Get info on PF claim settlement online, mobile phones

New Delhi, Feb 8 (PTI) Over 4.72 crore subscribers ofEPFO will soon be able to track status of their claimsettlement and account transfer online and also get updates ontheir mobile phones.

This will be possible as the entire data of theretirement fund manager EPFO will be digitalised by March-end.

"We have already completed the digitalisation of data atour 113 offices and the work in the remaining seven officeswould be completed by the end of next month," CentralProvident Fund Commissioner Samirendra Chatterjee told PTI.

"Once the digitalisation process is completed, theaccount transfer and money withdrawal claims'' status could bedone and tracked online by Employees'' Provident FundOrganisation (EPFO) subscribers on the mobile phone," he said.

Besides, the subscribers would be intimated via shortmobile messages (SMS) about the status of their request foraccount transfer and claim settlement.

In case of account transfer, the subscribers would gettwo messages on his or her mobile--first stating that theaccount is closed followed by one about the amount of moneytransfered from old to new one, an EPFO official involved inthe project said.

Similarly, in claim settlement requests, first SMSmessage would be for intimating that the EPFO has receivedtheir application.

When the claim is settled, applicant would get anothermessage stating the amount is credited in the specifiedbank account.

However, the official said, this facility could only bepossible when the subscribers provide their mobile phonenumbers in their application forms.

There are some subscribers who hesitate to provide theirpersonal mobile numbers, Chatterjee said.

Asked about applying online for account transfer andclaim settlement, he replied, "That would be possible in thenext phase. But through digitalisation we would try to adhereto the norm of settlement of claims and account transfer ina month''s time".

At present, it takes months to settle claims andtransfer of accounts because everything is done manually. PTIKKS TA SKB