Get Dearness Allowance + Basic Pay of three months or 75% of PF to fight Covid-19!

PF withdrawal for Covid-19: Employees’ Provident Fund subscribers can now withdraw Basic Pay + Dearness Allowance (DA) of three months, or 75 per cent of their PF money, whichever is lower, as a non-refundable advance to face the Covid-19 crisis. The Union Ministry of Labour and Employment has notified a change in the EPF Scheme 1952 which would allow EPF subscribers to withdraw non-refundable advance from their EPF accounts in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic. “Union Ministry of Labour and Employment has issued notification GSR 225(E) amending EPF Scheme 1952 to allow withdrawal of non-refundable advance by EPF members/subscribers in the wake of COVID -19 pandemic in the country,” the ministry said in a statement yesterday (Sunday).

EPF withdrawal for Covid 19: How much you can get

The EPF rules allow subscribers to withdraw non-refundable advance in certain cases like illness, buying a house etc. Now, pandemic can also be cited as a reason for withdrawing the non-refundable advance.

According to the notification of the ministry, withdrawal of Basic Pay and Dearness Allowance for three months or up to 75 per cent of the amount standing to member’s credit in the EPF account, whichever is less, in the event of outbreak of epidemic or pandemic, is now allowed. As Covid-19 has already been declared a pandemic, EPF subscribers can withdraw from their account to face the problems created due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“COVID-19 has been declared a pandemic by appropriate authorities for the entire country and therefore employees working in establishments and factories across entire India, who are members of the EPF Scheme, 1952 are eligible for the benefits of non-refundable advance.” the ministry said.

Watch: How to withdraw PF online

What has changed

In the EPF scheme 1952, the government has inserted a sub-para(3) under para 68L. The Employees Provident Fund (Amendment) scheme,2020 has come into force from 28 March,2020.

The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has now directed officials to process applications of EPF members on an urgent bases to help them fight the situation created by Covid-19.