How is this SSN linked to PF ?

Is this a new concept or we have it from a long time?

As far as I know, SSN is a new concept in India for making EPF dept. much flexible for members. We will get a unique ssn card with a number on it. It will work like your member id and we will get so many benefits as:

We can check our EPF account online or on telephone with this ssn no.

Account will be updated on monthly basis instead of yearly.

Every member will have only one epf account and he/she will not need to bring his accumulations to his/her new company/place.

Withdrawing our amount will become much easier.

SSN or Social Security Number is similer to its Western Counterparts like in USA or Europe. This is a new initiative by Government of India, for digitising and regularising Provident Fund amount transfer cases. Lot of times we change companies but do not bother to withdraw or tranfer PF funds because amounts are too small. Over a long period government accumulated large un accounted funds and then thought of introducing this to curb this problem.

It is linked to government database which records your details similer to PASSPORT details along with additional details of the companies where you are working/ have worked.

On one hand the SSN number helps in easy transfer of PF money, on the other hand companies like Accenture are creating Indian SSN number databse, which helps in tracking an employees past work records. So if an employee furnishes wrong details, Accenture can retrive from details from SSN database, about your past companies and work-ex etc.