EPFO or Employee Provident Fund Organization is responsible for administrating provident fund, pension and insurance schemes for EPFO members working in different sectors in India. EPFO is a government registered body. Unified EPFO portal monitors the provident fund deposits. If a company has 20 or more employees working with them, it needs to register with EPFO. For employees earning Rs 15,000 or below, it is mandatory for them to register with the EPF account. This article will provide all the information you need to know about the unified EPFO portal.
History of EPFO
In the year 1925, the first provident fund act was passed to ensure employees a better future and have a decent retirement fund after completing their years of service. Ever since its inception in 1925, many amendments have been made to this act and finally in the year 1952 it came into effect. There are three main investment schemes that are operated under this act: –
- EPF or Employee Provident fund scheme
- Employee Pension Scheme
- The Employees deposit linked insurance scheme
Since 1952 till date, the EPFO department has managed more than 19 crore accounts and undoubtedly, it is one of the largest retirement fund or social security organizations in the world. The main aim of EPFO is to provide a better future to every working citizen of the country. You can accumulate funds for your future and also earn decent interest in the form of returns. You can even make partial withdrawals in case of emergencies like medical or education of children etc. On retirement you can get an accumulated amount with interest earned. In case of death of the member, the family gets the total saved amount minus the partial withdrawal (if any).
How does the EPFO Portal work?
EPFO portal is designed to cater all citizens of India. You can access the portal in English or Hindi language depending on your preference. The service column on the EPFO portal has a list of online services offered by EPFO. Both employer and employee can login to manage their account on the EPFO portal.
Unified EPFO Portal
The EPFO portal is mainly used to manage the EPF (Employee Provident Fund) account. EPF is the amount that is deducted from your salary every month, and contributions are made both by employers and employees. You would need a login ID and password to access your account on the EPFO portal. The login ID and password are given to you once the account is registered on the EFPO portal. You can change the password later as per the guidelines. If you forget your password, there is an option to reset the password available on the portal. By clicking on the “forgot password” link, you can easily reset your password. Some important links available on the EPFO portal are listed below: –
- Employees’ Provident Fund Organization, India
- Common Registration Under (EPFO & ESIC)
- Common ECR (EPFO & ESIC)
- Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojna (PMPRY)
- Uncovered Principal Employer Registration
- Employer Registration for Pre-olre Establishments
- Shram Suvidha Portal.
Services Offered to EPFO Members
All the individuals registered on EPFO are known as EPFO members. They log in to the portal through EPFO member home on the website. Every EPFO member is provided with a UAN (Universal Account Number). This number is used to log in to the EPFO portal along with the password. Here you can see all the details regarding your EPF account. Every member can have one account and only one mobile number to register on the portal.
Getting UAN
After making the first contribution towards your EPF account, you can get a UAN number. After getting the UAN number, you need to activate it online. EPFO UAN activation can be done by visiting the member service page. You would need to provide the required KYC documents to activate your UAN. If you change jobs, you must provide your UAN number to the new employer along with the KYC documents, and your EPF account will be automatically transferred to the new organization.
Benefits of Becoming a Member of the Unified EPFO Portal
By linking your Aadhar to your UAN, you can enjoy these benefits of the EPFO portal: –
- Check your PF balance: After EPFO UAN activation, you can log in to the EPF account and check the balance of your contributions made toward the account.
- Get Notified on Account Activity: In the event of any credits or debits made on your EPF account, you will receive an SMS on your registered mobile number with the account. A mobile app to view and manage your EPF account is also available to make it more user-friendly.
- You can easily submit a claim through the EPFO portal directly. You don’t need to go to your employer to get a claim attestation.
- Download UAN Card: – If you need a copy of your UAN card, you can go to the portal and download one. Not only the cards but copies of the passbook can also be downloaded from the portal.
