Identifying factual statements about India's pension scheme

Steps:

• Review eligibility rules for the National Old Age Pension Scheme (NOAPS).
• Verify historical payment amounts and changes.
• Check Supreme Court interventions on pension adequacy.
• Confirm government announcements on benefit increases.

Why C is correct:

• It aligns with the 2018 Supreme Court ruling in the case of Himanshu Kumar vs. State of Bihar, mandating review of unrealistic pension payments under Article 21 of the Constitution.

Why the others are wrong:

• A: Eligibility requires age 60+ and Below Poverty Line status, but the statement implies poverty as the only criterion, omitting other scheme details.
• B: In January 2020, payments were Rs 200 for ages 60-79 and Rs 500 for 80+, not uniformly 500 for all over 60.
• D: The increase to Rs 1,000 was announced in the 2021 budget, not January generally.

Final answer: C