Cabinet Approves ₹53,428 Crore Social Security Scheme Extension
The National Social Assistance Programme will continue until 2031, with revised disability pension eligibility and new scheme names
- ₹53,428 crore allocated for five years
- 3.20 crore beneficiaries across States and UTs
- Disability pension eligibility lowered to 40%
- New names approved for NSAP schemes
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 15th Oct: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the continuation of the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) for five years, from 2026–27 to 2030–31, with a total outlay of ₹53,428 crore.
The approval covers pension support for senior citizens, widows and persons with disabilities, along with family benefit assistance. Around 3.20 crore beneficiaries across all 36 States and Union Territories are expected to benefit.
The programme will be renamed Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana. Its sub-schemes will also receive new names, including Pradhan Mantri Vridhavastha Pension Yojana for old-age pensions, Pradhan Mantri Vidhawa Pension Yojana for widows, Pradhan Mantri Divyangjan Pension Yojana for persons with disabilities, and Pradhan Mantri Parivar Labh Yojana for family benefits.
Under the revised disability pension provisions, eligible beneficiaries aged 0–79 years will receive ₹375, while those aged 80 and above will receive ₹625. The benchmark disability requirement has been reduced from 80% to 40%, and the minimum age criterion has been removed, making eligibility possible from birth.
Pension schemes for senior citizens and widows, along with the family benefit scheme, will continue in their existing form. Updated implementation guidelines covering eligibility, beneficiary numbers and assistance rates are expected within three months.
Launched on August 15, 1995, NSAP provides central assistance to vulnerable households and supports the constitutional objective of social assistance for those in need.
