Kochi: The State Cabinet, which met on January 28, 2026, has decided to remove long-standing obstacles in extending social pension benefits to unmarried women above the age of 50, including women living in religious institutions such as monasteries, sub-houses, ashrams, and similar communities. The decision also aims to address and correct misleading propaganda suggesting that the pension scheme was created exclusively for nuns.
The pension scheme for unmarried women above 50 years of age was originally framed under a government order issued on March 31, 2011 (GO (MS) 14/2001). As per the existing norms, eligibility required applicants to be over 50 years of age, unmarried, and without the support of any other social security scheme. Applicants were also required to have no one to care for them, should not be habitual beggars, and should not be residents of poor homes. Additionally, the annual income ceiling was fixed at ₹1 lakh, and applications had to be submitted through the local self-government institution in the area of residence.
However, under these criteria, women living a monastic or religious life across various faiths were effectively excluded from the scheme. Authorities had earlier reasoned that monastic life is community-based, that religious houses functioned as sub-villages, and that at least one member of such communities usually received a government salary, thereby disqualifying others. As a result, women religious and other unmarried women residing in similar collective living arrangements were denied access to the pension despite meeting several core conditions.
Recent developments indicate that the government has now chosen to remove these restrictive interpretations, a move that has been widely welcomed. The Cabinet decision signals an intent to ensure that unmarried women in religious life who do not have a fixed personal income or independent social security coverage are no longer left out purely due to their chosen way of life. The government is expected to announce clear and practical measures in the coming days to implement this policy change on the ground.
For years, members of religious communities have pointed out that they were denied several benefits available to other citizens, solely because of their dedicated lifestyle. Even basic entitlements such as ration cards were made accessible to many monastic communities only in recent times. Observers note that a welfare-oriented policy framework should guarantee equal access to government benefits for all eligible citizens, irrespective of religion, vocation, or stage of life.
The restructured pension scheme is intended to benefit any unmarried woman above 50 who lacks a stable income and does not receive government salaries or other welfare assistance. By extending its scope to include eligible women religious from all faiths, the government seeks to restore the original spirit of social justice embedded in the scheme. At the same time, officials and social commentators have criticized claims that the pension is being unfairly or exclusively granted to nuns, describing such narratives as misleading, immature, and potentially divisive.
The Cabinet’s decision is being viewed as a step toward inclusivity, reaffirming the principle that welfare schemes must be guided by eligibility and need, not by stereotypes or misconceptions about particular communities.