Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana: For parents looking for a safe, government-backed savings option to secure their daughter’s future education and marriage expenses, the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY) is considered one of the most reliable schemes. It offers guaranteed returns with zero market risk, making it a popular long-term investment choice.

What is Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana?

Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana is a government-backed savings scheme that allows parents or legal guardians to open an account in the name of a girl child at a bank or post office.

The minimum investment starts at ₹250 per year, and the maximum limit is ₹1.5 lakh per financial year.

Eligibility and Key Rules

• The girl child must be below 10 years of age at the time of account opening
• The account can be opened by parents or legal guardians
• The account matures after 21 years
• Deposits are required for 15 years, after which the account continues to earn interest without further contributions

Partial Withdrawal Facility

When the girl turns 18, up to 50% of the account balance can be withdrawn for higher education purposes. This makes it especially useful for funding college or professional studies.

Potential Returns: How ₹72 Lakh Can Be Accumulated

If a parent invests the maximum amount of ₹1.5 lakh annually, the estimated corpus may look like this:

• Annual investment: ₹1,50,000
• Investment period: 15 years
• Total contribution: ₹22,50,000
• Interest rate: 8.2% (compounded annually)
• Estimated interest earned: ₹49,32,119
• Total maturity amount: ₹71,82,119 (approximately ₹72 lakh)

Best Way to Invest

Experts suggest that depositing the annual amount between April 1 and April 5 of each financial year can help maximize returns. Alternatively, monthly deposits of ₹12,500 can also be made, which may result in a slightly lower maturity value of around ₹69 lakh.