**Executive Summary**
This document presents answers to questions raised in Lok Sabha regarding the Old Age Pension Scheme under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP). It provides data on funds released to the State of Karnataka over the last five years, allocations for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) beneficiaries since FY 2021-22, and beneficiary statistics. The document also outlines the roles of Central and State/UT governments and reports on Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) implementation status as of February 3, 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Funding to Karnataka:**
* Funds released to Karnataka under the Old Age Pension Scheme (NSAP) for the last five years are detailed in Annexure-I.
* 2020-21: Rs 300.73 crore
* 2021-22: Rs 291.52 crore
* 2022-23: Rs 243.66 crore
* 2023-24: Rs 303.75 crore
* 2024-25: Rs 68.31 crore
* Funds released for SC and ST beneficiaries in Karnataka since FY 2021-22 are detailed in Annexure-II.
* **Central and State/UT Responsibilities:**
* Both Central and State/UT governments are responsible for a comprehensive social security framework.
* States/UTs are encouraged to provide top-up amounts to the central assistance for a decent level of support, currently ranging from Rs. 50 to Rs. 3800 per month.
* **Beneficiary Data:**
* The number of male and female beneficiaries (based on digitized data or state cap, whichever is less) is provided in Annexure-III.
* Category-wise beneficiary data (based on State/UT Ceiling/Cap) under the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme is also included in Annexure-III.
* **Scheme Implementation:**
* States/UTs are responsible for implementing NSAP schemes, including beneficiary identification/verification, pension disbursal, pension stoppage, and annual verification.
* **Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT):**
* NSAP pension schemes are included under DBT to foster transparency and swiftness.
* Most States/UTs are DBT compliant except Andhra Pradesh and Nagaland. Andhra Pradesh disburses pensions at the doorstep with biometric authentication, and Nagaland primarily uses cash due to geographical terrain.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Central Government**
* **Impact:** Required to work with States/UTs to implement and fund the NSAP scheme.
* **Action Required:** Continue to provide financial assistance and policy guidance to States/UTs.
**Stakeholder: State Governments (Specifically Karnataka)**
* **Impact:** Responsible for implementing the NSAP scheme, disbursing pensions, and verifying beneficiaries.
* **Action Required:** Ensure timely disbursal of pensions, verify beneficiary data, and adhere to DBT guidelines.
**Stakeholder: Beneficiaries (Old Age Pensioners)**
* **Impact:** Receive financial assistance under the NSAP scheme.
* **Action Required:** Undergo verification processes as required by the State/UT government, and adopt DBT methods for receiving payments.
Key Entities Referenced
National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP): A social welfare program providing financial assistance to the elderly, widows, and persons with disabilities.
Old Age Pension Scheme: A component of NSAP focused on providing pension to senior citizens.
Ministry of Rural Development: The Indian government ministry responsible for implementing the NSAP, including the Old Age Pension Scheme.
Karnataka: Indian state that is the subject of the Lok Sabha question regarding NSAP fund allocation and beneficiaries.
Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT): A mechanism for transferring subsidies directly to beneficiaries' bank accounts.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 544
ANSWERED ON 03/02/2026
OLD AGE PENSION SCHEME UNDER NSAP
544. Dr. K Sudhakar:
Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:
(a) the total amount of funds released to the State of Karnataka
under the Old Age Pension Scheme of the National Social
Assistance Programme (NSAP) during each of the last five
years;
(b) the separate allocation and release of funds for Scheduled
Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) beneficiaries since the
year 2021–2022;
(c) whether the Government has evaluated the variation in
State/UT top-up amounts under the NSAP Old Age Pension
Scheme;
(d) the total number of beneficiaries (male/female/SC/ST/Others) of
the Old Age Pension Scheme in Karnataka, State and category-
wise;
(e) the timeline for disbursal of pensions to beneficiaries and
whether delays have been reported; and
(f) the number of beneficiaries still paid through manual or offline
means and the timeline for achieving 100% Direct Benefit
Transfer (DBT) integration?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN)
(a): Funds released under the Old Age Pension Scheme of the
National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) during the last five
years to the State of Karnataka are given at Annexure-I.
(b): Funds released for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe
(ST) beneficiaries under NSAP since FY 2021–22 to the State of
Karnataka are given at Annexure-II.
Page 1 of 6(c): As per Constitution of India, both the Central Government and
States/ UTs have the responsibility for working in tandem in rolling
out a comprehensive social security framework for the country.
Accordingly, the States/ UTs are encouraged to provide top up of at
least an equivalent amount to the assistance provided by the
Central Govt. so that the beneficiaries could get a decent level of
assistance. At present, the States/UTs are adding Top up amounts
ranging from Rs. 50 to Rs. 3800 per month per beneficiary under old
age pension scheme.
(d): The number of male and female beneficiaries (based on
digitized beneficiaries on NSAP-Pension Payment System (PPS)
Portal or State cap of number of beneficiaries, whichever is less)
and category-wise number of beneficiaries (on the basis of State/UT
Ceiling/Cap) under the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension
Scheme, State-wise including Karnataka are given in Annexure-III.
(e): As per NSAP guidelines, responsibility of implementation of
NSAP schemes, identification/verification of beneficiaries, disbursal
of pension to beneficiaries, stoppage of pension, annual verification
of beneficiaries lies in the hand of States/UTs.
