Disability pension eligibility threshold lowered to 40%; assistance revised
New Delhi, October 14: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday 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 includes renaming the programme and its component schemes, revising eligibility criteria and assistance rates for disability pensions, and continuing pension schemes for the elderly and widows, along with the National Family Benefit Scheme, in their existing form.
The Cabinet meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Under the revised provisions for disability pensions, the assistance will be ₹375 for beneficiaries aged up to 79 years and ₹625 for those aged 80 years and above.
The benchmark disability requirement for eligibility has been reduced from 80% to 40%, while the minimum age criterion has been revised to include persons with disabilities from birth.
The government said the changes were necessitated by the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, which links eligibility to a benchmark disability of 40%. The Act also requires disability-related assistance to be at least 25% higher than assistance under comparable schemes for other categories.
The revised guidelines, covering eligibility criteria, beneficiary numbers and assistance rates under the disability pension scheme, will be issued and implemented within three months.
According to the government, approximately 3.20 crore beneficiaries across all 36 States and Union Territories will benefit from the Cabinet’s approval.
The National Social Assistance Programme will be renamed the Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana. Its component schemes will also receive new names.
The Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme will become the Pradhan Mantri Vridhavastha Pension Yojana, while the Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme will be renamed the Pradhan Mantri Vidhawa Pension Yojana.
The Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme will become the Pradhan Mantri Divyangjan Pension Yojana, and the National Family Benefit Scheme will be renamed the Pradhan Mantri Parivar Labh Yojana.
The existing provisions of the old-age and widow pension schemes and the family benefit scheme will otherwise remain unchanged.
Launched on August 15, 1995, the NSAP provides social assistance to poor households in line with the Directive Principles of State Policy under Article 41 of the Constitution. The programme provides 100% central assistance to ensure the availability of social assistance to eligible beneficiaries across the country.
