1. In the beginning, SPARSH migrated pensioners found it extremely difficult to check their personal details in Personal Data Verification (PDV). Firstly they did not get user id and password. With great difficulty, when user id and password are obtained from SPARSH, the pensioner after logging in with user id and password was asked to enter his name in Aadhaar card for second line of authentication. When he or she entered the name in Aadhaar card, the SPARSH displayed a message "*Demographic Validation Failure*". It is because the name in Aadhaar Card is full name while that in PPO it is abbreviated with initials. My name in Aadhaar card is Brig Chintamani Sivasankar Vidyasagar (37 characters) while in PPO it is CS Vidyasagar (13 characters). For software, 37 is not equal to 13 hence the message *Demographic Validation Failure* used to occur. The pensioner could not proceed further even if there are any number of errors in the PDV.
2. I am fortunately not yet migrated to SPARSH. So I was not affected and am getting my correct pension from SBI, Trimulgherry, Secunderabad. I get my pension slip in detail and whenever my pension is credited, I used to get a SMS in my mobile no registered with the bank.
3. But seeing the problems the SPARSH migrated pensioners were facing, I was forced to lodge a CPENGRAM complaint to Min of Def (ESW). I suggested to Min of Def (ESW) for pensioners the unique ids are (a) Aadhaar No or (b) PPO No or (c) Service No or (d) Bank account No. Therefoer if the SPARSH wants for second line of authentication, then they should ask Aadhaar No and not Aadhaar Name. I got the reply to my CPENGRAMS complaint from SPARSH which is attached for your reading pleasure.
In the SPARSH outreach programme of 14 Dec 2022 in Delhi (near Base Hospital) Shri Giridhar Aramane, IAS, Defence Secretary suggested to both TCS and SPARSH not to ask the pensioner to enter the name in Aadhaar card as it is not unique. The wise people of SPARSH and TCS changed the name in Aadhaar card now to Aadhaar number.
4. During my trip to PCDA (Pensions) Prayagraj from 13 to 15 Dec 2022, I am told there are many pensioners who have not given their Aadhaar card or mobile no or PPO no to their pension paying banks. In such cases, SPARSH does not send the user id and password in SMS to the pensioner. I am also told there are 2.50 lakh pensioners who have not got their Aadhaar Card inspite of nine years of implementation of Aadhaar card.
There are some veterans got their name in Aadhaar card changed to match with the name in PPO. They be advised to get their full name in Aadhaar. SPARSH will amend their software to have the full name of Aadhaar in PPO and Pension slip.
I request you all to spread this message to our Veterans and family pensioners to kindly give their mobile no, Aadhaar card and PAN card if held to their pension paying banks immediately