FM proposes training women as ‘Pension Sakhis’ to boost NPS

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said the Department of Financial Services (DFS) and the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) could explore possibilities of training women as “Pension Sakhis” to increase enrolments in the National Pension System (NPS).

- HARSH KUMAR

“Can we train women as ‘Pension Sakhis’ and incentivise them for sustained increase in enrolment, much like ‘Bima Sakhis’ of LIC,” Sitharaman said at the NPS Diwas Conference on Inclusive Pensions, Innovative Solutions: Strengthening Retirement Security in India organised by PFRDA in New Delhi.

The event was attended by DFS Secretary M Nagaraju, Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran, PFRDA Chairperson Sivasubramanian Ramann, as well as Nabard Chairman Shaji K V.

The Finance Minister stressed that coordination across India’s larger pension landscape is equally important. “In the Budget 2025-26, it was announced that a forum for regulatory coordination and development of pension products will be set up,” she said.