The Government on Thursday released a revised online form to make provident fund transfers easier.

The revised form, released by Labour & Employment Minister Sis Ram Ola, can be presented after verification, either through the present employer or previous employer. Earlier, the form could be submitted after verification only through the present employer.

“This form can be submitted online as well as in physical form. The facility of online submission of this form will be given shortly after process of collecting the digital signature of the employer is completed,” a Labour Ministry release said.

Moving towards a paperless regime, the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) will inform every beneficiary through SMS and e-mail about the stage of process of the claim.

However, the facility to file physical form will continue to cater to the needs of the working class, which does not have internet access, it said.

The EPFO said after introduction of online claim settlement, efforts would be made to substantially reduce the assured time of settlement of transfer claim which, at present, is 30 days.

Ola, who also reviewed the working of EPFO, said timely settlement of claims was the rightful expectation of all beneficiaries.

In 2012-13, a total of 107.62 lakh claims were settled, out of which 88 per cent were processed within 30 days, the EPFO said. Though the percentage of claims settled in time was high, approximately 13 lakh beneficiaries did not get their settlement of claims within the stipulated time, it added. (Business Line)