The Ministry of Rural Development has confirmed that there is currently no proposal under consideration to revise the rate of central assistance under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP). The NSAP serves as a social security program for vulnerable sections of society including old aged, widows, and disabled persons belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) categories across India.
The program currently caters to more than 3 crore BPL beneficiaries, with states and union territories providing additional support to approximately 5.9 crore additional pensioners through state-funded social pension schemes. This brings the total number of beneficiaries receiving pension benefits either under central pension schemes and/or state-specific social security pension schemes to around 9 crore beneficiaries.
States are currently providing top-up amounts to beneficiaries ranging from ₹50 to ₹5,700 per month. As a result, NSAP pensioners are receiving monthly pensions averaging ₹1,100 in several states and union territories, with state/UT-wise details of top-up amounts provided in an annexure.
The central assistance rate under NSAP pension schemes including the National Old Age Pension Scheme, National Widow Pension Scheme, and National Disability Pension Scheme was last revised in 2012. Various impact assessment and evaluation studies conducted by the Ministry and NITI Aayog indicate satisfactory implementation at the grassroots level, with most beneficiaries expressing overall satisfaction with selection, sanction, and disbursement processes. The studies found that pension support has helped beneficiaries meet essential expenses such as food and healthcare, reducing their dependence on family members. The studies have recommended further strengthening the program through measures including improving assistance adequacy, ensuring timely and regular payments, and enhancing beneficiary verification and monitoring systems.
This information was provided by the Minister of State for Rural Development, Shri Kamlesh Paswan, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on July 21, 2026.