Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said the government has begun acting against EPFO-related litigation piling up in consumer forums, with cases being resolved through pre-identification mechanisms.
According to the minister, overall litigation pendency linked to EPFO has declined from around 31,000 cases to 27,000 cases as authorities work to speed up dispute resolution and reduce the burden on consumer courts.
EPFO plans WhatsApp rollout within a month
Separately, EPFO plans to launch services on WhatsApp within a month as part of a broader digital outreach strategy focused on streamlining member services and reducing dependence on physical visits and call centres.
The retirement fund body said WhatsApp was chosen due to its widespread adoption across India, ease of use and ability to support multilingual communication. Members will be able to initiate conversations by sending a “Hello” message to EPFO’s verified WhatsApp number, which will carry a green verification tick for authenticity.
AI chatbot to offer 24×7 support
The platform is expected to offer round-the-clock support through AI-driven chatbots capable of handling routine queries and facilitating access to services such as PF balance checks, last five transactions, claim status updates and other account-related information.
EPFO also plans to use WhatsApp for targeted outreach to members eligible under the PMVBRY scheme who have pending compliance gaps, including incomplete Aadhaar authentication using UIDAI’s Face Authentication Technology (FAT) or non-enablement of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for Aadhaar-linked bank accounts.
Focus on Aadhaar, DBT compliance gaps
Under the proposed workflow, EPFO will first verify whether a message originates from the member’s registered mobile number linked to the Universal Account Number (UAN). Once verified, users will receive menu-based options in local languages to access services or complete pending actions.
The organisation said the initiative is aimed at enabling faster grievance resolution, improving accessibility and enhancing user experience through a mobile-first digital interface.
Also Read: EPFO lowers overall litigation backlog as part of special drives
