The Employees Old Age Benefit Institution has asked Nadra to put to use its biometrics facilities to the advantage of EOBI pensioners. The EOBI and Nadra have already held a few meetings, but the coming meeting in the next two to three weeks is likely to culminate in the development of a system.
Where biometrics technology would be used to identify and verify the existence of pensioners. The identification through this technology would be a certificate that a pensioner is alive.
Sources told Business Recorder on Wednesday that collection of pension and its direct transfer to the pensioner's account would be only a thumb-impression away after the introduction of biometrics technology. It would not take more than a few minutes to complete the entire procedure. "The use of this technology would save the pensioners from the torturous exercise that precedes collection of pension."
The creation of this capacity at National Bank branches would be through the availability of online facility. To begin with, the introduction of this convenient way of pension collection would be possible only at such branches where online facility is available, or could be created with little effort.
Sources said that EOBI, NBP and Nadra were likely to come up with a solution soon.
Currently, the NBP, on average each month, is disbursing EOBI pensions to 2,28,000 pensioners. These pensioners are in the age group of 60-70 years. Many are octogenarians, and in poor health.
They come to collect their pension from the fifth to 25th of each month and wait in unending queues for hours together. They carry out this exercise every month, equally in scorching heat and chilling cold.
The pensioners at a NBP branch told Business Recorder that they stand in the queue and then bow at the window when their turn comes. These pigeonhole-like windows, in most cases, are created in the wall at waist height.
Looking through these pigeonholes, handing over pension book and collection of pension becomes a tiresome exercise in old age and falling health, said the pensioners.
"After collection of pension it becomes difficult to straighten your back" said one pensioner, adding that old women are no exception when it comes to collection of pension. "We get it as if charity is being doled out," said one woman suffering from back injuries and standing in the queue. They also complained about 'bad behaviour' of bank staff posted at these windows.
In view of the increasing number of pensioners of various kinds and depositors of utility bills, the NBP is creating facilitation centres in Karachi and elsewhere in the country. There will be 20 centres across the country. Karachi will have five, to begin with.
NBP sources said that EOBI pensioners would also be entertained at these centres, if they desired so. It would be optional for a pensioner to register at the facilitation centre. But once registered, the pensioner would have to stick to that centre, they said.
However, the NBP maintains that pensioners are permitted to open their account in a branch and collect their pension after depositing the pension voucher in their account. But, the EOBI says that there is no such system. "The banks and the EOBI have to satisfy themselves that the pensioner is alive, and that is possible only through physical presence of the pensioner."