Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: The Central Board of Trustees (CBT) of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is likely to recommend 8.2-8.25% interest rate for its 31 crore members this year, in the wake of the ebbing stock markets and bond yields, combined with higher settlements of claims. The retirement savings body paid 8.25% last year. In FY24, it had raised the interest rate to 8.25% from 8.15% in FY23. In FY22, the interest rate had plunged to a four-decade low of 8.1%.
“Stock markets and equities have not performed up to the mark this year due to global volatility. Govt bond yields too have been tepid this year, where most of the EPFO’s corpus is invested. Hence, income generated is expected to be lower,” said a CBT member ahead of the crucial meeting on Monday. The investment committee of the board, which will discuss the retirement fund body’s income and expenditure profile and take a view on the interest rate, will also meet on Monday before the CBT chaired by labour minister Mansukh Mandaviya convenes later in the day. Once approved by the CBT, the interest rate will have to be ratified by the finance ministry, after which it will be credited to the subscriber’s accounts by the middle of the next financial year.RBI has cut interest rates in recent months, even as govt has left small savings rates unchanged. “Lakhs of new workers have joined in the last year because of Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana leading to a boost in the investible corpus,” said the National Front of Indian Trade Unions national president Deepak Jaiswal. “Also, the organization had a healthy income surplus last financial year, even after the payout. The interest stabilization reserve that the govt is creating will also support high interest rate. We will not agree to any cut,” Jaiswal added.
