Small saving scheme Interest Rate Increased wef 01.04.2023

 Introduction: The Indian government has recently hiked the interest rates of small savings schemes by up to 70 basis points (bps) for the A...

 Introduction:

The Indian government has recently hiked the interest rates of small savings schemes by up to 70 basis points (bps) for the April-June 2023 quarter. This move comes as good news for small savings scheme investors who are looking for better returns on their investments.

The announcement of the interest rate hike was made by the finance ministry via a circular issued on March 31, 2023. The circular detailed the revised interest rates for various small savings schemes, which are expected to remain in effect for the next three months.

It is important to note that one percentage point is equivalent to 100 basis points. This means that an interest rate hike of 70 bps is equivalent to an increase of 0.7% in the rate of return offered by the small savings scheme.

Overall, the interest rate hike is a positive development for small savings scheme investors who can now earn better returns on their investments. The revised interest rates for various small savings schemes are listed in detail in the next section.

II. Latest small savings schemes interest rates

The table below shows a comparison of interest rates for different schemes. The rate of interest (%) is effective from April 1, 2023, to June 30, 2023. Compounding frequency* is provided for each scheme.

Instruments	01.04.2023 to 30.06.2023	Compounding Frequency*
Post Office Savings Account	4.00%	Annually
1 Year Time Deposit	6.80%	Quarterly
2 Year Time Deposit	6.90%	Quarterly
3 Year Time Deposit	7.00%	Quarterly
5 Year Time Deposit	7.50%	Quarterly
5 Year Recurring Deposit Scheme	5.80%	Quarterly
Senior Citizen Savings Scheme	8.20%	Quarterly and Paid
Monthly Income Account	7.40%	Monthly and paid
National Savings Certificate (VIII Issue)	7.70%	Annually
Public Provident Fund Scheme	7.10%	Annually
Kisan Vikas Patra	7.5 (will mature in 115 months)	Annually
Sukanya Samriddhi Account Scheme	8.00%	Annually

Source: Finance Ministry circular

*Compounding frequency refers to the frequency at which interest is calculated and added to the principal amount.

The interest rates on small savings schemes are reviewed every quarter by the government. The formula to arrive at the interest rates for small savings scheme was given by the Shyamala Gopinath Committee. The committee had suggested that the interest rates of different schemes should be 25-100 bps higher than the yields of the government bonds of similar maturity.

 How interest rates are set for small savings schemes

A. The formula to arrive at the interest rates for small savings schemes

The interest rates for small savings schemes in India are set based on a pre-determined formula that takes into account the average yield on government securities of similar maturity, plus a spread. The spread is decided by the government and is meant to account for the administrative costs of running the schemes, as well as provide a reasonable return to investors. The interest rates are reviewed every quarter by the government and may be revised based on changes in market conditions.

B. The Shyamala Gopinath Committee's recommendations

In 2011, a committee headed by Shyamala Gopinath was set up to review the formula for setting interest rates for small savings schemes. The committee recommended that the spread between the average yield on government securities and the interest rate for small savings schemes should be reduced from 100 basis points to 25 basis points. This was done to align the rates with market conditions and to reduce the subsidy provided by the government to small savers.

C. Interest rates of different schemes should be 25-100 bps higher than the yields of the government bonds of similar maturity

Currently, the interest rates for small savings schemes are set such that they are 25-100 basis points higher than the average yield on government securities of similar maturity. For example, the interest rate for the Public Provident Fund (PPF) scheme, which has a maturity of 15 years, is currently set at 7.1%, while the yield on 15-year government securities is around 6.1%. The spread of 100 basis points in this case is meant to account for administrative costs and provide a reasonable return to investors.

In conclusion, the interest rates for small savings schemes in India are set based on a formula that takes into account the average yield on government securities of similar maturity and a spread to account for administrative costs and provide a reasonable return to investors. The Shyamala Gopinath Committee had recommended reducing the spread from 100 basis points to 25 basis points, but the current rates continue to be set with a spread of 25-100 basis points higher than the yields of government bonds of similar maturity.

Impact on Fixed Income Investors

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been increasing key rates since May 2022. Due to this, banks have been increasing interest rates on fixed deposits (FD) which is good news for FD investors who have been sitting with decadal low-interest rates.

FDs, bank savings accounts, or small saving schemes? Even though banks have started increasing FD interest rates, many small savings schemes are still earning higher interest rates.

For instance, SBI's FDs across 7 days-10-year tenors, as on February 15, 2023, earn 3 percent to 7 percent. Senior citizens, who earn 0.5 percent more, will get 3.5 percent to 7.5 percent for these tenors.

