New Delhi, April 29 (IANS) In a major boost to ease of access and digital transformation, the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has recorded its highest-ever claim settlements in the financial year 2025–26.

According to official data, EPFO settled 8.31 crore claims during 2025–26, a significant jump from 6.01 crore claims in FY 2024–25.

A large portion of these — 5.51 crore claims — were advance or partial withdrawals, indicating improved accessibility for members to use their provident fund savings for urgent financial needs.

The organisation has also strengthened its automation processes. Around 71.11 per cent of advance claims were processed through the auto mode system — where claims are settled within three days — up from 59.19 per cent in the previous year.

This has significantly reduced manual intervention and improved efficiency.

Digital convenience for members has seen notable improvements as 6.68 crore members filed claims without uploading cheque leaf images; 1.59 crore members linked their bank accounts without employer approval; 70.55 lakh transfer claims were auto-processed without member or employer involvement; 24.84 lakh transfer requests were initiated directly by members; and 29.34 lakh members independently corrected their profiles and accessed their PF accounts without visiting EPFO offices.

In April 2026 alone, EPFO settled 61.03 lakh claims, with nearly 74 per cent of advance claims processed automatically and 98.70 per cent of total claims settled within 20 days, reflecting faster service delivery.

Meanwhile, the EPFO in March approved an interest rate of 8.25 per cent on employees’ provident fund (EPF) deposits for 2025-26, retaining the same rate for the second year in a row, according to an official statement.

The decision was taken at the 239th meeting of the Central Board of Trustees in the national capital, chaired by Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. The meeting was attended by Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje, Secretary, Labour & Employment, Vandana Gurnani, and EPFO Chief Ramesh Krishnamurthi.

Following the CBT’s decision, the proposed interest rate will be sent to the Ministry of Finance for approval. After it is formally ratified, the new rate will be credited to the accounts of over seven crore EPFO subscribers.

The interest on EPF deposits is calculated monthly but credited to the accounts of subscribers at the end of the financial year. However, accounts that remain inactive for 36 months do not earn any further interest as they are considered dormant.

–IANS

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