National Social Assistance Programme

Launched in 1995, the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) is a welfare programme being administered by the Ministry of Rural Development.
This programme is being implemented in rural areas as well as urban areas.
NSAP represents a significant step towards the fulfilment of Article 41 of the Constitution of India which 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.
Presently NSAP comprises of five schemes, namely –
- 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) and
- Annapurna.

For getting benefits under NSAP the applicant must belong to a Below Poverty Line (BPL) family according to the criteria prescribed by the Govt. of India. The other eligibility criteria and the scale of central assistance under the sub – schemes of NSAP are as follows.
Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS): A monthly pension of Rs.200/- to old age BPL persons in age group 60-79 years and Rs.500/- to old age BPL persons of age of 80 years and more.
Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS): A monthly pension of Rs.300/- to BPL widows aged 40-79 years and Rs.500/- upon attaining the age of 80 years.
Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS): A monthly pension of Rs.300/- is given to disabled BPL persons aged 18-79 years and Rs.500/- upon attaining the age of 80 years.
National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS): A one-time assistance of Rs.20,000/- to the surviving members of a BPL family upon the death of the primary breadwinner.
Annapurna Scheme: 10 kg food grains (wheat or rice) is given to those BPL elderly who remain uncovered under IGNOAPS.

The Ministry of Rural Development conducted a nationwide review of the National Social Assistance Programme recently.

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