Executive Summary:
This document is the response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3825 regarding a review of the National Social Assistance Program (NSAP), answered on August 12, 2025. It addresses the revision of support amounts, concerns about old-age pension rates, proposals to increase pension amounts, and details of funds released for Old Age Pension from 2011 to 2024. The government approved continuation of NSAP in its current form up to FY 2025-26.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **NSAP Overview:**
* NSAP is a social security program for vulnerable sections of society such as the elderly, widows, and disabled persons belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families.
* NSAP aims to provide a basic level of financial support to vulnerable citizens.
* **Revisions to Assistance Rates:**
* Old age pension scheme assistance increased in 2007 from Rs. 75 to Rs. 200 for the 60-79 age group.
* Pension amount for those 80 years and above increased in 2011 from Rs. 200 to Rs. 500.
* Widow and Disability Pension Schemes were last revised in 2012 to Rs. 300.
* Assistance of Rs. 500 per month is provided for the age group of 80 years and above.
* National Family Benefit Scheme assistance increased in 2012 from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 20,000.
* **Current Pension Amounts and State/UT Contributions:**
* States/UTs are encouraged to provide top-ups to central assistance.
* States/UTs currently add top-ups ranging from Rs. 50 to Rs. 5700 per month per beneficiary.
* NSAP pensioners receive an average monthly pension of Rs. 1100 in several States/UTs.
* **Future of NSAP:**
* The government has approved the continuation of NSAP in its present form, including current assistance rates, up to FY 2025-26.
* There is no current proposal to increase pension amounts under NSAP.
* **Funds Released:**
* State/UT-wise funds released under Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) from 2011 to 2024 are detailed in the annexure.
Impact Analysis
* **Beneficiaries (Old aged, Widows and Disabled Persons):**
* *Impact:* Continued financial assistance at current rates until FY 2025-26; Potential for varied pension amounts due to State/UT top-ups.
* *Action Required:* Be aware of the pension amount in their specific State/UT and any available top-ups.
* **State/UT Governments:**
* *Impact:* Encouraged to provide additional financial support to NSAP beneficiaries.
* *Action Required:* Review and potentially adjust top-up amounts to enhance beneficiary support.
* **Central Government (Ministry of Rural Development):**
* *Impact:* Responsible for maintaining NSAP in its current form until FY 2025-26, including fund allocation.
* *Action Required:* Continue disbursing funds as per existing guidelines and monitor the effectiveness of the program.
Key Entities Referenced
National Social Assistance Program: A social security program in India, primarily meant for vulnerable sections of the society such as old aged, widows, and disabled persons belonging to Below Poverty Line.
Shri Varun Chaudhry: Member of Lok Sabha who raised a question regarding the National Social Assistance Program.
Dr. D Ravi Kumar: Member of Lok Sabha who raised a question regarding the National Social Assistance Program.
Kamlesh Paswan: Minister of State in the Ministry of Rural Development who answered the questions regarding the National Social Assistance Program.
Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme: A pension scheme for senior citizens under the National Social Assistance Program.
15th Finance Commission: The Fifteenth Finance Commission constituted to give recommendations for devolution of taxes and other fiscal matters, period up to FY 2025-26 mentioned in context of continuation of NSAP.
Andhra Pradesh: A state in India, mentioned in the Annexure with state-wise fund allocation under IGNOAPS.
Uttar Pradesh: A state in India, mentioned in the Annexure with state-wise fund allocation under IGNOAPS.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3825
ANSWERED ON 12/08/2025
REVIEW OF NATIONAL SOCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
3825. Shri Varun Chaudhry:
Dr. D Ravi Kumar:
Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:
(a) the year when the National Social Assistance Program (NSAP)
was last revised for quantum of support to the beneficiaries and
the income criteria;
(b) whether the Government is aware that the central contribution
to old-age pensions under the said scheme has remained at Rs.
