**Executive Summary**
The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), in collaboration with PwC, conducted awareness-building sessions on the National Pension System (NPS) for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) at the 2nd Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC) in Rajkot on January 11th and 12th, 2026. The conclave on January 12th focused on enhancing pension awareness, retirement security, and financial inclusion for MSME employees. The event is aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047 and Viksit Gujarat @2047.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Conference Overview:**
* The 2nd Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC) was held in Rajkot on January 11th and 12th, 2026.
* The Regional MSME Conclave took place on January 12th, 2026.
* The event was inaugurated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
* **MSME Sector & NPS:**
* The MSME sector employs over 32 crore people nationwide.
* In Gujarat, there are 42 lakh registered MSMEs across 230 GIDC industrial estates and approximately 186 MSME clusters.
* The NPS offers a cost-effective, flexible, tax-efficient, and future-ready retirement savings option for MSMEs, with no minimum employee count and portability across jobs and geographies.
* **NPS & APY Status:**
* As of January 2026, NPS and Atal Pension Yojana (APY) manage assets worth ₹16.53 lakh crore with over 9.28 crore subscribers nationally.
* **Recent NPS Reforms:**
* Increased equity exposure limits.
* Enhanced withdrawal flexibility (including removal of lock-in periods).
* Extension of maximum account holding age to 85 years.
* Launch of NPS Vatsalya for early pension planning.
* **Exhibition Outreach:**
* PFRDA had a stall at the Udyami Mela to disseminate knowledge about NPS, enrollment procedures, and its benefits.
* PFRDA, PwC team, and PoP representatives explained the NPS Corporate Sector Model for employers to offer social security with flexible contributions.
**Impact Analysis**
**MSMEs**
* **Impact:** Enhanced awareness of the importance of retirement planning and the benefits of NPS as a tool for financial inclusion and security for employees.
* **Action Required:** Consider adopting NPS to provide a secure and dignified retirement for employees, leveraging flexible contributions and portability features.
**MSME Employees**
* **Impact:** Increased awareness of retirement planning and access to a cost-effective, flexible, and tax-efficient retirement savings option through NPS.
* **Action Required:** Explore NPS as a means to secure their future financial well-being and achieve a dignified retirement.
**PFRDA**
* **Impact:** Increased reach and awareness of NPS among MSMEs.
* **Action Required:** Continue to promote and educate MSMEs about NPS, highlighting its benefits and recent reforms.
Key Entities Referenced
Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA): The primary regulator mentioned in the document, responsible for promoting and regulating pension schemes in India.
National Pension System (NPS): A government-sponsored pension scheme targeting MSMEs, promoted by PFRDA.
Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC): Conference where PFRDA undertook outreach for MSMEs regarding NPS.
MSME sector: The sector of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, the target audience for the NPS outreach.
Rajkot: City in Gujarat where the VGRC, focusing on MSMEs and NPS, took place.
Ministry of Finance
PFRDA Undertakes NPS Outreach for MSMEs at
Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference 2026
Regional MSME Conclave in Rajkot focuses on enhancing
pension awareness, retirement security and financial
inclusion for MSME employees
प्रव तथ: 13 JAN 2026 1:44PM by PIB Delhi
The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), in collaboration with
implementation partner ‘PwC’, organized awareness building sessions of National Pension System (NPS)
among Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) at the 2nd Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference
(VGRC) held in Rajkot. It was held on 11th and 12th January 2026. This conference was inaugurated by
the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The VGRC event is part of the popular Vibrant Gujarat Global
Summit (VGGS) series, which was initiated in 2003 and has evolved into a globally recognized forum
fostering business collaboration, knowledge exchange, and sustainable economic development. The
regional conferences will showcase the regional potential of the state, leverage grassroots-level
development, and align with the broader vision of Viksit Bharat @2047 and Viksit Gujarat @2047.
The Regional MSME Conclave was organized on the second day (12th January 2026) of the VGRC event.
It was graced by the Commerce and Industry Minister, Government of India Shri Piyush Goyal, the
Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Cooperation, Animal Husbandry, Cow Breeding, Fisheries,
Protocol, Shri Jitubhai Savjibhai Vaghani and Principal Advisor to Chief Minister Shri Dr. Hasmukh
Adhia highlighting the government’s commitment toward growth and development of the MSME sector.Addressing MSME stakeholders, Ms. Mamta Rohit, Executive Director, PFRDA, emphasized the urgency
of retirement planning in the MSME sector, which employs approximately 29 crore individuals across the
country. She highlighted:
India is ageing rapidly: only 29% of the elderly population currently receive any pension. Without
timely action, the gap between dignified ageing and financial insecurity will widen significantly.
The MSME sector employs over 32 crore people nationwide and is the second-largest employer
after agriculture. In Gujarat alone, there are 42 lakh registered MSMEs across over 230 GIDC
industrial estates and about 186 MSME clusters in the State.
NPS offers MSMEs a cost-effective, flexible, tax-efficient, and future-ready retirement savings
option that requires no minimum employee count and is fully portable across jobs and geographies.
As of January 2026, NPS and Atal Pension Yojana (APY) together manage assets worth ₹16.53 lakh
crore with over 9.28 crore subscribers nationally.
Recent reforms include increased equity exposure limits, enhanced withdrawal flexibility (including
removal of lock-in periods), extension of maximum account holding age to 85 years, and the launch
of NPS Vatsalya for early pension planning. NPS is not just a pension product; it is a promise of
dignity, stability, and security for India’s workforce.
The event also featured distinguished speakers such as Mr. Ramesh Iyer, CEO of TCS Korea and
Chairman of the Indian Chamber of Commerce Korea; Mr. Chandubhai Virani, Chairman of Balaji Wafers
Group; Ms. Zlata Antusheva, Lead – Government Relations, Finance Sector, Trade Representation of the
Russian Federation in India; Mr. Anil Gupta, Honorary Secretary of GIAN, SRISTI & Honeybee Network;
Padma Shri awardee Mr. Mansukhbhai Raghavjibhai Prajapati of Mitticool; and Ms. Parvathi Moorthy,
Associate Vice President at the National Stock Exchange.Outreach at Exhibition Dome
PFRDA also had a stall in the Udyami Mela at Hall No. 1 as part of the exhibition space. This platform
was used to disseminate knowledge about the NPS, enrollment procedures, and the scheme’s benefits in
securing the financial well-being of MSME employees. PFRDA officials, PwC team and PoP
representatives explained about the NPS Corporate Sector Model that provides a strong platform for
employers to offer social security to employees in old age, with flexible contributions from both employer
and employee.
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