Archive · 2 Oct 2026
PFRDA Targets Wider NPS Reach Through UPI and New Products
The pension regulator wants more people to use the National Pension System.
It hopes to add 2–3 crore subscribers in the next two years.
A new service called NPS Tatkal lets people open an account through UPI in about three steps.
Their bank’s existing KYC information can be used, so they do not have to enter as many details.
Some banks currently offer this facility through the BHIM app.
The regulator also started a pension-awareness journey across four Indian cities.
Another product, NPS Swasthya, offers health coverage of up to Rs 30 lakh and allows some NPS contributions to be used for hospital bills.
Other new platforms are intended to speed up registration, solve complaints and manage investments.
These changes are designed to make pension saving easier and available to more people.
PFRDA aims to add 2–3 crore NPS subscribers over the next two years through easier digital onboarding.
NPS Tatkal allows eligible users to open accounts and make contributions through UPI, using existing bank KYC details.
PFRDA’s NPS Sanchay Pension Yatra began on October 1, 2026, from four Indian cities and ends on October 16.
The NPS had 2.33 crore subscribers and assets under management of Rs 17,49,093 crore as of September 27, 2026.
New initiatives include NPS Swasthya, StAR NPS, Pension Sahayak and the NPS Bharat Fund of Funds platform.
- Who
- The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority, led in this initiative by Chairperson Sivasubramanian Ramann, is expanding the NPS.
- What
- PFRDA is promoting UPI-based account opening, pension-awareness campaigns and new NPS-related products and platforms.
- When
- The measures were announced or introduced during 2026; the pension-awareness campaign runs from October 1 to October 16, 2026.
- Where
- The digital services are available in India, while the NPS Sanchay Pension Yatra began from Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Kolkata.
- Why
- PFRDA wants to make NPS easier to access and attract 2–3 crore new subscribers, particularly from informal and non-government employment sectors.
- Targeted new subscribers
- 2–3 crore over the next two years
- Existing NPS subscribers
- 2.33 crore as of September 27, 2026
- NPS assets under management
- Rs 17,49,093 crore as of September 27, 2026
- NPS Tatkal
- UPI-based onboarding that allows account registration in three clicks, according to PFRDA
- NPS Swasthya
- Health coverage of up to Rs 30 lakh; up to 25% of NPS contributions may be used for hospital bills
- Pension Sahayak
- An AI-powered grievance portal supporting 22 Indian languages and mobile-number OTP login
- NPS Sanchay Pension Yatra
- Campaign running from October 1 to October 16, 2026, with starting points in four cities