Bengal Government Set to Double Old Age Pension to ₹2,000, Disability Allowance Also Likely to Rise

The newly formed BJP government in West Bengal has decided to increase the state’s old age pension from ₹1,000 to ₹2,000 per month, according to sources in the Women, Child and Social Welfare Department. The government is also preparing to raise disability pensions under the same welfare revision exercise. 

The move comes days after the BJP assumed power in Bengal following the 2026 Assembly elections. Under the previous Trinamool Congress government, senior citizens above the age of 60 received ₹1,000 per month as old age assistance. The new administration has now decided to double the amount, though the official implementation date has not yet been announced. 

According to the report, the decision has been taken by the department headed by newly appointed Women and Child Welfare Minister Agnimitra Paul. Sources indicated that both old age pension and disability allowances, which earlier stood at ₹1,000 per month, will be revised upward to ₹2,000. 

The development is also being viewed in the context of debates surrounding welfare continuity after the change in government. During the Assembly election campaign, the BJP had promised the launch of the “Annapurna Bhandar” scheme, under which eligible women would receive ₹3,000 per month. After assuming office, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari stated that no existing welfare scheme would be discontinued immediately. 

Under the earlier Trinamool government, women between the ages of 25 and 60 received benefits under the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme. Once beneficiaries crossed the age of 60, they were shifted to the old age pension category and continued receiving the same financial assistance. However, uncertainty had emerged over whether elderly beneficiaries would also receive enhanced payments after the Lakshmir Bhandar amount was increased before the elections. 

The BJP had earlier questioned the previous government over the issue, alleging lack of clarity regarding pension revisions for senior citizens. The new government’s decision is now being projected as an attempt to remove that uncertainty while expanding welfare coverage for elderly and differently abled beneficiaries. 

Government sources said a formal announcement regarding implementation timelines and beneficiary guidelines is expected soon. The proposed increase would mark one of the first major welfare-related financial decisions taken by the new BJP administration in Bengal.