Government’s big statement in Parliament on ‘Minimum Pension for All’: Will there be a minimum pension scheme for the elderly and women? know the truth – ..

By Samira Vishwas On Jul 25, 2026

The demand for starting a Universal Minimum Pension Scheme for the elderly citizens of the country, especially old and destitute women, was once again echoed in the country’s largest Panchayat i.e. Parliament. In the Rajya Sabha, the government was directly asked whether to provide social security to all the elderly people of the country. ‘Minimum Pension for All’ Are there any preparations to start a national scheme by name?

The Central Government has made its stand completely clear by filing a written reply on this. Apart from this, the government also shared important data regarding Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS 2026) and unclaimed amount deposited in EPF accounts. Let us understand the main points of the government’s reply from the perspective of a parliamentarian and a policy reporter.

1. Government’s clear refusal on ‘Minimum Pension for All’

On 23 July 2026, Rajya Sabha MP R. Girirajan had asked the government whether any proposal to bring a minimum pension scheme for the elderly and destitute women is under consideration.

Minister’s written reply: Minister of State for Labor and Employment Shobha Karandlaje While replying in the House, he said that at present the government does not have any proposal to start any new scheme like ‘Minimum Pension for All’.
Citing the Social Security Code 2020: The minister clarified that although there is no separate pension scheme for everyone, but Social Security Code, 2020 Under (Social Security Code, 2020), unorganized sector workers, gig workers and platform workers are being brought under the ambit of social security. For this, arrangements have been made for a special ‘Social Security Fund’ and online registration under Section 113.

2. Big relief on EPS-2026 and claims

Employees Pension Scheme in Parliament (EPSThe government also clarified the situation on misconceptions related to:

No Time Limit: The government said that no deadline has been fixed for claiming the pension by the eligible employee or his family. If an eligible beneficiary files a claim even after a long time, then if the claim is approved, he will be given the full pension along with the arrears of the previous months.
How does the fund work: The EPS Pension Fund is operated with financial contributions from employers and the central government.

3. More than ₹9,330 crore deposited in non-operative EPF accounts

The government presented shocking figures regarding inactive or unclaimed PF accounts across the country.

₹9,330.56 crore deposited: According to official information, inoperative EPF accounts across the country till March 31, 2026 A huge amount of ₹9,330.56 crore Was deposited. The government is running a special campaign to identify the right claimants (Account Holders or Nominees) of these accounts and deliver their money to them.