Small savings interest rates left unchanged as Centre plumps for status quo

The government today decided not to tinker with the interest rates on small savings schemes, including NSC and PPF, for the April-June quarter. The move is aimed at matching the hardening interest rates in the banking sector. "On the basis of the decision of the government, interest rates for small savings schemes are to be notified on a quarterly basis," the Finance Ministry said while notifying the rates for the first quarter of financial year 2018-19. "Accordingly, the rates of interest on various small savings schemes for the first quarter of financial year 2018-19 starting April 1, 2018 shall remain unchanged from those notified for the fourth quarter of financial year 2017-18," it said.

In another notification, the ministry said it has decided to extend submission of Aadhaar details for small savings scheme investors until further orders.

Interest rate for the five-year Senior Citizens Savings Scheme has been retained at 8.3 per cent. The interest rate on the senior citizens' scheme is paid quarterly. Interest on savings deposits has been retained at 4 per cent annually.  Public Provident Fund (PPF) and National Savings Certificate (NSC) will fetch annual interest rate of 7.6 per cent while Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) will yield 7.3 per cent and mature in 11 months.

The girl child savings scheme Sukanya Samriddhi Account will offer 8.1 per cent rate.

Term deposits of 1-5 years will fetch interest rate of 6.6-7.4 per cent, to be paid quarterly, while the five-year recurring deposit is pegged at 6.9 per cent.

While announcing the quarterly setting of interest rates in 2016, the finance ministry had said that rates of small savings schemes would be linked to government bond yields. The move is expected to see banks lowering their deposit rates in line with the small savings rate offered by the government.

Regarding Aadhaar, the ministry said depositors were required to submit their Aadhaar number at the time of opening of account or purchasing certificates.

"Every depositor who had not given his Aadhaar number at the time of application for such deposit was required to submit his Aadhaar number on or before the December 31, 2017. Further, the date of submission of Aadhaar was extended... To March 31, 2018," it said.

It has now been decided to extend the last date for submission of Aadhaar number from March 31, 2018 until further orders.