Benefits under Unified Pension Scheme (UPS): Extension of Tax Benefits to UPS as are available to NPS under the Income Tax Act, 1961 – Finance Ministry statement in Loksabha
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES
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LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. +*111
ANSWERED ON MONDAY, 28 JULY, 2025/ SRAVANA 6, 1947 (SAKA)
BENEFITS UNDER UNIFIED PENSION SCHEME
†*111. Shri Kanwar Singh Tanwar
Dr. Sanjay Jaiswal
Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state:
(a) the total number of retired Central Government subscribers eligible to receive additional benefits under the Unified Pension Scheme;
(b) the number of claims received and processed so far since the introduction of the scheme;
(c) whether the Government proposes to extend such benefits to other pension schemes or sectors in the near future and if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Government is contemplating to amend the UPS to make it more employees’ friendly; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
The Minister of Finance
(Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman)
(a) to (e) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
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STATEMENT OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. †*111 REGARDING “BENEFITS UNDER UNIFIED PENSION SCHEME” RAISED BY SHRI KANWAR SINGH TANWAR, AND DR. SANJAY JAISWAL, ANSWERED ON 28.07.2025.
(a) As per eligibility criteria, there are 25,756 retired Central Government subscribers eligible to receive additional benefits under UPS. These eligible subscribers are those Central Government employees who have either superannuated or deceased or retired under Fundamental Rules 56(j), on or before 31st March 2025, after completing ten years or more of qualifying service and were covered under National Pension System (NPS).
(b) As on 20th July, 2025, 7,253 claims have been received and out of which 4,978 claims have been processed for payment of benefits under UPS.
(c) UPS has been introduced as an option under National Pension System (NPS) for the employees of Central Government who are covered under the NPS. There is no proposal under consideration to extend such benefits to other pension schemes or sectors.
(d) & (e) Based on the representations from employees and associations, the cut-off date to opt for UPS was extended for a period of three months upto 30th September, 2025. The Government has extended the benefit of ‘Retirement gratuity and Death gratuity’ under the provisions of the Central Civil Service (Payment of Gratuity under National Pension System) Rules, 2021 to the Central Government employees covered by UPS. Further, the Government employees who opt for UPS under NPS shall also be eligible for option for availing benefits under the CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021 or the CCS (Extraordinary Pension) Rules, 2023, in the event of death of the Government servant during service or his discharge on the ground of invalidation or disablement. The Government has also extended tax benefits to UPS as are available to NPS under the Income Tax Act, 1961.
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COMMENTS