Whither state care? India’s non-contributory pension system

Sharma, Asmi and Pathak, Nancy (2026) Whither state care? India’s non-contributory pension system. In: Realising right: a handbook of welfare in India. UNSPECIFIED, Bengaluru, pp. 283-305.

Preview

Text - Published Version Download (7MB) | Preview

Abstract

A transformative concept of social security began to take shape in India in the 1990s, informed by a rights-based approach to welfare. The state’s outlook on social security shifted from discretionary relief to a basic obligation, articulated through the language of rights, citizenship and social justice. The National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), introduced in 1995, was the first attempt to establish a national, non-contributory social assistance pension system for the country’s most socially and economically vulnerable populations. Since its inception, the NSAP has undergone numerous developments that have both strengthened and fragmented the system. Key state-level schemes and practices show pathways to enhance the programme and chart a path towards a more meaningful social security pension system.

Item Type:	Book Section
Authors:	Sharma, Asmi and Pathak, Nancy
Document Language:	Language English
Subjects:	Social sciences > Political Science > Civil & political rights Social sciences > Economics > Macroeconomics & related topics > Factors affecting income and wealth > Poverty Social sciences > Public administration > General considerations of public administration > Public administration of general forms of assistance
Divisions:	Azim Premji University - Bengaluru > University Publications > Centre for the Study of the Indian Economy (CSIE)
Full Text Status:	Public
URI:	http://publications.azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/id/eprint/7640
Publisher URL:	https://azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/

Actions (login required)

View Item