Bhubaneswar, June 30: In a major move that could impact more than three lakh social security pension beneficiaries, the Odisha government has made Aadhaar-bank account linking mandatory for all recipients of the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), with officials warning that pension payments may be halted for those who fail to comply.
Documents accessed by this publication reveal that the Department of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities has directed all district collectors to immediately complete the Aadhaar-bank account linkage of NSAP beneficiaries ahead of the rollout of a new Aadhaar-based payment system.
According to the official communication issued by Principal Secretary Suresh Kumar Vashishth, as many as 335,850 NSAP beneficiaries across Odisha have yet to link their Aadhaar numbers with their bank accounts, raising concerns over possible disruption in pension payments.
The government has decided that from the 2026-27 financial year, all NSAP pensions will be disbursed exclusively through the SNA-SPARSH platform using Aadhaar-based payment authentication. Once the new system is implemented, beneficiaries whose bank accounts are not Aadhaar-linked will no longer be able to receive pensions through the existing payment mechanism.
The communication also acknowledges the challenges faced by elderly and bedridden pensioners, many of whom are unable to visit banks to complete the formalities. District administrations have therefore been instructed to identify such vulnerable beneficiaries and ensure that Aadhaar-bank linkage is completed through a sensitive and beneficiary-friendly approach.
District Social Security Officers (DSSOs) have been asked to use data available on the NSAP-PPS portal to identify pending cases, while Aadhaar seeding and e-KYC verification have been prioritised at the block level to accelerate the process. Aadhaar coordinators stationed across blocks have also been directed to provide all necessary assistance to beneficiaries.
The move is aimed at ensuring a seamless transition to the Aadhaar-enabled payment system and preventing any interruption in the disbursal of social security pensions to eligible beneficiaries across the state.
