NewsClick

NewsClick
  • हिन्दी
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Covid-19
  • Science
  • Culture
  • India
  • International
  • Sports
  • Articles
  • Videos
search
menu

INTERACTIVE ELECTION MAPS

image/svg+xml
  • All Articles
  • Newsclick Articles
  • All Videos
  • Newsclick Videos
  • हिन्दी
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Science
  • Culture
  • India
  • Sports
  • International
  • Africa
  • Latin America
  • Palestine
  • Nepal
  • Pakistan
  • Sri Lanka
  • US
  • West Asia
About us
Subscribe
Follow us Facebook - Newsclick Twitter - Newsclick RSS - Newsclick
close menu
×
For latest updates on nCOVID-19 around the world visit our INTERACTIVE COVID MAP
Politics
India

No Mention of NSAP in the Budget Speech, Is Contributory Pension Enough?

In the absence of adequate allocation for the NSAP, the elderly living below the poverty line will continue to receive a paltry sum of roughly Rs 7 per day as income security.
Newsclick Report
01 Feb 2019
Is Contributory Pension Enough?

Image for representational use only; Image Courtesy : Scroll.in

The Pension Parishad has condemned the lack of adequate provision and the Narendra Modi-led BJP government’ silence on the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) in the Budget that was presented on February 1.

The scheme, launched in 1995, is supposed to provide income security to the country’s most vulnerable groups – the elderly, the widows and the disabled who are declared ‘below poverty line (BPL)’.

Instead, Finance Minister Piyush Goyal announced a contributory pension scheme for the workers in the organised sector, in which, the workers will contribute Rs 1200 per year until the age of 60, after which they would be eligible for a monthly pension of Rs 3,000.

“While the availability of affordable, contribution-based schemes is welcome, can this help the millions of elderly who need assured social pension in their advancing years, and the comfort of a caring government? How can a contributory pension be spoken of in the same vein as a state-assured social pension?” questioned Nikhil Dey, coordinator, Pension Parishad. 

In the absence of adequate allocation for the NSAP, the elderly living below the poverty line will continue to receive a paltry sum of roughly Rs 7 per day as income security, while for the widows and disabled, the amount will continue to be Rs 10.

“The miss given by Goyal to the NSAP in the budget speech is extremely disappointing. It is emblematic of how the poor’s needs and the state’s ambitions lie on very different planes under the present regime,” said Mathew Cherian, CEO, HelpAge.

In a press note released by Pension Parishad on Friday, it has iterated a list of demands:

“1. Increasing the coverage of the scheme and near-universalising of the scheme.

2. Increasing the monthly entitlements provided by the central government

3. Proactive identification of beneficiaries and annual renewal of pensions with the help of MIS.

4. Finally, we demand that provisions for the elderly, disabled and widows cannot be a matter of fiscal availability but is a matter of right to a life of dignity.”

On October 1, 2018, more than 12000 elderly had marched to the national capital demanding a dignified life in their advanced years. One of their key demands was that their lifelong contribution be duly recognised, and they be entitled to a monthly social pension amounting to at least half the stipulated minimum wage or Rs 3,000 per month.

Get the latest reports & analysis with people's perspective on Protests, movements & deep analytical videos, discussions of the current affairs in your Telegram app. Subscribe to NewsClick's Telegram channel & get Real-Time updates on stories, as they get published on our website.
Senior Citizens
National Social Assistance Programme
Income Security
Pension
Pension parishad
Interim Budget
Related Stories
OROP

Long Overdue OROP

Nitish’s Universal Pension Scheme: An Act of Political Braggadocio

Nitish’s Universal Pension Scheme: An Act of Political Braggadocio

pension

Employee's Pension Should Be Proportional to Salary: SC

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi

The Farce of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi

RBI To The Rescue of Modi Government – It’s Election Time!

RBI To The Rescue of Modi Government – It’s Election Time!

Meagre 0.01% Increase in Budget Allocation for Children, Says Report

Meagre 0.01% Increase in Budget Allocation for Children, Says Report

Interim Budget: A Blast of Hot Air

Interim Budget Reflects Push for Insurance-Based Health Care: JSA

Interim Budget Reflects Push for Insurance-Based Health Care: JSA

Interim Budget 2019-20: GST Revenue Falls Short

Interim Budget 2019-20: GST Revenue Falls Short

Interim Budget: An Election Advertisement for the Modi Government

Interim Budget: An Election Advertisement for the Modi Government

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare via EmailShare on RedditShare on KindlePrint
Share
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare via EmailShare on RedditShare on KindlePrint
Share

Related Stories

Newsclick Report

Only 1 out 3 BPL Senior Citizens Receive Benefits of Pension Schemes, Says Govt Study

08 January 2021
New Delhi: Only 30% of India’s senior citizens from below-poverty-line households received benefits from the 
Ronak Chhabra

Under Modi Govt, Social Security Benefits Taken for Roller Coaster Ride

02 November 2019
On November 1, the crisis-struck DHFL again
Shahnawaz Akhtar

Four Senior Citizens Lynched Over Suspicion Of Witchcraft Practice In Jharkhand

22 July 2019
Ranchi:  Living up to its reputation of being the ‘lynching hub’ of India, Jharkhand witnessed another yet incident of mob lynchin

Pagination

  • Next page ››

More

  • Kerala Elections 2021: After 14 Elections, Women Still Under-represented in State Assembly

    Kerala Elections 2021: After 14 Elections, Women Still Under-represented in State Assembly

  • Singareni Coal Workers Start Indefinite Dharna Against Commercial Mining

    Singareni Coal Workers Start Indefinite Dharna Against Commercial Mining

  • Sugarcane Farmers.

    Farmers in Western UP Hold Protest Against Irregularities in Weighing of Sugarcane

  • Haryana: Ahead of No-Trust Vote, Farmer Leaders Pin Hopes on ‘Good Conscience’ of MLAs

    Haryana: Ahead of No-Trust Vote, Farmer Leaders Pin Hopes on ‘Good Conscience’ of MLAs

  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with
about