EPFO to simplify claim processes, conduct awareness campaign

EPFO Regional Commissioner Salil Sankar said that Bengaluru’s business management is excellent as the city has thousands of digitally native and responsible firms, but only 38,000 businesses here are currently registered under the EPFO ​​system.

Mr. Sankar added that there are 60,000 establishments under 14 EPFO ​​offices across Karnataka, covering a total of 72 to 78 lakh subscribers (employees).

Participating in an interactive session organized by Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) on Wednesday, the District Commissioner outlined EPFO’s ongoing efforts to create awareness among employers and employees about the benefits and incentives provided by the Center for job creation under Prime Minister Vikisit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PMVBRY), steps taken by EPFO ​​to streamline workflows, reduce documentation burdens and improve turnaround time through digital platforms like EPFO. 3.0.

He said that the aim is to ensure that social security systems are not procedurally complex, transparent and flawless.

amnesty plan

Additionally, EPFO ​​plans to launch Employee Registration Campaign 2025, a one-time amnesty scheme for employers to regularize unregistered employees without facing penalties by paying employer contribution, interest of 7% and nominal fee of ₹100.

Explaining the organization’s digital migration journey, Mr. Sankar said that the shift to digital started in 2011 with the introduction of Universal Account Number (UAN), which led to chaos, especially regarding KYC, and required huge efforts to verify data, and currently, around 99.73% of accounts are created on Aadhaar, and EPFO ​​is focusing on stabilizing the system. Staff have been instructed to prioritize claim resolutions over minor deficiency checks for approved members, he added.

However, he insisted that employers must cooperate by filling the Electronic Challan cum Return (ECR) correctly and managing exit dates to avoid further confusion in members’ accounts.