The Union Cabinet has approved an increase in the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation wage ceiling, raising it from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 per month, according to NDTV. The decision was announced on Wednesday, 16 September 2026.
NDTV reports that the move brings more workers under the EPFO's coverage. Telegraph India puts the number of workers set to benefit at 51 lakh.
Under the existing structure, employees earning up to Rs 15,000 a month fell within the mandatory provident fund net. The revised threshold of Rs 25,000 expands that group, meaning a larger share of the salaried workforce will now be enrolled in the scheme.
The Cabinet's approval was also confirmed by PM India, which described the change as an enhancement of the EPFO wage ceiling from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 per month. The Hindu carried the same development, reporting that the Union Cabinet had cleared the raise.
Attention has now turned to a related question. The Economic Times has reported on whether the EPF insurance limit could rise to Rs 10.50 lakh following the wage ceiling hike. That figure has not been confirmed, and the report frames it as an open question rather than a settled outcome.
What to watch next: whether the higher ceiling translates into a corresponding increase in the EPF insurance limit, and when the revised threshold takes effect.