In a major reform aimed at improving ease of access and flexibility for over seven crore subscribers, the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) board on Monday approved liberalised partial withdrawal rules, allowing members to withdraw up to 100 per cent of their EPF balance.The Central Board of Trustees (CBT), headed by Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, announced a series of key decisions during its meeting, including simplification of withdrawal provisions, introduction of the Vishwas Scheme to reduce litigation, and a digital transformation plan under EPFO 3.0, PTI reported.According to a Labour Ministry statement, 13 complex provisions for partial withdrawals have been merged into a single, streamlined framework categorised under three heads — Essential Needs (illness, education, marriage), Housing Needs, and Special Circumstances.Members will now be able to withdraw up to 100 per cent of their eligible provident fund balance, including both employee and employer contributions. Withdrawal limits for education and marriage have been liberalised, allowing up to 10 times for education and 5 times for marriage, compared to the earlier combined cap of three partial withdrawals.To enhance accessibility, the minimum service requirement for all types of withdrawals has been uniformly reduced to 12 months. Under the Special Circumstances category, members will no longer be required to specify reasons for withdrawal, removing a major cause of claim rejections and grievances.In a key safeguard, 25 per cent of the member’s account contributions will now be earmarked as a minimum balance to ensure continued accumulation of retirement savings. This will allow members to benefit from EPFO’s high interest rate of 8.25% per annum and compound returns for long-term corpus building.The rationalised withdrawal rules are expected to pave the way for 100 per cent auto-settlement of claims without any documentation, ensuring ease of living for subscribers. Additionally, the period for premature final settlement of EPF has been increased from two months to 12 months, while final pension withdrawal will now be allowed after 36 months instead of two.The CBT also approved the Vishwas Scheme to address long-pending litigations arising from penal damages on delayed PF remittances. As of May 2025, penal damages worth Rs 2,406 crore were outstanding, with over 6,000 cases pending across various forums, including the Supreme Court and High Courts.Under the new scheme, penal damages will be reduced to a flat rate of 1 per cent per month, with graded rates of 0.25 per cent for defaults up to two months and 0.50 per cent for defaults up to four months. The scheme will remain operational for six months, extendable by another six months, and covers ongoing, finalised, and pre-adjudication cases under Section 14B. All pending cases will stand abated upon compliance under the scheme.To improve pensioner convenience, the Board approved an MoU with India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) to provide doorstep Digital Life Certificate (DLC) services to EPS’95 pensioners at no cost. The Rs 50 per certificate charge will be fully borne by EPFO. This initiative will especially benefit pensioners in remote and rural areas, enabling home-based certificate submission and ensuring uninterrupted pension disbursal.As part of EPFO 3.0, the board approved a comprehensive member-centric digital transformation framework. The new hybrid design will integrate core banking solutions with cloud-native, API-first, microservices-based systems covering account management, ERP, compliance, and customer experience.This transformation aims to enable faster, automated claim settlements, instant withdrawals, multilingual self-service, and seamless payroll-linked contributions — reinforcing EPFO’s commitment to transparency, efficiency, and technology-driven governance.Additionally, the Central Board approved the appointment of four fund managers to handle EPFO’s debt portfolio for five years. The selected firms are SBI Funds Management Limited, HDFC AMC Limited, Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Limited, and UTI AMC Limited. The move, recommended by the Selection and Investment Committees, is expected to strengthen risk diversification and ensure prudent management of provident fund investments in line with long-term objectives.Labour Minister Mandaviya also inaugurated a series of digital initiatives aimed at enhancing transparency, efficiency, and user experience in service delivery, reinforcing EPFO’s goal of ensuring ease of living for members and pensioners alike

Click Energy has announced it will implement a 3.5% increase in household electricity rates, “due to a rise in wholesale and market costs”.

It said this would result in the typical annual domestic electricity bill rising by about £39.60. The rates are effective from 1 November.

Click Energy said it recognised that “any increase in energy prices is disappointing and not something customers ever want to hear”.

