In 2016 older persons made up 5.8 per cent of the total population of the Republic of India, and by 2030 this group will make up 11 per cent of the population. With poverty among older persons a growing concern, the Government of India launched the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) in 1995 in order to provide basic income support to poor households through regular cash transfers. The NSAP has been designed to complement cash transfers from the State-level in order to ensure a nationally defined minimum level of income support. The Ministry of Rural Development is responsible for the implementation of NSAP together with States and Union Territories in co-operation with the respective Social Welfare Departments.
The NSAP targets those living below the national poverty line, in particular older persons, widows, persons with disabilities and those living in poverty as a result of the death of a family member. Within these groups, those who hold a Below Poverty Line (BPL) card are eligible for the scheme. Within the programme, those aged 60 years and older are entitled to INR 200, or USD 3.25 per month, while those aged 80 and over are entitled to INR 500 or USD 8.15 per month, which in addition to transfers from the State can reach up to INR 1000, or USD 16.30 per month. Older persons may also be entitled to receive 10kg of food grains per month depending on their circumstances. Widows aged 40 to 59 and persons with disabilities between 18 and 59 are entitled to receive INR 200, or USD 3.25 per month from the NSAP, plus an equal amount from the State for a total of INR 400 or USD 6.50 per month. The NSAP also covers a one-time transfer of INR 10,000 or USD 165 to families upon the death of a primary breadwinner. In 2015 the NSAP provided coverage to 32 million beneficiaries in 22 states, including 1.4 million older persons, more than 528,000 widows and 90,752 persons living with disabilities.
The NSAP receives its mandate from the Directive Principles outlined in Article 41 and 42 of the Constitution of India, which require the State to provide income support to all citizens. While the programme represents an integrated national approach it has realised some challenge in reaching full extent of coverage as some target groups lack awareness of the programme and face difficulty in providing the documents required to receive the BPL card, a prerequisite for the programme that can create a barrier to entry. Still, the NSAP follows a rights-based approach to income security for vulnerable groups and represents an integrated move toward building a social protection floor in India.
Further Reading:
World Bank (2011). Social Protection for a Changing India: Volume 1. (61275 v1).