EPFO to roll out WhatsApp chatbot for member queries amid rising grievances
New Delhi, May 19, 2026
EPFO plans to launch a WhatsApp-based chatbot to handle member queries, PF services, and grievance-related communication in regional languages
Union Minister for Labour and Employment Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday said the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is planning to introduce WhatsApp-based chatbot services to handle member communication and basic account-related requests, aiming to reduce dependence on physical visits and call centres.
“Members can simply type ‘Hello’ to EPFO’s registered WhatsApp number, verified by a green tick mark for safety and assurance, to initiate a conversation with EPFO. They can also choose to receive messages from EPFO on their mobile phone numbers registered with EPFO,” said Mandaviya.
The minister said WhatsApp was selected because of its widespread use among mobile phone users, adding that services would be available in regional languages and supported by automated systems capable of handling routine queries round the clock.
The move comes amid rising grievances among EPFO users. The Ministry of Labour and Employment recorded the highest number of public grievances among government departments in the first 11 months of 2025, accounting for 15.5 per cent of total complaints, according to data from the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances. Most of these complaints were related to EPFO services, including provident fund (PF) withdrawals, pensions, and wages.
The new chatbot service will initially focus on members with pending compliance issues, such as incomplete Aadhaar authentication or inactive Direct Benefit Transfer-linked bank accounts under Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana, Mandaviya said. It will also provide guided access to routine EPFO services such as PF balance, recent transactions, and claim status, he added.
Under the proposed system, members will be able to submit queries via WhatsApp or receive alerts about pending actions. After verification of the mobile phone number linked to the member’s Universal Account Number, the system will present service options in local languages, with responses generated either through an artificial intelligence chatbot or by searching the EPFO database.
Mandaviya also said EPFO has reduced litigation through targeted disposal drives, bringing the total number of pending cases down to 27,639 as of April 1, 2026, from 31,036 a year earlier. This marks the lowest-ever level of litigation pendency in EPFO, he added.
“EPFO launched a dedicated mission-mode drive for the disposal of cases pending before consumer courts. Under the Nidhi Aapke Nikat programme, cases were identified in advance and taken up for expedited resolution. As a result, the number of pending consumer cases declined significantly from 4,936 as of April 1, 2024, to 2,646 as of March 31, 2026,” said Mandaviya.
According to the minister, cases unresolved for over a decade dropped by nearly 45 per cent, with the number of cases pending for more than 10 years declining from 8,539 to 4,665.
The minister also said the labour ministry launched revamped Shram Suvidha and Samadhan portals in May 2026 to digitise compliance and grievance redress under the labour codes. The platforms include online filing, automated workflows, and real-time case tracking to improve transparency and reduce delays.
The Shram Suvidha portal is a labour compliance system for employer registration, filings, licences, inspections, and reporting, while the Samadhan portal is an online grievance redress system for complaints, claims, appeals, and disputes related to labour matters. The upgraded versions aim to shift these processes to a more automated, digital, and centralised system.
[The Business Standard]
