Telangana mulls pension scheme for all employees with PFRDA support: official

Telangana government plans to introduce a pension scheme for all its employees with support from the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), a senior official of the State government told a conclave on National Pension System (NPS) here on Friday.

“Standardising pension schemes for all government employees is the need of the hour,” Special Chief Secretary Jayesh Ranjan said. He urged industry players to continue innovating and introduce new products and services for the underserved.

The senior official, addressing the programme organised by PFRDA in association with KFintech, said many people remain reluctant to discuss retirement planning. With India’s large population and its demographic dividend, he the need is to prepare for the ageing population that is projected to rise by 10% in the next decade.

Telangana has a well-structured pension framework for government and organised-sector employees. “But what about people in the unorganised sector?” he asked. In this backdrop, gig and platform workers in Telangana are set to receive social protection under the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers (Registration, Social Security and Welfare) Act, 2025, which is expected to be tabled in the next Assembly session, Mr. Ranjan said.

In a release, the organisers said the conclave sought to enhance corporate participation in the NPS and explore how technology can help expand pension access across the country, especially to underserved sections.

PFRDA Chairperson S. Ramann said people generally avoid conversations about retirement savings, especially pensions. “Many remain unaware of financial planning, wealth creation and financial instruments. Our mandate has always been — grow rich before you grow old,” he said, emphasising the need for technology-driven financial inclusion.

India has a workforce of more than 55 crore of which 10 crore are in the organised sector. “This presents a massive opportunity for pension products. With ₹3,000 a month and a moderate 2–3% annual increase in contribution, one can expect a return of about 9.2% CAGR,” he said.