The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has approved a historic increase in pension under the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS-95), thereby raising the minimum monthly pension under this scheme from ₹1,000 to ₹7,500, effective from May 2025. This is for the first time that Dearness Allowance (DA) will be introduced in EPS-95, offering a much-needed relief to more than 6 million pensioners as prices continue to inch upwards with inflation at 5.2% in 2024. We explain all about the pension hike, eligibility, benefit, and procedures for the pensioners.
Pension Increase Details
The minimum pension under EPS-95, which stood at ₹1,000 since 2014, shall now be increased by 650 percent to reach ₹7,500 per month. Now, pensions will be adjusted on inflation basis twice a year with the introduction of a DA component, which will be linked to the All India Consumer Price Index (AICPI), thus helping the pensioner in maintaining its purchasing power on inflation. This will fulfill the demand of pensioners as well as unions for many years, because that amount was not enough to spend on even the bare necessities for many pensioners, especially for the pensioners belonging to low-income groups needing to pay for food and medicines.
Eligibility Criteria
The conditions pensioners have to meet in order to be pensioned at ₹7,500:
- Should be EPS-95-registered, aged 58 or over, or should have worked for a minimum of 10 years.
- I should have an EPFO account linked with Aadhaar, PAN, and my bank account.
- Include the families (widows/widowers, dependent children) of deceased pensioners.New pension applications processed after April 2025 will automatically get the benefit. The scheme has been extended to include disabled pensioners and orphans up to the age of 25 years, thereby widening the social security basket.
Financial And Implementation Details
The pension increased jointly by the Government and EPFO shall cost something like ₹6,000 crores on a yearly basis, a substantial increase over the existing ₹980 crores. It is still awaiting final approval from the Ministry of Labour and CBT, with a third-party financial feasibility report due by late 2025. Implementation will commence in May 2025, with the pension disbursement systems to be updated by April. Some such reapplying shall not be required from incumbent pensioners. Payment shall be automatically adjusted.
Benefits For Pensioners
The reform has a myriad of benefits:
- Financial Security: The pension of ₹7,500 affords greater capability to meet daily expenses.
- Guards against Inflation: DA adjusts for inflation, thereby protecting the pension.
- Good Life: Pensions are the support needed for accessing health care, decent living, and independence.
Equity with Government Pension: Inclusion of DA helps remove disparities between EPFO pensioners and those under central government schemes.These measures ensure that retirees need not be dependent on family or bank loans, restoring dignity, particularly in the unorganized sector.
Challenges And Recommendations
While positive, their achievement remains impeded by the sustainability and delays in approvals of their funding. To safeguard their interests, pensioners should:
- Ensure that Aadhaar, PAN, and bank details are updated at epfindia.gov.in so that payments are made seamlessly.
- Keep updated at the EPFO portal or over the helpline for official announcements.
- Never rely on any unofficial source to prevent getting into fake-news or scam. In the future, proposals include providing health insurance and raising the EPS contribution ceiling to ₹21,000 for higher payouts.
Also Read: Big 2025 DA Hike Coming: Govt Employees Eye 60% Allowance Boost