Over 20.48 Lakh defence pensioners submit Digital Life Certificates under Campaign 5.0, highest across departments

New Delhi: The Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA), under the Ministry of Defence, has facilitated the submission of more than 20.48 lakh Digital Life Certificates (DLCs) by defence pensioners under the nationwide DLC Campaign 5.0 as of November 11, 2026. This represents the highest contribution among all participating government departments, highlighting the expanding adoption of digital pension services across the defence establishment.

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The month-long campaign, running from November 1 to 30, is coordinated by the Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare. Its primary objective is to simplify the annual life-certificate submission process for defence pensioners and family pensioners, particularly elderly, super-senior and differently-abled beneficiaries.

A major feature of the initiative is Aadhaar-based Face Authentication Technology through the Jeevan Pramaan portal and mobile application. More than 80 per cent of the digital life certificates have been generated using Face ID, enabling pensioners to complete authentication through smartphones without requiring external biometric devices or visiting banks and government offices.

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To expand accessibility, the Defence Accounts Department has mobilised 194 SPARSH Service Centres, 4.63 lakh Common Service Centres, 13 partner banks including India Post Payments Bank, and 29 nodal officers. Around 80 outreach programmes are also being conducted nationwide, with a Mega Digital Life Certificate Camp scheduled in Kochi on November 23.

The department has also expanded its SPARSH pension administration platform, with 35.11 lakh defence pensioners registered as of October 2026. During the previous DLC Campaign 4.0 in November 2025, the department generated more than 20.94 lakh certificates, providing a benchmark for the ongoing campaign.

The initiative reflected the Ministry of Defence's push towards accessible digital pension administration under the principle of 'Right Pension to the Right Pensioner at the Right Time'. With Campaign 5.0 continuing until November 30, the department aims to further expand digital adoption and reduce procedural difficulties for defence veterans and their families.

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