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The Labour Ministry detailed EPFO reforms that have boosted registrations by 251% and expanded contributing members by 150%. Key initiatives include digital UAN generation, centralised pension payments, EPFO 3.0 transformation, and faster claim processing through automation.
Major push to expand coverage and simplify registration
New Delhi: The Ministry of Labour & Employment has outlined a series of reforms undertaken by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to expand social security coverage and improve service delivery across India. These initiatives focus on simplifying registration, increasing regional outreach, and accelerating claims and pension processing.
One of the key steps has been the introduction of common online registration through the Shram Suvidha Portal. This unified platform allows establishments to register with EPFO digitally by submitting required data and documents.
Additionally, since February 2020, new companies incorporated under the Companies Act are automatically registered with EPFO through the Ministry of Corporate Affairs portal using SPICe+ and AGILE-PRO forms. This move has significantly reduced procedural delays and improved compliance.
Following the implementation of the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 in the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh from October 31, 2019, EPFO extended provident fund, pension, and insurance benefits to workers in these regions. Employees previously covered under the former J&K PF Act, as well as workers in newly registered establishments, are now brought under the national EPFO framework.
To widen coverage, EPFO introduced a facility in November 2019 that allows workers to self-generate their Universal Account Number (UAN). This ensures that employees can independently enroll in EPFO’s social security schemes.
In April 2025, EPFO further strengthened digital access by enabling UAN generation and activation using Aadhaar-based Face Authentication Technology (FAT) via the UMANG mobile app. This contactless system enhances security and makes the process seamless, eliminating paperwork and physical verification hurdles.
The impact of these reforms is reflected in the sharp growth in registrations and membership. New establishment registrations increased from 1,17,064 in 2019-20 to 2,94,910 in 2023-24 — a 251% rise.
Similarly, the average number of contributing members grew from 4.89 crore in 2019-20 to 7.37 crore in 2023-24, marking a 150% increase. These figures indicate a substantial expansion of formal social security coverage in recent years.
EPFO has also introduced the Centralised Pension Payment System (CPPS), which allows pension disbursement through any bank and any branch across India. Pensioners no longer need to transfer Pension Payment Orders (PPOs) when they relocate or change banks, ensuring seamless access to benefits nationwide.
Under Project EPFO 3.0, a major digital transformation initiative, industry-standard core banking system-enabled services are being implemented. This unified platform streamlines member services, reduces paperwork, and enables faster claims processing. Claims that pass risk validation checks are processed automatically, cutting settlement time from up to 20 days to less than three days.
To ensure effectiveness, EPFO conducts regular reviews of grievance handling across zonal and field offices. These reviews analyse root causes of complaints and help implement systemic improvements.
The information was shared by Minister of State for Labour and Employment Sushri Shobha Karandlaje in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.
