Patna: The Bihar government has launched a free Aadhaar-based life certification facility for beneficiaries of its social security pension schemes, a move aimed at tightening verification and ensuring pensions reach only eligible recipients on time.
The service was formally inaugurated at the Hulashchak Common Service Center (CSC) in Phulwarisharif, Patna, in the presence of Bandana Preyashi, secretary of the Social Welfare Department, who also handed over life certificates to several pensioners at the event.
The department currently runs six pension schemes covering elderly citizens, widows and persons with disabilities. Since June 2025, beneficiaries have been receiving a uniform pension of Rs 1,100 per month. Officials said Aadhaar-based life certification would make the system more transparent and reliable by eliminating errors and delays linked to manual verification.
Speaking at the launch, Preyashi said the new mechanism would help remove the names of deceased pensioners from official records, ensuring public funds are disbursed only to living beneficiaries. She added that physical verification would be carried out wherever necessary.
कॉमन सर्विस सेंटर के माध्यम से सामाजिक सुरक्षा पेंशनधारियों के लिए आधार आधारित नि:शुल्क जीवन प्रमाणीकरण की शुरुआत।
आज सचिव, समाज कल्याण विभाग, बिहार, श्रीमती बंदना प्रेयषी ने इस महत्वपूर्ण पहल का शुभारंभ किया। सचिव के सतत मार्गदर्शन एवं प्रयासों से यह कार्य आज औपचारिकता से आगे… pic.twitter.com/OhwTvOkpCe
— Social Welfare Department, Bihar (@DoSWBihar) December 22, 2025
For pensioners who are very old, ill or unable to travel, the department plans to organise certification camps at the panchayat level or send verification teams directly to their homes. “This facility was long awaited and will significantly improve the accuracy and reliability of pension data,” she said.
Under the new arrangement, annual life certification is mandatory for all pensioners. Their details are stored securely on the e-Beneficiary portal, and verification can be completed free of charge at any CSC by providing an Aadhaar number, bank account number or beneficiary ID. Where fingerprints cannot be captured, particularly in the case of elderly or disabled beneficiaries, iris-based authentication will be used.
The state has more than 67,000 CSCs, chosen for their reach in rural and remote areas and their technical capacity to handle biometric authentication. The Council of Ministers approved the rollout of the Aadhaar-based certification system on October 3, 2025.
By November 2025, the state had transferred about Rs 1,295.88 crore directly into the bank accounts of around 1.15 crore pensioners through the Direct Benefit Transfer system. Officials have urged all beneficiaries to complete their life certification on time to avoid any disruption in payments.
