longer have to visit banks every year to give proof of their being alive to continue receiving benefits. Around 50 lakh people draw pension from the central government, and an equal number from state and UT governments. Several PSUs also provide pensions, and over 25 lakh retirees draw pensions from the armed forces. The software will be made available to pensioners and other stakeholders on a large scale at no extra cost. It can be operated on a personal computer or smartphone, along with an “inexpensive” biometric reading device.
For thousands of years, more security meant less convenience. Biometric technologies have the power to change that.
PM Modi launches digital life certificate ‘Jeevan Pramaan’ for pensioners (Yahoo)
The proposed digital certification will do away with the requirement of a pensioner having to submit a physical ‘life certificate’ in November each year, in order to ensure continuity of pension being credited into his account. The Department of Electronics and IT has developed a software application which will enable the recording of the pensioner’s Aadhar number and biometric details from his mobile device or computer, by plugging in a biometric reading device.
The earlier requirement entailed that a pensioner either personally presents himself before the Pension Disbursing Agency, or submits a Life Certificate issued by authorities specified by the Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO).
This application sounds like a real benefit to everyone. The pension can be more assured that it isn’t making payments to the deceased and pensioners and/or their care-givers save a trip to the “prove you’re alive” office.
Nigeria: Govt to Commence Nationwide Verification of Pensioners (All Africa)
…[T]he departments within its supervision include the civil service pension, police pension, pensioner support service, information technology and corporate support services as well as Treasury Funded Parastatals Pension.
She noted that verification exercise is expected to among other things, eliminate ghost pensioners, and halt the duplication of payments; Correct and eradicate anomalies such as over payments and under payments; pay pensions, gratuities, death benefits and other pensioner entitlements; update records of next of kins; and enrol new pensioners.
She said PTAD had also succeeded in establishing a robust complaints resolution mechanism which had improved services to pensioners.
Trinidad and Tobago to roll out biometric system in July — I have to think the reference to retina scans and retina scanning in both the Biometric Update piece linked above and the original Trinidad Express piece upon which it relies, is in error. If an eye biometric is to be used, it almost certainly uses the iris.
See: Iris ≠ Retina
Pensioners woes to end thru Biometrics Smart Card: NADRA (Pakistan Observer)
Islamabad—National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) on Thursday claimed that it has developed a mechanism to issue Biometrics Smart Cards to facilitate pensioners. The programme would help the pensioners to withdraw their pension from any biometrics enabled platform used by banks, post offices and any other alternative channels. All the technology components are fully developed by NADRA, tested and ready for deployment.
Micro-ATM using Aadhaar data delivers cash to villagers (The Hindu)
Rampati Debbarma, a 71-year-old tribal woman of Burakha village in West Tripura district on Thursday pressed her finger on an Aadhaar-enabled micro-ATM to get her old-age pension in cash.
…
“Earlier, I used to walk about 10 km from my village to Mandwi Block headquarters for withdrawal of my pension from Gramin Bank, but today I got it at my doorstep,” she said.
Biometric Registration of Public Sector Workers and Pensioners (Modern Ghana)
The Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning has embarked on an exercise to register all public sector workers and pensioners abroad.
The exercise is part of the government’s policy to improve the payroll administration in the country.
All pensioners and public sector workers domiciled abroad, including Ex-service men, are to register in person at the nearest Consulate or Embassy by providing information and their biometric data which must include a passport size photograph, staff number, pension number, regimental number, date of birth, date of employment, ID number, retirement date and position held before retirement.
The new system is dramatically reducing SASSA’s operating costs. Until now, it has cost SASSA between R26 ($3.25) and R35 ($4.38) per grant to pay beneficiaries. Under the new agreement, disbursement costs will be capped at R16.50 ($2.07) per payment, enabling the agency to save up to R3bn ($375m) in operating costs over the next five years. This means that the agency will be able to spend its budget allocation more effectively in the future, making a meaningful difference in the lives of more South Africans.
“The early success of the project rollout affirms MasterCard’s vision to create a world beyond cash, as electronic payments using debit MasterCards opens up a world of financial inclusion for many South Africans who have previously not had access to banking products,” says Dries Zietsman, Country Manager, MasterCard South Africa.“With over 2.5 million cards already issued since rollout in March 2012, it is clear that the cards are already being widely accepted by beneficiaries who are realising the benefits of a cashless environment,” he concludes.
South Africa is rolling out its program to biometrically identify all social grant beneficiaries in order to curb double-dipping and ghost beneficiaries. (Engineering News)
Nigeria is doing the same with pensioners. (Punch)
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