Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme
Also called: IGNOAPS, National Social Assistance Programme · Topic: Financial Markets, Instruments, Insurance and Pensions · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) gives a small monthly cash pension to poor elderly people, meaning those below the poverty line (BPL). It is part of the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), which is run by the Ministry of Rural Development. The scheme is non-contributory: the person does not pay anything in, and the money comes from tax revenue. It matters because about 88.4% of India's workers are informal. Most of them never build up a provident fund or a pension, so in old age this kind of social assistance is often their only regular income. In October 2026, NSAP was revised into the Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana, which runs from 2026–27 to 2030–31. It covers the elderly, widows, persons with disabilities and bereaved families.
Example
Take a 70-year-old landless farm labourer in a village. He never had an employer, so he has no EPF or EPS account. His monthly old-age pension comes through this social-assistance channel. If he were living in a care home funded under AVYAY, that home would give him shelter and food, but no cash income.
Don't confuse with
- Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY): It is run by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. It provides care, such as homes, assistive devices and the Elderline helpline, but no pension.
- PM-SYM: It is a voluntary, contributory pension for unorganised workers. They must join between the ages of 18 and 40 and pay in every month to get ₹3,000 a month after age 60. IGNOAPS asks for no contribution.