New Delhi, April 16 -- The Public Provident Fund (PPF) remains one of the most popular long-term savings options for risk-averse investors, thanks to its government backing, tax benefits, and assured returns on monthly or lump-sum contributions.

With a 15-year lock-in period and the option to extend in blocks of five years, PPF is often used to build a stable retirement corpus. Investors can extend their tenure multiple times. PPF offers the best returns when held for the long term.

At present, the deposit rate is 7.10% per annum, which is reviewed by the government every quarter. The interest rate has remained unchanged since 1 April 2020.

An individual can invest a minimum of Rs.500 and a maximum of Rs.1.5 lakh every year in their PP...