UPS registrations cross 3 lakh mark

With several government moves to increase the coverage of the universal pension scheme (UPS), the number of enrollments in four schemes of the new pension system hit a milestone of three lakh for the first time.

The number of registrations has reached 3,03,176 till 10 June, according to press statement issued by the National Pension Authority on Monday.

In August last year, the government introduced the universal pension scheme aimed at providing a wider and sustainable social security to the country’s elderly people.

There were four schemes – Probash, Pragati, Surokkha and Samota – during the rollout of the universal pension scheme.

Later in March this year, a new scheme – Prottoy – was added to the system aiming to including the officials and employees of the self-governed, autonomous, statutory, and state-owned bodies in the new pension system.

Officials and employees joining such government entities from 1 July 2024 will be included in the Prottoy scheme.

As per data released by the National Pension Authority on Monday, 799 individuals so far got registered with Probash scheme, while 21,294 people subscribed the

Pragati scheme, 56,919 individuals came under Surokkha scheme, and 2,24,164 people subscribed the Samota scheme.

The subscribers so far deposited Tk86.6 crore into their pension accounts from which Tk62 crore was invested in treasury bonds, the pension authority said.

It is here worth noting that 87 NGOs also enrolled in the Pragati scheme and thus providing subscriptions against their employees.

Currently, two state-owned banks, two private banks and one mobile financial service provider are being involved in collecting the monthly fees of the pension scheme.

The National Pension Authority in its media statement said, efforts are underway to involve four more public banks, four private banks and one mobile financial service provider in the monthly subscription realisation process to each the overall system of the universal pension system.

Meanwhile, the government also announced that government officials recruited after 1 July 2025 would be incorporated in the universal pension scheme, instead of the conventional post-retirement pension benefits.