Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted the benefits of the Atal Pension Yojana (APY), calling it an affordable scheme with a guaranteed pension amount. The scheme has provided a competitive 9.1% return since its inception, she noted. Sitharaman emphasized that any additional pension above the assured amount is entirely for the beneficiary. The scheme's feature of automatically continuing premium payments unless the subscriber opts out is seen as beneficial, encouraging saving for retirement. Sitharaman also mentioned the government's subsidy to ensure a minimum 8% return, regardless of prevailing interest rates.