What is the eligibility age for the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS)?

Individuals must be 60 years or older and fall under the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category.

What assistance does the National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) provide?

It offers a one-time payment of ₹20,000 to the family of a deceased primary earner.

Who is eligible for the Annapurna Scheme under NSAP?

Senior citizens aged 65 or above who are not covered under IGNOAPS.

What is the objective of the NSAP programme?

NSAP aims to provide financial support and social security to vulnerable groups like the elderly, widows, and disabled individuals.

What are the key components of the NSAP scheme?

It includes IGNOAPS, IGNWPS, IGNDPS, NFBS, and the Annapurna Scheme.

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National Social Assistance Program: Financial Support & Benefits For Vulnerable Families

Pragya Pathak

Author

Updated: 28-01-2025 at 8:32 AM

National Social Assistance Program: Financial Support & Benefits For Vulnerable Families

Social welfare is crucial to maintain for every nation because the building blocks of any nation are its people. It simply means measures taken to improve the well-being of the people of a country. Social welfare programs promote a variety of things like equality and the feeling of togetherness.

In India, the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) under the Ministry of Rural Development works on the social welfare aspect of the people of India. The National Social Assistance Scheme aims to provide financial support to people from a range of backgrounds like the elderly, widows, disabled individuals, and families from economically disadvantaged sections. It covers certain key government schemes aimed to help people in certain major aspects of their lives.

Name of the program	National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP)
Launched in	Launched in
Launched in	1995
Ministry	Ministry of Rural Development
Objective	To provide financial support to people from a range of backgrounds
Key Schemes	Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS); Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS); Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS); National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS); Annapurna Scheme

What Is NSAP?

The National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) was launched by the government of India in 1995 under the Ministry of Rural Development. Its primary objective is to provide financial assistance and extra support to people coming from a wide range of backgrounds. The government program aims to help people maintain a certain level of standard of living.

The National Social Assistance Scheme comprises various government schemes designed to cater to certain groups of people in society. NSAP scheme aims to reduce poverty, increase the quality of the standard of living of people, and promote social inclusion.

History of NSAP

The National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) was launched on August 15, 1995, to improve the social security system of India. Before the National Social Assistance Scheme, many welfare schemes were already working but the government was facing problems in properly implementing and executing them which led to the birth of the NSAP scheme.

Initially, the NSAP scheme had three major schemes under its umbrella: the National Old Age Pension (NOAPS), the National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS), and the National Maternity Benefit Scheme (NMBS). Over the years, the National Social Assistance Scheme went through several changes and now covers more schemes. The NSAP scheme was strengthened in 2009 when MNREGA was included in it.

Objectives of NSAP

The National Social Assistance Scheme has several objectives which clearly define its goals. Some of the key objectives of the scheme are:

Poverty reduction: The NSAP programme aims to reduce the rate of poverty and provide direct financial aid to people from vulnerable sections of society.
Social Security: The National Social Assistance Scheme provides a safety net to various people like the elderly, widows, people with disability, etc.
Women empowerment: The National Social Assistance Programme works on empowering and increasing the social status of women.
Improving health: The NSAP programme provides financial support specifically to improve the health and nutrition of people across India.
Inclusivity: The National Social Assistance Scheme focuses on promoting inclusivity by providing a helping hand to people from the marginalised and vulnerable sections of society.

Components Of NSAP

Name of the scheme	Description	Benefits
Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS)	Financial assistance given to elderly people	Monthly pension of Rs. 200 for individuals and Rs. 500 for couples
Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS)	Financial assistance given to widows	Monthly pension of Rs. 300
Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS)	Financial assistance given to people with disabilities	Monthly pension of Rs. 300
National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS)	One-time financial assistance given to the family of a deceased primary earner	One-time payment of Rs. 20,000
Annapurna Scheme	Provides food security to elderly who don’t come under IGNOAPS	10 kg food grains per month

Benefits Of NSAP

There are various benefits associated with the National Social Assistance Programme. Some of the key benefits of the scheme are:

Monetary aid: Direct financial support is given to people from a wide range of backgrounds to improve their standard of living.
Social Security: The National Social Assistance Scheme provides a safety net to vulnerable populations and promotes social inclusion.
Community development: The NSAP Scheme aims to promote social togetherness in the minds of people so that they all work together for the whole community’s development and growth.
Empowerment: The NSAP programme targets people from the marginalised and vulnerable sections of society and empowers them.

Eligibility Criteria For NSAP

Name of the scheme	Eligibility Criteria
Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS)	Must be 60 years or older and should fall under BPL
Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS)	Must be a widow and should fall under BPL
Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS)	Must have a severe disability (40% or more) and should fall under BPL
National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS)	The deceased must be the primary earner for the family
Annapurna Scheme	Senior citizen of 65 years or above and shouldn’t be under IGNOAPS

Challenges OF NSAP

The National Social Assistance Programme faces numerous challenges that hinder its working. Some of the main challenges are:

Awareness: Many people aren’t aware of the NSAP scheme and the govt schemes can come under it because of which people who need these schemes aren’t able to reap its benefits.
Implementation: There are inconsistencies in the implementation of the program across different states which is a major obstacle for the National Social Assistance Scheme.
Stigma: Sometimes, women and people from marginalised communities face social stigma because of being associated with the NSAP programme which stops them from applying for the scheme.

Conclusion

The National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) plays a crucial role in providing financial assistance and social security to people from the vulnerable sections of society and people who are in vulnerable positions in their lives.

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