The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has begun testing a new facility that will allow subscribers to withdraw their provident fund (PF) savings through ATMs, as part of its broader digital transformation aimed at making access to retirement funds faster and more convenient.The withdrawal facility is being tested as EPFO works to expand digital avenues for accessing PF balances, official sources said, adding that it is expected to be made available to the public by the end of the year.The pension fund body has been developing the EPFO 3.0 platform, under which subscribers are expected to gain access to their eligible PF funds through ATM- and UPI-based mechanisms.The move is significant as PF withdrawals are currently largely routed through EPFO’s claim-settlement process, requiring members to initiate claims and wait for the amount to be credited to their bank accounts.Under the proposed system, an EPF-linked ATM facility would allow eligible members to access their PF balance in a manner similar to withdrawing money from a bank account.The ministry had earlier indicated that members could be allowed to withdraw up to 75 per cent of their eligible PF balance while retaining a portion of their savings to protect their long-term retirement corpus.EPFO will also launch a new app linked to subscribers’ bank accounts. The app will be integrated with the BHIM app and other UPI applications.Under the current rules, at least 25 per cent of the EPF balance must remain in the subscriber’s account. For short-term needs under the unified categories, including essential expenses such as education, marriage and housing, a subscriber can withdraw up to 75 per cent of the eligible accumulated EPF balance.The remaining 25 per cent must stay in the account and continue to earn tax-free interest.EPFO’s total corpus is close to Rs 26 lakh crore, while the number of active subscribers, or contributing members, is around 7.5 crore, according to official data.The proposed digital withdrawal mechanisms are intended to reduce paperwork and waiting times for members while making the process more transparent.The move follows a series of reforms undertaken by EPFO to simplify withdrawal procedures.