Will your PF interest rate increase this year or remain at 8.25%? Check here
India Today
For lakhs of salaried employees, the annual PF interest rate is more than just a number; it shapes long-term savings. With expectations building around this year's decision, many are wondering whether returns will rise or stay unchanged.
The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is likely to keep the interest rate on provident fund deposits unchanged at 8.25% for the financial year 2025–26. If approved, this would mark the third straight year of stable returns for lakhs of salaried workers.
While a final decision is expected at the upcoming meeting of the apex decision-making body in early March, the discussion is not only about interest rates. Sources say the bigger story this year could be reforms aimed at making PF transactions faster and easier for subscribers.
According to sources, the EPFO has enough surplus from its investments to maintain the current 8.25% interest rate this year. However, officials are also aware that sustaining such returns in the future may become more challenging.
EPFO currently manages a corpus of roughly Rs 25–26 lakh crore. A large part of this money is invested in relatively safe instruments. Around 41% is parked in State Development Loans, 16% in central government securities, 15.9% in corporate bonds, and about 9.5% in exchange traded funds.
Experts say that while these investments provide stability, the organisation may need to explore new investment avenues in coming years if market returns soften.
Attention is now on the next meeting of the Central Board of Trustees (CBT), the EPFO’s top decision-making body. The CBT is chaired by Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and is expected to meet on March 2.
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