Govt releases long-pending old-age pension payments

The Delhi Government on Wednesday released long-pending old-age pension payments, providing relief to thousands of senior citizens whose monthly assistance had been delayed for several months due to technical and administrative issues. Officials said that the arrears have now been credited directly to the beneficiaries’ bank accounts.

The release of pending payments follows directions from Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and coordinated efforts by the Department of Social Welfare after securing the required approval from the Finance Department. Officials said the move was aimed at ensuring financial stability for elderly beneficiaries who depend on the pension as a key source of income.

According to government data, Delhi has more than 4.35 lakh beneficiaries under the Old Age Pension Scheme. While the majority of recipients had been receiving their pensions on time, payments to a section of beneficiaries were disrupted in recent months owing to technical glitches and administrative delays. The Government said all outstanding dues of such beneficiaries have now been cleared.

Social Welfare Minister Ravinder Indraj Singh said the welfare and social security of senior citizens remain a top priority for the government. “It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that every eligible beneficiary receives their rightful entitlement on time. No senior citizen should suffer due to procedural or technical lapses,” the minister said.

He added that the department has been instructed to further streamline the pension payment mechanism to prevent recurrence of such delays. Steps are being taken to make the system more transparent, efficient, and accountable, officials said.

Senior citizens’ groups had earlier flagged concerns over delayed pension payments, pointing out that many elderly residents rely on the monthly assistance to meet basic expenses such as food, medicines, and utilities. The release of arrears is expected to ease financial stress for affected families.

Officials from the Social Welfare Department said internal reviews were conducted to identify bottlenecks that led to the delay. Following this, corrective measures were put in place to ensure faster processing of files and timely transfer of funds.

It is the responsibility of the Government to ensure that every eligible beneficiary receives their rightful entitlement on time. No senior citizen should suffer due to procedural or technical lapses

            —  Ravinder Indraj Singh, Social Welfare Minister