200 per month since 2011, despite inflation and rising living
costs, if so, the reasons for not revising it;
(c) whether there is any proposal under consideration to increase
the amount of pension of Rs. 200 to Rs. 500 per month under this
program; and
(d) if so, the details of funds released under the NSAP for Old Age
Pension from 2011 to 2024, State/UT-wise ?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN)
(a): Rate of assistance under Old age pension scheme of National
Social Assistance Program (NSAP) was increased in 2007 i.e. from
Rs. 75/- to Rs. 200/- for age group 60-79 years. For Old age group 80
years & above, the pension amount was increased in the year 2011
from Rs. 200/- to Rs. 500/-. Further, rate of assistance under Widow
Pension Scheme and Disability Pension Scheme of NSAP was last
revised in 2012 to Rs. 300/- and assistance of Rs. 500/- per month is
provided for the age group of 80 years and above. The assistance
under the National Family Benefit Schemes component of NSAP was
increased in 2012 from Rs. 10000 to Rs. 20,000. NSAP is implemented
across the country as a social security programme, primarily meant
for vulnerable sections of the society such as old aged, widows, and
disabled persons belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL).
Page 1 of 3(b): NSAP was launched with an objective of providing a basic level
of financial support to most vulnerable group of citizens. 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. The Government has approved continuation of NSAP in
its present form including rate of assistance for 15th Finance
Commission cycle i.e upto FY 2025-26.
(c) & (d): At present, there is no proposal for under consideration for
increase in the amount of pensions covered under NSAP. State/UT-
wise funds released under Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension
Scheme (IGNOAPS) of NSAP from 2011 to 2024 is given at Annexure.
*****
Page 2 of 3Annexure
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN PART (C) & (D) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 3825 FOR
ANSWER ON 12.08.2025 REGARDING REVIEW OF NATIONAL SOCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
State/UT-wise funds released under Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) from
2011 to 2024
Funds released (Rs. in crore)
Sl.N
States/UTs 2011- 2012- 2013- 2014- 2015- 2016- 2017- 2018- 2019- 2020- 2021- 2022- 2023- 2024-
o. 12* 13* 14* 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Andhra 409.4 675.6 628.6 215.7 150.0 276.0 184.0 184.0 195.1 186.7 141.5 194.7 253.7 229.0
1 Pradesh 9 3 2 0 9 8 5 5 8 7 5 5 2 1
971.4 1012. 1418. 715.1 1090. 577.7 825.5 852.2 948.8 1000. 998.0 1059. 1153. 1085.
2 Bihar 8 17 81 3 65 8 4 7 9 02 5 14 55 59
Chhattisga 235.0 230.7 315.2 126.3 135.3 248.1 172.9 180.9 186.4 183.5 187.6 190.6 242.2
3 rh 7 3 3 1 1 7 8 1 2 98.55 8 9 3 1
4 Goa 1.29 2.92 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0 0.00 0.00
132.4 136.0 183.9 134.1 147.6 173.6 173.6 130.2 217.0 183.0 183.4
5 Gujarat 89.98 6 8 49.49 68.33 0 4 4 4 4 3 5 6 9
180.3
6 Haryana 69.30 75.05 83.17 31.49 37.29 80.38 70.91 67.11 88.84 34.96 0.00 9 0.00 0.00
Himachal
7 Pradesh 29.34 30.98 35.23 17.83 21.96 33.08 52.09 36.31 37.32 39.34 9.85 29.56 72.91 0.00
