The AAP government has decided to make changes in the “Delhi Pension Scheme for Women” by increasing the annual family income cap from Rs 60,000 to Rs 1 lakh.
The AAP government has decided to make changes in the “Delhi Pension Scheme for Women” by increasing the annual family income cap from Rs 60,000 to Rs 1 lakh. The government has also decided to do away with the upper age limit of 60 years for widow pensioners. Now the widow pension would be continued for lifelong and the beneficiary would not be eligible for old age or disability pension. The decision to this effect was taken at a recent Cabinet meeting.
Under the widow pension scheme, one get Rs 1,500 per month. And under old age scheme, one is paid Rs 1,000 per month. There are 1.65 lakh widow pensioners in Delhi and every quarter the number increases by 5,000 to 7,000.
At present, financial assistance to widow pensioners is given in the age group of 18-60 years only. After 60 years, the widows are given old age pension. A source said that once widow crosses the age of 60, she continues to draw the pension under the same scheme. “This is apparently because if the scheme is followed strictly, then a widow would get only Rs 1,000 after cross the age of 60. This means a direct monthly loss of Rs 500.”
According to the Cabinet proposal, “In an order to remove the anomaly, the upper age limit needs to be done away with. There is no logic to restrict the benefit only till 60 years. For widow pension beneficiaries, the Government of India has decided the age group to be 40-69 years. It is just and proper that scheme is amended to the effect that widow pension is continued till death.”
The proposal said that for fresh applications, submission of Aadhaar number, along with a copy of the Aadhaar card, should be made mandatory. “Further, the existing beneficiaries should also be mandated to furnish their Aadhaar numbers, along with copy of Aadhaar card, within two months.”
The Cabinet was of the view that physical verification of the beneficiaries should be done at least once every year to regularly weed out the dead, duplicate and migrated cases.
“This verification may be done through physical inspection or mohalla sabhas or other means such as Jeevan Praman Patra, whichever suits best and is feasible.”
