June 2025
18Jun

India needs to design an inclusive pension system

Pensions are essential for maintaining economic stability and dignity after retirement. Retirees often face financial instability due to reduced earning capacity, rising health-care costs, and inflation, necessitating a safety net in the form of pensions. The Economic Survey 2025-26 reports that Indian pension assets amount to just 17% of GDP, compared with up to 80% in many advanced economies. Currently, only around 12% of India’s workforce is covered by formal pension schemes. The coverage is also disproportionate, with public sector...

June 18, 2025
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March 2025
26Mar

Policy certainty and structural reforms required to ‘boost’ pension investment in UK assets

Policy uncertainty and regulatory hurdles are preventing UK pension funds from investing more into UK productive assets, the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) pool Border to Coast Pensions Partnership has warned. Its report called on the government to provide policy certainty, remove structural blockers to investment, and incentivise growth-driving capital allocation to enable increased pensions investment into UK productive assets. Border to Coast Pensions Partnership said there is a “significant” appetite for institutional investment in the UK, demonstrated by the fact that...

March 26, 2025
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25Mar

India. New Unified Pension Scheme Set to Launch in 2025

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has announced the introduction of the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), set to take effect on April 1, 2025. This new scheme will provide an alternative for central government employees currently enrolled in the National Pension Scheme (NPS). The UPS aims to streamline pension benefits and enhance financial security for government employees, with specific eligibility criteria and contribution requirements outlined in the recent gazette notification. Who Can Participate in the UPS? The UPS is...

March 25, 2025
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07Mar

Women’s Employment Rate in Urban India Rises by 10% in Six Years: Report

Women’s employment in urban India has increased by 10% over the last six years (2017-18 to 2023-24), according to a report released ahead of International Women’s Day 2025. The white paper, published by the Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai, highlights that women in their 40s have the highest employment rate among urban women, reaching 38.3% in 2023-24. Challenges Persist Despite Employment Growth Despite this positive trend, the report warns of several pressing challenges, including: Underutilization of educated women’s skills Lack of flexible work arrangements Commuting challenges Risk of a diversity backlash According to the findings, over 89...

March 7, 2025
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February 2025
27Feb

India. Voluntary Pension Scheme On The Cards; Open To All, No Job Or Employment Needed: Report

To provide financial stability outside of conventional job-based plans, the Centre is developing a Universal Pension Scheme. The scheme aims to streamline current pension plans and increase their accessibility, especially for unorganized workers, traders, and self-employed people, according to an ET report. The scheme will be available to everyone, regardless of their job or business. The ET report states that the Labour Ministry has initiated talks on the voluntary and contributory pension plan that would enable people from all backgrounds to...

February 27, 2025
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25Feb

India. Voluntary pension scheme for all on cards: Won’t be tied to employment, will be open for all

The ministry of labour and employment has started deliberations on the umbrella pension scheme. "The scheme, which would be voluntary and contributory, will not be tied to employment and hence will be open for everyone to contribute and earn a pension," a senior government official told ET. The broad contours of the scheme under the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) are being worked on, said the people cited. Pooling of Cess Once this exercise is over, the ministry will hold stakeholder consultations to...

February 25, 2025
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13Feb

India. Atal Pen­sion Yojana enrol­ments grow 29% annu­ally since 2019

The Centre’s ambi­tious Atal Pen­sion Yojana (APY), launched in 2015 to provide uni­ver­sal social secur­ity to India’s unor­gan­ised work­force, has wit­nessed a remark­able surge in enrol­ments, with five States alone account­ing for nearly half of the total sub­scribers. FOCUS. Accord­ing to the latest data presen­ted in the Lok Sabha, Uttar Pra­desh leads with 16.11 per cent of total enrol­ments, fol­lowed by Bihar (9.59 per cent), Maha­rashtra (7.96 per cent), West Bengal (7.68 per cent), and Tamil Nadu (6.69 per cent). Com­bined,...

February 13, 2025
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January 2025
24Jan

Challenges Related to Aging Population

By Drishti The Vision Foundation The Supreme Court of India refused to entertain a writ petition that sought the establishment of a dedicated Ministry for senior citizens. The writ petition referred to senior citizens (population ageing) as a vulnerable class that deserves special attention under Article 21 of the Constitution, which ensures the right to a dignified life. Source Drishtiias

January 24, 2025
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December 2024
16Dec

India. Why a nation of 1.45 billion wants more children

Last year, India nudged past China to become the world's most populous country, according to UN estimates. With nearly 1.45 billion people now, you'd think the country would be quiet about having more children. But guess what? The chatter has suddenly picked up. Leaders of two southern states – Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu – have recently advocated more children. Andhra Pradesh is mulling providing incentives, citing low fertility rates and ageing population. The state also scrapped its "two-child policy" for local body elections,...

December 16, 2024
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04Dec

Rise and Challenges of India’s Gig Economy

According to a white paper by the Forum for Progressive Gig Workers, the gig economy in India is projected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17%, reaching USD 455 billion by 2024, driving significant economic growth and employment opportunities. What is the Gig Economy? About: The gig economy refers to a labor market characterized by short-term, and flexible jobs often facilitated through digital platforms. It involves individuals or companies offering services on a temporary or task-by-task basis, rather...

December 4, 2024
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