E-PRAAPTI Portal: Tracing Inoperative EPF Accounts
Why in the news
To tackle swelling unclaimed provident fund balances, the Labour Minister introduced E-PRAAPTI, which lets members rediscover old EPF accounts and bring them under their present UAN.
Key facts
- Full form: E-PRAAPTI expands to EPF Aadhaar-Based Access Portal for Tracking Inoperative Accounts, worth memorising for exams.
- Target users: members with physical-mode accounts from the pre-UAN era or who lost old account numbers.
- Scale: 2.15 million inoperative accounts with ₹8,505 crore as of March 2024.
- Method: Aadhaar-authenticated digital bridge to merge legacy accounts into the active UAN profile.
| Phase | Users | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Initial | Members who know their old Member ID | Enter the ID; Aadhaar confirms identity for instant linking |
| Expansion | Members who cannot recall the ID | Search by name, DOB and Aadhaar-linked history to suggest dormant accounts |
Background
- Inoperative account: no contribution for 36 months; it still earns interest but sits in a separate ledger and needs extra verification for withdrawal.
- Auto-mode processing: software matches a claim to the Aadhaar-verified profile and bank details, so money is sent without manual file handling.
Significance
- Improves transparency and shrinks the unclaimed deposits liability.
- Ensures social security funds reach the intended members.
Exam angle
- Portal full form begins with EPF Aadhaar-Based Access.
- Figures: 2.15 million accounts, ₹8,505 crore.
- Related terms: UAN, EPFO, inoperative account.