In a major step towards ensuring transparency and fairness in welfare distribution, the Uttar Pradesh government has started a comprehensive verification drive for beneficiaries under the National Old Age Pension Scheme.

The initiative will verify the records of nearly 61 lakh pensioners currently receiving support through the scheme.

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According to official directives here on Saturday , Divisional Commissioners and District Magistrates have been instructed to complete the verification process by May 25.

The move aims to ensure that only genuine and eligible senior citizens continue to receive pension benefits in the upcoming financial year 2025–26.

During the verification, deceased or ineligible beneficiaries will be removed, making way for newly eligible senior citizens to receive benefits under the scheme.

Social Welfare Minister Aseem Arun said here on Saturday the government is fully committed to ensuring the safety, dignity, and health of senior citizens. He added that the pension amount will be transferred directly to the bank accounts of eligible elderly individuals through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

Elderly people aged 60 years or above with an annual income of less than Rs 46,080 in rural areas or Rs 56,460 in urban areas are eligible for the pension scheme. The verification process is being carried out by Block Development Officers (BDOs) in rural areas and by Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) or Executive Officers (EOs) in urban areas.

To ensure the accuracy of this process, 10% of the verified cases will undergo cross-checking by Divisional Deputy Directors and Social Welfare Officers. Strict action will be taken against any official found responsible for wrongly marking a living pensioner as deceased.

As part of the ‘Zero Poverty’ campaign, efforts are underway to bring eligible elderly persons from identified poor families into the pension scheme. Once verified, the first pension installment will be provided to them starting June, offering some relief for their daily living.

To maintain transparency in pension distribution, linking of Aadhaar, mobile number, and bank account has been made mandatory. Through an integrated portal, the government is also ensuring that no individual receives more than one pension benefit.