New Delhi, Jul 16: Delhi government today decided to increase the monthly pension to Rs 1,500 from Rs 1,000 for widows, divorced, separated, abandoned and destitute women from economically weaker section.
A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the Delhi Cabinet presided over by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.
Officials said the beneficiary should be a resident of Delhi for more than five years and her age should be between 18 to 60 years. The annual income should not exceed Rs 75,000 for being eligible for the pension.
The Cabinet also decided to enhance the financial assistance from Rs 25,000 to 30,000 to the widows from economically weaker section for marrying off their daughters.
The financial assistance to the widows for marriage of their daughters was extended earlier to widows from SC/ST and minority Communities, but now government has decided to extend it to all widows irrespective of their caste and religion.
“Our government has been making all efforts to enhance the quantum and coverage of its various welfare schemes with an aim to reach the maximum number of the needy and vulnerable section of the society,” Dikshit said.
Dikshit said government will spend Rs 172 crore annually in giving pension to women in distress and extending the one time financial assistance to widows for marriage of their daughters.
Currently, government has been providing pension to around 89,000 women.
