The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has announced a significant decision: funds from inactive Pension Fund (PF) accounts will be automatically transferred to account holders without the need to apply for the funds.
This relief applies to those whose old PF accounts have been unused for a long time and contain an amount of 1000 rupees or less. EPFO will now independently conduct the settlement process for such eligible account holders.
After completing identity and bank account verification through Aadhaar, EPFO will initiate the payout procedure. Thus, the account holder will not need to submit a separate application or claim to receive the money.
On the occasion of the 74th anniversary of EPFO's establishment, an automatic settlement feature for small amounts accumulated in inactive Provident Funds (EPF) was launched. Funds in such accounts, not exceeding 1000 rupees, will be transferred to owners without requiring a separate request. This service is available only for accounts verified through Aadhaar.
First, EPFO will conduct the necessary identity and bank account verification of the owner. Then, the organization itself will initiate the disbursement procedure for the funds held in the respective account. This means the account holder will not need to file an application or claim to withdraw the funds. If you have an old PF account, it is recommended to check its balance and Aadhaar and bank verification. If the amount is 1000 rupees or less and the account meets the conditions of the new service, EPFO may start the settlement process without a separate request.
This EPFO initiative is expected to benefit approximately 100 thousand inactive accounts. The calculation could be made for an amount of about 50 million rupees accumulated in these accounts. The goal is to assist people who have small amounts remaining in old PF accounts and who could not withdraw them for some reason.
Certain conditions have been set for this service. The PF account must be inactive. The amount in the account must be 1000 rupees or less. It is crucial that the account holder is verified through Aadhaar. Necessary checks related to identity and bank account must also be completed. EPFO will begin the settlement process for accounts meeting these requirements. However, not every inactive account will benefit from this service; payment will only be made based on the account meeting the criteria and the required verification.
Sometimes old accounts become inactive due to job changes, prolonged lack of PF contributions, or other reasons. Small amounts remain in such accounts. Many account holders cannot withdraw their money due to insufficient information or the inability to go through the application process. The new EPFO initiative aims to deliver these small amounts stuck in such accounts to the rightful owner. This will save account holders from paperwork and application-related problems.
EPFO also reported an acceleration in the claims processing time. In October 2026, the average PF claim processing time was reduced to 2.57 days. According to the organization, thanks to technical improvements and the CITES 2.01 initiative, this process has become faster and simpler than before.
On the occasion of EPFO's founding day, services via WhatsApp were also announced. Under this feature, members can check their PF balance, information on the last five transactions, and their passbook details. Labour and Employment Minister of the Central Government, Mansukh Mandaviya, announced these measures during the celebration of EPFO's 74th anniversary in New Delhi on November 1. He stated that the EPFO fund holds capital of about 32 trillion rupees, received from contributions by over 80 million members. The organization serves about 80 million active contributing members and 8.5 million pensioners.
