A five-year social safety net — covering elderly citizens, widows, and persons with disabilities across every corner of India — just got a significant upgrade. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, approved the continuation of the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) for the period 2026-27 to 2030-31, committing a total outlay of ₹53,428 crore to protect 3.20 crore beneficiaries across all 36 States and Union Territories. Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy shared the Cabinet decision on X, flagging the key reforms embedded in the renewal.

From NSAP to Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana

The scheme that has anchored India's basic social-protection architecture since its launch in 1995 will now carry a new name: Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana. The rebranding signals more than a cosmetic change — it places the scheme squarely within the broader 'PM-branded' umbrella of centrally sponsored flagship programmes, raising its political and administrative visibility. The core pillars — old-age pensions, widow pensions, and the family benefit scheme for households that lose their primary earner — will continue uninterrupted.

Divyangjan Disability Threshold Cut in Half

The most consequential eligibility reform in this cycle targets India's disabled population. The benchmark disability threshold for the Divyangjan Pension component has been slashed from 80% to 40% — effectively doubling the pool of persons with disabilities who can qualify. Equally significant: eligibility has been extended from birth, closing a gap that previously left out those with congenital or early-onset disabilities. For millions of families navigating life with a disabled member, this is a direct and immediate change in household income support.

What ₹53,428 Crore Buys Over Five Years

The approved outlay of ₹53,428 crore over five years averages roughly ₹10,685 crore per year across the programme. The Cabinet decision also references 'enhanced assistance' for beneficiaries, though exact revised pension amounts and the transition timeline will emerge through implementation notifications and coordination with state governments, which co-administer the scheme. The five-year fixed-cycle approach — a standard practice for centrally sponsored schemes — provides states with the planning certainty needed to update beneficiary lists and disburse funds without gaps.

Thirty-one years after NSAP was born as a modest safety net, its latest avatar promises wider reach, a lower barrier to disability support, and a renewed five-year mandate. Whether the enhanced assistance figures and the 40% disability threshold translate into timely on-ground disbursement across 36 States and UTs will be the real test — and the one India's 3.20 crore enrolled households are already waiting to see answered.