Pariksha SaathiCabinet Renames NSAP as 'Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana', Extends It to 2030-31, Eases Disability Pension Criteria
The Union Cabinet on 14 October 2026 approved continuing the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) for five more years, from 2026-27 to 2030-31, with a total outlay of Rs 53,428 crore, and renamed the scheme and its three pension sub-schemes with a 'Pradhan Mantri' prefix: NSAP itself becomes Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana, the old-age pension scheme becomes Pradhan Mantri Vridhavastha Pension Yojana, the widow pension scheme becomes Pradhan Mantri Vidhawa Pension Yojana, and the disability pension scheme becomes Pradhan Mantri Divyangjan Pension Yojana (the National Family Benefit Scheme is renamed Pradhan Mantri Parivar Labh Yojana). The disability pension itself has been eased and increased: the benchmark-disability threshold to qualify drops from 80% to 40%, the minimum qualifying age is removed (coverage now starts from birth), and the monthly amount rises to Rs 375 for ages 0-79 and Rs 625 for 80 and above. The pension schemes for the elderly and widows, and the family benefit scheme, continue unchanged otherwise. The government expects about 3.20 crore beneficiaries across all 36 states and union territories to benefit, with implementation guidelines for the revised disability-pension criteria due within three months.
Drafted with AI assistance from the official PIB release linked above and checked against it by a second AI pass. Not line-edited by a human.
Learning context
This scheme traces back to Article 41 of the Constitution of India, under the Directive Principles of State Policy in Part IV: ‘The State shall, within the limits of its economic capacity and development, make effective provision for securing the right to work, to education and to public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement, and in other cases of undeserved want.’ Directive Principles are not enforceable in court (Article 37), unlike Fundamental Rights.
Reference: Constitution of India, Article 41 (Directive Principles of State Policy)
Check yourself: could a citizen go to court to enforce Article 41 directly, the way they could a Fundamental Right?
No — under Article 37, Directive Principles of State Policy (which include Article 41) are not enforceable by any court, even though they are described as fundamental to the governance of the country; NSAP is one of the schemes through which the State acts on this Article, not a court-ordered entitlement.
Revision task: from this release, separate the scheme’s new names (e.g. Pradhan Mantri Vridhavastha Pension Yojana for the old-age pension) from the standing constitutional basis above, and note the one changed eligibility figure — the disability pension’s benchmark-disability threshold, now 40% instead of 80%.
Test yourself
The Cabinet renamed the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) as what?
Show the answer
Answer: Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana
NSAP, continued for 2026-27 to 2030-31 with an outlay of Rs 53,428 crore, becomes Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana; its old-age, widow, disability and family-benefit sub-schemes also get the 'Pradhan Mantri' prefix, and the disability pension's benchmark-disability threshold falls from 80% to 40%.
Read the daily collection → · Editorial standards & corrections