The Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) has once again extended the deadline for activating the Universal Account Number (UAN) and linking it with Aadhaar and bank accounts under the Employment-Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme. Employees now have until March 15, 2025, to complete these mandatory steps and avail themselves of the benefits of the scheme.
EPFO extends deadline for UAN activation for ELI scheme
In a circular dated February 21, 2025, the Ministry of Labour and Employment stated, “The competent authority has further extended the date for UAN activation and linkage of Aadhaar with bank accounts to March 15, 2025.” This is the second extension, as the previous deadline was set for February 15, 2025.
This EPFO has also posted on the social platform ‘X’ the following advice: “To benefit from the Employment Related Incentive (ELI) Scheme, your Aadhaar with the bank account has to be linked. Complete it on time lest it becomes problematic during the last-minute rush!”
What is the ELI Scheme?
The ELI Scheme, which also seeks to “transform” the face of India by creating employment generation all over the country, was launched in the Union Budget 2024-25. Such a scheme will push resource investments toward creating more than 2 crore jobs within two years through incentives for both employers and employees. It is one among many efforts that PM Modi has taken to develop employment opportunities and improve livelihoods.
Three important programs have been brought under this scheme which integrates job creation with skill development. By investing an expected amount of about 2 lakh crore, the ELI Scheme prepares up to over 4 crore youth nationwide.
To avail of the scheme, the employee must activate his UAN and link it to his Aadhaar and bank account. This grants him direct access to the services available in EPFO, such as online EPF withdrawals and balance checks, while enabling direct transfer.
EPFO PROVISIONAL PAYROLL DATA OF December 2024: A Positive Point
Provisional payroll of December 2024 released by EPFO indicates that the organization added 16.05 lakh members, showing an increase of 9.69% against November 2024. Year-on-year indicates a 2.74% monthwise rise in December 2023.
There were 8.47 lakh new subscribers in December 2024 getting registered with EPFO. This growth amounted to 0.73% against last year due to the increased number of subscribers who joined the corpus.
What is UAN?
Universal Account Number or UAN is an identification number provided by EPFO consisting of 12 digits and largely called under one roof by the name of the institution to that member, that no member should identify different Employer IDs with different employers.
How to Activate UAN Online
Activating your UAN is a simple, online process. Follow these steps:
- Visit the official EPFO Member Portal.
- Click on ‘Activate UAN’ under the ‘Important Links’ section.
- Enter your UAN, Aadhaar number, date of birth, and registered mobile number.
- Verify your details using the OTP sent to your mobile number.
Once activated, you can easily access all EPFO services and ensure compliance with the ELI Scheme requirements.
Why is it Necessary to Get UAN Activation Done?
- Provision of EPFO Services: Helps eligible members to claim online settlement of both advances and pensions.
- Aadhar Linked Payments: Another feature of Aadhaar linking includes payments of EPF contributions and cash withdrawals directly to an account without the interference of banks.
- Benefits of ELI: Consequently, it is a must to avail the benefits envisaged under the Employment-Linked Incentive Scheme.