Social Security~16 min read

Flagship social security schemes

PM-SYM, NPS, APY, PMJJBY, PMSBY, AB-PMJAY, NSAP, e-Shram, BOCW.

Scheme	For whom	Core benefit
NPS	All citizens 18–70; mandatory for new Central govt staff from 2004	Market-linked pension; Tier I/II; PFRDA
Atal Pension Yojana	Unorganised 18–40 with savings account	Guaranteed ₹1,000–5,000/month at 60
PM-SYM	Unorganised workers 18–40, income ≤ ₹15,000	₹3,000/month after 60; 50:50 contribution
PMJJBY	18–50, bank account	₹2 lakh life cover; annual premium
PMSBY	18–70, bank account	₹2 lakh accidental death/disability
AB-PMJAY	SECC deprived households	₹5 lakh family health cover / year
NSAP	BPL elderly, widows, disability	IGNOAPS, IGNWPS, IGNDPS + Annapurna
e-Shram	Unorganised workers	National database; UWIN; accident cover seed

PFRDA regulates NPS and APY. NPS architecture: unbundled — POPs, CRAs (NSDL/KFin/CAMS), PFs, CCs.
APY: subscriber contribution depends on age of joining and chosen pension slab; spouse gets pension on death; nominee gets corpus.
PM-SYM is administered with EPFO as the fund manager; exit at 60 with pension; premature exit rules exist with reduced benefits.
BOCW Act 1996: cess on construction cost funds state welfare boards — pensions, education, maternity for building workers.
Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008 (now folded into SS Code): National and State Social Security Boards; registration; schemes for life, disability, health, old age.

Video Lectures & Explanations

Curated educational video lectures explaining this topic for UPSC EPFO

Focus: Eligibility, premium structures, entry ages, pension payouts & administering nodal agencies

Focus: Defined benefit vs defined contribution architectures, PFRDA regulation