National News

National Social Assistance Programme Extension

October 16 , 2026 15 hrs 0 min 7 0

The Union Cabinet approved the continuation of the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) for five years, from 2026–27 to 2030–31, with an outlay of ₹53,428 crore.
NSAP was launched in 1995 to provide social assistance to vulnerable groups, including elderly people, widows and persons with disabilities.
NSAP has been renamed Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana.
Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) has been renamed Pradhan Mantri Vridhavastha Pension Yojana, which provides pension assistance to eligible elderly people from poor households.
Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS) has been renamed Pradhan Mantri Vidhawa Pension Yojana, which provides pension assistance to eligible widows from poor households.
Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS) has been renamed Pradhan Mantri Divyangjan Pension Yojana, which provides pension assistance to eligible persons with disabilities.
The National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) has been renamed Pradhan Mantri Parivar Labh Yojana.
Monthly disability pension assistance increased from ₹300 to ₹375 for beneficiaries aged 0–79 years and from ₹500 to ₹625 for those aged 80 years and above.
The benchmark disability eligibility requirement was reduced from 80% to 40%, and eligibility was extended to include persons with disabilities from birth.
Pension assistance for elderly people and widows remains unchanged.