Metro India News | Hyderabad 

Regional Provident Fund Commissioner Vishal Agarwal has urged employers and first-time employees, from Telangana, to participate in the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY), a transformative employment-linked incentive scheme launching on August 1, 2025. Speaking at a press meet organized by the EPFO Regional Office-Sangareddy at its office in NAC premises near HITEX, Agarwal emphasized the scheme’s potential to “redefine job creation” by promoting formal employment, social security, and financial literacy across India.

In Telangana, the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) plays a pivotal role, with 1,34,500 establishments registered as of 2024-25 and nearly 50 lakh contributory members (49,29,411). The state is served by eight EPFO Regional Offices, ensuring comprehensive coverage and support for employers and employees.

Agarwal encouraged employers to leverage the scheme’s incentives, particularly in manufacturing, and urged youth to seize this “golden opportunity to step into the formal economy with a safety net and growth prospects.” The scheme aligns with the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, targeting 3.5 crore formal jobs by July 31, 2027, and supporting 1.92 crore first-time employees.

Agarwal also highlighted recent technological advancements in the EPFO system, including the E-DLI scheme for streamlined digital processes, the Centralised Pension Processing System (CPPS) for efficient pension disbursement, and the Prayaas initiative, ensuring retirees receive pensions from the month following superannuation. Additionally, the auto-settlement claim limit has been raised from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, and the Member’s Profile process has been simplified, requiring fewer documents for ease of access.

The press meet featured a presentation by Anusha Reddy, AO, on the PM-VBRY scheme and EPFO tech. upgrades, followed by a Q&A session. Queries were addressed by Agarwal, alongside DGK Paavanee, RPFC-II, M. Durga Prasad, RPFC-II, and Dilip Meena, APFC.