Financial autonomy of widowed females in India is necessary. To meet this objective, the Indian Government introduced Vidhwa Pension Yojana as a part of the National Social Assistance Programme. Continue reading to discover vital aspects of this scheme discussed in this upcoming segment.

The  Ministry of Rural Development of the Indian Government introduced Vidhwa Pension Yojana with the primary objective of providing financial assistance to widows falling under the BPL category or Below Poverty Line. This ensures that widows dependent on their families to fulfil their needs can lead a respectful life by earning their livelihood, and becoming economically self-reliant.

The main feature of this Vidhwa Pension Yojana is that eligible beneficiaries are entitled to receive substantial monetary assistance, which is approximately ₹200 per month, to meet their essential daily requirement. This amount may differ with each state. Let's take a look at some of the Indian states –

• Maharashtra: This state provides ₹600* monthly to eligible applicants
• Himachal Pradesh: It provides ₹750* per month to eligible beneficiaries
• Haryana: This state provides an allowance of ₹1,800* monthly to eligible candidates.
• Bihar: Bihar offers monetary support of ₹500* monthly to eligible candidates.

Note: *This amount sums up both the financial support of the Centre and State Governments.

Applicants willing to avail of the benefits of this scheme need to meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Widows living under Below Poverty Line or BPL can apply for this scheme.
• Applicants must fall under the age group of 40 to 59 years.
• If an applicant owns adult children capable of caring for their mother, they cannot apply for this scheme.
• If a widow has remarried, she is not eligible for this scheme.
• Family income should not exceed more than ₹1,00,000 per year.

Applicants must note that different states may have different eligibility criteria. For example, for Chhattisgarh, the age group of a widow must fall between 40 to 79 years, and similarly, the age group differs in Maharashtra as 40 to 65 years. In the case of Haryana, the income of an applicant from every source must not exceed ₹2,00,000 per year. It is ideal to check the official website of each state government scheme before applying for Vidhwa Pension Yojana to avoid inconvenience later.

The application procedure of Vidhwa Pension Yojana differs with each state. Individuals can usually apply for Vidhwa Pension Yojana online by following these simple steps:

• Step 1: Log in to the state government's official portal and select the required tab to download the application form.
• Step 2: Fill in this form with necessary details such as the district's name, residential address, etc. 
• Step 3: Submit this duly filled form to Municipal Corporation Commissioner or Janpad Panchayat Officer.

Individuals without internet access can apply for this scheme by contacting the Municipal Corporation Commissioner or Janpad Panchayat Officer and collecting the application form. A similar process of submitting the duly filled form to respective authorities remains the same in this offline application as well.

Submit the following documents while applying for this scheme:

• Applicant's passport size photographs
• Birth certificate
• Applicant's bank passbook
• Husband's death certificate 
• Income certificate and identity proof such as Aadhaar Card, Voter ID card, etc.
• Address proof such as Aadhaar cards, etc.

The documentation process may vary with each state. It is ideal to refer to the state's official website before applying for this scheme.

Individuals can also check their application status of Vidhwa Pension Yojana with registration numbers and passwords on the state's official portal.

Take a look at this simple procedure to check the beneficiary list of this scheme:

• Step 1: Visit the state's official website and search and select the pensioner list option on the home page.
• Step 2: Select the year, district, block's, and Panchayat's name. The list will appear on the screen based on the result entered.

Beneficiaries must apply for Vidhwa Pension Yojana to avail of the following benefits:

• This scheme is sponsored by the Indian Government, which ensures transparency in financial transactions.
• The Government directly transfers the amount to a recipient's bank account.
• Applicants above 80 years are eligible to receive a monthly pension of ₹800.

Thus, keep all these pointers in mind before applying for Vidhwa Pension Yojana. Keep all documents ready beforehand to avoid any hassles during the application process.