Bengal to roll out higher old-age, widow, disability allowances on August 1
Kolkata, July 21
As promised in the Bharatiya Janata Party's Sankalp Patra for the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly polls, the enhanced old-age, widow, and disability allowances will be available to genuine beneficiaries from August 1.
The enhanced amount will be Rs 1,500 per month as against the Rs 1,000 paid during the previous Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress regime.
A notification was issued by the West Bengal Panchayat Affairs and Rural Development Department announcing the enhanced limits under the three pension schemes under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP).
In the said notification, it has also been informed that the enhanced amounts will be paid to the beneficiaries with effect from April 1.
As per the government guidelines, beneficiaries of three schemes will receive additional allowance under the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme, Indira Gandhi National Widows Pension Scheme and Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme. Beneficiaries under each scheme will now get an additional Rs 500 per month. This amount will be sent directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries through the direct benefit transfer DBT system as before.
The state government has claimed that the additional expenditure to bear the enhanced payments under these three welfare schemes will be met from the budgetary allocations for the state panchayat affairs and rural development department for the financial year 2026-27.
Necessary instructions have been sent to the District Magistrates, district panchayat and rural development officers, concerned implementing agencies and state urban development agency to implement this order expeditiously and deliver the revised pension amount to all eligible beneficiaries within the stipulated time.
West Bengal Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta, a journalist-turned-politician, proposed to enhance the monthly pension for the elderly, widows and the especially abled by Rs 500 in his budget proposals for the financial year of 2026-27, which he tabled on the floor of the West Bengal Assembly last month, and a formal notification in the matter was issued by the state Panchayat Affairs & Rural Development Department.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally some relief for the vulnerable sections! But I hope the state also focuses on proper implementation—many genuine beneficiaries in remote areas still struggle to get their due. Also, this should be part of a larger social security net.
As a resident of a village in Bengal, I can tell you this will make a difference. My neighbour, a 70-year-old widow, gets Rs 1,000 now. She will be happy with the extra Rs 500. However, the government should also ensure that the pension reaches the poorest, not just those with connections.
I appreciate the increase, but Rs 500 extra is still too little given today's inflation. A kilo of rice costs more than Rs 30 now. The state should consider linking pension to cost of living index. Still, better than nothing—credit where it's due. 👍
Good to see political promises being fulfilled. But let's not forget that the previous TMC government also started these schemes. The real challenge is coverage—many disabled persons in my area haven't received any benefits yet. Hope the new administration fixes these gaps.
This is a welcome step! My grandmother gets the old-age pension, and every rupee matters. I just hope the panchayat officials don't delay the disbursement like before. The DBT system is good, but awareness is low in villages—need more camps to enrol people.
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