With an eye on elections next year and United Progressive Alliance’s (UPA) thrust on social sector, the government is planning to include about 5.5 crore beneficiaries for pensions provided under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP). This inclusion will lead to total financial implication of Rs 1,31,626 crore for the 12the Plan period and will cover widow and disability pension.
The Rural Development Ministry on Monday accepted a proposal which seeks to revise eligibility norms for widow pension by reducing the minimum age from 40 years to 18 years. The task force constituted under Mihir Shah, member planning commission, has recommended that pension may be extended to single never married women above 40 years and divorced/ abandoned /separated women above above 18 years and half widows.
The government also plans to remove age restrictions and also reduce the disability level from 80% to 40% under disability pension. The other recommendation which is to be implemented from 2013-14 is increasing the old age pension from Rs 200 to Rs 300. The task force in its recommendation has stated that NSAP should gradually move towards universal coverage, excluding families so identified by the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) data, and quantum of assistance should be indexed to annual inflation.
The coverage of the pension scheme will be expanded in a phased manner in the 12th Plan Period and households eligible for benefits under the National Food Security Act will also be provided pensions.
POLL PLANK
The Rural Development Ministry on Monday accepted a proposal which seeks to revise eligibility norms for widow pension by reducing the minimum age from 40 years to 18 years. The task force constituted under Mihir Shah, member planning commission, has recommended that pension may be extended to single never married women above 40 years and divorced/ abandoned /separated women above above 18 years and half widows.
The government also plans to remove age restrictions and also reduce the disability level from 80% to 40% under disability pension. The other recommendation which is to be implemented from 2013-14 is increasing the old age pension from Rs 200 to Rs 300. The task force in its recommendation has stated that NSAP should gradually move towards universal coverage, excluding families so identified by the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) data, and quantum of assistance should be indexed to annual inflation.
The coverage of the pension scheme will be expanded in a phased manner in the 12th Plan Period and households eligible for benefits under the National Food Security Act will also be provided pensions.
POLL PLANK
- The inclusion of pension beneficiaries will lead to total financial implication of Rs 1,31,626 crore for the 12the Plan period and will cover widow and disability pension
- The Rural Development Ministry accepted a proposal which seeks to revise eligibility norms for widow pension by reducing the minimum age from 40 years to 18 years
- The government plans to remove age restrictions and also reduce the disability level from 80% to 40% under disability pension