Special Deposit Scheme or SDS is a scheme which is used by non-government provident funds like Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), non-government provident, superannuation and gratuity funds to invest collected or surplus money. Presently approx Rs 55,000 Crores EPFO funds are parked in the SDS.
It is heartening to note that govt has increased interest rates on central govt and State Provident Fund rate of interest for the year 2012-13 to 8.8 per cent from 8.6 per cent currently and this rate is effective wef 01 Apr 2012 (applicable for financial year 2012-13 ).