On May 1, the National Pension System (NPS) for all citizens will complete eight years. The number of investors in the scheme for the unorganised sector doubled to 439,000 in 2016-17. The sound performance of funds, additional tax benefit of Rs 50,000, and the many changes that have enhanced the attractiveness of the scheme have led to increasing number of investors joining it.
Returns close to benchmark: NPS funds have given attractive returns in 2016-17 (see table). Returns of equity funds hover around the benchmark. “Though active fund management has been allowed, equity funds of NPS still appear to