Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna, on Monday, tabled the state budget for FY 2024-25, with total expenditure pegged at Rs 7.36 lakh crore, up from Rs 6.90 lakh crore in FY 2023-24, and total receipts pegged at Rs 7.21 lakh crore for the new financial year. The Government of UP Hikes Monthly Grants For Destitute i.e. The budget has enhanced the monthly pension for destitute women widows by Rs 500 to Rs 1,000.

Eligibility Criteria For Destitute Women Widow Pension

This monthly pension scheme is open for women aged 18 and older. To be eligible, the beneficiary or her family’s income from all sources should not exceed Rs 2 lakh annually. She can apply for a pension after her husband’s death and should be a permanent state resident. Additionally, she shouldn’t receive any other state or central government pension.

The applicant must provide the necessary documents, such as a passport-size photo, a death certificate of the husband, a photocopy of her bank passbook, and an income statement as stated on the state’s social security website.

According to the state’s integrated pension portal (sspy-up.gov.in), 28,62,724 destitute women received pensions totaling Rs 855.07 crore in FY 2022-23. Now The Government of UP Hikes Monthly Grants For Destitute by Rs 500 to Rs 1,000.

As of the third quarter of FY 2023-24, around 31,28,000 destitute women benefitted from the scheme, the minister said in his budget speech.

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Widow And Old-Age Pension

The impoverished women’s widow pension has no upper age limit and stops if the beneficiary starts receiving a pension from other schemes. For instance, it will stop if she begins receiving a pension for senior citizens aged 60 years and above, provided to both men and women.

Under the old-age pension scheme, the applicant must be 60 years and above, with an annual income of not more than Rs 46,080 in rural and Rs 56,460 in urban areas. They must provide a passport-size photograph and an income certificate to avail of the benefits. The pension amount for destitute women widows has come at par with the old age pension at Rs 1,000 after the hike for FY2024-25. However, the eligibility criteria are different for the schemes.