PFRDA Chairperson S Ramann announced an ambitious target to add 2-3 crore new subscribers to the National Pension System (NPS) within the next two years. This growth will be significantly driven by the new 'NPS Tatkal' scheme, which enables direct enrolment and contributions via UPI applications, making the pension system more accessible, especially in tier 2 and tier 3 cities and for the informal sector.
Subscribers do not need to remember their PRAN to log in through this process.
'We see a lot of cases of bank deposits getting lost, especially when people die, so this will help address that because you have one consolidated view.'
The finance ministry has announced that all banks, including Regional Rural Banks, will remain open on Sunday, September 27, 2026, to ensure public convenience amidst a proposed three-day strike by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) starting September 28, 2026. The strike, if it materialises, seeks a 5-day banking week and pension reforms.
Banking services across India, particularly at public sector banks, are set to be disrupted for three days starting Monday due to a nationwide strike by bank unions. The strike, called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), is primarily to press for a five-day working week and other demands, despite the finance ministry's appeal for dialogue.
Banking services, particularly at public sector banks across India, were impacted by a nationwide strike called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) to demand the immediate implementation of a five-day workweek and resolution of pending wage-related issues.
If the strike materialises, banking services, especially in public sector banks, would be impacted for four days in many parts of the country. September 11 is a Friday, and the subsequent two days are bank holidays.
Retirement planning is not a test of how smart you are; it is a test of how well you control your behaviour.
DIIs invested $22.8 billion in Indian equities in Q2CY26.
An employee whose financial future is 60-80 per cent dependent on a single company's growth trajectory has no genuine safety net.
The EPF should remain a retirement nest egg, not be turned into an emergency fund.
The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has launched a new Retirement Income Scheme (RIS) and drawdown options under the National Pension System (NPS), offering greater flexibility for managing pension savings post-retirement. Additionally, PFRDA has eased annuity surrender rules, allowing exits in cases of critical illness or for older contracts with explicit surrender clauses.
The Indian government is reportedly considering increasing the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit in the pension sector to 100 per cent, bringing it in line with the insurance sector. A Bill to amend the PFRDA Act, 2013, is expected in an upcoming Parliament session.
Behind the aesthetics of an entrepreneurial lifestyle lies a silent financial crisis that nobody is talking about: Freelancers are sprinting toward a retirement brick wall.
Life cycle funds may suit people who are starting their investing journey. They may suit those who do not want to monitor their investments frequently. Busy professionals, beginners and delegators, who lack the time, information or interest to manage asset allocation actively, may find these funds useful.
Of course, NOT! Here's why. And here's how you can increase your Rs 1 crore retirement corpus.
RIS Steady Life Cycle begins with an equity allocation of 35 per cent at age 60, which gradually reduces. Between ages 75 and 85, it remains constant at 10 per cent.
The National Pension System (NPS) added 21.5 per cent fewer fresh subscribers under the corporate segment in 2023 compared to the preceding year. Government officials and experts attribute it to the higher exemption limit of income tax of Rs 7 lakh announced in the FY24 Budget that no more requires employees under this income bracket to opt for NPS for tax-saving purposes. Data collated from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) reveals that the corporate component is voluntary in nature and saw 158,212 new subscribers in 2023 compared to 201,517 during 2022.
Recent changes to tax exemptions and allowances, including increased education, hostel, and HRA limits, have made the old tax regime more competitive against the new regime, prompting salaried employees to re-evaluate their choice for the current financial year.
Since this is a long-term investment, investors must do their homework and choose a fund manager carefully.
In the rush to complete tax-saving investments at the end of the financial year, many taxpayers choose instruments that do not match their long-term financial goals.
Sebi is working with other regulators to expand the CAS framework.
Among its 27 recommendations for the Union Budget is this: It has suggested that equity investments held for more than one year and up to three years should be taxed at 12.5 per cent on gains exceeding 2 lakh in a financial year.
The highest number of requests was reported for the purchase or construction of residential houses, which stood at 172,625, of which 155,236 were settled, involving an amount of Rs 1,327.91 crore partial withdrawals under the National Pension System (NPS) in FY 2024-25, according to data from the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) annual report released this month.
NPS Vatsalya offers a disciplined investment avenue that parents can use to create intergenerational wealth by contributing even small sums.
The most common mistake is investing without assessing suitability and long-term implications.
'Stay invested but progressively reduce risk. Beyond a point, the objective should shift from maximising returns to avoiding unpleasant surprises.'
On maturity, 40 per cent of the accumulated corpus can be withdrawn tax-free.
The government bond yield curve is likely to flatten in the financial year 2027 (FY27) as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is expected to ease supply pressure in the ultra-long segment. In FY26 so far, reduced investments by insurance companies and pension funds pushed up yields on ultra-long tenor securities, steepening the curve.
NPS still has critics despite being in business for a decade and mopping Rs 24,000 crore as of 2013-14.
A record amount of pension money may be finding its way into the stock market, if buying figures in the National Stock Exchange (NSE) data are any indication. Category inflows touched Rs 37,409 crore for the three months ending September 2025, shows an analysis of NSE data.
The change in the government's engagement with the economy's need for reforms is more nuanced than how analysts have so far perceived it, points out A K Bhattacharya.
The Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) adoption rate has risen to over 4.35 per cent, with more than 100,000 people out of 2.3 million eligible individuals opting for it, Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) chairman S Ramann said in an exclusive interview with Business Standard on Monday. He also said that six states had approached the PFRDA for help in adoption of the scheme.
'The informal sector can grow at a 100 per cent rate -- we have to plan big.'
Most insurers aren't comfortable with subscribing to the National Pension System as they see it as competition.
Those who have long retirement horizons of 15 to 20 years and seek higher long-term returns may opt for MSF. Investors nearing retirement (under 10 years) or those with low risk tolerance should stay away.
Public sector banks (PSBs) have seen a sharp drop in household deposits from 70.6 per cent to 63 per cent in contrast with private banks, which witnessed a surge from 27.1 per cent to 34.1 per cent.
Most think tax-saving deductions exist only in the old regime. But the New one quietly retains 40+ ways to ease your tax load
The National Pension System is applicable for government employees joining the service after April 1, 2004. It was based on the premise of contribution rather than defined benefit applicable for employees prior to the NPS.
'The new Bill introduces no policy or rate changes, leaving financial planning strategies largely unaffected.'
'The considerations for choosing between the old and new tax regimes remain essentially unchanged.'
