July 2021

India. Want to give more options to pension funds, so opening up IPO investments: PFRDA chairman

Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) will soon allow pension fund managers (PFMs) to invest in initial public offerings (IPOs), follow on public offers (FPOs) and offer for sale (OFS). This would mean that PFMs could use their investment corpus to invest into upcoming IPOs including the Rs 16,000 crore initial public offering of Paytm. Speaking to Moneycontrol, Supratim Bandyopadhyay, Chairman, PFRDA said these will allow PFMs to have a wider range of investment options. "This will broaden the PFMs investment...

India. PFRDA, government in talks to tweak law to cover retirement funds

The government and the Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority (PFRDA) are discussing amendments to the law to ensure the regulation of a large number of superannuation funds that currently escape the required scrutiny Although there are no official estimates, around 400-500 are seen to be “unregulated” superannuation funds, with 50-60 being large players. There are at least three regulators for the pension business, with PFRDA handling the National Pension System (NPS), while the insurance regulator deals with annuities sold...

India. Now, wider choice of pension funds in National Pension System

In order to make the National Pension System (NPS) more transparent, increase the subscriber base and ensure orderly growth, the pension fund regulator has taken a host of initiatives easing the process of transacting for the subscribers and the Points of Presence (PoP). The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has now issued guidelines for opening ‘on tap’ registration of pension funds on a continuous basis to manage the pension assets of NPS subscribers under central government schemes, state...

June 2021

India. Punjab doubles social security monthly pension

Punjab is all set to hike the social security monthly pension from Rs 750 to Rs 1500 from July 1. A notification has been issued by the social security, women and child development department in this regard. An official spokesperson of the department said that the notification has paved way for doubling the pension for old age, handicapped persons, widow and destitute women besides dependent children in line with state government's commitment made during the budget session this year to ensure...

CPPIB, Phoenix Mills to Develop Retail Center in India

The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) is developing a shopping center in the affluent Alipore, Kolkata, neighborhood in India, as part of a new joint venture with mall operator Phoenix Mills. India is an important destination for CPPIB, the pension fund said last week. The joint venture will fund the mall with about $77 million (C$93 million), which will be invested in tranches into Mindstone Mall Developers Private. After construction is completed in the latter part of 2024, CPPIB will...

May 2021

India. Demise of govt employees covered under NPS

Central Government employees covered under National Pension System have been given the option under rule 10 of CCS (Implementation of NPS) Rules, 2021, to choose benefits either from old pension schemes or accumulated pension corpus under NPS in the event of their death. The family of a deceased government employee cannot exercise this option. Read also Africa’s Biggest Fund Manager Loses Head of Impact Investing In case, the employees could not furnish the option in this regard, there is a default...

April 2021

India. National Pension System: PFRDA to extend entry age to avail benefits

Senior citizens who have not yet got into the National Pension System (NPS) bandwagon may have some cause for cheer. Pension regulator PFRDA plans to soon extend the maximum entry age for availing NPS benefit to 70 years from the current 65 years, its Chairman Supratim Bandyopadhyay said on Thursday. Read also EU insurance regulator cracks down on unit-linked policy costs Simultaneously, the exit age limit is proposed to be extended from 70 years to 75 years, he said at a...

India. PFRDA revises Investment Management Fees to be charged by pension funds in NPS – Check details

Investment Management Fees charged by pension funds in the National Pension System (NPS) have been increased by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) effective April 1, 2021. The fund management fees which were 0.01 per cent of the asset will now stand increased but will be capped at 0.09 per cent depending on the total asset under management of the pension fund. The revised revenue structure for the pension funds will be a staggered based model, under...

March 2021

Pension Fund Managers: PFRDA Board clears licence award under new framework

Most of the ten applicants may get licences in the latest round The Board of the pension regulator, Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), has given its approval to award licences to pension fund managers under its recently floated Request for proposal (RFP), for selection of sponsors of pension funds for National Pension System (NPS). Read also Virus exacts toll on women’s retirement savings, workplace diversity efforts – panel It may be recalled that as many as ten applicants, including new...

India. NPS Scheme: PFRDA empowers National Pension System subscribers by offering this facility – Check benefits

NPS Scheme: The National Pension System (NPS) subscribers have been given Immediate Payment System (IMPS) facility enabling them with an instant money transfer from their bank account to their NPS account. This will help them avail of the benefit of the same day investment provided by the NPS contributions. The functionality of accepting IMPS has been released with effect from 1st March 2021. However, unlike the contributions received through NEFT/RTGS which are returned on the same day in case of...