Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is well on the path to becoming more subscriber friendly than ever before. Close on the heels of the recent good news that EPFO will be crediting 8.5 per cent interest on employees’ provident fund (EPF) for 2019-20 in two instalments, its recently introduced WhatsApp helpline to address the issues, grievances and queries of its subscribers has been welcomed with open arms.
The grievance-redressal system has already handled over 1.64 lakh queries and issues via WhatsApp. This is part of EPFO’s ‘Nirbadh’ initiatives to ensure seamless, smooth and and uninterrupted service to subscribers amidst the ongoing pandemic situation.
The WhatsApp helpline is available in all 138 regional EPFO offices. All the subscribers need to do is send a WhatsApp message on the numbers of the regional office where their provident fund account is registered, and have their issue resolved by a dedicated team of experts.
Not only does this new service ensure personal interaction and guidance, it also ensures promptness. This will also reduce the number of visitors at the EPFO offices.
This has led to decline in registration of grievances/queries on social media like Facebook /Twitter by 30% and on EPFiGMS (EPFO’s online grievance resolution portal) by 16% since the launch of WhatsApp helpline numbers, it added.
In another step towards faster and easier fund transfer, EPFO has introduced a facility to enable bulk transfer of funds from exempted establishments .
The retirement body had announced recently that it will provide 8.15 per cent interest on the EPF account of subscribers right now, while the remaining 0.35 per cent rate of interest on EPF for 2019-20 will be credited at the end of this year.
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