The Centre contributes in excess of Rs 950 crore every year to meet its commitment of a minimum pension of Rs 1000 to all EPS subscribers.
Labour unions and pensioners’ associations have been demanding the minimum pension to be raised to Rs 7500, arguing that the existing amount does not meet basic living expenses.
According to EPFO sources, discussions are underway and a decision could be announced soon. The proposal has also received institutional backing, with a parliamentary committee recommending an upward revision to strengthen social security for retirees.
Record claim settlement
The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation registered a 38.3% jump in claim settlements in 2025-26 with the retirement fund body settling a record 83.1 million claims compared to 60.1 million claims settled in 2024-25, labour and employment minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Wednesday.
In April 2026 alone, 6.103 million claims had already been settled, with nearly 74% of PF advance claims processed in auto mode and 98.70% of total claims settled in less than 20 days.
Of the total claims settled in 2025-26, 55.1 million claims were advance or partial withdrawals, revealing the ease of access to provident fund (PF) accounts, enabling members to draw upon their savings to meet their needs, he added.
Government data shows 71.1% of advance claims were processed in auto mode in just three days in 2025-26, up from 59.19% in the preceding year, minimizing manual intervention.
Aadhar-based portal
The minister also said that EPFO will soon unveil an Aadhaar-based portal to help subscribers to activate their inoperative old accounts.
The EPF Aadhaar-Based Access Portal for Tracking Inoperative Accounts or E-PRAAPTI will be a dedicated digital platform to facilitate identification, tracking, UAN linking and activation of old EPF accounts.
“The portal will provide a streamlined Aadhaar based authentication mechanism that will enable members to securely access their old EPF account, which may not have an UAN linked with it and initiate the process for updating their member profile followed by seamless UAN linking and activation,” the ministry said.
In the initial phase, it said the portal will be member ID based ensuring a secure and efficient roll out while delivering immediate benefits to a large segment of members who possess their member IDs.
“Going forward it is contemplated to expand the scope of E-PRAAPTI to include members who may not be able to recall or access their old members’ IDs. The platform is expected to reduce manual intervention, minimize documentation, and enhance transparency and efficiency,” it added.