An Analysis of schemes under National Social Assistance Programme for the deprived society in India

Abstract

India is that the second-largest populated country within the world. Of the total population, nearly 47.9% constitute a deprived society. The Indian Government is trying its best to uplift the deprived society. To help the person who falls below the poverty line, the Government has launched a scheme known as the National Social Assistance Programme. This scheme was introduced in the year 1995 with three schemes that are National Old Age Pension Scheme, National Family Benefit Scheme and National Maternity Benefit Scheme. At present, National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) consists of 5 schemes that are Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS), Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS), Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS), National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) and Annapurna Scheme. Firstly, the life expectancy rate is increasing which increased the elderly population which covers about 8.5% of the total population; to help those IGNOAPS was introduced. Secondly, the IGNWPS was introduced to help the widows who constitute around 10% of the total population. Thirdly, IGNDPS was introduced which covers the disabled persons accounting for 2.21% of the total population. Fourthly, to help the family members who lost their breadwinner, NFBS was launched. Lastly, Annapurna Scheme was introduced to cover the elderly population who were eligible under IGNOAPS but are unable to get pension were given food grains free of cost. An attempt has been made in this paper to analyses all the five schemes under the NSAP and longing for the improvement, effective implementation mechanism and a unified and systematic approach helped by the direct bank transfer. The present study has been conceptually made to understand the acceptability of all the five schemes of NSAP and its contribution to increasing the socio-economic status of the beneficiaries.