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15 September 2026 · National and international edition

'Pension Sakhis': Using Self-Help Group Women to Take Retirement Security to Rural India

  • Government Schemes & Policies
  • GS-II, GS-III
  • IANSreported it
  • PFRDA
  • Atal Pension Yojana
  • DAY-NRLM
  • Financial Inclusion

Why it is in the news

The Department of Rural Development (Ministry of Rural Development) and the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) have signed an MoU in New Delhi, reported on 14–15 September 2026. It creates a cadre of 'Pension Sakhis' — women drawn from the DAY-NRLM self-help group network — to bring pension products to rural households.

The exam angle

Issue: how can India extend old-age income security to an ageing, largely informal and rural population?

Written for APPSC Group 1, TGPSC Group 1 and UPSC Civil Services. More from 15 September 2026 or all current affairs.

'Pension Sakhis': Using Self-Help Group Women to Take Retirement Security to Rural India · PrepShark