Tue Jul 01 02:06:38 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
A recent verification drive conducted by the Delhi government’s Women and Child Development Department found over 60,000 ineligible beneficiaries of the Women’s Pension Scheme. This scheme provides ₹2,500 monthly assistance to widowed, divorced, separated, and destitute women. The door-to-door verification revealed instances of remarried women claiming to be divorced, employed women drawing assistance despite income, and beneficiaries no longer residing at their registered addresses. As a result, their names have been removed from the list. The verification covered 4.25 lakh beneficiaries, and currently, around 3.65 lakh women receive regular pensions. The aim was to eliminate fraudulent claims and ensure that only genuine applicants receive the pension.
**News Article:**
**Delhi Government Removes Over 60,000 Ineligible Beneficiaries From Women’s Pension Scheme**
*New Delhi, July 1, 2025* – A large-scale verification exercise by the Delhi government’s Women and Child Development (WCD) Department has uncovered significant discrepancies in the Women’s Pension Scheme, leading to the removal of over 60,000 ineligible beneficiaries.
The scheme, established in 2007-08, provides a monthly financial assistance of ₹2,500 to widowed, divorced, separated, and destitute women. However, a door-to-door verification drive, initiated in November last year, revealed numerous instances of fraudulent claims.
“The verification revealed several instances where women no longer met the eligibility criteria but continued to receive the pension,” stated an official from the WCD. These included remarried women falsely claiming to be divorced, employed women drawing assistance despite having a steady income, and individuals no longer residing at their registered addresses.
The verification process, conducted by anganwadi workers, covered nearly 4.25 lakh beneficiaries across all districts of Delhi. As a result, payments have been discontinued for those found ineligible, and regular pensions have resumed for those who were verified. Currently, around 3.65 lakh women are receiving regular pension payments under the scheme.
Officials emphasized that the initiative was not intended to deprive genuine applicants of support but to eliminate fraudulent claims and strengthen accountability within the pension system. “The aim is to ensure that the pension is provided only to those who genuinely qualify for it,” the official stated.
First Piper 