Just over 34,000 people have signed up for the National Pension Scheme for Traders , Shopkeepers and Self-Employed Persons, which was introduced on September 12, 2019 , Union Labour and Employment Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar informed the Lok Sabha on Monday.
The Labour Ministry’s vision document in 2019 had set a target of 25 lakh enrolments for the scheme in 2019-2020 . Retail traders, shopkeepers and self-employed persons who are between 18 and 40 years of age and have an annual turnover of ₹1.5 crore or less are eligible for the scheme.
BJP MP Saumitra Khan had sought to know whether the number of enrolments had been below the government’s expectations.
“As the scheme has been launched on September 12, 2019, only, the scheme is being popularised among the target groups,” Mr. Gangwar said in his reply. “Further, all State/Union Territory governments were requested for popularising and bringing more awareness about the scheme. The progress of the scheme is being reviewed regularly in the Ministry at senior level with State/UT governments, for taking initiatives under mission mode,” he added.
Of the total 34,279 enrolments till February 26, 10,030 were in Uttar Pradesh, 5,230 in Andhra Pradesh, 4,753 in Chhattisgarh and 3,094 in Gujarat.
