Widow Pension 2026 — IGNWPS State-wise Amount, Eligibility & Apply
Widow Pension (IGNWPS) 2026: Apply for monthly pension of ₹300 (centre) + state top-up — total ₹500–₹3,000 depending on state. Age 40–79, BPL widow, online + offline apply, status check.
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Quick summary. Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS) is the central component of widow pension in India. It pays ₹300/month from the centre to BPL widows aged 40–79. State governments add their own top-up — taking the total monthly pension to ₹500–₹3,000 depending on the state. Apply mode: Online via your state’s social-welfare portal or offline at the Block / Tehsil / CSC. Continuation: From age 80, the beneficiary moves to Old Age Pension (IGNOAPS) at the higher ₹500 central rate.
IGNWPS is part of the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) umbrella, run by the Ministry of Rural Development. As of March 2026, 65 lakh widows receive monthly pension under IGNWPS + state widow schemes combined. Like the Old Age Pension, the central component is just the floor — every state runs its own widow pension on top, and almost all states pay more than the centre’s ₹300.
For most widows, the practical decision is which scheme to apply to: state widow pension or IGNWPS. The answer is both — the state portal application automatically books you under IGNWPS too if you’re BPL + 40+. You receive the higher of the two (or both pooled, depending on state design).
Scheme at a glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Scheme name | Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS) |
| Umbrella | National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) |
| Ministry | Ministry of Rural Development |
| Central pension | ₹300 per month (40–79 years) |
| Total (centre + state) | ₹500–₹3,000/month depending on state (see table below) |
| Eligibility | Widow, age 40–79, BPL family |
| Apply mode | Online via state portal + offline at Block/Tehsil/CSC |
| Transition at 80 | Moves to IGNOAPS (₹500 central + state top-up) |
Who is eligible?
Educational Qualification
Not applicable
Age Limit (As on Date of application)
40 to 79 Years
Other Requirements
- Nationality: Indian citizen, resident in the state of application
- Applicant must be a widow — i.e., husband must have passed away (death certificate required)
- Household must be on the BPL list (state-issued BPL ration card or SECC 2011 deprivation list)
- Applicant must NOT be receiving any other government pension (EPF / state employee pension / freedom-fighter pension etc.)
- Applicant must NOT have remarried (some states verify via Gram Sabha)
- Many states have lowered the lower age limit to 18 for their own widow pension (the central IGNWPS still requires 40+)
Practical filter. Two firm conditions: (1) the applicant is a widow, and (2) the family is BPL. Age requirement is 40+ for the central component, but several states pay their state-only widow pension from age 18 (Bihar, MP, UP, Delhi).
Total pension (centre + state) — sample states (FY 2026–27)
| State | Total monthly pension (₹) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh / Telangana | ~3,000 | YSR Pension Kanuka |
| Delhi | 2,500 | Delhi Widow Pension Scheme |
| Goa | 2,500 | Dayanand Social Security Scheme |
| Haryana | 3,000 | Income filter ₹3 lakh |
| Punjab | 1,500 | All BPL widows |
| Tamil Nadu | 1,000 | Destitute Widow Scheme |
| Karnataka | 2,000 | Widow Pension (Sandhya Suraksha) |
| Maharashtra | 1,500 | Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojana |
| MP | 600–1,000 | Indira Gandhi Vidhwa Pension |
| Rajasthan | 1,000 | Mukhyamantri Ekal Naari Samman Pension |
| UP | 1,000 | Vidhwa Pension |
| Bihar | 400–1,000 | Indira Gandhi Vidhwa Pension |
Verify the latest state amount on your state social-welfare portal — figures rise during election cycles.
