Atal Pension Yojana: Check eligibility, features and benefits of pension scheme

New Delhi: The Atal Pension Yojana (APY) pension programme, which replaced the earlier Swavalamban scheme in 2015, guarantees a particular payment to the beneficiary after they reach the age of 60, based on their monthly contributions. It is a positive social security law that focuses particularly on workers in the unorganised sector. Furthermore, all you need to do is download the APY app from the Google Play Store to get started. 

The new app allows customers to view their APY account information online. The subscriber can get the most up-to-date account information by going online and using a user-friendly interface. Subscribers can access all of their account information from the convenience of their own homes. Subscribers can also check their account balances, download transaction statements, and see recent contributions made to their account.

Eligibility

The government of India has made the Atal Pension Yojana's qualifying requirements as simple as possible so that as many individuals as possible can participate in the scheme and benefit from it. Three basic eligibility criteria for the APY pension system are as follows:

It is necessary for you to be an Indian citizen.

When applying for the plan, you must be between the ages of 18 and 40.

Any bank must need you to have a KYC compliant bank account.

To apply for APY, you only need to meet these basic requirements. However, having a legitimate and operating bank account with the minimum required balance is one of the scheme's basic conditions. It is the individual's responsibility to maintain a minimum balance in their bank account.

APY Features:

Contributions can be paid monthly, quarterly, or half-yearly, and the amount is determined by the age, frequency of the scheme's instalments, and the desired amount after 60 years. The contribution, on the other hand, rises with the contributor's age.

The APY pension system offers five alternative monthly pension options, based on their instalments: Rs. 1,000, Rs. 2,000, Rs. 3,000, Rs. 4,000, and Rs. 5,000.

One of the most important elements to remember is that the contributor cannot withdraw funds prior to the scheme's conclusion, with the exception of contributions and interest gained on them, which may be taken in exceptional situations, such as terminal illness.

APY applications can be submitted both online and offline. Applicants for the offline applications must go to their local bank branch and fill out a form.

The subscriber is responsible for paying account maintenance fees. These, as well as the interest earned on the investments, will be removed from the account.

In the event of non-compliance, a penalty of Rs 1 per Rs 100 of monthly contribution would be imposed.

APY pension scheme benefits

Death benefits

Because the spouse is the default nominee, if the contributor or subscriber to the scheme dies, the spouse will be eligible to receive benefits under the APY. In the event of the contributor's and his or her spouse's death, the predetermined corpus amount will be distributed to the named nominee.

Retirement benefits

As the name implies, the monthly pension will be paid out automatically to the subscriber's account after they reach the age of 60, based on the payments made by the subscriber.

Tax benefits

To encourage people to engage in the plan, the Indian government offers tax incentives on APY contributions. In addition to the deduction under Section 80C, investments or gifts to the Atal Pension Yojana are eligible for a deduction of Rs. 50,000 under Section 80CCD (1B). The subscriber will be able to reduce their taxable income as a result of this.