India, April 8 -- A parliamentary panel has recommended an increase in central contributions to the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), saying that the financial burden should not be disproportionately placed on state governments, which cover nearly twice the number of beneficiaries than the Centre under the federally sponsored scheme. It also flagged that the Centre's contribution in the scheme has not been revised in the last 10 years.

The Standing Committee on Rural Development, in its report "Impact of NSAP on the Poor and Destitute in the Villages", tabled in the Lok Sabha on April 3, said the current system of determining beneficiaries relies on an "antiquated methodology that fails to reflect present-day socio-economic re...