logo
Govt employees under Unified Pension Scheme to get tax benefit akin to NPS: Finmin

Govt employees under Unified Pension Scheme to get tax benefit akin to NPS: Finmin

The Print7 hours ago
'The government has decided that tax benefits as available under NPS would apply mutatis mutandis to UPS as it is an option under NPS,' it said.
The inclusion of UPS under the tax framework marks another step forward in the government's effort to strengthen retirement security for central government employees through transparent, flexible and tax-efficient options, the finance ministry said in a statement.
New Delhi, Jul 4 (PTI) In a bid to promote Unified Pension Scheme, the government has made necessary changes to provide tax benefits to employees opting for UPS at par with those under National Pension System (NPS).
These provisions ensure parity with the existing NPS structure and provide substantial tax relief and incentives to employees opting for the UPS.
The finance ministry through a notification dated January 24, 2025 had notified introduction of the UPS as an option under NPS for the recruits to the central government civil service with effect from April 1, 2025, giving one-time option to the employees covered under NPS for inclusion under the UPS.
To operationalise this framework, the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) notified the PFRDA (Operationalisation of the Unified Pension Scheme under NPS) Regulations, 2025 on 19th March 2025, it said.
UPS is applicable to the central government employees who are covered under the NPS and who choose this option under the NPS, which came into effect on January 1, 2004.
The option can be exercised by 23 lakh government employees.
On August 24, 2024, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the UPS.
Under the old pension scheme (OPS) which has been discontinued since January 2004, employees used to get 50 per cent of their last drawn basic pay as pension. PTI DP HVA
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

The row over rolls revision: Voters' lists must be cleaned up
The row over rolls revision: Voters' lists must be cleaned up

Deccan Herald

timean hour ago

  • Deccan Herald

The row over rolls revision: Voters' lists must be cleaned up

The Congress, which had imposed Emergency during its stint in power in the 1970s, is now stooping to a new low as an opposition party. The Bharatiya Janata Party, on the other hand, set a high moral standard in opposition politics and always lived up to the expectations of a democratic India. After the defeat in the assembly elections of Maharashtra, Haryana and the 2024 parliamentary elections, the Congress is questioning the impartiality of the Election Commission of India, which has a longstanding record of credibility in conducting free and fair elections in India. This is the time in India when the Opposition is constantly attacking all the pillars of democracy – legislature, executive, judiciary, and media – for its superficial politics and casting doubts on them. . The Opposition is even targeting India's foreign policy and the Indian Armed Forces. The target of all these allegations is Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government. It seems that the Opposition, which is continuously failing in politics, is now engaged in destroying the democratic tradition of India. It would be understandable if Pakistan or China took this approach to India, but, unfortunately, it is the Congress and other opposition parties, which resorted to this strategy, only to survive in politics. Now, the question is whether the opposition will be able to revive its fortune in politics by tearing apart the democratic dignity of India? Are the traditions, ethics and principles of India's democratic politics a thing of the past, thanks to the Opposition? Will the opposition counter the ruling party only by maligning the image of the impartial institutions and the pillars of democracy, like the ECI?.The row over rolls revision: Great Bihar disenfranchisement. As the ECI has started the revision of the voter list in Bihar, the Congress-led INDI Alliance has started attacking the prime minister, the government and, of course, the commission. Whereas the reality is that the ECI keeps revising its voter list at regular intervals every year. In India, elections to the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, panchayats and municipal corporations are held every year in several phases. By-elections also keep happening in between. It is the important responsibility of the ECI to be fully prepared and ready for elections on time. It seems that frustrated by the repeated failure to stand against the BJP, the Congress is raising questions on the ECI in desperation and frustration, hence desires to create doubts among the masses to play politics. The complete accuracy of the voter list is essential for a successful voting process and to strengthen democracy. No one can deny the fact that a large number of fake voters are registered across the country. According to an estimate, there are at least 5000 to 25000 fake, or double or triple registered voters are enrolled in every assembly constituency of Bihar. This needs to be revised and corrected on a priority basis before the election is announced. Even within the same assembly constituency, a voter is registered at multiple places. It is necessary to clean up the voter lists and free the rolls of duplications. The BJP has been demanding that the ECI should link the electoral rolls with Aadhaar, so that the fraud in the voting system could be stopped completely. There should be a positive participation of all the political parties. The Opposition should encourage the process for strengthening democracy, rather than indulging in superficial politics through propaganda. It is the responsibility of all the political parties to strengthen the democratic institutions and cooperate with the ECI in making the electoral process completely free and fair. The Congress and the rest of the INDI Alliance are pretending to make a political move, but are, in reality, trying to weaken democracy in India by hitting at the pillars of democracy.. (The writer is presently the National General Secretary of the BJP's OBC Morcha.)

