Rs 9,330 crore lying in the inoperative EPF accounts; is your account also one of them; here's how to claim fund

The government revealed in Rajya Sabha on Thursday (July 23, 2026) that as much as Rs 9,330.56 crore is lying in inoperative accounts of the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) as of March 31, 2026.

R Girirajan, member of Parliament, on Thursday raised a question about the total unclaimed amount in the EPF and other pension accounts and the government’s plans regarding these accounts.

Replying to the query, Shobha Karandlaje, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, said that as of March 31, 2026, the total amount lying in the inoperative EPF accounts is Rs 9,330.56 crore.


Karandlaje said that the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is carrying out outreach and awareness initiatives through social media platforms and Nidhi Aapke Nikat (NAN) 2.0 camps to disseminate information among employers and employees regarding EPF services and inoperative accounts.

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A whopping Rs 9,330.56 crore sitting in inoperative accounts means many workers still haven’t claimed their EPF fund. If you are one of those workers, you can also go ahead and claim your inoperative EPF fund.

What is an inoperative EPF account?

According to the EPFO website, an account is classified as an inoperative account when it has not received any contribution for three years after retirement or due to permanent migration abroad or in case of death. At present, all accounts earn interest till a member turns 58.

Two categories of inoperative EPF accounts

All the inoperative accounts that are not in the category of transaction -less accounts, are classified in the following manner:

1. Inoperative accounts that do not have UAN

2. Inoperative accounts that already have a UAN

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Will my inoperative account earn interest?

No. At present, all accounts accumulate interest until a member reaches 58 years of age, according to the EPFO website.

What should I do if my account becomes inoperative?

If you are still working in an establishment covered under the EPF & MP Act, 1952, you should get the amount transferred into your new account either by online or offline mode. If you have retired, you may withdraw the amount, as per the EPFO instructions.

Minister explains how EPS pension accounts works

Explaining how the pooled pension account works, Karandlaje said that the pension fund under the Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS), 2026, is a pooled fund into which contributions from employers and the central government are received.

“The benefits are paid out of the fund when a member/family becomes eligible. There is no time limit on filing a claim for getting due benefits. Pension/withdrawal benefit under EPS is released along with due arrears, whenever claims are received and settled,” says Karandlaje.