The Provident Fund (PF) account helps salaried individuals continue their income source after retirement by depositing a portion of their salary every month. The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has now made it mandatory to link the Aadhaar card to the Universal Account Number (UAN).
Benefits of Linking Aadhaar Card with UAN
Linking Aadhaar card with UAN provides several benefits such as:
- Employees can access PF and pension related information from home through the EPFO portal
- Allows for easy online withdrawal of PF balance
- Checking PF balance and linking Aadhaar becomes simpler
- Correcting personal information like name, address and date of birth can be done online
- Adding new mobile number, email ID or bank account can be easily updated
The government has made this linkage mandatory under Section 142 of the Code of Social Security, 2020. Aadhaar eKYC confirms an individual's identity which enables direct PF withdrawal and taking advances without company certification.
| Benefit | Details |
|---|---|
| Access PF Information | Employees can access PF details from home through EPFO portal |
| Withdraw PF Balance | Enables easy online withdrawal of PF balance |
Process to Link Aadhaar Card with UAN
Employees can easily link their Aadhaar card with the UAN by visiting the EPFO's UAN portal. The step-by-step process is outlined below:
- Go to the EPFO website
- Click on e-KYC Portal and enter UAN number
- Verify OTP sent to registered mobile number
- Enter Aadhaar number correctly
- Enter captcha code shown on screen
- Click Submit to complete linkage
In case the online method does not work, employees can also visit the nearest PF regional office for offline KYC submission.
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Go to EPFO website and enter UAN |
| 2 | Enter Aadhaar number and captcha code |
Unable to Link Aadhaar with UAN Issue
Sometimes employees may face issues when linking Aadhaar with UAN such as:
- Incorrect UAN number entered
- Wrong Aadhaar number provided
- Names not matching in both documents
- Server or technical errors
To resolve this, employees can rectify details, verify information entered, check spellings and format of details provided or try again later.
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Details mismatch | Rectify details entered |
| Technical errors | Try again later |
Importance of Linking Aadhaar with UAN
Below are some key reasons why linking Aadhaar and UAN is important:
- Enables direct PF withdrawals without employer approval
- Allows taking PF advances/loans quickly
- EPFO can directly credit PF claims into bank account
- Simplifies updating of KYC details online
- Updates can be done anytime, anywhere
Overall, the linkage eliminates dependence on the employer for KYC verification and smoothens the EPFO related processes without the need for paperwork.
| Importance | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Direct PF withdrawal | No employer approval needed |
| Faster PF advances | Loan/advance disbursal is quicker |
EPFO Makes Aadhaar-UAN Linkage Mandatory
The reason behind the EPFO making Aadhaar-UAN linkage mandatory is to simplify identification and data authentication of individuals.
Some key benefits include:
- Standardized KYC for all PF account holders
- Eliminates need for repeated submission of paper documents
- Enables direct credit of withdrawals into bank account
- Faster disbursal of PF settlement on job changes
The linkage allows EPFO to seamlessly maintain provident fund accounts centrally leading to transparency and data accuracy.
| Benefit for EPFO | Description |
|---|---|
| Standardised KYC | Uniform KYC process for all members |
| Direct credits | Can transfer funds to bank directly |
Conclusion:
Linking Aadhaar card and UAN provides multifaceted benefits for employees as well as the EPFO. It eliminates paperwork, simplifies PF processes, enables real time tracking of deposits and quick settlements. Overall, it brings efficiency, speed and transparency for both individuals and the EPFO.
FAQ:
Q1: Why was Aadhaar-UAN linkage made mandatory?
A1: Linkage was made mandatory to simplify KYC process and enable direct bank transfers of PF withdrawal to individuals.
Q2: What details are required to link UAN with Aadhaar Card?
A2: To link, provide UAN number, Aadhaar number and personal details like name, date of birth as per Aadhaar. Enter the one time password received.
Q3: My UAN and Aadhaar name mismatch. What should I do?
A3: Even if there is a slight mismatch in spellings or initials, linking can fail. Update names to match exactly as per Aadhaar via your employer.
Q4: Can I link multiple member IDs with one Aadhaar Card?
A4: No, one Aadhaar number can only be linked with a single UAN. One person can have only one active UAN at a time.
Q5: I changed my registered mobile number, how can I link now?
A5: To link after changing mobile number, get the number updated in UAN database via employer first. OTP will then come to new number.
Q6: My UAN Aadhaar linking failed due to server error. What now?
A6: In case of intermittent technical errors, try after some time. If issue persists, contact central helpline or visit your nearest regional EPFO office.
