EPFO members may soon be able to withdraw their Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) funds directly from ATMs or UPI once their bank accounts are linked to their EPF.
Key Highlights
- EPFO 3.0 launches June 2025, enabling instant EPF withdrawals up to ₹1 lakh via ATM and UPI.
- Auto‑settlement limit raised from ₹1 lakh to ₹5 lakh, simplifying withdrawals for emergencies like education or home.
NEW SYSTEM IN THE WORKS
A senior official has stated that the labour ministry is working on this new plan. To make this work, EPF accounts will be linked to member bank accounts.A portion of the EPF amount may be frozen, but the majority will be available for withdrawal via debit card or UPI.
CURRENT WITHDRAWAL PROCESS
Right now, if you want to withdraw your EPF money, you must file a claim either online or offline. This process can take some time. Even though the EPFO has an auto-settlement system that clears claims within three days, you must still file a claim.
The EPFO recently increased the automatic settlement limit from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. This means that members can have up to Rs 5 lakh cleared automatically within three days for purposes such as medical expenses, education, housing, or marriage.
Also Read: EPFO collects around Rs 13,500 crore from the sale of ETFs in FY24
Why is the change needed?
The EPFO, which serves over 7 crore people, initially implemented online auto-settlement for advance claims during COVID-19 to assist members in financial need. People still need to file claims to receive their EPF. The new plan aims to eliminate this step and lighten the EPFO's load, which handles over 5 crore withdrawal requests annually.
The official added that the new plan aims to reduce paperwork and save time for both the EPFO and its members. However, because the EPFO lacks a banking license, it cannot directly allow cash withdrawals in the same way that banks can. So, the government is attempting to improve EPFO services so that they function more like traditional bank services.
