Social Security

Banks need to push APY subscribers toward higher pension slab: DFS Secy

Flagging concerns over the high concentration of Atal Pension Yojana (APY) subscribers in the minimum slab of Rs 1,000, Financial Services Secretary M Nagaraju called on financial institutions, particularly banks, to nudge individuals toward higher pension slabs as their incomes grow. The flagship social security scheme, APY, has witnessed gross enrolments crossing the 9 crore mark, and in FY26, a record 1.35 crore new subscribers were added. "Amid this remarkable progress, I must call your attention to the critical concern that there is an overwhelming concentration of enrolments in the Rs 1,000 monthly pension slab," he said, while addressing an Atal Pension Yojana Annual Felicitation Programme organised by PFRDA here. "While we celebrate our enrolment numbers, we must ask ourselves: would Rs 1,000 per month provide adequate protection to our subscribers 20 or 30 years from now? This concentration suggests that our counselling at the point of enrolment needs more strengthening. Ou

Withdrawal of retirement provident funds to soon be automated: EPFO

Retirement fund body EPFO will soon automate the process for settling final provident fund withdrawal claims, fast-tracking the money transfer to the applicant's bank accounts, a top official said on Wednesday. The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has more than seven crore members. At present, partial or advance withdrawal claims of up to Rs 5 lakh are settled through auto mode, and the deadline for the auto-settlement mode is three days from filing the claim. Speaking at the ASSOCHAM's National Seminar on New Labour Codes, Central Provident Fund Commissioner, EPFO, Ramesh Krishnamurthi, said, "We are also going to initiate, as far as feasible, auto-settlement for now...which was (available) only for advances. Now we are going in for auto-settlement of final withdrawals." He further added that the EPFO is going in for auto-settlement and auto-transfer of provident fund accounts in case a member shifts employers. "You don't have to file a form anymore. We try to ...

Central labour rules notified: What the new framework means for industry

Final Central Rules under the four labour codes shift India's labour reforms from policy to implementation, putting immediate compliance focus on employers

Bengal workers to get ESIC coverage after Labour Codes rollout: Mandaviya

Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said workers in West Bengal will gain access to expanded ESIC social security benefits once the Labour Codes are implemented

Labour ministry taps influencers to promote pension scheme for workers

Labour ministry invites digital influencers to promote PM-SYM pension scheme, aiming to boost awareness and expand social security coverage among informal workers

Centre drafting insurance scheme for gig workers with life, accident cover

The labour ministry is drafting a social security scheme offering insurance and possible pension cover for gig workers under the Code on Social Security

PSBs, insurers seek higher sum assured for social security schemes

PSBs and insurers have urged the finance ministry to raise the sum assured under PMJJBY and PMSBY, citing inflation and household vulnerabilities, as India targets "Insurance for All by 2047"

Govt publishes handbook on employer compliance under Labour Codes

Labour Ministry releases a handbook outlining 23 compliance actions for employers under the four Labour Codes, offering clarity ahead of final rules expected by the end of the fiscal year

India, UK sign social security agreement to avoid double contributions

India and the UK have signed a social security agreement to avoid double contributions for employees on temporary assignments, supporting worker mobility under the proposed trade pact

India hopes to conclude social security pacts with all EU members in 5 yrs

Social Security Agreement ensures continuity of social security benefits on a reciprocal basis and thus avoids potential dual contributions for Indian workers and employers in the future

Delhi govt plans to upskill 120K registered construction workers

Delhi government, under the newly implemented Code of Social Security, has planned skill training of 1.20 lakh construction workers to improve their efficiency and ensure better job prospects, officials said on Monday. The government agency Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare (DBOCWW) Board deals with the welfare of registered workers in the city. The training is important for the construction workers who are one of the most vulnerable segments of the labour workforce, largely because the majority of them migrate from different regions of the country, especially villages, to Delhi in search of livelihood means, said a senior Delhi government officer. Under the Code of Social Security, 2020, implemented by the Government of India in November last year, the Building Workers Welfare Board have been empowered to frame skill development and awareness schemes for the registered workers. The DBOCWW Board, moving in skilling of 1.20 lakh workers registered with it, has ..

Govt launches 2-day conference on labour codes, asks states to notify rules

This is the first of six regional conferences planned by the Central government, covering all states, Union territories and key stakeholders

Labour Ministry publishes draft rules; gig workers' unions seek clarity

Draft rules under the new Labour Codes set minimum work-day criteria for gig workers to access social security benefits, prompting unions to seek clarity on eligibility and safeguards

Centre proposes 90 days work rule for gig workers to get social security

Centre pre-publishes draft labour rules, says gig workers must work 90 days a year to qualify for social security benefits; stakeholders can give feedback

Centre notifies revised draft rules for labour codes, seeks responses

Revised draft rules for the four Labour Codes clarify key provisions such as gratuity on 'wages' and gig worker registration, with stakeholder inputs invited for up to 45 days

New Labour Codes: The main challenge with Indian policy is its execution

India's new labour Codes promise sweeping reform, but weak state capacity, patchy data, and political risk may once again turn ambitious legislation into uneven, middling execution

Over 1 mn beneficiaries in J&K get credit worth ₹43,000 cr in H1 FY26

Over 10.07 lakh beneficiaries in Jammu and Kashmir received credit assistance during the first half of the financial year 2025-26, with banks disbursing loans worth over Rs 43,000 crore, an official said on Sunday. The information was given at the 17th meeting of the UT-Level Bankers' Committee (UTLBC) chaired by chief secretary Atal Dulloo here on Saturday to review the performance of banks and financial institutions in providing credit and other banking services during the first quarter and first half of the current financial year 202526, the official said. The official said the meeting was informed that the banks in J&K have disbursed credit of Rs 43,017 crore to 10.07 lakh beneficiaries during the first half of the current financial year 202526. Dulloo said despite the ups and downs caused by the Pahalgam terror attack followed by cross-border tensions and floods that engulfed J&K between April and September, lending to the priority sector has remained ...

BTA talks: India proposes UK-style totalisation agreement with US

India has proposed a US totalisation pact on the lines of its UK agreement, aiming to prevent double social-security contributions and boost savings for thousands of Indians working in America

India's dev trajectory is an emulative model for Global South: Mandaviya

At UN summit in Doha, India offers its inclusive growth model to the Global South, citing major gains in poverty reduction and social security expansion over the past decade

Labour reform 2.0: India's digital blueprint for jobs and inclusion

To harness this shift, the Shram Shakti Niti draft outlines a series of interventions to bridge the divide between skill and opportunity