Now Reading: Delhi govt starts verification of 4.4 lakh old-age pension beneficiaries
-
01
Delhi govt starts verification of 4.4 lakh old-age pension beneficiaries
Delhi govt starts verification of 4.4 lakh old-age pension beneficiaries
The Story in Brief
The Delhi government has launched a door-to-door verification drive to identify ineligible beneficiaries of its old-age pension scheme, which covers around 4.4 lakh senior citizens, officials said on Saturday, 24 October 2026.
The exercise was delayed after permission for Aadhaar authentication via a third party was initially not granted. Now, with approval in place, the Common Service Centre (CSC) is conducting biometric verification using fingerprint and iris scanners at beneficiaries' homes.
The drive is expected to conclude in three months. Officials anticipate that 20 to 25 per cent of the 4.4 lakh beneficiaries will be removed after weeding out deceased persons and those receiving duplicate government assistance. The scheme provides a monthly pension of Rs 2,000 for those aged 60 to 69 and Rs 2,500 for those aged 70 and above.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The verification drive directly affects 4.4 lakh elderly residents, with one in four likely to lose the monthly pension that ranges from Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500. The door-to-door biometric authentication, including fingerprint and iris scans, shifts the burden of proof onto beneficiaries at home, but the three-month timeline leaves unresolved how housebound or infirm applicants without valid biometrics will be handled. The CSC network of 6,000 centres will carry out the survey, and the final list of vacancies will determine the scheme's revised coverage.
Source: business-standard.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Methodology and corrections.
