Delhi Chief Minister Flags Irregularities In Widow Pension And Disability Aid

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday ordered a full review of the city's welfare schemes, citing "serious irregularities" in widow pensions and disability support handed out under the previous Aam Aadmi Party administration.

Chairing a crucial meeting at the Delhi Secretariat, Chief Minister Gupta said government aid meant for the most vulnerable was being misused and promised corrective action.

"Many women who were not eligible were granted pensions unchecked. Our government will not allow such malpractice," Chief Minister Gupta told senior officials from the Department of Social Welfare and the Department for the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. "Those who truly need help will get it. But those found ineligible will be removed from the list."

The remarks come amid rising concerns over transparency in the city's social safety net. The Chief Minister accused the former AAP government of "cheating the underprivileged" and turning a blind eye to lapses that allowed benefits to flow to ineligible individuals.

A key reform discussed during the meeting was the rollout of digital ID cards for persons with disabilities (PwDs) to tighten beneficiary records. Officials were also directed to address long delays in issuing disability certificates and streamline coordination between departments.

Among the schemes under review is the Financial Assistance for Senior Citizens programme, which pays Rs 2,000 - Rs 2,500 a month to over four lakh beneficiaries, mainly from scheduled caste (SC) and scheduled tribe (ST) and low-income groups. The PwD scheme, covering roughly 1.34 lakh individuals, also faces scrutiny over outdated records and inconsistencies in documentation.

The Delhi Family Benefit Scheme (DFBS), which offers one-time assistance of Rs 20,000 to families who lose their main earning member, has supported around 1,100 dependants to date. SMILE, a scheme aimed at rehabilitating individuals involved in begging, offers shelter, medical help, counselling, skills training, and livelihood support.

Ms Gupta said the government's role goes beyond direct cash aid. "Welfare is not just about handing out money, it also means rehabilitation, education, and livelihood support," she said. The Chief Minister has directed the departments to prioritise data accuracy, digitisation, and faster grievance redressal mechanisms.

Officials now have two weeks to submit updated beneficiary lists, with field audits expected to follow. With budgets stretched and public scrutiny rising, the administration faces a key question- can it clean up the system and get support to those who truly need it?