Lok Sabha Question No. 4227 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-29
Subject: Performance of IGNWPS
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: DNV Senthilkumar. S., Supriya Sadanand Sule, Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar, Sunil Dattatray Tatkare, C.N. Annadurai, Ganesan Selvam, Gautham Sigamani Pon, Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Subhash Ramrao Bhamre, Omprakash Bhupalsinh alias Pawan Rajenimbalkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4227

ANSWERED ON 29/03/2022

## PERFORMANCE OF IGNWPS

## 4227.   DR. DNV SENTHILKUMAR. S.:

SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

SHRI SUNIL DATTATRAY TATKARE:

SHRI C.N. ANNADURAI:

SHRI SELVAM G.:

SHRI GAUTHAM SIGAMANI PON:

SHRI KULDEEP RAI SHARMA:

DR. SUBHASH RAMRAO BHAMRE:

SHRI OMPRAKASH BHUPALSINH alias

PAWAN RAJENIMBALKAR:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the main objective of launching Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension (IGNWP) Scheme;
- (b) whether the Government has assessed the performance of IGNWP scheme since its inception and if so, the details of the outcome of the assessment;
- (c) whether less number of beneficiaries have availed assistance under the IGNWP Scheme during the last three years;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor and the corrective steps taken in this regard;
- (e) whether the Government has received any proposal from the States including Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu regarding revision in the old age pension and the widow pension schemes; and
- (f) if so, the details of the proposals received and the steps taken to revise the old age pension and widow pension schemes during the said period, State-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)

(a)  &  (b):  The  main  objective  of  launching  the  Indira  Gandhi  National  Widow  Pension (IGNWP) Scheme is to provide a basic level of financial support at the rate of Rs.300 per month per below poverty line (BPL) widow of age of 40-79 years and Rs.500/- per month to same category widows of age of 80 years and above. The performance of the scheme is reviewed  through  periodic  Performance  Review  Committee  (PRC)  Meetings  as  well  as through  Common  Review  Mission  (CRM),  National  Level  Monitors  (NLMs)  and Area Officers Visits.

- (c)  &  (d):  Funds  under  the  IGNWPS  are  released  to  States/UTs  upto  State  ceiling  on number  of  beneficiaries  or  the  number  of  beneficiaries  digitized  on  NSAP  portal,

whichever is less. The digitization of beneficiaries' records is done by the States/UTs. The coverage under IGNWPS has increased during the last three years as per following details:

|   S.No. | Financial Year   |   No. of beneficiaries |
|---------|------------------|------------------------|
|       1 | 2018-19          |                5812556 |
|       2 | 2019-20          |                5935489 |
|       3 | 2020-21          |                6088717 |

(e)  &  (f):  No  proposal  has  been  received  from  the  said  states  to  revise  the  Old  Age Pension  and  the  widow  pension  schemes.   However,  the  Government  has  allowed  the States  to  make  inter-scheme  adjustment  of  ceilings  on  number  of  beneficiaries  under different pension schemes within overall State limit.

******