The monthly pension of Rs. 200 under IGNOAPS given to the elderly is “an insult to the
dignity of an individual”, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh has
said, requesting the Prime Minister to immediately review the scheme.
| Shri Jairam Ramesh- Minister of Rural Development |
National Social assistance program:
The national social assistance programme started by the Ministry of rural development was done with the aim of satisfying Article 41 Directive principles of state policy mentioned in the constitution, intended to secure to the citizens adequate means of livelihood, improve public health, provide free and compulsory education etc.
- The scheme launched as a central sector scheme i.e fully funded by the union govt. in 1995 under Ministry of Rural Development, initially had three components under its ambit:
- National Old Age Pension Scheme:
- Started with a monthly allowance of Rs 75/month per beneficiary the scheme now provides Rs 200/month.(Union govt has been asked time and again to enhance this amount. now request to raise to Rs. 300/month).
- Eligibility criteria: Irregular/ Little means of subsistence from own sources of income,no support from family members.
- Age Initially 65 years, reduced to 60 years in 2011. Also the allowance amount for persons above 80 years enhanced to Rs. 500/month.
- Two new pension schemes introduced in to this in 2007:
- National Widow pension scheme: Allowance of Rs200/month for BPL(Below Poverty Line) widows, aged between 40-59 years.
- National Disability Pension Scheme: Allowance of Rs200/month to severs/multiple disabled persons aged 18-59 years.
- National Family benefit Scheme:
- A grant of Rs.5000 to a family in case of death of the Primary Bread winner due to natural causes, and a grant of Rs. 10000 in case of death due to Accidental causes.
- Age criteria for the primary bread winner 18-64 years.
- Amount unified to Rs.10000 for natural as well as accidental deaths in the year 1998.
- National maternity benefit scheme:
- Support of Rs.300/pregnancy up to 2 live births for BPL household
- Now amount enhanced to Rs.500/ pregnancy.
- Also the scheme has been transferred to the Dept. of Family welfare.
- Annapurna Scheme:
- New scheme introduced in to NSAP in 2000 as a scheme to ensure food security to the old aged population not covered under NOAPS though eligible.
- Under this 10 Kgs of Food grains are provided to the Beneficiary/month at free of cost.
- All these schemes now transferred to state govts. with assistance coming from Central Govt. as prescribed by Planning commission(Extra constitutional body headed by the Prime minister).
- Also now efforts are on to digitize the entire scheme, create a common database, job entrusted to NIC.
Directive Principles of State policy:
Set of instructions given by the constitution makers of India to the Government, to ensure the formation of a egalitarian society, a welfare socialist state. Mentioned in Part IV of the Indian constitution, it covers from articles 36 to 51.
Article 41 states that the state should provide public assistance to its citizens in case of unemployment, old age, sickness, disability, within its economic capacity and development.
