SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir received Rs 149.69 crore in funds released under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) during the three financial years from 2023-24 to 2025-26, while the Union Territory’s beneficiary cap under the scheme stood at 1,40,717 during the period 2023-24 to 2025-26, according to data presented in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
The figures were provided by the Ministry of Rural Development in response to an Unstarred Question on the implementation of NSAP. The data showed that JK received Rs 80.01 crore in 2023-24, followed by Rs 34.64 crore in 2024-25 and Rs 35.04 crore in 2025-26.
The latest figures represent a sharp decline in funds released to J&K compared with 2023-24, when the UT received Rs 80.01 crore. The allocation released fell by more than half to Rs 34.64 crore in 2024-25 before registering a marginal increase to Rs 35.04 crore in 2025-26.
The Ministry said the NSAP is aimed at providing basic financial support to the most vulnerable sections of society, including elderly persons, widows, persons with disabilities and bereaved households belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families.
The programme comprises five sub-schemes: the National Old Age Pension Scheme, National Widow Pension Scheme, National Disability Pension Scheme, National Family Benefit Scheme and Annapurna.
Under the programme, eligible elderly persons, widows and persons with disabilities are provided financial assistance in the form of pensions to supplement their means of subsistence and strengthen social security. The National Family Benefit Scheme provides one-time lump-sum financial assistance to a bereaved family following the death of its primary breadwinner, provided the household meets the eligibility criteria. The Annapurna scheme provides food grains to eligible senior citizens who are not receiving a pension under the National Old Age Pension Scheme.
According to the Ministry, NSAP caters to 3.09 crore beneficiaries nationally, with a scheme-wise ceiling for each State and Union Territory.
The data showed that J&K’s beneficiary cap stood at 1,43,477 during 2021-22 and 2022-23, before declining to 1,40,717 for the period from 2023-24 to 2025-26. This represents a reduction of 2,760 beneficiaries, or around 1.9 per cent, from the earlier period.
In comparison, Ladakh’s beneficiary cap declined marginally from 7,406 during 2021-22 and 2022-23 to 7,260 during 2023-24 to 2025-26.
At the national level, the total beneficiary cap under NSAP remained almost unchanged, declining from 3,01,08,123 during 2021-22 and 2022-23 to 3,01,06,747 during 2023-24 to 2025-26.
Uttar Pradesh had the highest beneficiary cap in the latest period at 59,06,697, followed by Bihar at 39,55,306, Madhya Pradesh at 22,54,295, Odisha at 20,58,656 and West Bengal at 20,88,825. Tamil Nadu, which was specifically referred to in the parliamentary question, had a beneficiary cap of 19,39,303.
The Centre released Rs 8,844.31 crore under NSAP nationally in 2025-26, compared with Rs 9,631.89 crore in 2024-25 and Rs 9,435.23 crore in 2023-24.
For J&K, the data presented in Parliament did not provide a separate breakdown of beneficiaries by individual NSAP sub-scheme or district. It also listed the figures as a State/UT beneficiary cap rather than the actual number of beneficiaries receiving assistance under each component.
