EPFO Launches Two Key Reforms to Streamline Claim Settlement Process.
National
In April 2025, the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) introduced two major reforms to streamline its claim settlement process. These reforms are focused on improving the Ease of Living for EPF members and enhancing the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) for employers. They are expected to significantly ease the claim process and reduce grievances related to claim rejections.
- EPFO has recently removed the requirement to upload an image of a cheque leaf or attested bank passbook when filing claims online. Initially introduced as a pilot for KYC-compliant members, this change has already benefitted around 1.7 crore EPF members since its launch on May 28, 2024.
- Since the member’s name is verified during bank account seeding with the Universal Account Number (UAN), EPFO found the additional documentation redundant. This reform is expected to benefit nearly 6 crore members by reducing claim rejections due to poor-quality uploads and cutting down grievances.
- The requirement for employer approval after bank verification has been removed. EPFO has eliminated the employer's role in approving the verification of bank account details during the seeding process with UAN.
Main Point :- (i) Members can now independently register or update their bank account details with UAN using Aadhaar OTP authentication. This is especially beneficial for those wishing to change their existing bank account linked to UAN.
(ii) Even those members who have not yet seeded their bank accounts or want to update their details can now easily do so through the simplified online process. This reform enhances autonomy and speeds up the claim settlement mechanism.
(iii) Currently, bank account seeding with UAN is mandatory for Provident Fund (PF) withdrawals. During FY25 alone, around 1.3 crore members submitted their requests to seed their bank accounts, reflecting the importance and impact of this process.
About Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)
Central Provident Fund Commissioner (CPFC) : Ramesh Krishnamurthi
Headquarters : New Delhi
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