"Our priority will always be Global South": PM Modi during joint session of Trinidad and Tobago's Parliament
"Our priority will always be Global South": PM Modi during joint session of Trinidad and Tobago's Parliament

India Gazette

time2 hours ago

  • India Gazette

"Our priority will always be Global South": PM Modi during joint session of Trinidad and Tobago's Parliament

Port of Spain [Trinidad and Tobago], July 4 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday reaffirmed India's unwavering commitment to the Global South during his address to the Joint Assembly of the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago, stating that India sees its development as a responsibility towards others. Addressing lawmakers at the iconic Red House in Port of Spain, PM Modi said, 'India is the fastest growing major economy in the world... We see our development also as our responsibility towards others, and our priority will always be the Global South.' Expanding on India's development vision, he noted that as India builds Artificial Intelligence tools to drive growth in the Global South, Trinidad and Tobago would be a 'priority nation' for partnership. Highlighting the areas of bilateral support, he said, 'We will share our expertise in agriculture, horticulture and food processing. Machinery from India will support your agro industry, and since development is about dignity, we will organize an artificial limb fitment camp and differently abled citizens here. For us, there are no limits to our cooperation with you.' Reinforcing India's commitment to deepening regional engagement, he added, 'Building on the momentum of the 2nd India-CARICOM Summit, we are eager to collaborate on initiatives that enhance trade and investment, build infrastructure and mobility, implement community development projects and, above all, support capacity building, training and skill development on a large scale.' In a broader global context, PM Modi pointed out the challenges facing international institutions and the growing aspirations of the Global South. 'The old institutions are struggling to deliver peace and progress. At the same time, the Global South is rising. They wish to see a new and fairer world order,' he said. Reflecting on unmet expectations, he remarked, 'When the United Nations turned 75, there was great hope across the developing world that long-pending reform would be realised... that their voice would be heard. But that hope has turned into disappointment.' Outlining India's roadmap for future ties, PM Modi said, 'Our trade will continue to grow. We will encourage businesses to invest more in this country. Our development partnership will expand.' Recognising the importance of gender representation in governance, the Prime Minister lauded the composition of the Parliament. 'I'm delighted to see so many women members in this House. Respect for women is deeply rooted in Indian culture. One of our important holy texts, the Skanda Purana, says that one daughter brings as much happiness as ten sons. We are strengthening the hands of women to build our modern India. From space to sports, startups to science, education to enterprise, aviation to armed forces -- they are leading India to a new future in various domains.' He also spoke about the cultural ties between the two countries, tracing it back nearly two centuries. '...180 years ago, the first Indians arrived on this land after a long and hard journey, oceans away. The Indian beats blended beautifully with the Caribbean rhythm... From politics to poetry, cricket to commerce -- they contribute to every field.' Earlier in the day, PM Modi was conferred with The Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (ORTT), the nation's highest civilian honour, becoming the first foreign leader to receive it. He described the award as a reflection of the 'eternal and deep friendship' between India and Trinidad and Tobago. President Christine Kangaloo presented the award at the President's House in Port of Spain. The Prime Minister noted the cultural ties reflected in President Kangaloo's own Indian ancestry. This recognition marks the 25th international honour bestowed upon PM Modi by any country. Ahead of the joint parliamentary address, PM Modi held a bilateral meeting with President Kangaloo in the capital. PM Modi arrived in Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday (local time), where he was welcomed with a ceremonial Guard of Honour at Piarco International Airport. Sharing a video of the warm reception on social media platform X, the Prime Minister wrote, 'May the friendship between India-Trinidad & Tobago flourish in the times to come! Highlights from a special welcome in Port of Spain.' The footage showcased traditional music, dance, and enthusiastic greetings from the Indian diaspora. This is PM Modi's first visit to Trinidad and Tobago as Prime Minister and the first bilateral Prime Ministerial-level visit since 1999. The visit is part of a broader five-nation tour from July 2 to July 9, aimed at deepening ties in sectors including digital finance, renewable energy, health, and IT. Following his engagements in Trinidad and Tobago, PM Modi is scheduled to visit Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia. He will participate in the 17th BRICS Summit 2025 in Brazil from July 5 to July 8 before concluding the tour with a state visit to Namibia. (ANI)

