Hyderabad: In a significant move to curb bogus pensions and ensure benefits reach genuine recipients, the state government has mandated face recognition for all pensioners. Starting July 29, pensions will be distributed through a specially developed mobile application with face recognition technology to enhance transparency. Clear instructions have been issued to rural development officers across districts through the Poverty Alleviation Organization.
Officials have been directed to provide branch postmasters with smartphones, fingerprint scanners, and other required equipment. In the absence of these devices, postmasters or panchayat secretaries will be required to install the app on personal phones for pension distribution. Beneficiary details under the ‘Cheyutha’ scheme must be displayed at local post offices after distribution.
Currently, 42.67 lakh people, including senior citizens, widows, differently-abled individuals, toddy tappers, beedi workers, dialysis patients, HIV and filaria patients, and single women, receive pensions. The government spends Rs 1,000.47 crore monthly on these schemes. While 22.72 lakh beneficiaries are served through postal biometrics and 19.95 lakh through banks, challenges such as fingerprint mismatches and payments to deceased persons prompted the introduction of face recognition. The government expects the new system to eliminate fraudulent claims, improve monitoring, and ease difficulties for elderly pensioners.