Examining Barriers to Access of Social Pensions in India

Ensuring the well-being of particularly vulnerable groups in society remains an important priority and challenge for all governments, especially in developing countries. Oftentimes, even when welfare schemes are available, they are not taken up by those who could benefit from them most. In India, widows and abandoned women living in poverty are a particularly disadvantaged group. While there are national and state-level non-contributory pension schemes to assist these women, evidence suggests that the majority of eligible women do not obtain their pension entitlements. This Delhi-based research project aims to understand barriers citizens face in selecting into this entitlement program by testing the effectiveness of providing information and/or various forms of assistance with the application process.