Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Rural Development addressed Lok Sabha Question No. 3787 on August 12, 2025, regarding the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP). The response outlines the program's components, objectives, impact, evaluations, technology integration, and resulting improvements in transparency and efficiency. The NSAP aims to provide financial support to vulnerable groups through various pension and benefit schemes.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **NSAP Components:**
* The NSAP comprises five schemes: Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS), Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS), Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS), National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS), and Annapurna Scheme.
* Beneficiary ceilings for each scheme are: IGNOAPS (22,130,687), IGNWPS (6,783,469), IGNDPS (833,751), NFBS (358,840), and Annapurna (831,722).
* **Objectives and Impact:**
* NSAP aims to provide basic financial support to vulnerable citizens.
* Pensions range from Rs. 200-500 per month, with States/UTs encouraged to provide top-ups (ranging from Rs. 50 to Rs. 5700).
* The average monthly pension received by NSAP pensioners is Rs. 1100 in several States/UTs.
* Evaluations suggest NSAP helps reduce poverty, bridges the gap between vulnerable groups (elderly, women, disabled) and the general population, and improves living standards and healthcare access.
* **Technology Integration:**
* The National Social Assistance Programme-Pension Payment System (NSAPPPS), a web-based portal, facilitates Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) through the Public Financial Management System (PFMS).
* Over 90% of pension disbursements under NSAP are through DBT.
* Digitization of beneficiary data with Aadhaar/Mobile seeding helps remove duplication and leakage.
* An Aadhaar-based Mobile Application is used for annual Life Certification of pension beneficiaries.
Impact Analysis:
* **Beneficiaries (Elderly, Widows, Persons with Disabilities, Families in need):**
* *Impact:* Receive financial assistance through pensions and benefits, leading to improved living standards, healthcare access, and reduced poverty. Benefit from streamlined, transparent, and efficient disbursement through DBT.
* *Action Required:* Ensure Aadhaar and mobile details are seeded with their pension accounts. Complete annual Life Certification through the Aadhaar-based Mobile Application.
* **State/UT Governments:**
* *Impact:* Expected to supplement central assistance with top-ups to pension amounts. Encouraged to integrate with the NSAPPPS for efficient pension disbursement and beneficiary management.
* *Action Required:* Provide top-ups to pension amounts as per their financial capacity. Implement and utilize the NSAPPPS for DBT and beneficiary data management.
* **Ministry of Rural Development:**
* *Impact:* Responsible for overseeing the NSAP, ensuring efficient implementation, and monitoring its impact.
* *Action Required:* Maintain and update the NSAPPPS, conduct evaluations to assess program effectiveness, and ensure compliance with DBT guidelines.
Key Entities Referenced
National Social Assistance Programme: A social welfare program in India aimed at providing financial assistance to vulnerable groups such as the elderly, widows, and persons with disabilities.
Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme: A component of NSAP providing pensions to elderly individuals.
Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme: A component of NSAP providing pensions to widows.
Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme: A component of NSAP providing pensions to persons with disabilities.
National Family Benefit Scheme: A component of NSAP providing financial assistance to families upon the death of a primary breadwinner.
Annapurna Scheme: A component of NSAP providing food security to indigent senior citizens who do not receive pensions.
Direct Benefit Transfer: A mechanism used for transferring subsidies and benefits directly to beneficiaries' bank accounts.
Public Financial Management System: A platform used for managing government finances and facilitating Direct Benefit Transfer.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3787
ANSWERED ON 12/08/2025
NATIONAL SOCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME
3787. Shri Mani A:
Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:
(a) the number of beneficiaries currently covered under each
component of National Social Assistance Program (NSAP);
(b) whether the NSAP has achieved its objective of providing social
assistance to the poor;
(c) the impact of the program on reducing poverty among the
elderly, widows, and persons with disabilities;
(d) whether any independent evaluation or assessment of NSAP has
been conducted and if so, the key findings of such evaluations;
(e) whether technology has been integrated into the
implementation of NSAP;
(f) if so, the details of measures such as Direct Benefit Transfer
(DBT) and online beneficiary management systems; and
(g) the extent to which such measures have improved transparency
and efficiency?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN)
(a): National Social Assistance Program (NSAP) comprises of
the five schemes viz. Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme
(IGNOAPS), Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS)
, Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme
(IGNDPS), National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) and Annapurna
Scheme. The Scheme-wise ceiling of no. of beneficiaries under each
component of NSAP is given below:
IGNOAPS IGNWPS IGNDPS NFBS Annapurna
22130687 6783469 833751 358840 831722
Page 1 of 2(b) to (d): NSAP was launched with an objective of providing a basic
level of financial support to the most vulnerable groups of citizens.
Pensions ranging from Rs. 200-500 per month are provided under
NSAP. As per NSAP guidelines, States/UTs are also encouraged to
provide top-ups over and above the central assistance. Presently,
States/UTs are adding top-ups ranging from Rs. 50/- to Rs. 5700/- per
month per beneficiary under the pension schemes of NSAP. As a
result, NSAP pensioners are getting monthly pension on an average
of Rs. 1100/- in several States/ UTs. From time to time, various impact
assessment and evaluation studies have been carried out to assess
the impact of NSAP schemes. As per the findings of these studies,
NSAP helps in reducing poverty and bridging the gap between
vulnerable groups viz. elderly, women & disabled and the general
population. It also helps in improving living standards and healthcare
access for beneficiaries. The programme along with other welfare
schemes of the Govt. has impacted the life of the poor and destitute
positively.
(e) to (g): A Web-based pension payment portal, National Social
Assistance Programme-Pension Payment System (NSAP-PPS)
operationalized by the Ministry as an end-to-end digital tool for Direct
Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode disbursal of pension through Public
Financial Management System (PFMS) has helped in ensuring speedy
and efficient disbursal of pension assistance directly to the
beneficiary. More than 90% pension disbursal under NSAP is through
DBT mode. Digitization of beneficiary data along with Aadhaar/Mobile
seeding has resulted in removing duplication of beneficiaries and
leakage of resources. An Aadhaar based Mobile Application has been
launched for digitizing the process of annual Life Certification of
pension beneficiaries.
*****
Page 2 of 2