The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is set to complete the processing of all applications under Pension on Higher Wages (PoHW) by March 31, 2025.
This was confirmed during the 112th meeting of the Executive Committee (EC) of the Central Board of Trustees, EPF as a press release on Feb 26.
The meeting was chaired by Ms. Sumita Dawra, Secretary (Ministry of Labour and Employment), at the EPFO Head Office in New Delhi, with Shri Ramesh Krishnamurthi, CPFC, and other senior officials in attendance.
Key Highlights from the 112th EC Meeting
Adoption of Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) for EPFO Officers and Staff
- The EC adopted the Unified Pension Scheme, aligning with the Ministry of Finance’s gazette notification.
- Officers and staff will have the option to transition from the National Pension System (NPS) to UPS.
Effective from April 1, 2025, the scheme ensures financial security for EPFO employees with a minimum guaranteed pension, family pension benefits, and dearness relief adjustments.
Progress on Centralized Pension Payment System (CPPS)
- The CPPS, launched in January 2025 through NPCI (NACH) payments, has achieved a 99.9% success rate.
- 69.4 lakh pensioners have benefited, allowing seamless pension access from any bank branch across India.
The EC emphasized the need to transition to an Aadhaar-Based Payment System (ABPS) for enhanced security and efficiency, ensuring direct credit of pension payments into Aadhaar-linked bank accounts.
Digital Transformation: CITES 2.01 & EPFO 3.0
- EPFO is migrating to a centralized IT system (CITES 2.01) to improve claims processing and service delivery.
- The modernization is expected to be completed by March 31, 2025, replacing outdated software.
EPFO 3.0 aims to create a future-ready, technology-driven, member-centric organization with expanded social security coverage. The EC instructed EPFO to prepare a Vision Document for EPFO 3.0 by March 31, 2025.
Pension on Higher Wages (PoHW) Processing Update
- EPFO reported that 70% of applications under PoHW have already been processed.
- Special attention is being given to members who have deposited the required amount, including those from large PSUs.
The EC directed EPFO to expedite pending cases to meet the March 31, 2025, deadline and ensure the timely processing of all applications in compliance with the Supreme Court judgment.
Simplification of Claim Processing & Partial Withdrawals
- EPFO achieved a historic high of 2.16 crore auto-claims settlement as on 06.03.2025
- Over 99.31% claims are now received in online mode, without any requirement to visit the field office. In FY 2024-25 as on 06.03.2025, 7.14 Crore claims have been filed in online mode.
To enhance efficiency, EPFO has increased the auto-mode processing limit for advance claims to ₹1 lakh and expanded its scope to include housing, education, and marriage.
Now, 60% of advance claims are processed in auto mode within three days, with a record 2.16 crore claims settled as of March 6, 2025.
Additionally, Aadhaar-verified UAN holders can now correct member details independently, and over 99.31% of claims are submitted online.
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