New Delhi, April 17 -- What if a steady, low-risk investment could quietly build a Rs.1 crore corpus? That too, without the stress of market volatility? That's the idea investors often link with the Public Provident Fund (PPF). Still, the truth is more practical: it depends on time, consistency, devotion and patience.

According to the latest government update, the PPF interest rate remains unchanged at 7.1% per annum. This rate gets compounded annually. Furthermore, this rate has been stable since April 2020, establishing PPF's reputation as a trustworthy, easy-to-invest, predictable long-term savings tool.

Now we have the Section 80C benefits that apply to this scheme under the old tax regime. Still, the interest earned and maturity pr...