Odisha plans pension for poor divorced women

Odisha government is contemplating to provide social security pension to poor women who are either divorced or facing proceedings for it in different courts, a minister said on Saturday.

Women, with a gross annual income below Rs 40,000, will be entitled to get the assistance under the Madhu Babu Pension Yojana (MBPY), said Ashok Chandra Panda, Minister for Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.

In order to avail the pension, affected women will have to deposit related documents of their divorce cases in courts.

MBPY is a beneficial scheme for aged persons and the beneficiaries of the scheme are entitled to get Rs 500 per month up to 79 years and Rs 700 a month above 80 years of age.

At least 48 lakh elderly, disabled, widows and destitute women are the beneficiaries of the scheme which was launched in the state in 2008, the minister said.