EPFO delays UPI-linked claim rollout to August as portal glitches persist | Finance News

The rollout of Unified Payments Interface (UPI)-linked transactions for provident fund services by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has been delayed and is now expected in August, according to people aware of the development. The facility was earlier slated for launch by the end of FY26.

The delay follows glitches reported after the launch of EPFO’s upgraded Centralised IT Enabled Services (CITES 2.01) platform earlier this month. Members have complained that data from older EPF accounts was missing on the revamped portal. They have also reported login failures, slow loading speeds and delays in claim processing after the migration.

The retirement fund body said it is working to resolve the issues and is prioritising stabilisation of the upgraded portal before introducing new digital services. All major errors are expected to be fixed by the first week of August, after which the UPI-linked transaction facility is likely to be rolled out, the people said.

An email sent to the labour ministry did not elicit a response till the time of going to press.

The facility will be enabled through a BHIM-linked UPI interface, allowing EPF members to link their provident fund (PF) accounts with their bank accounts to receive eligible claim settlements. It will complement, rather than replace, the existing National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT)-based payment system.

Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya unveiled the proposal for UPI-based EPF claim settlements in 2025 as part of the EPFO 3.0 reforms. At a meeting in March 2025, EPFO’s Executive Committee reviewed progress on the initiative, which aims to enable instant credit of eligible claims to members’ bank accounts through the UPI platform.

The integration is being developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), EPFO’s technology partner. It is building the required application programming interfaces (APIs) and system interfaces with the State Bank of India (SBI) and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) under the CITES 2.01 modernisation project.

EPFO manages retirement savings of more than ₹30 trillion and has around 80 million contributing members. Under the EPF Scheme, 2026, members can make partial withdrawals after completing 12 months of membership, provided they retain at least 25 per cent of their accumulated provident fund balance.

The UPI integration is part of EPFO’s broader effort to modernise its digital services and reduce claim processing time. In recent months, the organisation has expanded auto-settlement of claims, simplified withdrawal rules under the EPF Scheme, 2026, and launched the revamped member portal.