Parliament Question: Beneficiaries under IGNDPS

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3745 ANSWERED ON 12/08/2025 BENEFICIARIES UNDER IGNDPS

3745. Shri Asaduddin Owaisi:

Shri Bastipati Nagaraju:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

(a) the number of beneficiaries currently covered under the Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS), specifically for persons with disabilities and further categorized by type of disability, State and UT-wise;

(b) the eligibility criteria for availing benefits under the said scheme and the rationale for limiting pension coverage to only those with 80% or more disability;

(c) the amount of pension (in absolute figures) currently provided to the persons with disabilities under IGNDPS;

(d) whether the Government proposes to increase the Central Government’s contribution to the disability pension component under the scheme; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN)

(a): Under Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme

(IGNDPS), overall State/UT-wise cap of number of beneficiaries is

8.33 lakh, State/UT-wise details of which is given in Annexure.The beneficiaries belonging to severe/ multiple disabilities from BPL category are covered for availing assistance under the scheme.

Under the State/UT cap, there is no categorization or ceiling prescribed based on type of disability. However, as per scheme guidelines, it is the responsibility of the State/UT concerned to proactively identify the most deserving beneficiary among the disabled persons, as per the prescribed eligibility criteria.

Page 1 of 3(b): IGNDPS introduced in 2009 under National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) does not have universal coverage. Out of the disabled persons, in terms of scheme guidelines, the most vulnerable category of persons with severe or multiple disability belonging to BPL category in the age of 18 years and above are eligible for assistance under IGNDPS. As per guidelines, in view of the limitation of fund available, if there are more deserving beneficiaries, the State/UT has the option to give them pension from its own resources.

(c): The central assistance under the IGNDPS is ₹300/- per month per beneficiary from 18 to 79 years of age and ₹ 500/- per month per beneficiary from 80 years onwards. The States/UTs are encouraged to provide top-up amount of at least an equivalent amount to the assistance provided by the Central Government so that the beneficiaries could get a decent level of assistance. At present, the States/UTs are adding top-up amount ranging from ₹200/- to ₹ 5700/- per month per beneficiary under disability pension scheme.

(d) & (e): While considering the continuation of NSAP schemes for the 15th Finance Commission cycle (2021-26), the revision in beneficiary coverage and rate of assistance under the schemes was considered by the Government. However, considering the available financial space, the Government has approved continuation of NSAP schemes in its present form.

***** Page 2 of 3Annexure ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (A) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3745 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.08.2025 REGARDING BENEFICIARIES UNDER IGNDPS State/UT-wise cap of beneficiaries under IGNDPS Sl. No States/UTs IGNDPS 1 Andhra Pradesh 24412 2 Bihar 127100 3 Chhattisgarh 32085 4 Goa 466 5 Gujarat 20327 6 Haryana 16583 7 Himachal Pradesh 853 8 Jharkhand 26349 9 Karnataka 44825 10 Kerala 19285 11 Madhya Pradesh 101470 12 Maharashtra 9322 13 Odisha 90283 14 Punjab 5982 15 Rajasthan 30513 16 Tamil Nadu 64096 17 Telangana 20578 18 Uttar Pradesh 85773 19 Uttarakhand 2880 20 West Bengal 59941 NE States 21 Arunachal Pradesh 112 22 Assam 34579 23 Manipur 1005 24 Meghalaya 1558 25 Mizoram 722 26 Nagaland 1011 27 Sikkim 457 28 Tripura 2131 Union Territories 29 A&N Islands 2 30 Chandigarh 100 31 D&N Haveli and D&D 310 32 NCT Delhi 4635 33 Jammu & Kashmir 2465 34 Ladakh 219 35 Lakshadweep 51 36 Puducherry 1271 TOTAL 833751 ***** Page 3 of 3