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The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has completed the task of migrating its entire member database to a centralized platform this month under the Centralised IT Enabled Services (CITES) project. According to the Ministry of Labour and Employment, this move will make EPFO ​​services faster, more transparent, and member-centric.

Last week, Union Minister for Labour and Employment Mansukh Mandaviya stated that the EPFO ​​has successfully migrated all member records to the new centralized database. This will bring about a major transformation in PF and pension-related services across the country.

What is the CITES project?
The objective of CITES (Centralised IT Enabled Services) is to modernize EPFO ​​services. It utilizes automation and rule-based systems.

Previously, each regional EPFO ​​office maintained its own separate database. Now, data for all members will be available in a single national database. This enables the processing of requests from members across the country at any authorized EPFO ​​office. Members will no longer need to make repeated visits to their regional offices for PF or pension claims.

Major benefits for EPFO ​​members
Faster receipt of claim amounts

PF claims will now be settled through a centralized payment system. Funds will be transferred directly to the member's bank account via a fast and secure electronic mode on the very day the claim is settled.

Interest accrual up to the date of payment

Previously, interest upon final PF settlement was calculated only up to the last day of the preceding month. Now, interest will accrue up to the date the payment is approved. This means members will receive higher interest compared to the past.

Immediate reflection of interest in the passbook

According to the EPFO, interest amounting to approximately ₹1.44 lakh crore—calculated at a rate of 8.25% for the 2025-26 financial year—will be credited to around 34 crore accounts by July 15. Following this, members will be able to view the interest in their passbooks immediately. Access all information on a single portal
By logging into the EPFO ​​portal, members can now view the following details in one place:

PF balance
Claim status
Membership details
Pension service records
Benefits received

Reduced likelihood of claim rejection
Before a claim is submitted, the system will now automatically verify the necessary documents and information. If there are any discrepancies, the portal will notify the user immediately. This will significantly reduce the chances of claim rejection.

Accurate information on withdrawals
Members will now be able to see how much PF they can withdraw under various circumstances. Previously, people would apply without adequate information, leading to claim rejections when the requested amount exceeded the permissible limit.

Withdraw up to 75% of PF
Under the new system, members can withdraw up to 75% of their total PF balance.

Auto-settlement up to ₹5 lakh
Advance PF claims of up to ₹5 lakh that are fully KYC-verified will be processed via auto-settlement. Previously, this limit was only ₹1 lakh.

Facility for online responses
If EPFO ​​requires additional information during claim scrutiny, members can now provide responses online. This reduces the need to visit the office and accelerates the claim settlement process.

Simplified PF withdrawal rules
Previously, there were 13 different rules for partial withdrawals. These have now been consolidated into three simple categories:

Essential Needs
Housing Needs
Special Circumstances
Automatic PF transfer upon changing jobs
PF accounts linked to an Aadhaar-based UAN will now be transferred automatically when a member changes jobs. There will be no need to submit a separate application or obtain approval from the old and new employers.

Claim settlement from any office in the country
PF and pension-related claims can now be processed at any regional EPFO ​​office across the country, and payments can be credited to any bank account in India.

What is the EPFO ​​Amnesty Scheme 2026? The EPFO ​​has also launched the Amnesty Scheme 2026. Under this scheme, establishments operating exempted PF trusts—which are recognized under the Income Tax Act, 1961—will get a one-time opportunity to regularize their legal status. The scheme will remain in effect for six months starting from June 29, 2026.

The objective of this scheme is to provide relief to establishments that possess recognition from the Income Tax Department but lack the necessary exemption under EPF laws. By regularizing their status, eligible establishments will be able to avoid legal complications in the future.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from News18 Hindi. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.