The Central Government has approved important changes to its social security pension programme, bringing more persons with disabilities within its coverage. The National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) has been renamed the Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana and will continue for five years, from 2026-27 to 2030-31.

The Union Cabinet approved the continuation of the programme with a total outlay of ₹53,428 crore. One of the major changes is the revision of eligibility criteria and financial assistance under the disability pension component.

Who Will Benefit From the Revised Disability Pension Rules?

Under the revised provisions, the benchmark disability requirement has been aligned with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

Earlier, the disability pension scheme required a person to have at least 80% disability. The revised criteria reduce this threshold to 40% benchmark disability.

Another important change is the removal of the minimum age requirement of 18 years. This means eligible persons with disabilities can now qualify from birth, subject to the scheme's other conditions.

How Much Monthly Pension Will Beneficiaries Receive?

The revised central assistance under the disability pension component is:

• ₹375 per month for eligible beneficiaries aged 0 to 79 years.

• ₹625 per month for eligible beneficiaries aged 80 years and above.

The government has also expanded the estimated coverage under this component from approximately 8.33 lakh beneficiaries to 27.48 lakh beneficiaries.

It is important to note that these figures represent central assistance. The final pension amount received by beneficiaries may vary depending on additional contributions made by individual state governments.

What Happens to Old-Age and Widow Pension Schemes?

The government has also approved the continuation of pension support for elderly citizens and widows under the renamed programme.

The existing old-age pension, widow pension and National Family Benefit components will continue in their existing forms. Their names have also been updated as part of the restructuring.

The revised programme includes:

• Pradhan Mantri Vridhavastha Pension Yojana

• Pradhan Mantri Vidhawa Pension Yojana

• Pradhan Mantri Divyangjan Pension Yojana

• Pradhan Mantri Parivar Labh Yojana

How Can Eligible People Apply for the Disability Pension?

People who believe they meet the revised eligibility requirements should contact their local Gram Panchayat, municipal office or District Social Welfare Office.

They should enquire about the state-level application procedure and keep relevant documents ready, which may include:

1. Aadhaar card or another accepted identity document.

2. Disability certificate or UDID card, wherever applicable.

3. Proof of age.

4. Address and residence documents.

5. Bank account details.

6. Recent photographs and other documents required by the state.

Applicants should confirm the latest document requirements with their local authorities before submitting an application.

Why Is This Government Decision Important?

Reducing the disability threshold from 80% to 40% and removing the minimum age requirement could make pension assistance accessible to a much larger group of people.

The expansion is particularly significant for children and individuals with benchmark disabilities who were previously outside the eligibility criteria because of the higher disability threshold or age restriction.

The revised Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana is scheduled to operate from 2026-27 to 2030-31. Eligible families should check the updated rules with their state authorities to understand how the changes apply to them.