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NSAP Pension Stopped? RTI to District Social Welfare Officer
In one line. The National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) — IGNOAPS (old age), IGNWPS (widow), IGNDPS (disability) — is operated by the state Social Welfare Department. When pension stops, RTI extracts the beneficiary-record status, life-certificate pending, and restoration path.
Part of Pillar 4 — RTI for Money & Schemes. Related: EPFO pension RTI.
What is the problem
- Life-certificate (Jeevan Pramaan) not submitted within the annual window.
- Re-verification under the state's periodic review failed.
- Beneficiary marked “deceased” wrongly by a beat-constable / ANM.
- Bank account dormant / closed.
- Aadhaar-seeding / NPCI not completed.
- Eligibility re-assessment (e.g., child attained majority — widow pension terminated prematurely).
When to use RTI
- Pension stopped for 3+ consecutive months.
- Life certificate submitted but pension not resumed.
- Beneficiary re-verified but status “pending”.
- Bank account changed but new account not linked.
- Pension amount less than notified.
What you can ask
- Current status of the beneficiary record.
- Last life-certificate submission date + acceptance.
- Re-verification status and survey officer's name.
- Aadhaar + NPCI mapping log.
- Bank-account status; if flagged inactive, the source of that flag.
- PFMS / state-treasury disbursement reference for the last release.
- Reason for hold, with the rule / notification.
- Restoration procedure.
- Local officer contact.
Step-by-step RTI filing
- District Social Welfare Officer (DSWO) / Social Security Officer. State RTI portal → Social Welfare / Social Justice / Women & Child Development (depending on state).
- Rs. 10 fee; BPL free.
Sample RTI application
To, The Public Information Officer, Office of the District Social Welfare Officer, [District], [State] Subject: Information under Section 6(1) of the RTI Act, 2005, regarding my NSAP pension. Sir/Madam, I, [Name], S/o / D/o / W/o [Parent / Spouse], resident of [Full Address], submit: Pension type (IGNOAPS / IGNWPS / IGNDPS / state): ________ Beneficiary ID: ________ Aadhaar (last 4 digits): XXXX Bank account (last 4 digits): XXXX Month from which pension stopped: ________ Amount expected per month: Rs. ________ Please provide: 1. Current status of my beneficiary record. 2. Last life-certificate (Jeevan Pramaan) submission date and acceptance status. 3. If re-verification has been conducted, the survey officer's name, date of visit, and findings recorded. 4. Aadhaar + NPCI mapping log with dates. 5. Bank-account status with this Office. If flagged inactive / dormant, the source document. 6. PFMS / state-treasury disbursement reference for the last release. 7. Specific reason recorded for the hold, with the rule / notification relied on. 8. Procedure and timeline for restoration, including arrears calculation. 9. Local Social Welfare Inspector / Gram Panchayat Secretary name and contact. 10. Grievance officer / First Appellate Authority contact. I enclose Indian Postal Order / Challan No. __________ for Rs. _____. I declare I am an Indian citizen. Yours faithfully, [Signature / Thumb impression (witnessed)] [Name, Date, Place]
10 RTI questions
- Beneficiary-record status.
- Life-certificate acceptance.
- Re-verification survey.
- Aadhaar/NPCI log.
- Bank-account status.
- PFMS disbursement reference.
- Hold reason.
- Restoration procedure.
- Local officer contact.
- FAA contact.
What happens next
- Day 0–15 RTI routed; DSWO pulls the record.
- Day 15–25 Field survey / life-certificate update; pension often restored within this window.
- Day 30 Reply mandatory.
Common mistakes
- Full Aadhaar number — use only last 4.
- Not citing beneficiary ID.
- Writing in English where Hindi / regional-language form is the state's default.
- Skipping the life-certificate question.
Pro tips
- Annual Jeevan Pramaan — November each year for most states; plan ahead.
- Bio Jeevan Pramaan at CSC / bank — cost Rs. 15.
- For “deceased” error, a Life Certificate + Sarpanch's certificate is the fastest remedy.
- Arrears — Section 20 RTI Act penalty may induce arrears release.
FAQs
Q1. IGNOAPS amount?
Rs. 200/month (60-79 yrs) and Rs. 500/month (80+) at central level; states typically top up.
Q2. Is pension transferable on migration?
Yes but requires state-to-state coordination; RTI can surface the transfer file.
Q3. Can family members file for a senior?
Yes — a family member who is an Indian citizen can file.
Q4. What if the bank is closed?
Update the bank; re-seed Aadhaar; pension resumes. RTI extracts which link failed.
Conclusion
Social-welfare pensions are lifelines. Stoppages are almost always recoverable. RTI identifies the specific link and accelerates restoration.
Related reading
Sources
- NSAP Operational Guidelines (Ministry of Rural Development)
- State Social Welfare Rules
Last reviewed: 21 April 2026.


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