The strong domestic flow offset selling by foreign portfolio investors who pulled out $23.3 billion (Rs 2.03 trillion) from domestic equity markets in CY25.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday introduced the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which aims to provide tax exemptions to subscribers of the Unified Pension Scheme.
It has the scope to offer better returns to savers and help government finance important projects.
The revised DTC which will introduce several changes if implemented has brought New Pension Scheme under the tax exempt net. This new change will make NPS an attractive investment opportunity.
The New Pension Scheme (NPS), launched by the government, was extended to all citizens of the country from May 1, 2009. Under the scheme, 50 per cent of the funds is allowed for investment in the stock markets.
So, last year, the government decided to go ahead by allowing the NPS Trust to enter management agreements with fund managers. What benefits does the NPS offer? Who is eligible? Check it out.
The operationalisation of the new pension scheme, scheduled to have started from April, is to be delayed as the appointment of fund mangers is being deferred till July.
Failing to get Election Commission's nod for campaigning and undertaking preparatory activities for launch of the scheme on April 1, the government on Thursday announced its decision to defer extension of the scheme to other citizens. The Centre has already implemented the new pension system for its employees who joined on or after January 1, 2004.
The government will operationalise the interim Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority and come up with the new pension scheme for about 1,00,000 employees from January 1, 2004.
The New Pension Scheme is one of the more ambitious programmes tried out by the government. If successful, it has the power to transform India's savings habits.
Institutions that are supposed to promote and sell the product are more or less clueless about it even though it has been a month since the scheme was launched on May 1. Only few of the institutions that have been nominated to help investors enrol are aware of the procedures. There were no designated help desks. At best, one could only get the form.
Here are the answers to six most relevant questions you MUST know about the New Pension Scheme.
The fee for fund manager will change. As of now, they get 0.0009 per cent of the funds managed by them.
Till a few days ago, executives at the banks that have been designated points of presence to register subscribers and receive contributions, did not even know about the scheme.
The Supreme Court on Monday directed uniform pension benefits for all retired high court judges, irrespective of their mode of appointment or tenure, saying "one rank one pension has to be the norm in respect of a constitutional office".
Shivakumar said, "Mahayuti leaders should visit my state to see how Congress' welfare guarantees are benefiting people."
In the morning, school students in uniform were seen going to their institutions, many accompanied by guardians, the Daily Star reported.
The government plans to come up with a contributory pension scheme for its employees who joined service after October 2002, and set up a National Tax Tribunal to speed up settlement of disputes.
Hailed as a revolutionary offering, the NPs has found few takers even after a year of its launch.
Investors should quiz them to understand the product, which options to invest in, and how to get the final payout
From April 1, subscribers will be able to change investment option & asset allocation twice a year, instead of once. Use greater flexibility offered by pension scheme judiciously.
Interim pension regulator PFRDA will launch from December this year its savings scheme, which aims to give greater returns on the deposits, and can be withdrawn fully.
Following recommendations from the Deepak Parekh-headed Expert Group and taking into account comments from the public, PFRDA has categorised NPS investments into three asset classes -- E (equity), C (corporate paper) and G (government securities).
Dr T V Somanathan is the first finance secretary to be appointed Cabinet secretary since 1985. His appointment at this juncture seems to carry much meaning for the forthcoming trajectory of reforms and restructuring of India's steel frame.
The potential market for pensions in India is enormous. Some 284m working age people in India lack formal pensions.
There are over 1.36 lakh employees, including employees and pensioners under the new pension scheme.
The Maharashtra cabinet on Thursday cleared a proposal that offers an option of availing the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) to the state government employees who joined the service after November 2005.
The New Pension Scheme scores over several other retirement products in many ways, check out how and why.
Read this to find if you will be investing in the NPS for your retirement needs.
The protesters who had gathered under the banner of the Joint Forum for Restoration of Old Pension Scheme and National Joint Council of Action said they were worried about their post-retirement future.
To offer additional support at the low end of the income ranges, the Centre will consider a large-scale jump in exemption rates under the old income-tax regime in the vote on account, or interim Budget, according to a senior official in the know. Those will include an extension of the income tax exemption rates close to Rs 7 lakh and additional measures for women farmers.
Mutual funds (MFs) have stepped up equity purchases after staying on the fence for over two months. Their net equity investments reached a four-month high of Rs 7,700 crore in July, rising for the fourth consecutive month after withdrawing a net of Rs 5,100 crore in April 2023. This trend continued in August, with net investments of Rs 3,400 crore in the first three trading sessions, according to data from the Securities and Exchange Board of India.
Have the markets already played out their dynamics before the economy has even properly taken off? Are we now destined for a period of mediocre returns despite a strong economy? asks Akash Prakash.
The BJP's challenge is whether it can again deflate a Congress, which now looks reinvigorated and has adopted sharper messaging around its 'guarantees', and several regional parties, especially in Bihar, Maharashtra and West Bengal.
What is most troubling is that not a single party that is part of INDIA has talked about any kind of reform and economic sense, argues R Jagannathan.
Public-sector banks, which are the largest employers in the banking space, have seen a drop in clerical staff over the years.
An armymen's trust has moved the Supreme Court seeking directions to the central government to remove the disparity in the pensionary benefit and to extend the old pension scheme benefits to the personnel of the armed forces under both the ministry of home affairs and the ministry of defence.
With organisations like the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, which is a front of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, telling Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman they want OPS back, the government is in a bind, report Shiva Rajora and Aditi Phadnis.
Mihir Tanna, Associate Director, S K Patodia & Associates, answers your tax queries.
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