The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation has launched a WhatsApp service in Lucknow that allows subscribers to check their provident-fund balance, view their last five transactions and download their EPF passbook without visiting an office.
The service was launched on November 1 and was announced during EPFO’s 74th Foundation Day celebrations organised by the organisation’s Lucknow regional office at the Jaipuria Institute of Management in Gomti Nagar. Members can access the facility by sending “Hi” to EPFO’s WhatsApp number, +91 8796441800, regional provident fund commissioner-I Ashwini Kumar Gupta said.
The new channel is intended to make routine EPFO services more accessible to subscribers. The services available through WhatsApp include balance checks, access to the last five account transactions and downloading the EPF passbook, according to officials at the event.
Additional central provident fund commissioner Uday Banshi said balances of up to Rs 1,000 in inactive accounts had been automatically settled and transferred to members’ bank accounts on November 1. The announcement was made alongside updates on simplified partial-withdrawal procedures and automatic claim settlements.
The Lucknow regional office covers Lucknow, Sitapur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Hardoi, Barabanki and Rae Bareli. Officials said the office’s jurisdiction includes around 43,000 establishments, 5.41 lakh members and 65,000 pensioners. The office settled more than 6.09 lakh claims during 2025-26, according to the figures presented at the foundation day programme.
The service places basic account information on a channel that many subscribers already use for routine communication, reducing the need for an office visit for limited transactions. The announcement does not indicate that all EPFO services will be available through WhatsApp; the facility currently covers balance information, recent transactions and passbook downloads.
Ashish Kumar Goel, Uttar Pradesh’s additional chief secretary for labour and employment and the chief guest at the event, stressed the importance of social security for workers and better coordination among government departments. EPFO officials also highlighted efforts to expand social-security coverage.
For subscribers in the six-district region, the immediate next step is to initiate the conversation by sending “Hi” to the notified WhatsApp number. The service’s launch and the automatic settlement of eligible inactive-account balances took effect on November 1, according to EPFO officials quoted at the event.
