EPFO WhatsApp Services Launched; Small Dormant PF Accounts to Auto-Settle

Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya launched EPFO services on WhatsApp in New Delhi on 1 November, at the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation’s 74th Foundation Day. At the same event he started automatic settlement of inoperative EPF accounts that hold up to Rs 1,000, so those subscribers will not have to file a claim, according to a Labour Ministry release and PTI.

PF Balance Now a WhatsApp Message Away

Subscribers can check their PF balance, see their last five transactions and get passbook details through EPFO’s verified WhatsApp channel, PTI reported. The service also offers help with requirements under the PMVBRY scheme. The government says this should cut down trips to EPFO offices.

For dormant accounts, EPFO starts the settlement on its own once the member’s identity and bank account are verified. Only Aadhaar-verified inoperative accounts with balances up to Rs 1,000 are covered. About one lakh accounts, with roughly Rs 5 crore in all, are expected to benefit, according to the PTI report.

From Pilot Plan to Rollout

Mandaviya first spoke of settling small dormant balances in February, when he said around six lakh of the roughly 31 lakh inoperative EPF accounts held up to Rs 1,000 each and that the money would go straight to the Aadhaar-linked bank account, as reported by Outlook Money. The Foundation Day launch is the first stage of that plan, and the numbers now cited are lower than the February estimate.

At the event, Mandaviya said EPFO has built a corpus of Rs 32 lakh crore from the contributions of more than 8 crore members. Seven EPFO publications on governance and legal awareness were released, and the Bhavishya Nidhi Awards 2026 were presented to regional and zonal offices.

Who Should Check Their Account

The Labour Ministry release does not say when the first settlements will reach bank accounts. Members with an old employer account that they have not touched should confirm that their Aadhaar and bank details are verified on the EPFO member portal. More on daily developments is on the IPB News Daily Updates page.

Source: PIB release on EPFO 74th Foundation Day. Also based on reporting by Daily Excelsior (PTI) and Outlook Money.

Image: PTI.