PFRDA holds seminar on enhancing NPS, seeks feedback on new flexible and assured pension proposals

Mumbai, Oct 28 (IANS) The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) on Tuesday said that it has organised a seminar on its consultation paper titled "Enhancing the National Pension System: Proposals for Flexible, Assured and Predictable Pension Schemes".

The purpose of the event was to gather expert insights and stakeholder feedback on three proposed pension schemes under the National Pension System (NPS), designed to make retirement benefits more flexible, predictable, and assured.

The seminar, which was organised at the Insurance Institute of India, here, brought together academicians, retirement income experts, and representatives from pension funds, annuity and life insurance service providers, along with senior PFRDA officials.

The consultation paper proposes three new pension schemes under the NPS framework, each tailored to meet the varied needs of subscribers.

The first, Pension Scheme–1 (Non-Assured, Flexible Decumulation), focuses on maximising pension wealth through a combination of a Step-up Systematic Withdrawal Plan (SWP) and an annuity.

The second, Pension Scheme–2 (Assured Benefit), is designed to provide a target pension with periodic inflation adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW).

The third, Pension Scheme–3 (Assured through Pension Credits), introduces an innovative concept of "Pension Credits", where each credit assures a fixed monthly pension payout, enhancing predictability and encouraging goal-based participation.

The seminar featured presentations by Prof Arun Muralidhar (Adjunct Faculty, Georgetown University), Dr Renuka Sane, and Ravi Saraogi, CFA.

Their sessions generated extensive discussions on the future roadmap of the NPS and the feasibility of implementing the proposed models.

Each presentation was followed by interactive Q&A sessions with participants, facilitating a rich exchange of ideas and feedback.

The PFRDA has invited feedback from all stakeholders—including NPS participants, prospective subscribers, pension funds, annuity and life insurance providers, academia, and the general public.

The consultation paper and feedback template are available on the PFRDA website for comments and suggestions.

--IANS

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