Chennai, August 2026: The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) organised an Outreach Event for Mutual Fund Distributors (MFDs) on StAR NPS & National Pension System (NPS) in Chennai today. The programme brought together Mutual Fund Distributors, industry stakeholders and ecosystem partners to create awareness about the StAR NPS platform, strengthen the role of Pension Agents in expanding pension coverage, and promote greater adoption of the National Pension System across the country.
Shri S. Ramann, Chairperson, PFRDA, emphasised that expanding pension coverage requires greater accessibility, simplified onboarding and stronger last-mile outreach. He further added, Mutual Fund Distributors already have something very valuable, the trust of thousands of customers and an ongoing relationship with them. That trust is exactly what the pension ecosystem needs as we work towards making retirement planning a more regular part of financial conversations. For MFDs, NPS is not just another product to offer. It is an opportunity to build a long-term relationship with a customer, potentially spanning three decades or more, from their working years well into retirement. With NPS managing an AUM of around ₹18.4 lakh crore, the opportunity is significant, but there is still considerable scope to take it deeper through the distribution network. We have also made the onboarding process simpler by taking it fully digital, reducing paperwork and turnaround time. With StAR NPS, our aim is to make it easier for MFDs to participate in this journey. The Chennai programme is part of more than 400 outreach initiatives we are undertaking nationally to take this conversation to a much wider audience.”
Shri Ashutosh Singh, MD & CEO, BSE Index Services Pvt. Ltd., highlighted the role of technology in strengthening pension accessibility and simplifying the subscriber onboarding journey. He said, “PFRDA has laid the vision and regulatory framework, and the industry is building the products and technology to support it. But for NPS to truly reach every household, we need greater participation. Our MFD community is best placed to start that conversation with customers they already know and trust.”
He further added, “We have seen what is possible when access and technology come together. BSE StAR MF grew from one crore transactions in a month in May 2021 to consistently around eight crore transactions today. We hope to bring the same simplicity and scale to Star NPS. And we are particularly proud that Chennai is among the first cities to begin this journey.”
The platform enables a fully digital onboarding journey through electronic data capture, CKYC and DigiLocker-based verification, direct remittance of subscriber contributions to the Trustee Bank, and seamless integration with Central Recordkeeping Agencies (CRAs) for instant PRAN generation. The direct settlement mechanism eliminates fund pooling and manual reconciliation at the PoP level, improving operational efficiency while ensuring transparency, security and a better subscriber experience.
The outreach programme featured presentations on the National Pension System and the StAR NPS platform, followed by a dedicated session on the role of Mutual Fund Distributors as Pension Agents. Certificates were also distributed to Mutual Fund Distributors onboarded as Pension Agents, recognising their participation in expanding the reach of the National Pension System. An interactive Open House session enabled participants to engage with PFRDA officials and industry experts on various aspects of the pension ecosystem.
PFRDA reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with Points of Presence, Mutual Fund Distributors and other stakeholders to strengthen pension awareness, expand retirement coverage and make pension services more accessible through technology-enabled initiatives. The Authority will continue to undertake similar outreach programmes across the country to further deepen pension penetration and support India’s vision of building a financially secure and pension-inclusive society.
