Employees looking to claim benefits under the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme, administered by the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), must activate their Universal Account Number (UAN) and link their Aadhaar to their bank account. This mandatory process must be completed by November 30, 2024, to qualify for the ELI benefits.
The scheme, announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during the July announcement of the Union Budget 2024, includes three categories: ELI (A, B, C).
The Ministry of Labour and Employment said in an EPFO in a circular dated November 22, 2024, “Since the benefits under Employment-Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme, will be disbursed through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to eligible employees, Employers are urged to ensure UAN activation and Aadhaar seeding in Bank Account by 30th November 2024 in respect of all their employees who have joined in the current financial year, starting with the latest joinees.”
In its circular, EPFO also mentioned that employees must activate their UAN and link their Aadhaar to their bank accounts to avail themselves of the benefits of the ELI scheme.
“Every subscriber of EPFO is required to have an Aadhaar-linked Universal Account Number (UAN), which needs to be activated by creating login on the Member Portal for availing a number of facilities through a single window. Such facilities include the ability to view and download PF passbooks; submit online claims for withdrawals, advances, or transfers; update personal details and track the status of claims in real time. The activation process is straightforward and can be completed using an Aadhaar based OTP,” EPFO said in the circular.
In the circular, EPFO stated that employees eligible for the ELI scheme must link their Aadhaar with their bank accounts to receive the scheme’s benefits.
“For availing the benefits of any Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Scheme, the bank account number of the beneficiary is required to be seeded with Aadhaar so as to credit the benefits directly into the beneficiary’s bank account,” EPFO added in the circular.
How To Activate Your UAN To Receive ELI Benefits
Step 1: Visit the EPFO member portal at https://unifiedportal-mem.epfindia.gov.in/memberinterface/.
Step 2: Under the ‘Important Links’ section, click the ‘Activate UAN’ link.
Step 3: A new page will open where you must enter your UAN number, Aadhaar number, date of birth, and Aadhaar-linked mobile number. Ensure your mobile number is linked to your Aadhaar to access all EPFO digital services. After entering the required details, agree to the Aadhaar OTP verification.
Step 4: Click ‘Get Authorization PIN’ to receive an OTP on your Aadhaar-linked mobile number. Enter the OTP to complete the activation. A password will be sent to your registered mobile number upon successful activation.
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