Prelims: Current events of national and international importance | Government Policies & Interventions
Why in News?
The Union Cabinet approved the continuation of the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) for five years (2026–27 to 2030–31).
National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP)
- Approved changes – It includes the renaming of the programme and its sub-schemes, as well as revisions to the eligibility criteria and pension assistance within the disability pension scheme.
DPSP (Article 41) – It directs the State to make effective provisions to secure the right to work, education, and public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness, disablement, and other instances of undeserved want, subject to the State's economic capacity and development.
- Benefits – A total of 3.20 crore beneficiaries across all the 36 States/UTs will benefit from this approval.
- Implementation within – 3 months.
- Key Revised Provisions
- The eligibility threshold for benchmark disability has been lowered from 80 % to 40 %.
- The removal of the minimum age criterion permits eligibility from birth, provided that all other conditions of the scheme are met.
- The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, establishes the legal framework for aligning the benchmark disability criterion with 40 %.
- According to the Cabinet announcement, disability-related assistance must be 25 % higher than assistance provided under comparable schemes for other categories.
- Other schemes, including the old-age pension, widow pension, and the National Family Benefit Scheme, will continue in their current form.
Reference
PM India | National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP)
