The higher PF wage ceiling is expected to extend Provident Fund coverage to around 51 lakh additional workers. Authorities are also targeting excluded employees, contract workers and pension-processing delays.
The increase in the mandatory Provident Fund (PF) wage ceiling to Rs 25,000 is expected to bring around 51 lakh additional workers under the social security system, PF Commissioner S. Azhakiya Manavalan said at a press conference in Kochi.
The move is aimed at expanding PF coverage to more employees and providing them with employment-linked retirement and social security benefits.
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There are currently 1,15,245 pensioners under the central PF jurisdiction, according to Manavalan. The department has received complaints about delays in processing some pension and PF-related matters.
Manavalan said computerised systems are used to process a large number of pension cases and that software renewal issues had contributed to the delays. He said the problem would be resolved soon.
The Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PMVBRY) is providing financial assistance to newly employed workers and their employers. The scheme has set a target of creating 3.5 crore new employment opportunities across the country over two years.
The PF authorities are also running initiatives to bring workers who have remained outside the coverage of the system into its fold.
Vishwas 2026 scheme
Under the Vishwas 2026 scheme, establishments can apply until December to settle certain penalty-related issues.
A separate enrolment campaign for employees who were previously left out of PF coverage is also underway. The deadline for this campaign is October 31.
The authorities are also focusing on extending PF coverage to eligible contract workers.
Manavalan said state government instructions through the labour department would be required for establishments to take the necessary steps towards covering such workers.
The higher wage ceiling could significantly expand the number of employees covered by the PF system. Along with the enrolment drive and efforts to include contract workers, the measures are intended to widen access to employment-linked social security.
The authorities will also continue working on pension-processing issues and the implementation of the various PF coverage initiatives in the coming months.
Published: 24 Sept 2026, 10:03 am IST
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