Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM) will be rolled out by the Ministry of Labour and Employment tomorrow i.e. 15.02.2019. The scheme announced in the Interim Budget was notified by the Ministry recently. As many as 42 crore workers are estimated to be engaged in the unorganized sector of the country.
The unorganised workers mostly engaged as home based workers, street vendors, mid-day meal workers, head loaders, brick kiln workers, cobblers, rag pickers, domestic workers, washer men, rickshaw pullers, landless labourers, own account workers, agricultural workers, construction workers, beedi workers, handloom workers, leather workers, audio- visual workers and similar other occupations whose monthly income is Rs 15,000/ per month or less and belong to the entry age group of 18-40 years are eligible for the scheme. They should not be covered under New Pension Scheme (NPS), Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) scheme or Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). Further, he/she should not be an income tax payer.
Following are the salient Features of PM-SYM:
(iii) If a beneficiary has given regular contribution and died due to any cause (before age of 60 years), his/her spouse will be entitled to join and continue the scheme subsequently by payment of regular contribution or exit the scheme as per provisions of exit and withdrawal.
Contribution by the Subscriber: The subscriber’s contributions to PM-SYM shall be made through ‘auto-debit’ facility from his/ her savings bank account/ Jan- Dhan account. The subscriber is required to contribute the prescribed contribution amount from the age of joining PM-SYM till the age of 60 years. The chart showing details of entry age specific monthly contribution is as under:
Entry Age |
Superannuation Age |
Member's monthly contribution (Rs) |
Central Govt's monthly contribution (Rs) |
Total monthly contribution (Rs) |
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
(5)= (3)+(4) |
18 |
60 |
55 |
55 |
110 |
19 |
60 |
58 |
58 |
116 |
20 |
60 |
61 |
61 |
122 |
21 |
60 |
64 |
64 |
128 |
22 |
60 |
68 |
68 |
136 |
23 |
60 |
72 |
72 |
144 |
24 |
60 |
76 |
76 |
152 |
25 |
60 |
80 |
80 |
160 |
26 |
60 |
85 |
85 |
170 |
27 |
60 |
90 |
90 |
180 |
28 |
60 |
95 |
95 |
190 |
29 |
60 |
100 |
100 |
200 |
30 |
60 |
105 |
105 |
210 |
31 |
60 |
110 |
110 |
220 |
32 |
60 |
120 |
120 |
240 |
33 |
60 |
130 |
130 |
260 |
34 |
60 |
140 |
140 |
280 |
35 |
60 |
150 |
150 |
300 |
36 |
60 |
160 |
160 |
320 |
37 |
60 |
170 |
170 |
340 |
38 |
60 |
180 |
180 |
360 |
39 |
60 |
190 |
190 |
380 |
40 |
60 |
200 |
200 |
400 |
Matching contribution by the Central Government: PM-SYM is a voluntary and contributory pension scheme on a 50:50 basis where prescribed age-specific contribution shall be made by the beneficiary and the matching contribution by the Central Government as per the chart. For example, if a person enters the scheme at an age of 29 years, he is required to contribute Rs 100/ - per month till the age of 60 years. An equal amount of Rs 100/- will be contributed by the Central Government.
Enrolment Process under PM-SYM:
The subscriber will be required to have a mobile phone, savings bank account and Aadhaar number. The eligible subscriber may visit the nearest CSCs and get enrolled for PM-SYM using Aadhaar number and savings bank account/ Jan-Dhan account number on self-certification basis.
Later, facility will be provided where the subscriber can also visit the PM-SYM web portal or can download the mobile app and self-register using Aadhar number/ savings bank account/ Jan-Dhan account number on self-certification basis.
Enrollment agencies: The enrolment will be carried out by all the Community Service Centers (CSCs). The unorganised workers may visit their nearest CSCs along with their Aadhar Card and Savings Bank account passbook/Jandhan account and get registered themselves for the Scheme. Contribution amount for the first month shall be paid in cash for which they will be provided with a receipt.
Facilitation Centres: All the branch offices of LIC, the offices of ESIC/EPFO and all Labour offices of Central and State Governments will facilitate the unorganised workers about the Scheme, its benefits and the procedure to be followed, at their respective centers.
In this respect, the arrangements to be made by all offices of LIC, ESIC, EPFO all Labour offices of Central and State Governments are given below, for ease of reference:
Fund Management: PM-SYM will be a Central Sector Scheme administered by the Ministry of Labour and Employment and implemented through Life Insurance Corporation of India and CSCs. LIC will be the Pension Fund Manager and responsible for Pension pay out. The amount collected under PM-SYM pension scheme shall be invested as per the investment pattern specified by Government of India.
Exit and Withdrawal: Considering the hardships and erratic nature of employability of these workers, the exit provisions of scheme have been kept flexible. Exit provisions are as under:
Default of Contributions:
If a subscriber has not paid the contribution continuously he/she will be allowed to regularize his contribution by paying entire outstanding dues, along with penalty charges, if any, decided by the Government.
Pension Pay out:
Once the beneficiary joins the scheme at the entry age of 18-40 years, the beneficiary has to contribute till 60 years of age. On attaining the age of 60 years, the subscriber will get the assured monthly pension of Rs.3000/- with benefit of family pension, as the case may be.
Doubt and Clarification: In case of any doubt on the scheme, clarification provided by the JS& DGLW will be final.
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RCJ/SKP/IA