Widow Pension: A Complete Guide to Vidhwa Pension

Financial freedom for women, especially after the unexpected death of their husband, is required for their good physical, emotional and mental health. So, the Government Of India decided to empower the widowed women living under extreme financial distress by providing a pension to support their lives. Therefore, the Central Government launched the Vidhwa Pension Yojana or the Widow Pension Scheme for their benefit in all the states. Here is a detail about the Vidhwa Pension Yojana.

What Is The Vidhwa Pension Yojana?

Vidhwa Pension Yojana is a widow pension scheme launched by the Central Government to provide financial assistance in the form of a fixed, regular monthly income to widows managing their livelihood depending on other family members after their husband's death.

The financial support provided by the State Governments and the process of application varies between the states. The monthly pension will help the poor widows earn a living, become more self-confident and improve their economic condition. However, the children or any other family member of the widowed woman will not be entitled to the pension benefits after the widow's death.

Eligibility Criteria For The Vidhwa Pension Yojana

Here are a few pointers stating the eligibility criteria for the widow pension scheme.

• The pension benefit under the Vidhwa Pension Yojana is available only for widows below the poverty line.
• The widow's age has to be between 18 and 60 years of age.
• If the widow decides to get married to a person after the husband's death will not be eligible for the benefits under the scheme.
• If the widow has children who have become adults and can manage the expenses required to care for her well-being, she will not be eligible for the monthly pension.
  
  
  

Benefits of The Widow Pension Scheme

The widow pension scheme will benefit the women in the following ways:

• The Government provides a fixed, regular monthly income.
• The minimum pension provided by the Government is ₹300 in all the states and can range between ₹300 and ₹2000.
• The widow will get an old-age pension of ₹500 after attaining the age of 80 years.
• The State Government will deposit the pension amount in the widow's bank account.
  
  
  

Vidhwa Pension Yojana Application Process

The application process for the widow pension scheme is simple yet varies from state to state. There are two ways to apply for the scheme, online and offline.

• For the offline application, the widow can directly visit the Janpad Panchayat Office or the Municipal Corporation Office and get the application form for the widow pension scheme free of cost.
• For the Vidhwa Pension online application form, the women have to
  • Log in to the state's official website.
  • Look for the appropriate option to fill in or download the application form. The options and processes will vary between the different states.
  • Download the form and fill out the details or fill out the details online and download it in Word file format or print it instantly.
  • The applicant should submit the duly filled form to the Janpad Panchayat Office or the Municipal Corporation. If the state allows for online application upload, the women can submit it online effortlessly.
    
    
    

Documents Required For The Widow Pension Scheme

While applying for the Widow Pension Scheme, it is important to have the following documents for successful registration:

• Photo of the applicant
• ID proof(Aadhar card, ration card, voter ID card)
• Birth certificate
• Bank passbook
• Husband's death certificate
• Income certificate
  
  
  

Who Should Opt For The Widow Pension Scheme?

Single women below the poverty line who have financial commitments and cannot afford to pay for it with their current earnings and seek family support can apply for the widow pension scheme. It can reduce the financial burden to a considerable extent.

It is also important for single women who have dreams to fulfil concerning their personal development. It can suffice for a particular expense every month to plan for their future with better confidence.

Single women making an income but cannot afford to care for their dependent families should opt for the scheme. For example, she might be responsible for the life of her husband's parents and her children.

Insurance Policy Under MWPA

To protect the rights of his wife or children, a husband can buy an insurance policy for himself and endorse it under the MWPA (Married Women’s Property Act). The beneficiaries in the policy can be the wife and/or the children(s) of the policyholder. In the case of the untimely demise of the husband, the death benefit of the policy will go to the wife and/or the children. The benefits from the policy cannot be claimed by relatives, parents, siblings, or creditors. Thus, this safeguards the family of the policyholder in case of his demise.

If the policy includes survival or maturity benefits, then the benefits will also go to the wife and/or the children(s) who have been named as beneficiaries in the policy.

Life Insurance Retirement Solutions to Benefit Single Women

Ensuring financial security for their family should be a priority for every individual. In the absence of a husband, women can undergo a lot of stress that can affect their well-being and their children's future. Life insurance plans will provide a life cover that will ascertain a death benefit to the loved ones in case of the insured person's unexpected demise during the policy term.

Insurers also offer retirement plans that help you park your retirement corpus for annuity benefits and other savings options. Single women receiving a reasonable income can buy a retirement policy to ensure they receive a regular monthly income to manage their routine expenses after retirement. It will help them lead an independent and successful life.

Our Tata AIA retirement policy offers flexible features to modify it based on individual family commitments. For instance, one can choose the immediate or the deferred annuity options to start receiving the monthly income or delay it to a future date for maximal benefits.

Conclusion

Women in India should always be given an environment to live financially independent. The Vidhwa Pension Yojana is a widow pension scheme introduced by the Government to empower every widow living below the poverty line with financial assistance in the form of a pension. The process of application and pension amount varied between the states. It is important to educate the widows in our country on such schemes to help them improve their financial condition without family support!

L&C/Advt/2022/Jun/1307