Cabinet clears Rs 53,428 crore for NSAP, drops Indira Gandhi's name from pension schemes

The Union government has taken a major decision on some social welfare schemes. The names of the widow, disability and old-age pension schemes will be changed, and the National Family Benefit Scheme will also be renamed. According to the information available, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's name will be removed from these schemes.

At a Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a proposal to continue the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) for five years, from 2026-27 to 2030-31, was approved. A total of Rs 53,428 crore has been provided for the programme.

Under the same programme, proposals were also approved to rename schemes and sub-schemes and to change the eligibility rules for disability pension, the coverage of beneficiaries and the amount of financial assistance. The old-age and widow pension schemes and the family benefit scheme will continue in their present form.

The decision will be taken to rename the National Social Assistance Programme as the Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana. The Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme will be called Pradhan Mantri Vriddhavastha Pension. Under this scheme, eligible elderly people receive financial help as pension.

The Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme will be renamed the Pradhan Mantri Vidhwa Pension Yojana. The main aim of such social security schemes is to provide financial support to eligible women when their husband dies. The Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme will be called the Divyangjan Pension Yojana.

Under the disability pension scheme, beneficiaries aged 0 to 79 years will now be given Rs 375 a month, and those aged 80 years or above Rs 625 a month. The eligibility threshold for benchmark disability has been lowered from the present 80 per cent to 40 per cent. The minimum age condition for disability pension will apply from birth.

The National Family Benefit Scheme will be renamed the Pradhan Mantri Parivar Labh Yojana. The scheme aims to provide financial help to an eligible family when its main breadwinner dies.

The information states that renaming the four schemes does not by itself necessarily change the benefit amount, eligibility rules or application process. The decision will benefit a total of 3.20 crore beneficiaries across all 36 states and Union Territories in the country. Guidelines on the changes relating to disability pension eligibility, the number of beneficiaries and the amount of financial assistance will be issued and implemented within three months.

It is being suggested that the removal of Indira Gandhi's name may spark a controversy, and it remains to be seen how the Opposition reacts. Earlier, too, there was a major controversy when schemes created during Congress governments were renamed.