The central government has approved the extension of its flagship social protection program, the National Social Assistance Program (NSAP), for five years, until 2031. The program has been renamed to Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana, and the name of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi has been removed from three of its sub-programs.
The Minister of Industry and Commerce, Ashwini Vaishnaw, announced this decision, noting that this 'comprehensive social security network' will cover vulnerable groups, including the elderly, widows, and persons with disabilities. The program, with a budget of 53,428 crore rupees, is expected to benefit 3.2 crore people.
The updated program provides for changes in eligibility criteria for pensions for Persons with Disabilities (PwD) and an increase in the amount of aid provided under this sub-program.
According to an official statement, the Indira Gandhi Old Age Pension Scheme has been renamed PM Vridhavastha Pension Yojana. The Indira Gandhi Widow Pension Scheme is now called PM Vidhawa Pension Yojana, and the Indira Gandhi Disability Pension Scheme has become PM Divyangjan Pension Yojana.
These changes follow the Cabinet's approval last December of a new guaranteed rural employment scheme—Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin)—which replaced the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
Under the revised disability pension sub-program, the monthly allowance will increase to 375 rupees for recipients aged from birth to 79 years and to 625 rupees for those aged 80 years and above. Previously, recipients aged 18–79 years received 300 rupees monthly, and those over 80 years received 500 rupees.
The eligibility threshold for establishing disability has also been lowered from 80% to 40%, aligning with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act of 2016. The government stated that this change was necessitated by the law, which also mandates that disability-related aid must be at least 25% higher than that provided under similar schemes for other categories. The revised scheme is expected to cover more than 2.748 million beneficiaries.
Pension amounts under the old schemes for the elderly and widows, as well as aid under the National Family Benefit Scheme, will remain unchanged. The old age pension ranges from 200 to 500 rupees per month and covers 22.131 million beneficiaries, while the widow pension ranges from 300 to 500 rupees per month and serves 6.738 million beneficiaries.
Under the National Family Benefit Scheme, the family receives a one-time financial assistance of 20,000 rupees after the death of the primary breadwinner, provided the deceased was between the ages of 18 and 59. This scheme covers up to 3.59 million beneficiaries.