The Social Security Fund (SSF) has invested a total of Rs 126 billion, including government-issued development bonds, as the organization marks its 8th anniversary.
Speaking at the anniversary event, SSF Executive Director Kabiraj Adhikari said the fund’s total investment includes Rs 95 billion contributed by employees. The SSF’s investment portfolio currently comprises:
- Rs 58.89 billion in bank fixed deposits
- Rs 32.19 billion in treasury bills
- Rs 21.76 billion in development bonds
- Rs 4.52 billion in debentures
- Rs 1.95 billion in mutual funds
In addition, the SSF has provided Rs 7.79 billion in advances to 20,000 contributors. These advances are offered at a subsidized annual interest rate of 5.2 percent, while education loans are provided at 5.86 percent per annum.
Launched by the government to establish a contribution-based pension system, the SSF aims to reduce the state’s long-term financial burden and safeguard workers by ensuring their social security rights and minimizing economic and social risks.
So far, the SSF has enrolled:
- 649,511 workers from the formal sector
- 1,996,579 migrant workers
- 799 informal sector workers
- 582 self-employed individuals
Adhikari noted that enrollment among informal sector and self-employed workers has been slow, highlighting that integrating Nepal’s large informal workforce into the formal social protection system remains the fund’s biggest challenge. He added that the SSF has so far signed memorandums of understanding with 114 local bodies to expand coverage.
