APY crosses 9 crore subscribers: More Indians are investing in Atal Pension Yojana for retirement income; check its benefits

Atal Pension Yojana (APY), a flagship social security scheme of the central government, has hit a historic milestone by exceeding 9 crore total gross enrolments by subscribers on April 21, 2026, according to a statement from the Ministry of Finance.

This achievement came after gross enrolments in FY 2025–26 crossed 1.35 crore subscribers, marking the highest enrolments ever recorded in a single financial year since the inception of the scheme in 2015.

APY, administered by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), was launched on May 9, 2015, with the vision of establishing a universal social security system for all Indians.


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APY is a voluntary, contributory pension scheme primarily focused on the poor, the underprivileged, and workers in the unorganised sector.

How does the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) scheme work?

APY is designed to provide a ‘Sampurna Suraksha Kavach’ (complete security shield) by ensuring the triple benefits:

A guaranteed monthly pension ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 for subscribers after attaining 60 years of age

The spouse continues to the receive the same pension after the subscriber’s demise

The return of the corpus accumulated till the age of 60, to the nominee after the death of both.

How is Atal Pension Yojana (APY) calculated?

The calculation of APY is based on regular monthly contributions by a subscriber, expected return on investment, annuity rate, etc.

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What are the benefits of Atal Pension Yojana (APY)?

• It provides a guaranteed pension for subscribers.
• It provides a choice of minimum pension slabs.
• It has an auto debit form of contribution
• Provides guaranteed pension to the spouse
• The return of the pension wealth to the nominee

Atal Pension Yojana age limit

The APY scheme is open to all Indian citizens between the age of 18 and 40 years, except those who are or have been income taxpayers.

What are the charges levied under Atal Pension Yojana (APY)?

Under APY, two types of charges are levied.

Account charges

Charges for non-payment or delayed payment of APY contributions

CRA Charges	Amount (Rs)
Account Opening Charges	15
Annual Maintenance Charges	15
Transaction Charges	NIL

Over the past decade, the scheme has witnessed significant growth, driven by sustained efforts of banks (PSBs/RRBs/private banks/SFBs/co-operative banks), SLBCs/UTLBCs/LDMs, the Department of Posts (DoP) and continuous support from the Government of India.

“PFRDA has played a proactive role in expanding the scheme’s footprint across all states and districts in the country, through extensive outreach initiatives, capacity-building programs, multilingual awareness materials, media campaigns, and regular performance reviews,” says the release.