<h1>Government Sets Provident Fund Interest Rate at 8.7% for 2015-16; Increases Rates for Senior and Girl Child Schemes.</h1> The government has set the interest rate for the General Provident Fund and similar funds, including the Special Deposit Scheme of 1975, at 8.7% for the financial year 2015-16. This rate applies to various provident funds such as the General Provident Fund for Central Services, Contributory Provident Fund, and others related to defense and railway services. The decision aligns these rates with the Public Provident Fund rates, effective from April 1, 2015. Additionally, interest rates for the Senior Citizen Savings Scheme and Sukanya Samriddhi Account Scheme have been slightly increased to support senior citizens and the welfare of the girl child.