Messages have started arriving on the mobile phones of active Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) members. These notifications inform them that funds in the form of interest on their PF accounts have been credited for the financial year 2025-26.
The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation has credited interest to PF accounts. The interest was transferred at the established rate of 8.25% for FY 2025-26. These funds are now reflected in the accounts of EPFO members. The organization also sends SMS notifications to the phone numbers registered in the PF Account.
An example calculation shows that if a PF member's account holds an amount of 500,000 rupees, the annual interest will be approximately 41,250 rupees.
EPFO has credited funds with an interest rate of 8.25% to 340 million PF accounts ahead of schedule. Previously, this process took place in September or even earlier, but thanks to the new automated system, the fund transfer was completed by mid-July.
To date, over 80 million active EPFO members have received this positive news via mobile devices.
There are several simple ways to check your PF balance. Firstly, you can use the online portal at https://passbook.epfindia.gov.in/MemberPassBook/Login. You need to open this portal in a browser on a mobile device or laptop, enter your UAN and password, and then fill in the captcha code. After this, a new page will open where you must select your PF number from the drop-down list to view the account details.
Secondly, a service is available via SMS. The user should send a message to the number 7738299899, specifying EPFOHO, their UAN, and the language. For example, to get account details in English, one needs to send a message like EPFOHO UAN ENG.
Thirdly, you can use the UMANG application. After downloading and logging into the application, you should navigate to the 'All Service' section, find EPFO, select the 'Employee Centric Services' option, and then click 'View Passbook'. Next, you need to enter your UAN and the OTP received on the registered phone number to see the balance.
Additionally, information about the amount in the PF account can be obtained by making a missed call. You need to call the number 9966044425 from a registered number. After two rings, the call will automatically disconnect, and then the PF balance will be sent to the phone via SMS.
Starting in October, a new service will become available on the Unified Portal of Interactive Public Services (EPIGU) that will allow citizens to view all phone numbers and bank cards registered under their name. This change was approved by a presidential decree dated July 15.
Users will be able to submit applications through the portal for temporary deactivation of a phone number or for complete termination of service for a number they no longer use. Additionally, EPIGU will provide information about paid services linked to a specific number.
Regarding bank cards, the portal will enable the submission of requests to the issuing bank for card blocking or closure. The procedure itself will be carried out by the issuing bank based on the electronic request received from the citizen.
According to the plan of measures approved by the decree, the development of administrative regulations for providing these services is currently underway. Draft government decisions are expected by August, and the practical implementation of the services is scheduled for September 2026.
Starting September 1, virtual payment cards issued by commercial banks are also planned to be launched on EPIGU. Citizens will be able to link their existing bank card to this virtual card and use it to pay for public services on the portal. Opening, topping up the virtual card, and transferring the balance to another user's card will not incur a commission.
The document also provides for automatic refunds in the following cases: in case of erroneous or excessive payment; for a public service that was not rendered without a valid reason; and for a service provided with a violation of established deadlines. The refund to the virtual card will occur automatically, without the need to submit a separate application.
Previously, in May, Shavkat Mirziyoyev supported initiatives to reduce bureaucratic barriers in public services. At that time, 1041 public services were operating in Uzbekistan, 80% of which were provided online. Nevertheless, the system still contained redundant procedures and duplicated requirements. It is planned that by 2030, the principle of 'zero bureaucracy' will be implemented in 783 services, 550 services will be converted to electronic format, and another 80 will be in proactive and composite format. It is also planned to reduce the average service delivery time for 80 services from 13 to 6 days and decrease payments for 25 types of services. These measures are expected to allow the population to save up to 35 billion soms annually on trips to agencies and up to 851 billion soms through reduced fees.
