Prime Minister Narendra Modi (PTI)
New Delhi: The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, held a crucial meeting on Wednesday, during which several issues were discussed and a number of important decisions were takenHowever, the most widely discussed development was the renaming of certain sub-schemesThe Centre has approved the continuation of its flagship National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) for the next five years, until 2031, as part of its efforts to expand the scope of social security.
What Has Changed Now?
The government has renamed the scheme ‘Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana’ (Prime Minister’s Social Assistance Scheme)Along with this, the names of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi have been removed from three of its major sub-schemes.
Under the government’s decision, the names of the following three existing sub-schemes have been changed:
| SNo. | Old Scheme Name | New Scheme Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme | PM Old Age Pension Scheme |
| 2. | Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme | PM Widow Pension Scheme |
| 3. | Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme | PM Divyangjan Pension Scheme |
MGNREGA Was Also Renamed
It is important to note that last December, the central government took a major step in the rural development sector by renaming the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) as the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin).
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With this latest development, the name of the former Prime Minister has now also been removed from social security schemes.
What Is the Scheme’s Budget, and Who Will Benefit?
The government has allocated a substantial financial outlay of ₹53,428 crore for this comprehensive social security network.
The scheme is expected to directly benefit approximately 3.2 crore people from vulnerable and underprivileged sections of society across the countryThe primary beneficiaries include senior citizens, widowed women, and persons with disabilities.
Major Changes in Disability Pension Rules
There is now no doubt that one of the biggest changes introduced by the central government as part of this entire revival process concerns pensions for Persons with Disabilities (PwD)To put this into perspective, the monthly assistance for persons with disabilities, from birth up to the age of 79, has been increased from ₹300 to ₹375.
Additionally, for senior citizens with disabilities aged 80 years and above, the monthly assistance has been increased from ₹500 to ₹625Moreover, the eligibility threshold for benchmark disability has been reduced from 80% to 40%.
Understanding the New Legal Framework
It is worth noting that this amendment has been made in accordance with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016Under this law, it is mandatory that financial assistance provided to persons with disabilities be at least 25% higher than that provided to other categoriesThis change is expected to benefit more than 2.748 million (27.48 lakh) new beneficiaries across the country.
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