Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS)

What is it?

The Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme is a component of the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), the fully funded Centrally Sponsored Scheme run by the Ministry of Rural Development since 15 August 1995. It operates in both rural and urban areas.

The scheme gives monthly financial assistance to widows from families living below the poverty line. Central assistance is Rs 300 per month for widows aged between 40 and 79 years. For widows aged 80 years and above, the central assistance rises to Rs 500 per month.

The most important thing to understand is that these figures are only the Central Government's contribution. Under NSAP, States and Union Territories are encouraged to add a top-up from their own budgets, and the amount added differs a great deal from state to state. The pension actually credited to a widow's account is therefore usually higher than the central figure, and how much higher depends entirely on her state.

Gram Panchayats and Municipalities identify people covered under the scheme. Money is paid by Direct Benefit Transfer into a bank or post office savings account, or by postal money order. Where a beneficiary genuinely cannot travel to the bank or post office, scheme guidelines also permit cash delivered at the doorstep.

Around 67 lakh people were recorded as beneficiaries of this component, and the budget allocation for it for 2025-26 was Rs 2,026.99 crore.

Potential benefit

₹300 – ₹500 per month (central share only)

Central assistance is Rs 300 per month for widows aged 40 to 79 years, and Rs 500 per month for widows aged 80 years and above. States and UTs add their own top-up on top of this central share, so the final monthly amount differs by state.

Who can apply?

Other conditions stated by the government

• The applicant must be a widow.
• Age between 40 and 79 years for the Rs 300 per month central slab; age 80 years and above for the Rs 500 per month central slab.
• The widow must belong to a family living below the poverty line, as identified by the Government of India.
• There is a scheme-wise ceiling or cap for each State and UT on the number of beneficiaries.

Eligibility information is provided for informational purposes only. Final eligibility and approval are determined by the relevant government authority.

How to apply

Applications are made through the Gram Panchayat or Municipality, which actively identify eligible beneficiaries under NSAP, or through the state department nominated to run NSAP in that state. Once sanctioned, the pension is paid by DBT into a bank or post office account or by postal money order. Annual life verification can be done through the Aadhaar-based Digital Life Certificate mobile application.

Where to apply: offline and panchayat

Deadline

No fixed deadline. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.