NSAP Disability Pension Raised to ₹375, 40% Threshold; Scheme Renamed Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana

Three changes, one Cabinet decision. On 14 October 2026, the Union Cabinet approved continuing the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) for five more years, from 2026-27 to 2030-31, with a total outlay of ₹53,428 crore. Along with the extension, the scheme gets a new name, the disability pension gets a higher central rate, and many more people with disabilities become eligible. Old-age and widow pensions and the family benefit scheme continue as they are. Here is what the NSAP disability pension change means, who gains, and what to do if someone in your family is eligible.

NSAP disability pension: the three changes at a glance

Source: PIB release ID 2323266, 14 October 2026. The new rates and the 80% to 40% change are from the release; the earlier ₹300/₹500 rates are as reported and not restated in the release.

Why the threshold change matters most

Lowering the disability threshold from 80% to 40% is the biggest change. Until now, only people with severe or multiple disabilities qualified for the central disability pension. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, defines “benchmark disability” as 40% or more of a specified disability, and the PIB release says the Act required the scheme to align with that definition.

Removing the adult-only age condition means children with a benchmark disability can now be covered, which matters for families caring for a disabled child on a low income.

The release also notes that the Act mandates disability-related assistance to be 25% higher than similar schemes for other groups. By our calculation, ₹375 is exactly 25% more than ₹300, and ₹625 is 25% more than ₹500.

What the increase is worth

These are central contributions only. Many states add their own top-up, so the amount a beneficiary actually receives can be much higher and differs from state to state.

New names for the schemes

If you already receive a pension under any of these schemes, the name change alone does not require you to do anything.

Background: what NSAP is

NSAP was launched on 15 August 1995 to help poor households. The PIB release says it fulfils the Centre’s responsibility under Article 41 of the Constitution, a Directive Principle on public assistance in old age, sickness and disablement. The Centre provides 100% of the central assistance so that a uniform minimum reaches beneficiaries everywhere. The ₹53,428 crore outlay over five years works out to about ₹10,686 crore a year on average, by our calculation.

What stays the same

• Old-age pension: continues in its existing form, with no change in the central rate announced.
• Widow pension: continues in its existing form.
• Family benefit scheme: the one-time support to poor households on the death of the primary breadwinner continues in its existing form.

The release says 3.20 crore beneficiaries across all 36 states and union territories will benefit from the approval.

When will the higher disability pension start?

Not immediately. The release says guidelines covering the new eligibility criteria, the number of beneficiaries and the rate of assistance under the divyangjan pension will be issued and implemented within three months. Until those guidelines and the matching state orders come out, existing payments continue at the current rates. Any arrears or the effective date will depend on those guidelines.

What families can do now

1. Get the disability certificate. A person with 40% or more disability needs a valid certificate (UDID card) from the competent medical authority.
2. Keep a bank account ready. Pensions are paid by direct benefit transfer. A basic savings account opened with Aadhaar eKYC works; see our guide to Aadhaar eKYC accounts.
3. Keep KYC updated. A frozen account can stop pension credits; read how re-KYC freezes work.
4. Watch for the state notice. Applications go through the local panchayat, block office or urban local body, or the state’s social welfare portal. Apply once the new guidelines are notified.
5. Beware of agents. No one can charge you to “register” for the new rate. Never share an OTP or PIN; if money goes missing, see RBI’s zero-liability rules.

Who is eligible: open questions

The NSAP schemes are meant for poor households, and states identify beneficiaries. The release does not say whether income or below-poverty-line criteria for the disability pension change, nor how children will be enrolled. Those details should come in the new guidelines. We will update this post when they are published.

Quick answers to common questions follow.

FAQs

What is the new name of NSAP?

Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana. The disability pension is now Pradhan Mantri Divyangjan Pension Yojana.

How much is the new NSAP disability pension?

The central share is ₹375 a month for ages 0–79 and ₹625 for 80 and above. State top-ups are extra.

Is the old-age pension increased?

No. The release says old-age and widow pensions continue in their existing form.

Can a child get the disability pension?

Under the approved change, the minimum age criterion is “since birth”, so yes, subject to the new guidelines.

Do existing disability pensioners need to reapply?

The release does not say. People already receiving the pension have 80% or more disability, so they meet the new 40% threshold. Wait for your state’s instructions before submitting anything, and do not pay anyone to process it.

What disability percentage is needed now?

40% benchmark disability, down from 80%.

Takeaway: The NSAP disability pension change is the real news in the renamed Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana: a 25% higher central rate, a 40% threshold and coverage from birth. Payments change only after guidelines come out within three months, so get the disability certificate and bank KYC ready now.