The National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) is a welfare scheme of the Government of India, administered by the Ministry of Rural Development, designed to provide a social safety net for the poor. It was launched on August 15, 1995, as a wholly Centrally Sponsored Scheme to establish a minimum national standard for social assistance. The scheme was created to fulfill the Directive Principles of State Policy enshrined in the Constitution, particularly Article 41, which mandates public assistance in cases of old age, sickness, and undeserved want.
The NSAP mechanism currently operates through five sub-schemes, targeting individuals from Below Poverty Line (BPL) households. The three main pension schemes are the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS), the Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS), and the Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS). The other two components are the National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS), which provides a one-time lump sum to a bereaved family upon the death of the primary breadwinner, and the Annapurna Scheme, which offers 10 kg of free food grains to eligible senior citizens not covered under IGNOAPS.
The NSAP has undergone significant changes since its inception with the original National Maternity Benefit Scheme (NMBS) being transferred in 2001. A major overhaul was announced in November 2025, which increased the central contribution for the pension schemes from the previous ₹200-₹500 range to ₹750-₹1,000 per month. This recent amendment also expanded eligibility to include demographic groups like transgender persons and unmarried women above 45 years living below the poverty line. The scheme is increasingly connected to digital delivery, with a focus on Aadhaar-linked payments and the integration of the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) for transparent benefit transfer.