GK Question

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Article 41 directs the State to make provision for public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness, disablement, and undeserved want, and schemes like National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) operationalize this by providing pensions, assistance to ______, widows, disabled persons.

  1. youth
  2. elderly
  3. students
  4. entrepreneurs

Answer: elderly

Article 41 public assistance and social security: (a) Article 41 text: State shall, within limits of economic capacity and development, make effective provision for securing right to work, education, and public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness, disablement, undeserved want, (b) NSAP operationalization: (i) Old age pension: Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) provides monthly pension to elderly below poverty line, (ii) Widow assistance: Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS) supports widows facing economic hardship, (iii) Disability pension: Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS) assists persons with severe disabilities, (c) Social security dimensions: (i) Income support: Pensions provide basic income security, reduce poverty among vulnerable groups, (ii) Dignity: Social assistance enables elderly, widows, disabled persons to live with dignity, autonomy, (iii) Inclusion: Targeting marginalized groups advances substantive equality, social justice, (d) Applications: (i) Direct benefit transfer: DBT ensures timely, leak-proof pension delivery to beneficiaries, (ii) Convergence: Linking NSAP with other schemes (NFSA, PMAY) enables holistic support for vulnerable households, (iii) State supplements: Many States enhance central pensions, reflecting federal commitment to social security, (e) Challenges: (i) Coverage: Identifying, reaching eligible beneficiaries (especially informal sector, migrants) requires targeted outreach, flexible delivery, (ii) Adequacy: Pension amounts often insufficient for decent living; require periodic revision, inflation indexing, (iii) Awareness: Many eligible persons unaware of entitlements; require legal literacy campaigns, simplified application processes, (f) Illustrates transformative social policy: Article 41 operationalized through NSAP; balance between legal entitlement, fiscal capacity, effective delivery essential for realizing constitutional vision of social security, dignity for vulnerable groups.

Topic Article 41 - Public Assistance and Social Security
Exam Relevance Article 41 public assistance frequently asked in UPSC and SSC exams