National Social Assistance Programme

- Article 41 of the Constitution of India directs the State to provide public assistance to its citizens in
- case of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement and in other cases of undeserved want within the limit of its economic capacity and development.
- In accordance with the directive principles of State Policy, the Government of India introduced in 1995 the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) as a Centrally sponsored scheme to lay the foundation of a National Policy for Social Assistance for the poor.
- The NSAP aim at ensuring a minimum national standard for social assistance in addition to the benefits that the States are currently providing or would provide in future.
- At present, NSAP comprises the following schemes :
1. Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) : Under the scheme, BPL, pensions in the age group of 6079 years are entitled to a monthly pension of Rs. 200 and BPL persons of age of 80 years and above are entitled to a monthly pension of Rs. 500.
2. Indira Gandhi National Widows Pension Scheme (IGNWPS) : BPL widows aged 40-59 years are entitled to a monthly pension of Rs. 200.
3. Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS) : BPL pensions aged 18-59 years with severe and multiple disabilities are entitled to a monthly pension of Rs. 200.
4. National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) : Under the scheme a BPL household is entitled to lump sum amount of money on the death of the primary breadwinner aged between 18 and 64 years. The amount of assistance is Rs. 10,000.
5. Annapurna: Under the scheme, 10 kg of food grains per month are provided free of cost to those senior citizens who, though eligible, are not receiving old age penion.