Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday announced new digital initiatives under the Pensioner Sewa Portal (PSP), including mandatory Aadhaar-based e-KYC for all registered resident pensioners by December 31, 2026, and a dedicated WhatsApp chatbot facility for NRI pensioners.
Addressing a press conference at Punjab Bhawan, Cheema said the portal, launched on November 1, 2025, has digitised 3.05 lakh pension records and 3.5 lakh Pension Payment Order (PPO) documents. It has facilitated nearly 3 lakh Digital Life Certificates, processed 1.73 lakh e-KYC applications and handled pension disbursements worth approximately ₹12,000 crore.
He said the portal has also processed 1.3 lakh online services, including pension-related applications, Leave Travel Concession requests and grievances. Additionally, 1.8 lakh pension slips have been downloaded through the platform.
Cheema said integration with the Jeevan Pramaan facility has increased the submission of Digital Life Certificates from 6 per cent to 96 per cent, enabling pensioners to complete the process from home without visiting treasury offices.
Under the new directive, all resident pensioners registered on the portal must complete Aadhaar-based e-KYC by December 31, 2026. NRI pensioners have been exempted from this requirement for now.
The minister said the e-KYC process takes around two minutes and can be completed through the official portal or by visiting a District Treasury Office, pension-disbursing bank or Sewa Kendra.
Announcing another initiative, Cheema said a dedicated WhatsApp chatbot would be introduced for NRI pensioners, allowing them to submit their Manual Life Certificates conveniently and avoid procedural difficulties and physical visits.
He added that the portal provides real-time application tracking, online access to pension-related services and grievance redressal, with a maximum service delivery timeline of 21 days.
