Employees Provident Fund
The government told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday (July 23, 2026) that as of March 31, 2026, Rs 9,330.56 crore is deposited in the inoperative accounts of the Employees Provident Fund (EPF). MP R. Girirajan on Thursday raised questions about the total unclaimed amount in EPF and other pension accounts and the government’s plans regarding these accounts. Answering this question, Minister of State for Labor and Employment Shobha Karandlaje said that a total of Rs 9,330.56 crore is deposited in non-operative EPF accounts till March 31, 2026.
Karandlaje said that the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) is running an awareness campaign to spread information about EPF services and non-operative accounts among employers and employees through social media platforms and ‘Nidhi Aapke Nicht’ (NAN) 2.0 camps. A huge amount of Rs 9,330.56 crore lying in non-operative accounts means that many employees have not yet claimed their EPF funds. If you are also one of such employees, then you can go ahead and claim your non-operative EPF fund.
What is Inoperative EPF Account Account?
According to the EPFO website, an account is considered inoperative if no contribution has been made to it for three years after retirement, permanent settlement abroad or in case of death. Currently, interest is earned on all accounts until the member turns 58 years of age.
Two categories of inoperative EPF accounts
All inoperative accounts that do not fall into the ‘transaction-less accounts’ category are classified as follows:
1. Inoperative accounts which do not have UAN
2. Inoperative accounts which already have UAN
Will I get interest on my inoperative account?
No. According to the EPFO website, currently interest is available on all accounts until the member turns 58 years old.
What should I do if my account becomes inoperative?
If you are still working in any company or organization covered under the EPF & MP Act, 1952, then you should get your amount transferred to your new account through online or offline mode. If you have retired, you can withdraw this amount as per the instructions of EPFO.
The minister told how EPS pension accounts work?
Explaining how the pooled pension account works, Karandlaje said that the pension fund under the Employees Pension Scheme (EPS), 2026 is a pooled fund in which contributions are received from the employer and the central government. Karandlaje says that when a member or his family becomes entitled, benefits are given from the fund. There is no time limit for claiming the benefits. Pension or withdrawal benefits under EPS are paid along with the outstanding amount when claims are received and settled.
