Decline in the number of EPF subscribers in seven major states of the country

New Delhi: Between March 2021 and June 2023, the number of consumers contributing to the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) has declined in seven of the country's 24 major states and Union Territories, government figures show. However, at the national level, the number of employees making regular contributions to EPF has declined by about 8 percent during this period.

In reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Labor and Employment Rameshwar Teli said that the total number of regular members who contributed at least once in the last one year increased to 6.322 crore during this period, from 5.86 crore earlier.

Among the states that recorded the largest decline in active accounts were Punjab with the highest at 6.76 percent, Uttarakhand at 5 percent, Himachal Pradesh at 2.83 percent, Gujarat at 1.92 percent, Madhya Pradesh at 1.13 percent, Jammu and Kashmir at 1.09 percent and Tamil Nadu at 0.08 percent. percent has decreased.

However, the highest growth in active customers during this period has been in Odisha at 13.9 percent. After that, an increase of 12.8 percent has been observed in Bihar, 12.7 percent in Maharashtra, 10.9 percent in Telangana, 9.8 percent in Delhi and 9.2 percent in Rajasthan.

EPF accounts are considered inactive when the employee or employer has not made any contribution for 36 months or the money has not been withdrawn within 3 years of the employee leaving the company. However, interest is still paid on such dormant accounts.