Delhi govt to conduct study on benefits of old age pension scheme

Delhi: Delhi government is going to conduct a study that will assess the benefits of the old-age pension scheme, the adequacy of the amount provided to senior citizens, and explore ways to weed out ineligible beneficiaries, officials said on Friday.

The Planning Department of the government has started the process to engage a suitable agency to conduct the evaluation study, they said.

The Old Age Assistance Scheme — popularly known as the old age pension scheme — is run by the Social Welfare department of the Delhi government to provide direct financial help to eligible residents of Delhi above 60 years of age.

Under the scheme, people aged 60-69 years get a monthly pension of Rs 2,000 while those belonging to SC, ST and minority categories receive an additional amount of Rs 500. People aged 70 years and above are provided a monthly pension of Rs 2,500.

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The scheme has been supporting nearly 4 lakh elderly beneficiaries annually since 2010-11.

The target population for the purpose of the study will be the current beneficiary base of 4 lakh in Delhi, along with the eligible elderly who are not receiving benefits, said a Planning Department document.

A minimum of 2,500 samples from beneficiaries will be tentatively selected from all districts of Delhi. However, the selected agency will be free to suggest any other methodology best suited to the objectives of the study.

A team of minimum 50 surveyors will conduct the exercise, stated the document.

The study will assess the impact of the scheme on direct benefits like reducing poverty and income insecurity among the elderly population, adequacy of the pension amount in meeting essential needs such as food, medicines, and utilities, it said.

It will also evaluate whether having a direct bank transfer mechanism through the public finance management system (PFMS).

Enhancement of dignity, respect, and social inclusion of the elderly in family and community settings, reduction in elderly neglect or abuse due to increased financial independence, are some of the possible benefits of the scheme to be covered by the study, according to the document.

The broader policy implications of the study include exploring whether the current eligibility criteria and documentation requirements are inclusive and accessible for the most vulnerable senior citizens, and possible gaps in implementation, and rule out ineligible beneficiaries from getting the benefit of the scheme, particularly based on family income, as stated in the document.

The study will adopt a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative techniques to ensure a comprehensive assessment of coverage, processes, adequacy, satisfaction, and challenges, it said.

The study is expected to be complete with the submission of its report to the Planning department by the first week of March next year, officials said.