New Delhi: The Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) has extended the last date for submission of salary details for higher pension to 31 January 2025. This decision has brought relief to those employers and members who were not able to submit their details till now.

Historic decision of Supreme Court

The Supreme Court, in a historic order on 4 November 2022, had directed the EPFO ​​​​to provide the option of higher pension to its members. Based on this order, EPFO ​​​​launched an online portal on 26 February 2023, where eligible members and pensioners could submit their options.

Deadline extended several times
Earlier this facility was available till May 3, 2023, but on the request of employees and employers, the deadline was first extended to June 26 and then to July 11, 2023. Despite this, 3.1 lakh applications are pending with the employers.

Last chance for employers
EPFO has asked employers to submit all pending details by January 31, 2025. For cases where additional information has been sought, the reply has to be submitted by January 15, 2025.

Importance of higher pension
The direct benefit of higher pension is linked to the economic stability of employees after retirement. It helps in maintaining their standard of living. EPFO ​​has taken this step for the convenience of the members, so that they can take advantage of this scheme.

Tips for Employers and Members
Members are advised to stay in touch with their employers and ensure that their salary details are being uploaded on time. Also, keep checking the status of their application on the EPFO ​​portal regularly.

Application Process
Employers can upload salary details by logging in to the EPFO ​​portal. For this, accurate information has to be filled and required documents have to be uploaded.

Conclusion
This move of EPFO ​​will prove to be helpful for both employees and employers. By extending the last date, the organization has ensured that maximum people can avail the benefit of higher pension. Employers and members should take special care to submit all the required details on time.

(Report: Based on EPFO ​​press release)