New Delhi, October 14: The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved the continuation of the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) for five years, from 2026-27 to 2030-31, with an outlay of ₹53,428 crore.
About 3.20 crore beneficiaries across all 36 states and union territories will be covered, according to the government.
Changes to disability pension
The biggest change is in the disability pension. The benchmark disability needed to qualify has been lowered from 80% to 40%, and the pension will now be available from birth instead of from a minimum age.
The monthly assistance will be ₹375 for people aged up to 79 and ₹625 for those aged 80 and above. Guidelines on the new eligibility, number of beneficiaries and rates are to be issued and put in place within three months.
The government said the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 links disability assistance to a 40% benchmark disability and requires it to be at least 25% higher than comparable schemes for other groups.
New names
The programme will now be called the Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana. Its sub-schemes have also been renamed:
- Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme becomes Pradhan Mantri Vridhavastha Pension Yojana
- Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme becomes Pradhan Mantri Vidhawa Pension Yojana
- Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme becomes Pradhan Mantri Divyangjan Pension Yojana
- National Family Benefit Scheme becomes Pradhan Mantri Parivar Labh Yojana
Old age and widow pensions and the family benefit scheme will continue in their current form.
Background
The NSAP was launched on August 15, 1995 to support poor households, in line with Article 41 of the Constitution. It is fully funded by the Centre so that the same assistance is available across the country.