Old Age Pension (IGNOAPS) Statistics: Funds, Beneficiary Cap and Top States

What the numbers show

IGNOAPS is the largest part of the National Social Assistance Programme. Its national cap of 2,21,30,687 beneficiaries is the largest of the five NSAP caps (NSAP as a whole caters to 3.09 crore people), and it took Rs 6,843.92 crore of central money in 2024-25. The budget for 2025-26 is Rs 6,645.90 crore, out of an NSAP total of Rs 9,652 crore.

The trend over the years

Central releases rose from Rs 4,180.98 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 6,110.43 crore in 2017-18, and then moved between Rs 5,775.83 crore and Rs 6,193.38 crore until 2021-22. They moved up to Rs 6,827.55 crore in 2022-23 and have stayed near that level since. The flat trend is not surprising: the central rate has been Rs 200 a month since 2007 (and Rs 500 for those aged 80 and above since 2011), and the number of beneficiaries is fixed by state caps, so spending only changes when states digitise more pensioners or catch up on pending claims.

State differences

Uttar Pradesh received Rs 1,425.52 crore in 2024-25, more than any other state, followed by Bihar (Rs 1,085.59 crore) and Madhya Pradesh (Rs 622.81 crore). Releases to a single state can swing a lot from year to year. Karnataka got Rs 303.75 crore in 2023-24 but Rs 68.31 crore in 2024-25, and some states such as Haryana and Goa received nothing in 2024-25. A low figure usually reflects pending paperwork or unspent balances with the state, not a drop in pensioners.

What the figures do not tell you

The funds table shows money released by the Centre, not money paid to each pensioner. It does not include the state top-up, which is often several times the central share: states add between Rs 50 and Rs 5,700 a month. The cap is also not the same as the number of people actually receiving a pension in a given month, which depends on how many records each state has verified and linked to Aadhaar and a bank account. For the amount you would actually get, check your state's social welfare department.

How many people can get the old age pension under IGNOAPS?

The national cap is 2,21,30,687 beneficiaries, as stated in a Rajya Sabha answer of 8 August 2025. Each state has its own cap, and the Centre pays for the number of digitised beneficiaries or the cap, whichever is lower.

How much money does the Centre release under IGNOAPS?

The Centre released Rs 6,843.92 crore to states and UTs in 2024-25, up from Rs 6,778.48 crore in 2023-24. The budget for 2025-26 is Rs 6,645.90 crore.

Which state gets the most IGNOAPS money?

Uttar Pradesh, with Rs 1,425.52 crore released in 2024-25. Bihar (Rs 1,085.59 crore) and Madhya Pradesh (Rs 622.81 crore) come next.

What is the IGNOAPS pension amount?

The Centre pays Rs 200 a month to people aged 60 to 79 and Rs 500 a month from age 80. States add their own top-up of Rs 50 to Rs 5,700 a month, and the Ministry says the average NSAP pension is around Rs 1,100 a month in several states.

Is the central old age pension going to be raised?

Not for now. In August 2025 the Ministry told Parliament that NSAP continues in its present form, including the rate of assistance, for the 15th Finance Commission cycle up to 2025-26, and that no increase was under consideration.