Unconditional cash transfers (UCTs) in India have witnessed a 23-fold surge over the last decade, with allocations reaching an unprecedented INR 2,80,780 crore in 2024–25. This accounts for 0.9% of India’s GDP and 11% of total social sector spending—surpassing flagship programs like MGNREGA and food security in budgetary outlay.

However, there is a lack of comprehensive, nationwide analysis on the landscape of cash based policies in the country makes policy makers and other active stakeholders reliant on fragmented data sources which subsequently leads to siloed efforts, inconsistent approaches to similar goals, and missed opportunities for cross-learning and collaboration.

Based on extensive research of 71 schemes and insights from 21 experts, this report provides an in-depth analysis and recommendations of different facets of unconditional cash transfers. It’s meant for philanthropists, policy makers and academics who are looking to meaningfully contribute to the evolving welfare landscape in India.