Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) subscribers will soon be able to withdraw their provident fund savings directly through the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), with funds credited straight into their linked bank accounts. Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has confirmed the rollout is in advanced stages, following successful testing of the system.
Under the proposed mechanism, members will be able to access eligible portions of their EPF balance and transfer it instantly using a UPI-based payment gateway. Once initiated, the amount will be deposited directly into the member’s bank account, making the process significantly faster and more seamless.
The system will also allow users to complete transactions using their existing UPI PIN, while ensuring that only eligible funds are available for withdrawal. A portion of the EPF corpus will remain protected, while the rest can be accessed digitally for approved use cases.
At present, EPF withdrawals require members to submit claims that often take several days to process. With the new system, settlements are expected to become faster through automated processing, with some claims already being cleared within three days.
Alongside this upgrade, EPFO is also working on expanding digital services through WhatsApp-based chatbot support. Members will be able to access services such as PF balance checks, transaction history, and claim status updates by sending a simple message to an official verified number.
The chatbot system will operate in multiple regional languages and provide round-the-clock assistance. It is also expected to help resolve specific issues such as incomplete Aadhaar authentication or delays in direct benefit transfers.
On the administrative side, EPFO has reduced pending litigation cases through targeted disposal drives. Pending consumer court cases have nearly halved in recent years, while overall litigation backlog has also declined, reflecting improved efficiency in grievance resolution.
