MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI BIRENDER SINGH)
(a) & (b) Yes, Madam. A Task Force constituted by the Ministry of Rural Development under the Chairmanship of the then Member, Planning Commission, considered all the issues, demands and suggestions relating to social assistance / security, received from various quarters and submitted its report inter-alia recommending ex- panding the scope of coverage to include vulnerable sections of society and increasing of quantum of pension under the Schemes of National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP). Further action has been initiated to process the recommen- dations of the Task Force.
(c) Details of beneficiaries under various pension schemes of NSAP during the last three years and the current year, State / UT-wise and year-wise are as at Annexure-I.
(d) The Government does not propose to take steps to ensure uniformity in the amount and eligibility criteria. Under NSAP, the entire assistance is provided by the Central Government, States have been advised to contribute at least an equal amount from their own resources. A total of 32 State/UT Govts. are topping up the pension amount from their State Schemes. The amount varies from state to state and the eligibility criteria of the State Schemes are also different in different states. The details are at Annexure –II.
(e) In the recently revised Guidelines of NSAP, it has been emphasized that priority in selection should be given to vulnerable individuals such as persons suffering from terminal and long term aliments like leprosy, TB, AIDS, Cancer.
In addition transgender persons, manual scavengers, bonded labourers, women victims of crime and harassment, deserted women also should be given under the schemes of NSAP.
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