A recent survey conducted by the Department of Women and Child Development has found that more than 25,000 of the total 2.3 lakh beneficiaries verified so far under Delhi government's women's pension scheme were ineligible and had been fraudulently receiving financial assistance.
The scheme, which provides a monthly pension of Rs 2,500 to women in distress, such as widowed, divorced, separated, or destitute individuals, currently covers approximately 3.8 lakh beneficiaries. Following a number of complaints, the Delhi government launched a door-to-door verification drive in November last year, deploying anganwadi workers to carry out the inspections.
A government official said they have verified 2.28 lakh beneficiaries till now and found that more than 25,000 were ineligible for the scheme.
Some of the women listed as "divorced" had remarried, others were gainfully employed, and several could not be located at the addresses provided, they added..
In response to these findings, the department halted pension disbursements for all beneficiaries pending verification. Payments have now resumed for those confirmed to be eligible, with the remaining beneficiaries to be verified in the coming weeks.
The scheme, which costs the government around Rs 1,140 crore annually, was launched in 2007-08 to support economically disadvantaged widows by offering them a regular income. Initially, 6,288 women received Rs 600 per month. Over time, both the number of beneficiaries and the amount disbursed have increased significantly.
Eligible recipients must be at least 18 years old, residents of Delhi for at least five years, and have a family income not exceeding Rs 1 lakh annually.
"Before the full-scale verification began, a random check had already revealed several ineligible beneficiaries. This drive is crucial to preserving the integrity of the scheme and preventing financial misuse," the official added.
