PM Shram Yogi Maandhan 2026: ₹3,000 Pension, Chart, Apply

Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM) is a pension scheme for unorganised workers that pays a minimum assured pension of ₹3,000 a month from age 60, in return for a small monthly contribution of ₹55 to ₹200 that the central government matches rupee for rupee. It is open to workers aged 18 to 40 earning ₹15,000 a month or less who are not in EPFO, ESIC or NPS. As of October 2026 the scheme is active: the Labour Ministry ran a nationwide special registration drive from January to March 2026, and the e-Shram portal lists PM-SYM among its integrated schemes.

PM-SYM at a glance (as of October 2026)

Enrolment has been slow compared with the size of the unorganised workforce. A February 2025 Lok Sabha answer put registrations at about 51 lakh as of 28 January 2025. That is one reason the 2026 special drive was held.

Who is eligible

• Unorganised worker: home-based workers, street vendors, mid-day meal workers, head loaders, brick kiln workers, cobblers, rag pickers, domestic workers, washermen, rickshaw pullers, landless labourers, agricultural and construction workers, beedi, handloom and leather workers and similar occupations.
• Age 18 to 40 at entry.
• Monthly income ₹15,000 or less.
• Not a member of EPFO, ESIC or the National Pension System (NPS).
• Not an income tax payer.
• Has Aadhaar and a savings bank or Jan Dhan account (open one under PM Jan Dhan Yojana if needed) and a mobile phone.

Contribution chart

Your monthly contribution is fixed at the age you join and does not change until 60. The government pays the same amount.

Source: Labour Ministry scheme brief. The full chart covers every age from 18 to 40. Joining early means a lower monthly amount.

Worked example: what you pay and what you get

Sunita, 29, a domestic worker in Surat, joins PM-SYM.

• Monthly contribution: ₹100; government adds ₹100.
• Months until 60: (60 − 29) × 12 = 372 months.
• Her total contribution: 372 × ₹100 = ₹37,200. Government's: another ₹37,200. Total going into her account: ₹74,400.
• From 60 she receives ₹3,000 a month. Within about a year and a half of pension (₹3,000 × 13 = ₹39,000) she has received more than she paid in.

Compare entry at other ages:

The catch: ₹3,000 is fixed. It does not rise with inflation. At an illustrative 6% inflation, ₹3,000 paid 31 years from now buys what about ₹493 buys today (₹3,000 ÷ 1.06^31). Try different rates in the inflation calculator. PM-SYM is a useful floor, not a complete retirement plan. Workers who can save more should add other options; see EPF vs PPF vs NPS and Atal Pension Yojana.

How to apply: step by step

1. Check eligibility (age 18-40, income up to ₹15,000, not in EPFO/ESIC/NPS, not a taxpayer).
2. Go to the nearest Common Service Centre (find one at locator.csccloud.in) with your Aadhaar card, bank passbook or Jan Dhan account details and mobile phone.
3. The CSC operator authenticates you with Aadhaar and fills your details, nominee and spouse information.
4. Pay the first month's contribution in cash at the CSC; you get a receipt.
5. Sign the auto-debit mandate, so future contributions are debited every month from your bank account.
6. Get your Shram Yogi Pension Account Number and card.

The Maandhan portal (maandhan.in) also offers self-enrolment with Aadhaar, mobile OTP and bank details; registered workers can also begin from their e-Shram login (see e-Shram card registration). Facilitation desks at LIC branches, EPFO and ESIC offices and labour offices guide workers but enrolment happens through the CSC or portal.

Enrolment is free apart from your own contribution. Do not pay any agent who promises a "₹3,000 pension card".

Exit, death and default rules

• Exit within 10 years: you get back only your own contributions with savings bank interest. The government's share is not paid.
• Exit after 10 years but before 60: your own contributions with the interest actually earned by the fund or savings bank interest, whichever is higher.
• Death before 60: the spouse can continue paying and keep the scheme, or exit and take the subscriber's contributions with interest.
• Permanent disability before 60: the spouse can continue or exit on the same terms.
• Death of both subscriber and spouse: the corpus goes back to the fund. There is no lump sum to children, so name your spouse correctly.
• Missed contributions: you can regularise by paying all dues with any penalty fixed by the government. The Maandhan portal has revival and voluntary exit options.

Common reasons enrolment fails or benefits are lost

• Already in EPFO, ESIC or NPS (for example a past job with PF).
• Age above 40 on the enrolment date.
• Auto-debit fails because the account is empty or inoperative, so contributions fall into default.
• Aadhaar and bank name mismatch, blocking the mandate.
• Wrong spouse details, which complicates family pension later.

Where to complain

1. PM-SYM helpline 1800 267 6888 or the grievance option on maandhan.in.
2. Your CSC for enrolment errors, and LIC for pension payout issues.
3. CPGRAMS (pgportal.gov.in), addressed to the Ministry of Labour and Employment, if unresolved.
4. For auto-debit problems on the bank side, the bank's grievance officer and then the RBI Integrated Ombudsman at cms.rbi.org.in.

Key takeaways

• PM-SYM is active as of October 2026 and gives a minimum assured ₹3,000 monthly pension from 60, with ₹1,500 family pension to the spouse.
• You pay ₹55 to ₹200 a month depending on entry age (18-40); the government matches it.
• Eligibility: income up to ₹15,000 a month, not in EPFO/ESIC/NPS, not a taxpayer.
• Exiting before 10 years returns only your share with savings bank interest, so join only if you can keep paying.
• The pension is fixed in rupees; treat it as a base and add other savings where possible.