Ranchi, July 7: Around 10.3 lakh beneficiaries of centrally sponsored social security schemes in Jharkhand are expected to receive their pending pension and financial assistance within the next 15 days, with the state government nearing completion of the rollout of the new SNA-SPARSH digital payment system, officials said,as per Hindustan.
Payments under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) have been delayed since the beginning of the 2026–27 financial year as the Department of Women, Child Development and Social Security shifted to the Centre’s new System for Integrated Quick Transfer (SNA-SPARSH) platform for fund disbursement.
The delay has affected beneficiaries of the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme, Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme, Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme and the National Family Benefit Scheme, with funds yet to be credited to their bank accounts.
According to the department, integration of beneficiaries with the new payment platform is almost complete and only the final testing process remains. Officials said payments are expected to begin within the next two weeks, bringing relief to lakhs of beneficiaries awaiting financial assistance.
The transition to the new system also requires beneficiaries to complete mandatory formalities, including onboarding on the Government of India’s payment platform, submission of digital life certificates, annual verification and social audits before funds can be released.
SNA-SPARSH is a real-time digital payment system jointly adopted by the Centre and the states for centrally sponsored schemes. Based on the “Just-in-Time” model, it enables funds to move electronically from the Central Government to the State Government and then through the RBI and Treasury directly to beneficiaries, replacing the earlier fund transfer mechanism.
Officials said the new platform is designed to improve transparency, accountability and the speed of fund transfers, although temporary delays are expected during the initial phase of implementation.
Under the old-age, widow and disability pension schemes, eligible beneficiaries receive ₹1,000 per month, with contributions shared between the Centre and the state depending on the scheme and the beneficiary’s age. The National Family Benefit Scheme provides a one-time assistance of ₹20,000 to below-poverty-line families after the death of the primary earning member.
The report is based on details provided by the Department of Women, Child Development and Social Security.
