# EPFO raises mandatory salary limit for PF coverage to Rs 25,000 2026-09-16T15:56:34+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets The central cabinet has raised the mandatory salary limit for Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) coverage from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 per month, effective September 17. The new rule applies to basic salary plus dearness allowance (DA). Employees with basic pay plus DA up to Rs 25,000 must now be enrolled in EPF by their employer, reports bazaar.businesstoday.in. The change will bring over 51 lakh additional workers under EPF, pension (EPS), and insurance (EDLI) benefits, according to Aaj Tak. For those earning above Rs 25,000, EPF enrolment is not mandatory unless they were already members. The government estimates an additional annual expenditure of Rs 11,339 crore, totaling about Rs 56,696 crore over five years. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Both outlets report the same rule change neutrally, but Aaj Tak foregrounds the government's framing as a 'big gift' to workers and quantifies the fiscal cost and beneficiary numbers, giving it a mildly pro-government tilt. Bazaar Business Today focuses purely on the operational mechanics and examples, omitting the government's political messaging and the budget impact entirely. A balanced reading: the coverage confirms a substantive expansion of social security coverage, but the fiscal burden of Rs 56,696 crore over five years is a number worth tracking when the next budget is presented. ## Coverage - bazaar.businesstoday.in (neutral report) Straight explanatory article with examples, no political framing or government praise - aajtak.in (pro government) Leads with 'big gift from Modi government', highlights beneficiary count and fiscal outlay Tags: Employees Provident Fund, EPF, EPS, Labour Ministry, salary limit Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/epf-mandatory-salary-limit-raised-to-rs-25000-from-rs-15000/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/epf-mandatory-salary-limit-raised-to-rs-25000-from-rs-15000/#story-in-brief