The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is set to introduce WhatsApp-based chatbot services and UPI-enabled provident fund withdrawals as part of its efforts to improve service delivery and reduce dependence on physical visits and call centres. 

How to withdraw EPF directly into their bank accounts? 

Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said EPFO has completed testing for a facility that will allow subscribers to withdraw their Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) directly into their bank accounts using the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). 

“We have completed the testing of the facility where members can withdraw EPF through the use of the UPI payment gateway. The withdrawn amount will be directly transferred into the bank account of the member,” Mandaviya said. 

EPFO members to get instant UPI-based PF withdrawals 

Under the proposed system, EPFO subscribers will be able to view the eligible balance available for withdrawal and transfer the amount directly into their Aadhaar-seeded bank accounts using their linked UPI PIN for authentication. Once transferred, the funds can be used for digital payments or withdrawn through ATMs using debit cards. 

The labour ministry has been working on a framework under which a portion of the EPF corpus would remain frozen while a significant amount would be made available for instant withdrawal through UPI-linked bank accounts. The move is aimed at simplifying and speeding up the withdrawal process for over seven crore EPFO members. 

Currently, EPFO subscribers are required to submit withdrawal claims, which can often be time-consuming. Under the existing auto-settlement system, eligible claims are processed electronically within three days without manual intervention. The auto-settlement limit has already been increased to ₹5 lakh from ₹1 lakh for purposes such as illness, education, marriage and housing. 

What is EPFO’s WhatsApp-based chatbot services 

Alongside the UPI initiative, EPFO is also planning to launch WhatsApp-based chatbot services within the next month to streamline member communication and routine account-related services. 

According to the minister, members will be able to start a conversation with EPFO by simply sending “Hello” to the organisation’s verified WhatsApp number, marked with a green tick for authenticity. Subscribers can also opt to receive updates and notifications from EPFO on their registered mobile numbers. 

Mandaviya said WhatsApp was chosen because of its widespread usage among mobile phone users across the country. The service will support communication in regional languages and offer 24/7 access through automated systems capable of handling repetitive queries round the clock. 

Initially, the chatbot service will focus on assisting members facing pending compliance issues under the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana, including incomplete Aadhaar authentication through UIDAI’s Face Authentication Technology and inactive Direct Benefit Transfer-enabled bank accounts. 

The chatbot will also provide guided access to essential EPFO services such as checking PF balances, viewing the last five transactions and tracking claim status.