Punjab Govt has fixed March 31 deadline to clear Pensioner Sewa Portal backlog, follow-up review on March 15: Harpal Singh Cheema
Banks must ensure full compliance with mandatory Jeevan Pramaan Patra & eKYC norms: Harpal Singh Cheema
Delay in uploading e-scrolls, PPO PDFs and JPP requests will not be tolerated: Harpal Singh Cheema
Bhagwant Mann Govt committed to protecting pensioners’ dignity & financial security: Harpal Singh Cheema
CHANDIGARH, 26th February 2026:
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday chaired a comprehensive review meeting with various banks at Punjab Bhawan to address and resolve the substantial backlog of issues pending on the Pensioner Sewa Portal (PSP). Expressing serious concern over repeated delays and missed timelines, Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema fixed a strict deadline of March 31, 2026 for clearing all pending matters and made it clear that no further laxity would be tolerated.
During the meeting, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that banks had earlier failed to adhere to committed schedules, prompting the Punjab Government to grant extensions at their request. “Despite these allowances, heavy backlogs persist across major financial institutions. This situation is unacceptable. All pending issues related to the Pensioner Sewa Portal must be resolved by March 31, 2026,” he stated.
Announcing a follow-up review meeting on March 15, the Minister issued a stern warning. “The Punjab Government will take strict action against any bank that fails to clear all pending issues by the March 31 deadline. Pensioners cannot be made to suffer due to administrative inefficiency,” he said.
Highlighting non-compliance with the Punjab Government’s instructions dated October 31, 2025, which mandated the acceptance of only Digital Life Certificates through Jeevan Pramaan Patra (JPP), Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that certain banks had not fully implemented the directive. “To remove any communication gap, the government has provided banks with a specific message and letter template. Banks must forward this message through their updated contact databases so that pensioners are fully aware of the mandatory JPP and eKYC requirements. This collaborative outreach is vital for successfully completing the process,” he said.
Emphasising the state’s Door Step Delivery (DSD) initiative aimed at assisting pensioners in completing their JPP and eKYC at home, he stressed the importance of active bank cooperation. “Given the rising threat of cyber frauds and digital arrests, many pensioners may still prefer the security of visiting physical bank branches instead of utilising DSD services. Therefore, branch-level readiness is essential,” he said.
Reinforcing these directives, Additional Chief Secretary Finance Alok Shekhar laid down strict operational guidelines during the meeting. “Banks must upload accurate e-scrolls and promptly remove any discrepancies flagged by District Treasury Officers. Delays in compliance will not be entertained,” he said.
In addition, Alok Shekhar directed banks to supply all pending PPO PDFs, approve provisional pensioners, and upload manual life certificates accepted prior to the October 31, 2025 cut-off in a strictly time-bound manner. He further instructed financial institutions to expedite the integration of their internal software with the Pensioner Sewa Portal.
Other key administrative tasks discussed during the meeting included marking Non-Resident Indian pensioners on the portal, uploading their notarised Life Certificates, and processing all JPP requests currently pending at the bank level.
Concluding the meeting, Minister Harpal Singh Cheema reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Punjab Government to the welfare of pensioners. “All banks must immediately implement the necessary system modifications to prevent any undue rejections or unwarranted acceptances of JPPs going forward. The dignity and financial security of our pensioners remain our top priority,” he said.
