Starting from July 1, 2023, the Haryana government had initiated the Single Pension Scheme for individuals aged between 45 and 60 years who remain unmarried. Now, the government has released a detailed explanation of the scheme, which offers a monthly pension of Rs 2,750 to eligible unmarried individuals. It is important to note that this pension scheme is exclusively for unmarried individuals, and divorced or live-in partners will not be eligible to avail its benefits. Let's delve into the criteria to avail the pension and other crucial details related to the scheme.


Eligibility Criteria for Pension


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To be eligible for this pension, the beneficiary's age must be between 45 and 60 years, and their annual income should not exceed Rs 1.80 lakh. Additionally, those who have undergone divorce will not be entitled to the scheme's benefits. If an individual had been eligible for the scheme earlier due to their unmarried status and later gets married, they must inform the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment about their marriage. Failure to notify the department about the marriage will result in penalties, and the amount received until then will be collected with a 12% interest as a penalty.


Pension for Divorcees


The Haryana government clarified that individuals who have undergone divorce and have an annual income of up to Rs 3 lakh will also be considered eligible for the scheme. However, once the beneficiary turns 60 years of age, the pension will be converted into an old-age pension. Haryana currently has 70,687 unmarried individuals, out of which 5,687 are divorcees, making them eligible for the new pension scheme. However, widows will not be eligible for this scheme as the state government already provides them financial assistance under the Widow Pension Scheme. The new pension scheme, offering a monthly pension of Rs 2,750 to each beneficiary, will add a burden of over 240 crore rupees annually to the state exchequer.


Increment in Old Age Pension Scheme


Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced on July 4 that his government is planning to introduce a pension scheme for unmarried individuals aged between 45 and 60 years. Responding to a complaint about the pension of a 60-year-old unmarried individual during a "Jan Samvad" program in Kamalpura village of Karnal district, the Chief Minister stated, "The government will take a decision on the scheme within a month." In addition, CM Manohar Lal Khattar had previously announced an increase in the old age pension, raising it from Rs 2,750 to Rs 3,000 per month.