Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme

As a part of decentralisation through the Indian Constitutional Amendment Act 1993, the implementation of Widow Pension, which were handled by the Social Welfare Department of State Government, has been transferred to Local Self Government Institutions as per the revised rules declared through the Government Order number GO(P)11/97 dt 07/04/1997.At present the local bodies have been entrusted with the task of receiving the application, processing, granting and distribution of the pension.The name mentioned as per the Act is Destitute-Widow Pension.

Process involved

• In the Prescribed application format, submit the application for pension to the concerned Grama Panchayat /Municipality /Corporation Secretary.
• Enquiry should be conducted within one month after the submission of application 
• The beneficiary selection should be conducted within one month of the completion of the enquiry. 
• Beneficiary list to be sent to the district collector or the officer appointed by the District Collector.
• Appeal against the beneficiary selection should be given to the District collector or the officer appointed by the collector within one month of the execution of the order and the action has to be taken within one month of submission of the appeal.

Criteria for Allotting Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme

• Applicant should be a widow/Divorced.
• Applicant should not be a remarried person.
• No person shall be eligible for the pension, if the person is in receipt of any other Social Welfare pensions.
• No person shall be eligible for the pension, if the person applied for any Social Welfare pensions.
• No one of their to look after him/her.
• No person shall be eligible if he/she resorts to habitual begging.
• Applicant is not eligible if the person is admitted to a poor home.
• Having a family annual income of or less than Rs.100000/-.
• Applied at the localbody where the person is residing.
• Applicant must be a destitute.