National Social Assistance Programme does not include the following scheme for ‘Below Poverty Line’ households

The correct answer is C. Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana is not a part of the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP).

NSAP, run by the Ministry of Rural Development, has five components: the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme, the Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme, the Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme, the National Family Benefit Scheme (A), and the National Maternity Benefit Scheme. Annapurna (B) is also an NSAP scheme. It provides 10 kg of free foodgrain each month to BPL senior citizens above 65 who are not receiving the old age pension.

Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana is a women farmers' empowerment scheme under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. It is not an assistance scheme for BPL households and does not belong to NSAP.

The core concept here is the difference between social assistance and livelihood or agricultural empowerment programmes. For Mains GS-II, this links to how welfare schemes are classified and delivered through different ministries and central sponsored schemes.

Trap: Because the question asks for what is not included, aspirants sometimes mark D on the logic that the options are all welfare schemes. Options A and B are NSAP components, so D cannot be correct.