(f): To foster transparency and swiftness in transactions, NSAP
pension schemes are included under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)
schemes. At present, almost all States/ UTs are DBT compliant
except Andhra Pradesh and Nagaland. In Andhra Pradesh, pension is
disbursed to NSAP beneficiaries at doorstep in cash through bio-
metric authentication and Nagaland provides pension through cash
mode to majority of its beneficiaries due to geographical terrain.
*****
Page 2 of 6Annexure-I
Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) LokSabhaUnstarred
Question No. 544 to be answered on 03.02.2026 regarding Old Age
Pension Scheme under NSAP
Fund released to the State of Karnataka during the last five years
under IGNOAPS (2020-21 to 2024-25)
(Rs. in crore)
2020- 2021- 2022- 2023- 2024-
FY
21 22 23 24 25
Funds 300.73
291.52 243.66 303.75 68.31
released
Page 3 of 6Annexure-II
Annexure referred to in part (b) LokSabhaUnstarred Question No.
544 to be answered on 03.02.2026 regarding Old Age Pension
Scheme under NSAP
Funds released to the State of Karnataka for Scheduled Caste (SC)
and Scheduled Tribe (ST) beneficiaries under NSAP
(Rs in lakh)
2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26*
SC ST SC ST SC ST SC ST SC ST
9871. 4881.67826.04914.98465.14738.0 1446.5349 11663.66409.3
3 9 8 1 2 7 4 9 6 5
* As on 28/01/2026
Page 4 of 6Annexure-III
Annexure referred to in part (d) LokSabhaUnstarred Question No. 544 to be
answered on 03.02.2026 regarding Old Age Pension Scheme under NSAP
Male and Female beneficiaries under IGNOAPS
State Female Male
1 ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR 239 343
2 ANDHRA PRADESH 308964 354772
3 ARUNACHAL PRADESH 3673 2220
4 ASSAM 342017 333343
5 BIHAR 1617991 1538540
6 CHANDIGARH 1287 1091
7 CHHATTISGARH 268952 307792
8 DELHI 61607 41690
9 GOA 2938 4369
10 GUJARAT 292823 325242
11 HARYANA 120515 139343
12 HIMACHAL PRADESH 49192 43986
13 JAMMU AND KASHMIR 53389 72488
14 JHARKHAND 434592 415486
15 KARNATAKA 477389 421929
16 KERALA 217327 241445
17 LADAKH 3008 3470
18 LAKSHADWEEP 64 56
19 MADHYA PRADESH 633212 779335
20 MAHARASHTRA 633205 470771
21 MANIPUR 32762 22893
22 MEGHALAYA 32537 23193
23 MIZORAM 13247 11275
24 NAGALAND 24943 20998
25 ODISHA 549003 846306
26 PUDUCHERRY 10238 7475
27 PUNJAB 25181 16866
28 RAJASTHAN 385287 433852
29 SIKKIM 769 948
30 TAMIL NADU 737809 453059
31 TELANGANA 189954 287530
32 THE DADRA AND NAGAR HAVELI AND DAMAN AND DIU 4889 3865
33 TRIPURA 55987 66056
34 UTTARAKHAND 100747 103810
35 UTTAR PRADESH 1432260 2015219
36 WEST BENGAL 551009 720955
* Based on number of eligible beneficiaries whose database has been digitized on
NSAP-PPS portal or State cap of number of beneficiaries, whichever is less.
Page 5 of 6Category wise beneficiaries under IGNOAPS
S. No. States/UTs IGNOAPS
OTHER SC ST
1 Andhra Pradesh 454859 143433 65444
2 Bihar 2163668 682283 311305
3 Chhattisgarh 442728 138505 63196
4 Goa 5008 1579 721
5 Gujarat 425489 133944 61115
6 Haryana 178085 56157 25623
7 Himachal Pradesh 63855 20136 9187
8 Jharkhand 702358 194151 88585
9 Karnataka 616374 194365 88683
10 Kerala 321651 94187 42975
11 Madhya Pradesh 1079401 340375 155303
12 Maharashtra 773290 240086 109544
13 Odisha 979528 301526 137577
14 Punjab 80636 22193 10126
15 Rajasthan 564668 178060 81244
16 Tamil Nadu 878900 277149 126455
17 Telangana 329160 103796 47359
18 Uttar Pradesh 3645419 739694 337500
19 Uttarakhand 140183 44205 20169
20 West Bengal 877979 276858 126322
21 Arunachal Pradesh 5893 0 5893
22 Assam 586175 37851 71971
23 Manipur 31609 1876 22406
24 Meghalaya 7607 417 47710
25 Mizoram 1295 11 23218
26 Nagaland 1362 49 44530
27 Sikkim 12287 422 4219
28 Tripura 79285 14303 41644
29 A&N Islands 247 23 315
30 Chandigarh 1144 84 1150
31 D&N Haveli and D&D 3663 348 4743
32 NCT Delhi 104323 4939 4562
33 Jammu &Kashmir 118957 5896 5445
34 Ladakh 4481 1377 628
35 Lakshadweep 85 5 65
36 Puducherry 16108 834 771
* Based on State/UT cap of number of beneficiaries
*****
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