The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has introduced a new rule to simplify the process of claiming Employers Provident Fund (EPF) benefits after the death of a member.
The EPFO said that its field offices were facing difficulties in updating or rectifying Aadhaar details after the death of its members.
Hence, the EPFO decided to process claims in such cases without the seeding of Aadhar details, allowing easier access to EPF benefits for the families of deceased members.
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“However, this concession is contingent upon obtaining approval from the Officer in Charge (OIC) via an e-office file. The file must meticulously document the verification procedures undertaken to authenticate the deceased’s membership and the legitimacy of the claimants. This protocol is to be executed in conjunction with additional due diligence measures, as directed by the OIC, to mitigate the risk of fraudulent withdrawals,” said EPFO in a circular released on May 17, 2024.
The relaxation of the requirement of Aadhaar details applies to cases where member details are accurate in the Universal Account Number (UAN) but inaccurate or incomplete in the Unique Identification (UID) database.
For cases where Aadhaar data is correct, but discrepancies exist in the UAN, field offices are instructed to follow specific guidelines outlined in previous circulars.
“In cases where Aadhaar data is correct but inaccurate or incomplete in the UAN, field offices must meticulously follow the guidelines delineated in Paragraphs 6.9 and 6.10 of JD SOP version-2 dated 26.03.2024. This involves rectifying the data in the UAN, seeding, and validating/authenticating the Aadhaar, in alignment with the instructions outlined in the prior Circular dated 24.09.2020,” said EPFO circular.
What were the issues faced by field offices?
The field offices faced many challenges as per the circular, with the seeding and authentication of Aadhaar in cases involving deceased individuals.Â
Inaccurate or incomplete member details in Aadhaar records.
Lack of Aadhaar information for cases before its implementation.
Deactivated Aadhaar accounts.
Technical problems in validating Aadhaar through the UIDAI database.
These issues have prevented field officers from processing claims, leading to delays in paying affected claimants, sated the EPFO.
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Steps to process claims without seeding Aadhaar:
Under the new provision, physical claims can now be processed without seeding Aadhaar, subject to approval from the Officer In Charge (OIC) and adherence to meticulous verification procedures.Â
Temporary allowance is granted for physical claims in death cases without Aadhaar seeding.
Approval must be obtained from the Officer In Charge (OIC) through an e-office file.
Detailed verification is required to confirm the deceased member’s membership and the claimant’s authenticity.
Due diligence actions, as directed by the OIC, must be taken to prevent fraudulent withdrawals.
