Govt increases rates on National Savings Schemes

KARACHI: The Central Directorate of National Savings (CDNS) has raised profit rates on several of its National Savings Schemes, following a decision by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to maintain the policy rate at 12 per cent.

The Short Term Saving Certificate (STSC) rate has increased by 15 basis points (bps) to 10.96 per cent, up from 10.81 per cent. The Defence Saving Certificates (DSC) now offer a return of 12.15 per cent, up slightly by 1 basis point from the previous 12.14 per cent.

Meanwhile, returns on the Pensioner Benefit Account, Behbood Savings Certificate, and Shuhada Family Welfare Account have been raised by 10 bps each to 13.68 per cent. The Sarwa Islamic Term Account (SITA) and Sarwa Islamic Saving Account (SISA) also saw a significant hike, with rates increasing by 70 bps to 10.44 per cent each, from the previous 9.74 per cent. In contrast, the Saving Account rate has been reduced by 100 bps, now offering a return of 10.5 per cent, down from 11.5 per cent.

The CDNS is Pakistan’s largest financial institution, managing assets exceeding Rs3.4 trillion and serving over four million customers through a nationwide network of 376 branches across the country, administered by12 Regional Directorates. It plays a vital role in helping the government finance its budgetary deficits and support key infrastructure projects.

These changes in profit returns come after the SBP’s MPC decision to keep the policy rate stable at 12 per cent, a move that aligns with efforts to manage inflation and support economic stability. Inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), slowed to 1.5 per cent on a year-on-year basis in February 2025, down from 2.4 per cent in January, marking the lowest inflation rate in 113 months, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).