Note (September 2026): From 1 April 2026, India’s Income-tax Act, 2025 replaced the Income-tax Act, 1961. Most of the deductions mentioned below continue under new section numbers (for example, the Section 80C deduction of up to ₹1.5 lakh is now in Section 123), and most of them can be claimed only under the old tax regime, while the new regime is the default. Check the Income Tax Department’s website for the current rules before you file.
Saving schemes – Managing finances can be difficult because many people do not understand how to manage money. Most people do not have enough money to live a comfortable life.
All of this has been taken into account by the Indian government, which has launched several saving schemes. These programmes assist individuals in saving a portion of their earnings for future use. Some government programmes assist individuals to make their lives easier.
During the pandemic, the Government of India paid employer and employee EPF contributions for eligible establishments for a further three months, from June to August 2020.
The benefit is available to businesses with up to 100 employees, with 90 per cent of those employees earning less than Rs 15,000 per month. Non-government organisations EPF contributions have been reduced from 12% to 10%.
What are saving schemes?
Saving schemes are tools that help people achieve their financial goals over a set period. The Government of India, public/private sector banks and financial institutions launch these schemes.
The interest rate for these schemes is set by the government or banks and is updated regularly. You can use the money you save through these schemes for emergencies, retirement, higher education, children’s education, marriage, job loss, debt repayment, and other purposes.
Importance of Saving Schemes
Saving schemes are important for individuals in a country and, as a result, for an economy for the following reasons.
Safety
Saving your hard-earned money in investment plans for your child will help you secure it for future needs. Keeping liquid money on hand may not be a good idea.
Retirement Funds
Depositing money in long-term saving schemes regularly can help you build a retirement corpus. When you start saving at a young age, you will be rewarded with a large corpus that you can use after retirement to live a comfortable life.
Long-Term Benefits
Because most schemes use the compound interest concept to calculate interest, long-term investments can yield incredible returns.
These schemes have a minimum lock-in period of five years and a maximum lock-in period of 60 years. Compounding returns, combined with long-term savings, will earn you interest on interest, resulting in a large sum at maturity.
Tax Savings
Most investment plans for child provide one or more types of tax benefits, such as tax deductions, exemptions, or both. Section 80C of the Income Tax Act allows for a tax deduction on investments of up to Rs.1.5 lakh in certain schemes. Another type of scheme provides a tax break on the investment, interest earned, and maturity amount.
Avoid Unwanted Expenses
When you have all of your money on hand, you may end up spending it on things you don’t need. Investing the surplus that remains after meeting the necessary expenses in a suitable saving scheme, on the other hand, will help avoid spending on unnecessary goods and services.
Best Child Investment Plans in India
Here are six commonly used investment options for children in India. Returns vary by product and none is guaranteed to be the best for your circumstances, so weigh them against your own goals and risk tolerance to plan for your children’s future needs.
Child Insurance Plans
Child insurance plans may be your best bet if you’re looking for the best long-term investment plan for a child. They are a combination of insurance and investment that ensures your child’s future in the event of your untimely death. These plans invest a portion of the premium to generate above-average returns that are payable at maturity.
Gold ETF/Funds
Gold is a valuable asset and a valuable gift for her marriage, so this could be the most practical investment option for parents with girl children. Rather than purchasing gold physically, you could invest in gold funds or ETFs, which are traded on the stock exchange electronically.
It is not necessary to rent lockers or be concerned about theft when purchasing gold electronically. When gold prices are high, you may decide to sell your gold ETF units and use the proceeds to purchase physical gold.
Fixed Deposits (FD)
The conventional savings model is also one of the greatest long-term investment strategies, particularly for consumers concerned about the security of their money. You may create a fixed deposit account in any bank with a set sum for a lengthy period, such as three, five, or ten years, at a fixed rate of return ranging from 3% to 6.5 per cent each year.
After the term, the capital and interest can be withdrawn. While the investments are secure, the lack of liquidity is the primary disadvantage since there is no option for early withdrawal.
Sukanya Samriddhi Account (SSA)
Are you seeking the ideal long-term investment for your female child? The Indian government’s investment plan would then allow you to save for your female child’s life phases such as schooling, marriage, and so on.
With a minimum of Rs 1000, one can begin saving in an account that earns an interest rate of 7.6 per cent and matures when she reaches the age of 21.
Unit Linked Insurance Plan (ULIP)
These are the plans that are most suited for people who want insurance protection as well as investment profits. ULIPs provide higher returns than other traditional types of investment, allowing you to beat inflation while still saving for your child’s future.
Because a percentage of the premium you pay is invested in funds that operate in the capital market, your chances of achieving strong returns are higher. Furthermore, your family is entitled to insurance reimbursement in the event of your untimely death, protecting you and others in the family’s financial situation.
Public Provident Fund (PPF)
It is comparable to the Employee Provident Fund (EPF) available to paid employees; however, PPF is open to the entire public and can be created by anybody. While PPF investments have a 15-year lock-in period, the interest rate is higher than that of a savings or fixed deposit account.
Aside from the savings, one of the most noticeable advantages of investing in the PPF programme is the tax benefit that may be claimed under Section 80 C.
Wrapping It Up
It is never too early to begin investing in saving schemes and working toward significant life objectives. To summarise, there are numerous long-term investment possibilities available to save for your children, conduct your study to discover the ideal combination of investment return and safety since this is your hard-earned money that must be put to work.
One condition applies to the tax benefits described above: deductions under Section 80C can be claimed only if you file under the old tax regime. They are not available under the new regime, which is now the default. The ₹1,50,000 limit is also a single ceiling shared across every option in that section — PPF, EPF, ELSS, life insurance premiums and child plans all draw on the same allowance rather than each having their own.
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