Early Times Report
JAMMU, July 10: Reinforcing the collective commitment towards expanding social security and financial inclusion, the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), in collaboration with the J&K Union Territory Level Bankers' Committee (UTLBC) and the Lead District Manager (LDM) Jammu, today organised a Atal Pension Yojana (APY) Outreach Programme at Country Inn, Jammu.
The programme brought together senior officials from PFRDA, UTLBC, banks, government departments, financial institutions, Business Correspondents, and other stakeholders. The outreach programme focused on enhancing awareness about the Atal Pension Yojana, increasing enrolment under the scheme, and strengthening pension coverage among workers in the unorganised sector through coordinated efforts of all participating institutions.
Delivering the keynote address, AGM, PFRDA Ruby Vinayak Bhaosagar elaborated on the strategies required to accelerate APY enrolment across the UT. "Atal Pension Yojana provides a dependable and affordable pension framework for the unorganised workforce. The focus should now be on deeper field-level engagement, customer awareness and consistent enrolment efforts so that every eligible citizen can secure a financially stable retirement," he said
Addressing the gathering, Dy. General Manager, J&K UTLBC Syed Aadil Bashir Andrabi underscored the importance of collaborative efforts in taking social security initiatives to the grassroots. He said, "Atal Pension Yojana is an important instrument for securing the future of workers in the unorganised sector, and banks must continue to proactively spread awareness and facilitate enrolment at the grassroots."
Officiating DGM, SBI Chander Mohan Bhat highlighted the banking sector's role in the successful implementation of the scheme. "The success of APY depends upon sustained outreach and active participation of all banks," he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Assistant Commissioner Sania Haq Khan, JKAS, emphasised the need for coordinated institutional efforts to achieve wider coverage under the scheme.
During the programme, Manager, PFRDA Nishant Anand gave a detailed presentation on the features and benefits of APY, explaining the scheme's guaranteed monthly pension benefits after the age of 60 and the enrolment process for eligible subscribers.
The participating banks also facilitated on-the-spot enrolment of new subscribers under the scheme. Discussions during the programme focused on addressing field-level implementation challenges, sharing best practices adopted by leading branches and recognising top-performing banks for their contribution towards APY enrolment.
On the occasion, few banks were also felicitated for outstanding performance in APY Coverage.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by DGM & Zonal Head, J&K Bank Chandrika Parihar, who appreciated the efforts of PFRDA, UTLBC, SBI, participating banks, Business Correspondents and all stakeholders in making the outreach programme successful. |
