EPFO moves UAN activation to UMANG app and sets 3‑day PF claim settlement

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has rolled out a set of reforms aimed at speeding up and digitising provident fund services for its more than 70 million members. Eligible PF withdrawal claims will now be settled within three days through an expanded auto‑settlement system, and officials who delay beyond the 20‑day deadline may face a 12 % penal interest charge.

Withdrawal procedures have been simplified by consolidating categories into three broad groups—illness, education and marriage—and by reducing documentation requirements, allowing easier access for members in emergencies or after job loss.

In a separate change, the EPFO has shifted Universal Account Number (UAN) activation and new UAN generation from its website to the government’s UMANG mobile app. Users must complete Aadhaar‑based face authentication to activate or obtain a UAN, while the portal continues to support death‑claim filing and a streamlined UAN‑retrieval process. The upgraded Unified Member Portal was restored after scheduled maintenance.