Kerala to extend social security benefits to nuns and other women in faith homes

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government on Wednesday approved a special scheme to ensure that eligible women living in religious institutions can receive state social security benefits, a move aimed at supporting a group often left out of welfare systems.

The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, with the government saying it wants to remove practical hurdles that have prevented many women, including nuns from accessing financial support.

The scheme will cover women residing in places such as convents, monasteries, ashrams and other faith-run institutions, a CMO release said here.


Many of them have no independent income but have struggled to meet documentation requirements for pensions and welfare aid.

Under the new decision, unmarried women aged over 50 from these categories who do not receive a salary, pension or any other government benefit will be treated as a special category.

To make it easier for them to receive a pension under an existing government order issued on March 31, 2001, the Cabinet has waived the usual requirement for income and unmarried status certificates.

Instead, the government will introduce a special application form designed specifically for this group.