Tirumala Tirupati Temple’s hundi income for 2024-25 is estimated at Rs 1,671 crore, surpassing the net worth of top Indian celebrities namely Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Amitabh Bachchan and Chiranjeevi

Less than three weeks in the role, new IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, clashed with Defense Minister Israel Katz on March 23. The clash occurred over the investigation of a senior reserves officer for alleged “severe” security violations. Katz said he sought to meet with Brig. Gen. (res.) Oren Solomon after he was booted from reserve duty and put under investigation by the Military Police.The officer has been held responsible for the Gaza Division’s probe into its failures related to Hamas’s October 7, 2023, onslaught. Solomon’s investigation reportedly found fault in the higher echelons of the military. Gen. Zamir hit back at Katz for instructing him via a statement to the media to examine the conduct of the Military Advocate General.“The chief of staff does not take instructions via media announcements,” Zamir said in a statement released by the IDF. “The claim that the officer was being investigated because of his part in the October 7 investigations is false and unfounded,” he said. n18oc_world n18oc_crux0:00 INTRODUCTION2:44 ISRAEL INTERCEPTS ROCKETS; IDF STRIKES KILLS SCORES IN GAZA4:20 EGYPT FLOATS NEW TRUCE PROPOSAL 6:00 IDF CHIEF CLASHES WITH DEFENCE MINISTER KATZ

In a groundbreaking development for India’s workforce, the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is set to introduce a revolutionary new system for Provident Fund (PF) withdrawals through Unified Payments Interface (UPI).

The Labour and Employment Ministry has approved the recommendation of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), an umbrella organisation that operates retail payments and settlement systems in India.

Speaking exclusively with ANI, Sumita Dawra, Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, revealed that PF members will soon be able to withdraw funds through UPI and ATM by the end of May or June this year.

Dawra said that by May-end or June, members will experience a transformative change in accessing their provident funds. They will be able to view their PF account balance directly on UPI, instantly withdraw up to Rs1 lakh through an automated system, and choose their preferred bank account for transfers.

The secretary said that the organisation has significantly expanded withdrawal options to provide more financial flexibility. Members can now withdraw funds for housing, education, and marriage, in addition to the existing sickness provisions.

“The EPFO has made significant strides in digitalizing its processes, integrating over 120 databases to streamline the withdrawal process. Claim processing time has been dramatically reduced to just 3 days, with 95% of claims now automated and plans to further simplify the process underway,” said the Secretary.

Dawra said that pensioners have also benefited from recent reforms. Since December, 78 lakh pensioners have enjoyed increased flexibility, with the ability to withdraw funds from any bank branch. The geographical limitations for pension withdrawals, which were limited to a few selected bank branches, have been completely removed.

Dawra said working on these reforms was not easy. The EPFO’s massive scale is evident in its membership numbers. With over 7.5 crore active members, the organisation is continuously growing, adding 10-12 lakh new members monthly across its 147 regional offices covering the entire nation.

Secretary Dawra emphasized that these reforms align with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “ease of living” for employees and employers. The initiative aims to simplify social security processes, modernize IT infrastructure, and provide greater financial convenience to India’s workforce.

The soon to be launched of UPI and ATM-based PF withdrawals will mark a significant milestone in India’s digital financial transformation, promising unprecedented ease and speed for millions of working professionals.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)