EPFO UAN Update: Big news for crores of EPFO members. Now they can get more benefits from the central government. Union Labor Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced on Tuesday that employees enrolled in the EPFO’s social security schemes can now obtain their Universal Provident Fund Account Number (UAN) and access related services simply by using facial recognition technology.
Additionally, the Minister revealed that six districts in Bihar—Araria, Saharsa, Aurangabad, Banka, East Champaran, and Gopalganj—are now fully covered under the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC). This expansion will extend social security benefits to around 24,000 more individuals.
While speaking to the press, Mandaviya highlighted that the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has introduced advanced digital services for the allocation and activation of UAN through face authentication. This means that millions of EPFO members can now enjoy contactless, secure, and fully digital services. He explained that employees can directly generate their UAN using Aadhaar Face Authentication Technology (FAT) via the Umang mobile app. Employers can also utilize the Umang app to create a UAN for new hires using the same face authentication technology.
To generate a UAN, employees need to open the Umang app and follow the steps for UAN allotment and activation through face recognition. Once Aadhaar verification is complete, the UAN will be generated and sent via SMS to the mobile number linked to the Aadhaar account.
After obtaining the UAN, employees can download their UAN card from either the Umang app or the member portal. The new process ensures 100% Aadhaar verification and utilizes face authentication for added security. The Minister also mentioned that members who already possess a UAN but haven’t activated it can now easily do so through the Umang app. This face authentication method offers a higher level of security compared to traditional methods like biometric, demographic, or OTP-based authentication.