CURRENT AFFAIRS | MAY 13, 2026
A study commissioned by the Union Ministry of Rural Development, conducted through the Academy of Management Studies (AMS), has flagged a serious welfare gap: the Centre’s monthly contribution under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) — Rs 200 to Rs 500 — has remained frozen since 2012, with inflation eroding real purchasing power by nearly 45%.
NSAP, launched in 1995 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, is the constitutional anchor for Article 41 of the Directive Principles, which mandates the State to provide public assistance in old age, sickness, widowhood and disablement. The study now recommends a National Floor Pension (NFP) linked to the Consumer Price Index, with automatic annual indexation.
Constitutional & Legal Framework
Article 41 (DPSP) — Directs the State to make effective provision for “the right to work, to education and to public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement, and in other cases of undeserved want.”
Article 38 — Mandates the State to minimise inequalities of income, status and opportunity.
Article 39(d) & 42 — Equal pay for equal work and just/humane conditions of work.
NSAP is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Ministry of Rural Development, with implementation responsibilities shared between Centre and States.
CLAT 2027 Angle
CLAT often pairs DPSP-based questions (Articles 36–51) with current welfare schemes. Remember: NSAP has 5 sub-schemes — IGNOAPS, IGNWPS, IGNDPS, NFBS, Annapurna. Distinguish from PM-KISAN (farmers, Min. of Agriculture) and PMAY (housing). The DPSPs are non-justiciable (Article 37) but “fundamental in the governance of the country” — courts have repeatedly read them with Article 21 to expand the right to dignified life.
Key Facts — Five NSAP Schemes
- IGNOAPS — Rs 200/month (age 60–79 BPL) / Rs 500/month (80+)
- IGNWPS — Widow pension: Rs 300/month (40–79) / Rs 500/month (80+)
- IGNDPS — Disability pension: Rs 300/month (18–79) / Rs 500/month (80+)
- NFBS — One-time Rs 20,000 on death of primary breadwinner (18–59)
- Annapurna — 10 kg foodgrains free per month to destitute seniors without IGNOAPS
- Status: All amounts unchanged since 2012
- Real value erosion: ~45% (CPI rose from 100 in 2012 to 191 in 2024)
- Equivalent today: Rs 200 (2012) ≈ Rs 382; Rs 500 ≈ Rs 955
Mnemonic — “OWD-NA” (Old, Widow, Disabled, NFBS, Annapurna)
Old age (IGNOAPS) · Widows (IGNWPS) · Disabled (IGNDPS) · NFBS (death benefit) · Annapurna (foodgrains). All 5 = NSAP. Article 41 is the parent DPSP.
Practice Quiz — 10 CLAT-Style Questions
Click an option to reveal the answer and explanation.
