I applied for the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana but have not received any payment. Where should I file the RTI?

The Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana is a GNCTD scheme providing financial assistance to eligible women in Delhi. Applications are processed by the Department of Women and Child Development (WCD) or Social Welfare, GNCTD. If your application is pending or payments have not started, file RTI with the Department of Women and Child Development, GNCTD through rti.delhi.gov.in. Ask for: (1) the current status of your application (Reference No. [XXX]) — whether approved, pending verification, or rejected; (2) if approved, whether payments have been initiated and the dates and amounts transferred; (3) if payment is not being transferred, the specific reason (Aadhaar seeding, bank account mismatch, scheme hold, or other). The second appeal for any WCD/Social Welfare GNCTD RTI is the Delhi Information Commission (DIC).

My elderly parent's Old Age Assistance Pension (OAPS) from Delhi government has stopped without explanation. Can RTI help?

Yes. The Old Age Assistance Pension Scheme (OAPS) for Delhi residents is administered by the Department of Social Welfare, GNCTD. Monthly pension payments are made via DBT to the beneficiary's Aadhaar-linked bank account. If payments have stopped, file RTI with the Social Welfare Department asking: (1) whether [Name], Aadhaar [last 4 digits], is currently listed as an active beneficiary under OAPS — or whether the beneficiary has been removed or suspended from the list; (2) if removed — the specific reason and the date; (3) whether any verification or re-registration requirement has been triggered and whether the beneficiary was notified; (4) the dates and amounts of the last three monthly payments made to this beneficiary. Pension suspension often occurs after a periodic beneficiary verification drive — RTI can establish whether the suspension was notified and whether it was based on a factual error.

My disability pension application from Delhi Social Welfare was rejected. What grounds should I ask about in the RTI?

Ask for: (1) the specific reason for rejection of your application — the eligibility criterion under the GNCTD Disability Pension Scheme guidelines that you did not meet (e.g., minimum disability percentage, income ceiling, absence of a valid disability certificate, residency duration); (2) whether the disability certificate you submitted was found valid — if not, the specific deficiency; (3) the prescribed minimum disability percentage for eligibility and the percentage recorded against your application; (4) whether an income verification was conducted and the income figure recorded; (5) whether a notice was issued before rejection and the opportunity for a hearing. A rejection based on an incorrect disability percentage or a documentation deficiency can often be corrected — the RTI response identifies exactly what needs to be addressed and whether it is a factual error or a policy bar.

How are Delhi government welfare scheme payments made — and what causes payment failures?

Delhi government welfare scheme payments are made via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) through the beneficiary's Aadhaar-linked bank account. Common reasons for payment failure include: (1) Aadhaar not seeded in the bank account — DBT requires NPCI Aadhaar linkage; (2) bank account number mismatch between the scheme database and the bank's records; (3) the account is dormant or has been closed; (4) the beneficiary has been flagged for periodic re-verification and payments are on hold pending re-verification; (5) the scheme itself is undergoing a beneficiary list revision and payments are paused. RTI can identify which of these is the cause — ask specifically about the transaction status for the months in question and whether a DBT failure was recorded.

What if the Delhi Social Welfare Department or WCD does not respond to my RTI within 30 days?

File a First Appeal under Section 19(1) of the RTI Act with the First Appellate Authority (FAA) at the Department of Social Welfare or WCD, GNCTD within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable. If the FAA's response is absent or unsatisfactory, file a Second Appeal with the Delhi Information Commission (DIC) under Section 19(3) within 90 days. The Social Welfare and WCD departments are Delhi State government bodies — second appeal is always DIC (established under Section 15 of the RTI Act), not the Central Information Commission.

Home/Guides/How to File RTI for Delhi Government Welfare Schemes — Mahila Samman, Old Age Pension and Social Assistance

Delhi State

How to File RTI for Delhi Government Welfare Schemes — Mahila Samman, Old Age Pension and Social Assistance

Step-by-step guide to file an RTI with the Delhi government's Department of Social Welfare or Department of Women and Child Development (WCD) for Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana application status, old age pension (OAPS) delays, widow pension, disability pension, and other GNCTD social assistance schemes. Includes a ready-to-use sample RTI draft.

Updated 24 May 2026

Quick Facts

MinistryGovernment of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD)

Address RTI ToPIO, Department of Social Welfare, GNCTD / PIO, Department of Women and Child Development, GNCTD

Application Fee₹10 under RTI (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005. Free for BPL cardholders.

Response Time30 days from receipt (Section 7(1), RTI Act 2005). 48 hours if the matter involves life or liberty.

File Online Athttps://rti.delhi.gov.in

All information on this page is based on the Right to Information Act, 2005 (Act No. 22 of 2005) and the RTI (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005. First Appeal: Section 19(1). Second Appeal to CIC/SIC: Section 19(3).

The Delhi government runs several welfare and social assistance schemes for economically vulnerable residents through two primary departments:

Department of Women and Child Development (WCD), GNCTD — schemes targeted at women, children, and families
Department of Social Welfare, GNCTD — old age assistance pension, widow pension, disability pension, and other social protection schemes

Both departments are public authorities under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005.

