ELI scheme: EPFO extends UAN activation deadline to January 15
The Employees's Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) has extended the deadline for Universal Account Number (UAN) activation and Aadhaar seeding of bank accounts under the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme to January 15, 2025. The earlier deadline was December 15. This extension is especially significant for employers who have hired new employees in the current fiscal year.
Importance of UAN activation for EPFO services
The UAN is a 12-digit number given by the EPFO to eligible employees. Activating this number is important as it opens up access to a range of online services from the EPFO. These include withdrawing EPF funds online, checking their EPF balance, and updating contact details. The extension is aimed at ensuring all new hires get enough time to activate their UANs and link them with Aadhaar.
ELI scheme and its benefits
The ELI scheme aims to promote formal-sector employment and enable direct benefit transfers (DBT) to employees' Aadhaar-linked bank accounts. To avail the benefits, employees need to have an activated UAN and Aadhaar-seeded bank account. The deadline for UAN activation and Aadhaar seeding has been extended to ensure maximum participation in this beneficial scheme.
How to activate UAN online for ELI scheme
New EPF members can activate their UAN online by visiting the EPFO Member Sewa portal and clicking on the 'Activate UAN' link under 'Important Links.' They then have to provide details like their UAN, Aadhaar number, date of birth, and Aadhaar-linked mobile number. After agreeing to Aadhaar OTP verification and requesting the authorization PIN, they can enter the OTP received on their registered mobile number to complete activation.
