NPS-Traders Statistics: Registrations by Year and State
· 1 min read · 2 official sources
52,674 traders and self-employed people had registered under the National Pension Scheme for Traders and Self-Employed Persons by August 2023, according to a Rajya Sabha reply by the Labour Ministry. Most joined in the launch year, 2019-20. Year-wise registrations and the top states are below.
National Pension Scheme for Traders and Self-Employed Persons (NPS-Traders): key numbers
Infographic
NPS-Traders registrations by year
New registrations each financial year since the scheme was launched in September 2019. The reply was given on 10 August 2023, so 2023-24 covers only part of the year.
| Year | Registrations |
|---|---|
| 2019-20 | 37,483 |
| 2020-21 | 6,655 |
| 2021-22 | 5,780 |
| 2022-23 | 2,427 |
| 2023-24 (part) | 329 |
Source: pib.gov.in, as on 10 August 2023
Top 12 states by NPS-Traders registrations (to August 2023)
Total registrations from 2019-20 to August 2023 in the 12 states and UTs with the most subscribers, with the launch-year figure alongside.
| State/UT | Total registrations | In 2019-20 |
|---|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | 12,313 | 10,909 |
| Chhattisgarh | 6,486 | 5,549 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 5,926 | 5,628 |
| Gujarat | 3,572 | 3,115 |
| West Bengal | 2,666 | 467 |
| Haryana | 2,057 | 1,701 |
| Chandigarh | 1,840 | 1,814 |
| Maharashtra | 1,826 | 847 |
| Bihar | 1,727 | 828 |
| Karnataka | 1,527 | 833 |
| Tripura | 1,451 | 566 |
| Assam | 1,449 | 551 |
Source: pib.gov.in, as on 10 August 2023
How a trader joins NPS-Traders
What the numbers show
NPS-Traders, the pension scheme for small shopkeepers, retail traders and self-employed people, has had a slow start. A Rajya Sabha reply by the Labour Ministry on 10 August 2023 put total registrations at 52,674 since the launch in September 2019. Each subscriber is promised an assured pension of Rs 3,000 a month from age 60, with the Centre matching their contribution.
The trend over the years
Most subscribers joined in the first year. Registrations were 37,483 in 2019-20, then dropped to 6,655 in 2020-21 and 5,780 in 2021-22. Only 2,427 people joined in 2022-23. The figure for 2023-24 (329) covers just the first part of that year because the reply came in August 2023.
The fall matches what happened to the sister scheme for unorganised workers, PM-SYM, which also saw most of its enrolment in its first two years, as shown in the same reply.
State differences
Uttar Pradesh accounts for 12,313 registrations, the most of any state. Chhattisgarh (6,486) and Andhra Pradesh (5,926) follow. The small UT of Chandigarh has 1,840 subscribers, more than Maharashtra or Bihar, because nearly all of them joined in 2019-20. West Bengal and Tripura are unusual in having more registrations after the launch year than during it.
Several states and UTs have very few subscribers. Goa had 7, Ladakh 2 and Lakshadweep none by August 2023.
What the figures do not tell you
These are registration counts. The data does not show how many subscribers still pay their monthly contribution, how many have dropped out or how much money has been collected. A registration that lapses still appears in the total. Newer official totals after August 2023 were not found on a government site at the time of this check.
Where to check the live numbers
Updated totals appear in Labour Ministry replies in Parliament, published on PIB and sansad.in. The Ministry's annual report also covers the scheme.
Frequently asked questions
How many people have joined NPS-Traders?
52,674 people had registered under NPS-Traders by August 2023, according to a Rajya Sabha reply by the Labour Ministry on 10 August 2023. An earlier reply put the figure at 52,211 as on 12 February 2023.
Why are NPS-Traders registrations so low?
The official data shows 37,483 people joined in the launch year 2019-20, but new registrations fell to 2,427 in 2022-23. The Ministry has said it is sending SMS messages to eligible e-Shram registrants and reviewing enrolment with Common Service Centres.
Which state has the most NPS-Traders subscribers?
Uttar Pradesh has the most, with 12,313 registrations up to August 2023, followed by Chhattisgarh with 6,486 and Andhra Pradesh with 5,926.
Has anyone started getting the NPS-Traders pension?
No. The Labour Ministry told the Rajya Sabha in August 2023 that no subscriber had yet reached 60. Since only people aged 18 to 40 could join from 2019, the first pensions are many years away.
Where can I find newer NPS-Traders numbers?
The Labour Ministry gives updated totals in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha replies, which are published on PIB and sansad.in. The maandhan.in portal also shows enrolment, but it is not a government domain.
Eligibility, documents and how to apply: National Pension Scheme for Traders and Self-Employed Persons (NPS-Traders) full guide
Charts, data files and the infographic are free to download, share and embed with a link back to this page.
Sources
This guide was checked against these official pages:
- pib.gov.in (www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1947422)
- pib.gov.in (www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1914415)