Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Launches Online Facility for Surrender of EPF Exemptions

New Delhi: Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, today unveiled a new online facility for the surrender of exemptions from the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) Scheme. The launch event, held in New Delhi, was attended by Sumita Dawra, Secretary of Labour & Employment, Neelam Shami Rao, Central Provident Fund Commissioner, and other key officials.

In his address, Dr. Mandaviya highlighted that this online facility is the first of six modules under the EPFO Central IT System 2.01, which has been implemented ahead of schedule. “This new system will streamline the surrender process, reducing time and effort by offering features such as online submission, application validation, and the transfer of past accumulations of members. The earlier system, which required physical submission of voluminous documents, will be replaced by this digital solution, allowing establishments to track their applications using a tracking ID,” the Minister stated. He added that the facility is expected to benefit at least 1 lakh members across 70 establishments, facilitating the transfer of nearly ₹1,000 crores in accumulations as their surrenders are processed.

Dr. Mandaviya also noted that the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has undertaken numerous initiatives to address current challenges, with this launch being the first of many planned improvements. He emphasized the importance of further simplifying processes for the benefit of members and ensuring the timely rollout of new IT systems within this calendar year. The Minister urged EPFO officers to find prompt solutions to existing issues while maintaining a forward-looking vision.

During the event, Dr. Mandaviya reviewed the new IT interventions, including the EPFO Central IT System 2.01, and expressed satisfaction with the readiness of the facilities for seamless implementation of the Employee Loyalty Incentive (ELI) schemes announced in the Union Budget. He also assessed plans for the upcoming Integrated Grievance Management System and directed that efforts be made to incorporate advanced technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, into EPFO’s IT systems.

The Minister highlighted that in the past two years, 27 companies have surrendered their EPF exemptions, bringing ₹1,688.82 crores and 30,000 employees into the provident fund under EPFO. This shift reflects the growing confidence of stakeholders in the quality of EPFO’s services and the benefits offered under the EPF scheme.