Millions of salaried employees across India may soon be able to withdraw a part of their provident fund instantly using Unified Payments Interface (UPI), as the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) prepares to modernise its digital services with UPI integration and WhatsApp-based support.
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The proposed move, which was announced by Mansukh Mandaviya – Minister of Labour and Employment, is expected to significantly simplify access to provident fund savings, reducing dependency on lengthy claim settlement processes and making PF withdrawals as seamless as digital bank transfers. While a portion of the PF amount will be fixed, EPFO UPI withdrawals can be used for the remaining amount.
How the Proposed EPFO UPI Withdrawals May Work
As mentioned, under the proposed system, a certain portion of the employee provident fund account is expected to remain frozen or locked as per EPFO rules, while a sizeable eligible amount could become available for withdrawal through UPI-linked bank accounts. Subscribers are likely to be able to check the amount available for withdrawal directly in their seeded bank accounts before initiating the transfer. To complete the transaction, users may simply authenticate the request using their linked UPI PIN, adding an extra layer of digital security to the process.
Once the amount is transferred to the bank account, subscribers will be free to use the money for regular digital payments, bank transfers or ATM cash withdrawals, just like any standard bank balance. The move is expected to make emergency fund access significantly faster for employees, especially during medical needs, job transitions or urgent financial situations.
EPFO Could Launch Services on WhatsApp
Apart from UPI integration, EPFO is also planning to launch citizen services through WhatsApp within the next month, further expanding its digital outreach.
The WhatsApp-based services are expected to allow users to:
- Check PF balances instantly.
- View the last five transactions.
- Track claim status in real time.
- Get support for pending issues such as Aadhaar authentication and bank account linking.
The initiative is aimed at improving accessibility for users who may not be comfortable navigating websites or mobile applications. With WhatsApp already widely used across urban and rural India, the move could help EPFO simplify customer engagement and reduce service bottlenecks.
How Users Currently Check PF Balance
At present, EPFO members can access provident fund information through multiple channels. One of the most commonly used methods is the missed call facility, where users can call 011-22901406 from their registered mobile numbers to receive PF balance details. Subscribers can also use the SMS service by sending the text message “EPFOHO UAN” to 7738299899 from their registered mobile numbers.
In addition, PF balance and claim details can currently be checked through:
- EPFO official website
- UMANG
- m-Sewa
