To streamline the settlement of EPF accounts for private sector employees linked with the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO), efforts are being made to establish Aadhaar as the primary and most reliable document for verification. This initiative aims to address the backlog of pending claims caused by discrepancies in EPF-related documents.
The Ministry of Labor has directed the EPFO to recognize Aadhaar as the official identity document, simplifying the documentation process for claim settlements. The Ministry believes that this change will not only assist EPF account holders in processing their claims more efficiently but also significantly reduce the time required for claim settlements.
To further expedite the resolution of EPF claims, the Labor Ministry has proposed that any application pending for over 30 days should automatically enter a fast-track process. During a review meeting regarding the operations of 21 regional EPFO offices nationwide, Union Labour and Employment Secretary Sumita Dawra highlighted the importance of using Aadhaar to eliminate delays caused by insufficient documentation.
The Secretary noted that adopting Aadhaar as an identity document would streamline government services, improve transparency and efficiency, and ensure that beneficiaries receive their rightful entitlements without hassle. He believes that using Aadhaar for verification will remove the requirement for EPF employees to present multiple documents to verify their identity when settling claims. In this context, new EPF members should have their UAN number linked to Aadhaar upon joining.
