Delhi CM Exposes Welfare Fraud, Orders Overhaul of Pension Schemes

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has ordered a comprehensive review of welfare schemes, targeting rampant irregularities in widow pensions and disability aid under the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. During a high-level meeting at the Delhi Secretariat on Monday, Gupta slammed the misuse of funds meant for vulnerable groups, pledging swift reforms to ensure aid reaches only eligible beneficiaries.

“Many ineligible women received pensions unchecked,” Gupta told officials from the Social Welfare and Scheduled Castes and Tribes Departments. “We will not tolerate such malpractice.” She accused the AAP of neglecting transparency, allowing benefits to flow to undeserving recipients, thus “cheating the underprivileged.” Recent posts on X claim 85,000 women received widow pensions despite their husbands being alive or remarried, costing ₹21 crore monthly, though these allegations remain unverified.

Key reforms include issuing digital ID cards for persons with disabilities (PwDs) to improve beneficiary tracking and addressing delays in disability certificate issuance. The review covers the Financial Assistance for Senior Citizens scheme, benefiting over four lakh low-income individuals with ₹2,000-₹2,500 monthly payments, and the PwD scheme, supporting 1.34 lakh people but plagued by outdated records. The Delhi Family Benefit Scheme, aiding 1,100 families with ₹20,000 one-time grants, and the SMILE scheme for rehabilitating beggars through shelter and skills training, are also under scrutiny.

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Gupta emphasized holistic welfare, stating, “It’s not just cash aid but rehabilitation and education.” She ordered updated beneficiary lists within two weeks, with field audits to follow, aiming to restore trust in Delhi’s social safety net.

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