Aadhaar number not compulsory for EPFO

The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation’s (EPFO) over 5 crore members need not necessarily have Aadhaar numbers to avail the benefits of PF body’s schemes as these are excluded from Centre’s Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) programme.

“The schemes under EPFO and ESIC have been excluded from the list schemes identified for implementation of Direct Benefit Transfer,” a Labour Ministry letter to EPFO’s Central Provident Fund Commissioner stated.

Subsequently, the EPFO head office issued an order to discontinue submission of monthly report on the progress of the work under the DBT scheme by regional offices. At present, the money is transferred through NEFT and cheques. The scheme was excluded from the DBT scheme mainly because it was for distributing subsidies and grants and, an official explained.