What this scheme offers
NSAP's old-age and widow pensions cover large, broadly-defined groups, but a severe or multiple disability creates a distinct kind of financial pressure — often a reduced ability to earn at any age, not just in old age, combined with genuinely higher day-to-day costs. IGNDPS is the specific stream built for that: a monthly pension for BPL individuals aged 18 to 79 who have a severe disability (80% or more under one recognised category) or a multiple disability, or 40%+ combined with cerebral palsy or a multiple disability. The central contribution is modest on its own — ₹300 a month for those under 79, rising to the ₹500 old-age rate at 80 — but most states add a substantial top-up on top of the central share, so the actual amount reaching a beneficiary is usually well above the bare central figure; check your state's specific rate when applying.
Who is eligible
- Belong to a Below Poverty Line (BPL) household, per the state's BPL list or equivalent criteria.
- Aged 18 to 79 years.
- Certified with a severe disability (80%+ in a single recognised category) or a multiple disability, or 40%+ combined with cerebral palsy/multiple disability, per a UDID or state-issued disability certificate.
Documents required
- Aadhaar card
- UDID card or disability certificate from a competent medical authority, showing the disability percentage/category
- BPL card or income certificate
- Bank account details (Aadhaar-linked)
How to apply
- Apply through your Gram Panchayat, urban ward office, or district Social Welfare/Rural Development office, as NSAP applications are typically handled at the local level.
- Submit your disability certificate (ideally a UDID card) along with BPL proof and identity documents.
- Your application is verified locally against the BPL list and disability criteria before approval.
- Once approved, the pension is credited monthly via DBT to your Aadhaar-linked bank account, combining the central NSAP share and any state top-up into a single payment.
- If you don't yet have a UDID card, applying for one first (a free, online process) will make this and most other disability-benefit applications faster going forward.