Wed, 4 Nov 2026 · LIVE
Updated Oct 31, 2026 · 18:15
India News Updated Oct 31, 2026

EPFO to launch auto settlement of inoperative accounts up to Rs 1,000

The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation will celebrate its 74th Foundation Day in New Delhi on Sunday, with Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya launching new initiatives. These include automatic settlement of eligible inoperative EPF accounts with balances up to Rs 1,000 and EPFO services through WhatsApp. The organisation also reported that contributing membership rose from 3.49 crore in 2014-15 to about 7.98 crore as of September 2026.

EPFO to launch key initiatives like automatic settlement of eligible inoperative accounts, WhatsApp services

New Delhi, Oct 31

The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation is set to celebrate its 74th Foundation Day here on Sunday, which will see key initiative being launched by Union Minister for Labour and Employment, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya.

Dr. Mandaviya will launch key EPFO initiatives, including the Automatic Settlement of Eligible Inoperative EPF Accounts with balances up to Rs 1,000 and EPFO Services through WhatsApp, among others.

The minister will also review exhibition stalls at the venue and release a series of publications reflecting EPFO's commitment to knowledge creation, institutional learning, legal awareness and compassionate governance, according to an official statement.

The event will also see Dr. Mandaviya presenting 'Bhavishya Nidhi Awards 2026' to recognise outstanding contributions by Regional Offices, Zonal Offices, individual officers and employees.

"The 74th Foundation Day celebration seeks to reaffirm that the journey of EPFO is not merely a story of institutional growth; it is a continuing commitment to ensure that the fruits of a worker's years of labour translate into security, dignity and peace of mind for the worker and the family," according to a statement.

The celebration will be attended by senior officials of the Ministry, Members of the Central Board of Trustees, officers and employees of EPFO, employers, workers and other stakeholders.

India has significantly expanded the reach of social protection in recent years, and social protection coverage increased from 19 per cent in 2015 to 68.4 per cent in 2026, bringing more than one billion people within the social protection framework.

EPFO's contributing membership has increased significantly over the period. Contributing members rose from 3.49 crore in 2014-15 to approximately 7.98 crore (as on September 16, 2026). This represents an increase of approximately 4.49 crore contributing members over the period.

As of September 2026, 7.68 lakh establishments are contributing to EPFO. This provides a broad institutional base for extending social security coverage to eligible workers.

— IANS

Reader’s Guide · AI-assisted, based only on the report above

What the report makes clear: EPFO is launching automatic settlement of small inoperative accounts and WhatsApp-based services, and its contributing membership has grown sharply since 2014-15.

Still open: The report does not yet say how members can claim the automatic settlement, what the WhatsApp services will cover, or when they go live.

Another way to look at it: Small balances up to Rs 1,000 may be convenient to settle automatically, but members with larger dormant balances still need a clear, simple route to reclaim them.

What would make EPFO's services easier for you to use in practice?

Reader Voices

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