New Delhi: The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has completed testing for a new facility that will allow subscribers to withdraw their provident fund savings directly into their bank accounts through the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Tuesday.
Addressing reporters, Mandaviya said the move is part of a broader push by EPFO to improve service delivery and simplify access to provident fund savings for over seven crore members.
Under the proposed system, EPFO subscribers will be able to view the portion of their eligible EPF balance available for transfer and withdraw the amount instantly into their bank accounts linked with UPI. Members will authenticate transactions using their UPI PIN, ensuring secure transfer of funds.
The labour ministry has been working on a mechanism under which a certain portion of EPF savings will remain frozen, while a substantial amount will be made available for direct withdrawal through UPI-enabled bank accounts. Once credited, subscribers can use the funds for digital payments or withdraw cash through ATMs using debit cards.
At present, EPFO members are required to file withdrawal claims to access their provident fund money, a process that often takes time. The organisation has already introduced an auto-settlement mode under which claims are processed electronically without manual intervention within three days. The withdrawal limit under this facility has been increased from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, enabling faster access to funds for purposes such as illness, education, marriage and housing.
Mandaviya said EPFO has also planned to roll out member services through WhatsApp within the next month to improve outreach and grievance redressal. Under the proposed facility, subscribers will be able to initiate conversations with EPFO by sending a “Hello” message to the organisation’s verified WhatsApp number.
The platform will allow members to access services such as checking PF balances, viewing the last five transactions and tracking claim status. Communication will be available in regional languages to improve accessibility and user comfort.
The WhatsApp-based initiative will also target beneficiaries under the PMVBRY scheme who face issues such as incomplete Aadhaar authentication through UIDAI’s Face Authentication Technology or non-enablement of direct benefit transfer in Aadhaar-linked bank accounts. Such users will receive guided assistance through the platform itself.
The minister further said EPFO has undertaken a mission-mode drive to reduce litigation and expedite the disposal of pending legal cases. Cases before consumer courts were identified and taken up under the “Nidhi Aapke Nikat” programme for faster resolution.
(IANS)