Documents required
While filling online form
- Aadhaar card linked to active mobile and a bank account in your own name
- Husband's death certificate (issued by Municipality / Gram Panchayat / hospital)
- BPL ration card OR SECC 2011 entry — proof that the household is below poverty line
- Age proof — birth certificate, school leaving certificate, voter ID with DOB, or Aadhaar (with verified DOB)
- Bank passbook (account in the applicant's own name)
- Recent passport-size photograph
- Self-declaration of unmarried status (not remarried)
- Self-declaration that applicant is not drawing any other government pension
How to apply
Method 1 — Online via state social-welfare portal
- Open your state’s portal (UP: integrated.up.gov.in/pension; Bihar: serviceonline.bihar.gov.in; Karnataka: sevasindhu.karnataka.gov.in; MP: socialjustice.mp.gov.in).
- Click Widow Pension → Apply. Aadhaar OTP login.
- Fill: personal details, husband’s death-certificate number, BPL ration-card number, bank account number, IFSC.
- Upload scans: Aadhaar, death certificate, BPL card, age proof, bank passbook, photograph.
- Submit and note the application number.
Method 2 — Offline at the Block / Tehsil / CSC
- Visit the Block Development Office / Tehsil office / Common Service Centre with the documents listed above.
- Collect the Application for Widow Pension form. Fill it.
- Attach photocopies (self-attested) and submit. Get a dated receipt.
⏰ Last Date: Open (rolling — no deadline)
Find your state portalClicking this button will take you to the official government portal.
Verification, sanction & first credit
| Stage | Who verifies | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Application submitted | Applicant / CSC operator | Day 0 |
| BPL + widow status check | Gram Panchayat / Ward Member | 10–15 days |
| Age + bank verification | Block / Tehsil pension clerk | 7–15 days |
| DSWO sanction | District Social Welfare Officer | 7–10 days |
| First credit | Treasury → ABPS → bank | 30 days from sanction |
Total: typically 45–75 days from application to first credit. The first month often includes arrears from the date of application.
Status check & life-certificate
- Open nsap.nic.in → Reports → Beneficiary Search → search by name or Sanction ID.
- The page shows: sanction status, monthly amount, last credit date, pending months.
For monthly tracking, use *99# on the registered mobile to hear last credit details. Life certificate (Jeevan Pramaan) must be submitted once a year at any CSC, post office, or via the Aadhaar Face-RD app — failure to do so pauses the pension after 6 months.
Common rejection reasons & fixes
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| Husband’s death not in records | Submit attested death certificate copy at the BDO; entry will be made in NSAP MIS |
| Age below 40 | Apply for state widow pension only — many states (UP, Bihar, MP, Delhi) pay from 18 |
| BPL card missing | Apply via SECC 2011 route at Block office; or use widow-specific state filter (some states waive BPL for widows) |
| Bank account not in own name | Open a fresh account in the widow’s own name; update at Tehsil |
| Remarriage detected | Pension stops permanently. Beneficiary may apply for OAP if 60+ instead |
| Aadhaar DOB estimated | Update with school certificate at Aadhaar enrolment centre |
Frequently asked questions
1. What is the minimum age for widow pension?
2. How much pension will I actually receive?
3. Do I need a BPL card to apply?
4. What happens when I turn 80?
5. Will I lose the pension if I remarry?
6. Can I receive both widow pension and old-age pension?
7. How do I check my pension status if I'm not literate?
8. What if my pension stops without notice?
Latest updates
The 2026 budget allocated ₹9,652 crore to NSAP combined (covering OAP, widow, and disability pensions). The centre approved a revised IGNWPS rate of ₹500/month (up from ₹300, pending notification at time of writing). Several states (Telangana, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Bihar) raised their widow-pension top-ups in their FY 2026–27 budgets — Telangana now pays ₹3,016/month, the highest in India. From October 2025, biometric-based annual re-KYC is mandatory at the BDO / CSC to weed out ghost beneficiaries.
Official links
Disclaimer. SarkariBaba is an independent information publisher. State pension amounts are revised in state budgets — verify the current figure on your state’s social-welfare portal.