Key Delhi Government Welfare Schemes

Scheme	Administering Department	Beneficiary
Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana	WCD / Social Welfare, GNCTD	Eligible women residents of Delhi
Old Age Assistance Pension Scheme (OAPS)	Social Welfare, GNCTD	Delhi residents aged 60+ below income threshold
Widow Pension Scheme	Social Welfare, GNCTD	Widows residing in Delhi below income threshold
Disability Pension Scheme	Social Welfare, GNCTD	Delhi residents with certified disability
Ladli Scheme (girl child benefit)	WCD, GNCTD	Girl children born in Delhi
Delhi Antyodaya Parivar Suraksha Yojana	Social Welfare	Below-poverty-line families

Common Reasons Welfare Applications Are Stuck

Pending Aadhaar seeding — DBT payment requires Aadhaar-linked bank account; many beneficiaries have not completed this
Periodic re-verification pending — GNCTD periodically reverifies beneficiary lists; payments are paused if re-verification is overdue
Income certificate mismatch — the income certificate submitted does not match the threshold or is not from the prescribed authority
Residency document issue — proof of Delhi residency not accepted
Disability certificate deficiency — disability percentage below threshold, or certificate not from a GNCTD-recognised hospital

RTI identifies which of these is blocking your application or payment.

Where to File

This is a Delhi State function. File at rti.delhi.gov.in:

Select Department of Social Welfare (for pension schemes) or Department of Women and Child Development (for Mahila Samman, Ladli, and women-focused schemes)
Include your application reference number, scheme name, Aadhaar last 4 digits, and ward/district
Pay ₹10 online. BPL cardholders are exempt
Submit and note your registration number

Do not file on rtionline.gov.in — these are Delhi State departments. Second appeal goes to the Delhi Information Commission (DIC), not the CIC.

What Specific Information Can You Ask For?

Application status:

Current status of scheme application Ref. No. XXX for Scheme Name — stage and reason for delay
Whether the applicant is on the active beneficiary list and, if not, the reason for exclusion or non-inclusion
Specific eligibility criterion cited for rejection and whether a notice was issued

Payment history: 4. Dates and amounts of each monthly payment made to Name under Scheme Name for the period Month/Year to Month/Year 5. Whether any month's payment failed — the reason (DBT failure, bank issue, Aadhaar seeding, scheme hold)

Eligibility criteria: 6. Current eligibility criteria for Scheme Name — income ceiling, age requirement, residency duration, and documentation required

Appeals

First Appeal (Section 19(1)): File with the FAA at the relevant department (Social Welfare or WCD, GNCTD) within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable.

Second Appeal (Section 19(3)): File with the Delhi Information Commission (DIC) within 90 days. Social Welfare and WCD are Delhi State government bodies — second appeal is DIC (established under Section 15 of the RTI Act), not the CIC.

Sample RTI Application Draft

To,
The Public Information Officer (PIO),
[Department of Social Welfare / Department of Women and Child Development, GNCTD]
[District Social Welfare Office / Department HQ Address, Delhi]

Subject: Application under the Right to Information Act, 2005 — Welfare Scheme Application Status / Pension Delay / Rejection Reason

Sir/Madam,

I, [Your Full Name], residing at [Your Full Address, Delhi], submit this application under Section 6 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, to seek the following information:

Scheme / applicant details:
  Scheme Name: [e.g., Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana / Old Age Assistance Pension Scheme / Widow Pension Scheme / Disability Pension]
  Application Reference Number: [Reference No., if available]
  Applicant's Name: [Full Name]
  Aadhaar Number (last 4 digits): [XXXX]
  Date of Application: [DD/MM/YYYY]
  Ward / District: [Name]

Information sought:

1. The current status of the above welfare scheme application bearing Reference No. [XXX], submitted on [DD/MM/YYYY] — whether approved, pending verification, pending document review, or rejected.

2. If the application is pending — the specific stage at which it is held, the reason for delay, and the name and designation of the officer currently handling the application.

3. If the application was rejected — the specific reason(s) for rejection, the eligibility criterion under the scheme guidelines on which rejection is based, and whether the applicant was notified of the rejection in writing.

4. Whether the applicant has been added to the beneficiary list and whether payments / transfers have commenced — if yes, the date of first payment and the amount; if not, the reason and the stage pending.

5. Whether any monthly pension / assistance amount due to [Applicant Name] has been credited to the bank account linked to the scheme — if any month's payment has not been credited, the specific reason (e.g., Aadhaar seeding failure, bank account issue, scheme suspension, or other).

6. The current eligibility criteria for the [scheme name] — specifically the income ceiling, age criterion, residency requirement, and documentation required, as per the current scheme guidelines of the GNCTD.

I am enclosing the application fee of Rs. 10 [via online payment; Reference No.: [Payment Ref]].

I request the above information within 30 days as required under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act, 2005.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Full Name]
[Your Complete Address]
Phone: [Your 10-digit Mobile Number]
Email: [[email protected]]
Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]

Replace all text in [square brackets] with your actual details before filing. Do not include the brackets in your submission.

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