8 J & K 23.72 28.21 41.74 30.48 30.62 41.25 42.43 43.72 21.92 22.88 35.07 19.26 73.13 31.61
277.2 182.1 336.1 109.1 232.9 243.4 252.1 248.1 202.6 206.3 327.0 270.1 196.3 238.3
9 Jharkhand 8 6 8 9 3 9 6 9 4 8 9 6 6 9
397.8 456.4 400.1 204.3 203.8 349.4 292.5 295.3 295.9 300.7 291.5 243.6 303.7
10 Karnataka 3 9 4 4 6 0 4 3 7 3 2 6 5 68.31
161.0 128.8 199.9 175.9 366.6
11 Kerala 85.94 91.64 3 29.26 76.41 66.66 3 7 68.49 6 0.00 0 6 78.64
Madhya 539.7 543.5 801.3 272.6 499.9 460.1 460.1 460.1 304.3 465.4 392.1 663.2 578.5 622.8
12 Pradesh 3 1 8 5 0 8 8 8 1 6 6 8 8 1
Maharashtr 205.0 438.6 192.0 215.4 149.2 412.8 316.9 307.0 305.4 241.3 135.6 483.4
13 a 6 6 0.00 7 7 7 3 1 1 8 1 8 0.00 2
510.8 743.0 729.2 314.5 513.2 395.4 408.4 408.4 421.5 351.8 417.1 412.3 406.5 304.2
14 Odisha 6 5 6 4 7 0 2 2 6 5 5 1 5 0
15 Punjab 44.14 57.63 50.55 32.88 40.99 30.03 0.00 20.20 32.86 36.03 8.47 0 9.35 17.82
255.3 255.1 340.0 119.0 161.0 163.2 352.1 242.6 249.7 251.4 443.9 211.4 399.8
16 Rajasthan 8 3 8 9 2 3 9 6 6 8 65.86 1 1 6
319.0 573.5 609.3 165.0 415.1 360.1 360.1 360.1 350.2 201.2 589.8 305.9 427.9 413.6
17 Tamil Nadu 9 0 7 8 8 5 5 5 3 6 5 6 7 5
107.2 197.3 131.5 131.5 213.1 144.8 112.2
18 Telangana 0.00 0.00 0.00 83.00 7 1 4 4 69.70 7 71.74 9 3 0.00
Uttar 1316. 1110. 1647. 745.0 708.0 1136. 1156. 876.2 1230. 1247. 1272. 1473. 1257. 1425.
19 Pradesh 79 27 11 8 3 80 74 9 55 08 82 63 23 52
Uttarakhan 108.8 105.9
20 d 75.78 79.05 3 36.74 47.79 71.09 63.44 67.66 41.25 98.76 48.42 8 77.79 97.56
West 475.0 781.6 898.0 423.8 432.1 563.3 352.6 323.1 560.9 367.0 240.9 381.4 567.0 460.5
21 Bengal 5 5 8 2 0 9 3 5 3 5 6 4 2 2
Arunachal
22 Pradesh 5.04 11.39 7.92 6.12 1.54 4.26 0.00 9.44 0.00 0.00 0.00 0 8.34 0.00
112.0 225.0 161.8 143.2 238.6 133.5 115.2 190.9 241.5 253.8 247.6 254.4 234.9 242.1
23 Assam 8 4 8 0 7 2 2 4 5 0 0 4 2 4
24 Manipur 18.94 10.44 25.19 13.93 8.14 8.42 25.27 8.14 16.22 25.92 4.29 22.39 13.28 18.82
25 Meghalaya 14.86 10.62 21.75 9.96 18.03 14.34 13.34 13.42 10.92 17.19 8.69 17.92 18.23 18.27
26 Mizoram 7.93 8.68 8.39 5.91 11.05 9.75 8.83 7.82 9.26 9.35 4.72 9.3 9.23 12.00
27 Nagaland 10.28 10.49 16.39 11.06 12.60 18.61 9.66 21.29 18.09 18.47 14.16 19.38 15.34 26.60
28 Sikkim 4.56 2.36 6.85 3.95 2.14 4.38 6.52 2.19 4.89 8.17 0.00 7.04 0.00 0.00
29 Tripura 39.78 44.92 57.14 43.16 41.22 41.22 38.39 20.52 56.37 9.85 22.98 25.31 37.26 45.35
A&N
30 Islands 1.98 1.74 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.79 0.00 0 0.00 0.00
31 Chandigarh 1.58 1.90 1.50 0.00 1.43 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0 0.00 0.00
D&N Haveli
32 and D&D 2.70 2.37 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0 0.00 0.00
33 NCT Delhi 37.09 44.55 54.59 25.56 34.08 34.08 34.08 34.08 40.00 23.04 34.10 0 0.00 93.55
34 Ladakh 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.95 0.00 3.03 0.00 4.61
Lakshadwe
35 ep 0.22 0.21 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0 0.00 0.00
36 Puducherry 6.82 8.73 9.98 3.98 5.31 5.31 5.31 5.31 8.64 8.22 4.18 0 0.00 0.00
6596. 7884. 9112. 4180. 5562. 5900. 6110. 5775. 6193. 6152. 5806. 6827. 6778. 6843.
TOTAL 47 35 46 98 69 92 43 83 38 61 39 55 48 92
* Combined released for all schemes of NSAP.
*****
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