NEW DELHI | NATIONAL | 14 OCTOBER 2026
The Union Cabinet approved continuation of the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) for five years, from 2026–27 to 2030–31, with a total outlay of ₹53,428 crore. The 14 October decision keeps the old-age and widow pension schemes and the family benefit scheme in their existing form, while revising disability pension eligibility, coverage and assistance rates.
A long-running safety net
NSAP began in August 1995 as central assistance for poor households. Its programmes provide support to older people, widows and people with disabilities, and assistance to families after the death of a primary breadwinner. The Cabinet’s decision gives the programme a further five-year funding horizon rather than ending it at the close of the current cycle.
The government said the disability pension changes bring that part of the programme into alignment with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. The precise effect on a beneficiary depends on the notified eligibility rules and state-level administration. The existing old-age and widow pensions and family benefit component continue in their present form under this approval.
Why implementation matters
Central approval sets the financial envelope, but applicants encounter the scheme through local offices, documentation checks and payment systems. The next useful measures are the detailed guidelines, beneficiary coverage and payment records across states. They will show whether the revised disability provisions expand access as intended and whether existing beneficiaries receive uninterrupted support.
The ₹53,428 crore figure is the announced total outlay for the five-year period, not a single-year payment or a new pension amount for each person. This article reflects the Cabinet announcement as published on 14 October 2026.
Source and image
Source: Press Information Bureau, Cabinet release, 14 October 2026.
Image source
The Lok Sabha chamber in the new Parliament building, photographed in 2023. Archive institutional photograph; not the event reported. Photo: Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs / Wikimedia Commons · GODL-India. Display crops may be applied.
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