26 June 2025 : The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is preparing to offer its members the facility to directly withdraw money from their Provident Fund (PF) accounts through ATMs and UPI. This change is expected to simplify the PF withdrawal process and is being seen as a major step towards real-time access to retirement savings.
What is EPFO proposing?
According to a PTI report, the Ministry of Labour is working on a system that would allow EPFO members to withdraw a portion of their PF balance using ATM debit cards or UPI linked to their bank accounts. Once this facility is implemented, there will be no need to fill out online or offline claim forms.
This system would enable real-time withdrawals similar to regular bank transactions. However, full withdrawal of the PF balance will not be permitted. A certain portion will be kept reserved for retirement.
How will the new system work?
Currently, since EPFO is not a licensed bank, it cannot directly provide fund access through ATM-like channels. Under the present system, even partial PF withdrawals require filing an online or offline claim.
However, the proposed system will interface with bank accounts, allowing EPFO members to access funds without going through the claim process. Software integration and backend upgrades are currently underway to enable this feature.
When will you be able to withdraw PF via ATM?
According to Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, EPFO accounts are being linked with members’ bank accounts to facilitate this service. However, neither the EPFO nor the central government has officially announced a launch date for this facility.
Media reports suggest that this new facility may be rolled out starting in July. Currently, members have to submit a claim application to withdraw PF funds. Even in the auto-settlement system introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, a claim is still necessary. Although faster than manual verification, this process can still take up to three days.
Recently, on June 24, the government raised the auto-settlement limit from ₹1 lakh to ₹5 lakh, making it possible to withdraw larger amounts without manual intervention.
Other major changes in EPFO
To simplify the claim process further, EPFO has made several key changes recently to improve the user experience and make PF access faster, easier, and more secure during emergencies:
- Uploading a cheque or passbook photo is no longer required during online claim filing.
- Employer verification is no longer necessary to update bank details.
- The process can now be completed using Aadhar-based authentication.
These changes are part of the government’s effort to ensure that EPFO members can quickly and safely access their provident fund savings when needed.
Summary:
The EPFO is set to allow members to withdraw PF funds through ATMs and UPI by mid‑2025, improving convenience while keeping part of funds locked for retirement use.