However, it added that it had “not increased its domestic prices in over three years”.

“Unfortunately, the sustained rise in wholesale and market costs means it has become necessary for us to adjust our rates accordingly,” Andy Porter of Click Energy said.

“At Click Energy, our priority has always been to provide customers with transparent pricing and strong customer support.

“We remain committed to delivering fair value and to helping those who may be struggling with their bills.”

Raymond Gormley, head of energy policy at the Consumer Council, said a typical Click Energy credit customer would “see their annual electricity bill increase from around £1,141 to £1,171 and a typical prepayment customer will see their annual costs increase to around £1,181”.

“While this is unwelcome news for around 33,000 Click Energy consumers, the main drivers for this are rising wholesale and market related charges,” he said.

Mr Gormley said he would encourage consumers “to think about the way they pay for their energy and see if they can reduce their energy costs”.

Last month, Power NI said an electricity price tariff rise of 4% was “unavoidable” following a review by the Utility Regulator.

It was the second tariff increase from Power NI in less than a year.

Meanwhile, SSE Airtricity announced that gas prices in Greater Belfast and West would be dropping by 8.47%.

Firmus Energy announced its gas price in the Ten Towns area would fall by almost 8% in October, which is the equivalent to £78 a year for a typical customer.

The Ten Towns area includes Antrim, Armagh, Banbridge, Ballymena, Coleraine, Craigavon, Newry, Lo

IRCTC Diwali Alert: Diwali is around the corner, the IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) has issued an important alert for passengers who is about to travel during the festive season. The warning says some people are using fake or personal user IDs to book train tickets, which is completely illegal.

IRCTC has advised travelers to stay alert and avoid dealing with such fake agents. IRCTC has also advised that the passengers should always book tickets through the official IRCTC website or authorized agents to ensure safe and genuine bookings.

IRCTC Ticket: How To Know Ticket Is Genuine Or Fake

Booking train tickets through IRCTC is simple, but ticket scams are quite common. To check if your ticket is real, always verify the PNR status on the official IRCTC website or app. Genuine tickets show confirmed details immediately. Look for the IRCTC logo, watermark, and booking ID. Fake tickets often have unclear printing or incorrect information. Avoid booking through unknown agents. You can also check details through 139 SMS or the RailYatri app and report suspicious tickets to the IRCTC helpline.

How To Identify Train Ticket Booked Via An Authorized Agent

IRCTC has also shared some simple ways to help passengers identify whether their ticket has been booked through an authorized agent. If the ticket is booked by an authorized agent, the first page will clearly display the agent’s name, address, and unique agency code. This information is easy to spot on the ticket. However, if the top of the ticket mentions “Normal User,” it means the booking was made using a personal user ID and not through an authorized IRCTC agent. (Also Read: Google Map’s Desi Alternative Mappls Impresses IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw; Check How To Use, 3D Views, Data Privacy, And More)

IRCTC Booking Time Rules

Authorized agents have specific time limits set by IRCTC for booking train tickets. They are not permitted to book Tatkal tickets during the first 30 minutes after the booking window opens or Advance Reservation (ARP) tickets during the first 10 minutes. These restrictions are in place to ensure fair access for all passengers. If someone offers you a ticket booked within these restricted periods and claims to be an authorized IRCTC agent, it’s a clear warning sign. Always verify the booking source to avoid fake or illegal transactions and ensure a safe travel experience.

How To Book Train Tickets Safely

Use Official Sources: Always book tickets through the official IRCTC website or mobile app to avoid fraud.

Check Agent Authorization: If booking through an agent, make sure they are authorized by IRCTC.

Verify Ticket Details: Look for the IRCTC logo, watermark, and correct booking ID on your ticket.

Avoid Unofficial Platforms: Do not share personal or payment details on unknown websites or social media links.

Report Suspicious Activity: If you suspect a fake booking, contact the IRCTC helpline or report it via the official website.