New Delhi: In a major decision that could impact the purchasing power of the Employees’ Provident Funds (EPF) members for buying home, the Government has taken a decision to modify the Employees’ Provident Funds (EPF) Scheme, 1952 that will enable EPF members to withdraw upto 90 per cent from the Fund for purchase of dwelling house/flat or construction of dwelling house/acquisition of site.

The government will amend the EPF Scheme 1952 and add a new paragraph 68 BD under which a member of Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), being a member of a co-operative society or a housing society having at least 10 members of EPF, can withdraw upto 90 per cent from the Fund for purchase of dwelling house/flat or construction of dwelling house/acquisition of site. Monthly installments for repayments of any outstanding payments or interest may also be paid from the amount standing to the credit of the member, to the Government/housing agency/primary lending agency or banks concerned.

This information was given by Mr Bandaru Dattatreya, the Minister of State (IC) for Labour and Employment, in written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.

The total number of Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) member accounts as on 31.03.2016, as per Annual Report for 2015-16, is 17.14 crore. On an average, contributions have been received in respect of 3.76 crore members during the year 2015-16. The withdrawal facility from the Provident Fund (PF) account under the Scheme will be available to only those PF members who fulfill the conditions prescribed.