A major scam has come to light in Delhi’s Widow Pension Scheme, where over 85,000 women were found receiving benefits fraudulently. Shockingly, many women declared their living husbands as dead just to claim a monthly pension of ₹2500.
The Department of Women and Child Development (WCD) in Delhi recently conducted a verification drive that exposed large-scale irregularities in the widow pension program. The findings reveal that more than 60,000 women who did not meet the eligibility criteria were still drawing monthly pension benefits. Earlier in April, about 25,000 such names had already been removed from the list.
Adding both numbers together, it is estimated that over 85,000 women were wrongly availing of the scheme, including some whose husbands are very much alive. The extent of the misuse has raised serious questions about the system's loopholes and lack of timely verification.
Several women reportedly falsified documents, showing themselves as widows to receive the pension. Some of them had either remarried after their husband’s death or divorce, while others had never lost their spouses in the first place. Yet, on paper, they continued to be listed as widows to continue receiving ₹2500 per month from the government.
According to media reports, this large-scale fraud came to light during a comprehensive verification process carried out by the WCD department. Officials discovered many such women who had remarried or whose husbands were still alive but were misrepresenting their status for financial gain.
Delhi’s widow pension scheme is designed to provide financial aid to women who have lost their husbands or are otherwise left unsupported. This includes widows, divorcees, deserted women, and single women. Currently, the pension amount is ₹2500, but the BJP-led Delhi government has announced plans to increase it to ₹3000.
However, before implementing the revised pension amount, the government is keen on ensuring that only genuinely eligible women benefit from the scheme. Thus, a massive verification drive is underway, targeting around 4.25 lakh existing beneficiaries.
To qualify for the widow pension scheme in Delhi, the applicant must meet the following conditions:
Must be a resident of Delhi for at least five years
Should be above 18 years of age
The family income should not exceed ₹1 lakh annually
Should be a widow, divorcee, deserted by husband, or destitute
Even eligible beneficiaries can lose access to their pension if they fail to meet certain procedural requirements. Here are some common reasons why pensions get discontinued:
Aadhaar not linked to the beneficiary’s bank account
Address mismatch or inability to contact during field verification by Anganwadi workers
Shifting houses without informing the district office
Bank account closure where the pension amount was credited
If you’re worried that your name might have been removed from the widow pension list, you can check your status online through the e-District portal. Here's how:
Visit the e-District portal
Create a User ID and log in
Click on ‘Track Your Application’
Choose ‘Women and Child Development Department’
Under ‘Applied For’, select ‘Delhi Pension Scheme to Women in Distress’
Enter your application number and name
Enter the captcha code and click submit
This startling exposure highlights the need for better monitoring and regular audits in public welfare schemes. While government efforts to assist women in distress are commendable, such misuse undermines the purpose and deprives genuine beneficiaries of the support they truly need. With over 85,000 ineligible names already removed, the Delhi government aims to ensure that the widow pension scheme reaches those who deserve it most.