Apart from fixed deposits, even the interest rates on savings accounts offered by some of the bigger banks is lower than the interest rate on the post office savings account.

Post office savings account is currently offering 4% per annum whereas SBI is offering 2.70% per annum interest rate on its savings account. Similarly, CICI Bank is offering 3-3.5% per annum.

Previous interest rate hikes

The interest rates for small savings schemes are revised by the government every quarter. In the January-March 2023 quarter, the government had increased the interest rates for some of the small savings schemes, ranging from 10 bps to 25 bps.

Barring the Public Provident Fund (PPF) and Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY), the interest rates of most other small savings schemes had been increased in the last quarter. The interest rate for the Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS) was increased by 25 bps to 7.9%. The interest rate for the National Savings Certificate (NSC) was increased by 15 bps to 6.9%. The interest rate for the five-year recurring deposit was increased by 10 bps to 6.2%.

However, the interest rates for the PPF and SSY remained unchanged at 7.1% and 7.6%, respectively. The government had earlier lowered the interest rates for these two schemes by 10 bps in the October-December 2022 quarter.

The hike in interest rates for small savings schemes was in line with the recommendations of the Shyamala Gopinath Committee, which had suggested that interest rates of different schemes should be 25-100 bps higher than the yields of the government bonds of similar maturity.

Good News for Fixed income investors

The recent interest rate hike in small savings schemes is good news for fixed income investors, who have been looking for better returns on their investments. This move by the government comes at a time when the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been increasing key rates since May 2022 to combat inflation.

In addition to the government's move, banks have also been increasing interest rates on fixed deposits (FDs) in response to the RBI's policy rate hikes. This means that investors can now earn higher returns on their fixed income investments, including FDs and small savings schemes.

For FD investors who have been sitting with decadal low interest rates, this is particularly good news. They can now expect to earn higher returns on their investments, which will help them to grow their savings over time.

Overall, the recent interest rate hikes in small savings schemes, coupled with the increase in interest rates on FDs by banks, are expected to make fixed income investors happy. These moves will help them to earn better returns on their investments and grow their savings over time.

Comparison of FDs, Bank Savings Accounts, and Small Saving Schemes

While small savings schemes have seen a recent increase in interest rates, it is worth comparing the rates offered by these schemes with other popular investment options like fixed deposits (FDs) and bank savings accounts.

A. Small savings schemes still earning higher interest rates

Despite recent cuts in interest rates for small savings schemes, they continue to offer relatively high interest rates compared to other traditional investment options. For example, the current interest rate for the Public Provident Fund is 7.1%, which is significantly higher than most fixed deposits and bank savings accounts Post tax return. As Interest on PPF is exempted from income tax.

B. Comparison of SBI's FDs across 7 days-10-year tenors with small savings schemes

To better understand the difference in interest rates, let's take the State Bank of India (SBI) as an example. SBI offers FDs with tenors ranging from 7 days to 10 years, with interest rates ranging from 3.5% to 5.7% depending on the tenor. In comparison, the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, which is a popular small savings scheme for the girl child, offers an interest rate of 8.0%. Similarly, the Senior Citizens Savings Scheme offers a rate of 8.2%.

C. Post office savings account offering higher interest rate compared to savings accounts offered by bigger banks

In addition to small savings schemes and FDs, bank savings accounts are another option for investors looking to earn interest on their deposits. However, the interest rates offered by savings accounts are typically much lower than those offered by FDs and small savings schemes. For example, SBI's savings account interest rate is currently at 2.70%, while the interest rate for the Post Office Savings Account is 4%.

Overall, while FDs and bank savings accounts are still popular investment options for many investors, small savings schemes continue to offer relatively higher interest rates. However, it is important for investors to consider the risks and benefits associated with each investment option and choose the one that best suits their financial goals and risk appetite.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the recent interest rate hikes for small savings schemes by the Indian government can be seen as a positive development for fixed income investors who have been struggling with low interest rates for quite some time now. The hikes have been made to align the rates with the prevailing market conditions and to keep the schemes attractive for investors.

While banks have also been increasing their interest rates on fixed deposits, small savings schemes still offer higher returns. The comparison of State Bank of India's fixed deposits across various tenors with small savings schemes revealed that small savings schemes are still the better option for investors looking for higher returns.

Furthermore, even the post office savings account offers a higher interest rate compared to the savings accounts offered by bigger banks. Thus, small savings schemes remain a viable option for investors looking to earn higher interest rates while minimizing risk.

Overall, the interest rate hikes for small savings schemes and the increase in key rates by the Reserve Bank of India since May 2022 indicate a positive trend for fixed income investors. It is a good time to explore investment options and take advantage of the higher interest rates offered by small savings schemes.