India-Trinidad Tobago sign six MoUs to boost cooperation
India-Trinidad Tobago sign six MoUs to boost cooperation

India Gazette

time2 hours ago

  • India Gazette

India-Trinidad Tobago sign six MoUs to boost cooperation

Port of Spain [Trinidad and Tobago] July 5 (ANI): India and Trinidad and Tobago have signed six agreements during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the Caribbean nation to strengthen bilateral cooperation in key areas, including infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, development projects, sports, education, cultural exchange programs and diplomatic training. The six Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed following delegation-level talks between PM Modi and his Trinidad and Tobago counterpart Kamla Persad-Bissessar in Port of Spain on Friday. The MoUs include an agreement on the Indian Pharmacopoeia, which aims to provide improved access to Indian pharmaceutical products in the Trinidad and Tobago market, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated in a statement. To strengthen the development corporation partnership between the two countries, an agreement was signed for an Indian grant to implement Quick Impact Projects (QIP). Agreements were also signed to strengthen cooperation in sports, diplomatic training and the re-establishment of two ICCR Chairs of Hindi and Indian Studies at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Trinidad and Tobago. An MoU on the Programme of Cultural Exchanges for the period 2025-2028 was also signed. Along with the MoUs, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced the extension of the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards facility up to 6th generation of Indian Diaspora members in Trinidad and Tobago, allowing them to live and work in India without restrictions. Earlier, this facility was available up to the 4th generation of Indian Diaspora members in the Caribbean nation. PM Modi also gifted 2000 laptops to school students in Trinidad and Tobago and announced formal handing over of agro-processing machinery (USD 1 million) to the National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation (NAMDEVCO) and the holding of Artificial Limb Fitment Camp (poster-launch) in Trinidad and Tobago for 50 days for 800 people. The Indian Prime Minister further announced that under the 'Heal in India' program, specialised medical treatment will be offered to Trinidad and Tobago citizens. He also gifted twenty Hemodialysis Units and two Sea ambulances to the Caribbean nation to assist in the provision of healthcare. PM Modi announced the solarisation of the headquarters of T&T's Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs by providing rooftop photovoltaic solar panels. Enhancing the cultural ties between both nations, PM Modi announced the celebration of Geeta Mahotsav at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Cultural Cooperation in Port of Spain, coinciding with the Geeta Mahotsav celebrations in India. Earlier, Trinidad and Tobago PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar said that the nation is honoured to adopt the Indian UPI system and collaborate on India stack tools such as Aadhaar and DigiLocker to modernise public services. 'Trinidad and Tobago is honoured to adopt the Indian UPI system and collaborate on India stack tools such as Aadhaar and DigiLocker to modernise public services. On behalf of the children of Trinidad and Tobago, I thank you for your gift of 2000 laptops.' 'We are in discussions with Indian companies to participate in various energy-related projects here in Trinidad and Tobago. We are proud to join India-led initiatives such as the Global Biofuels Alliance,' she added. After concluding his visit to Trinidad and Tobago, PM Modi embarked on his visit to Argentina for the 3rd leg of his five-nation tour. PM Modi is headed for Buenos Aires at the official invitation of the President of the Republic of Argentina, Javier Milei. He will hold bilateral talks with President Milei to review ongoing cooperation and discuss ways to enhance further the India-Argentina partnership in key areas, including defence, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, renewable energy, trade, investment, and people-to-people ties. (ANI)

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store