NEW DELHI: The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is likely to announce the rate of interest for 2020-21 at its Central Board of Trustees (CBT) meeting scheduled on March 4, the source said. Talking to the media, KE Raghunathan, an EPFO trustee said that on Monday he received the intimation that the next CBT meeting is scheduled to be held on March 4, at Srinagar and that the agenda papers are likely to be sent soon.

He said that there is no mention of the discussion on the interest rate for 2020-21 in the intimation mail. Speculation is rife that the EPFO may lower interest on provident fund deposits for this fiscal (2020-21), from 8.5 percent it provided for 2019-20, in view of more withdrawals and lesser contribution by members during this fiscal mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last year, in March, EPFO had lowered the interest rate on provident fund deposits to a seven-year low of 8.5 percent for 2019-20, from 8.65 percent in 2018-19. The Employees provident fund interest rate provided for 2019-20 was the lowest since 2012-13 when it was 8.5 percent. The EPFO had provided 8.65 percent interest rate to its subscribers for 2016-17, and 8.55 percent in 2017-18.

It had given 8.75 percent rate of interest in 2013-14 as well as 2014-15, higher than 8.5 percent for 2012-13.

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