New Delhi, Nov. 5 -- For millions of salaried Indians, dipping into their EPF savings just got harder. The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has extended the timeline for full withdrawals-stirring concern that a move meant to promote long-term savings could instead tie members up in red tape.

At its 238th meeting, the Central Board of Trustees of the EPFO approved several measures to enhance member convenience and retirement security. While the liberalization of partial withdrawals is a welcome step, the decision to stretch full withdrawal timelines-from two months to 12 months for EPF and up to 36 months for the Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS)-has drawn sharp scrutiny.

According to reports, the average EPFO account balance ...