"The rate of interest on PF deposits is unlikely to be changed for the current fiscal at 8.5 percent," a source privy to the development said.

Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) paid 8.5 percent interest rate to its subscribers in 2012-13 which was higher than 8.25 provided in the 2011-12 fiscal.

The source further revealed that the EPFO office has already worked out the income projections and the feasible rate of return to be provided on PF deposit in the current fiscal.

As per the practice, the EPFO would have to place the proposal before its advisory body Finance and Investment Committee (FIC) after which it is considered by the apex decision making body Central Board of Trustees (CBT)headed by the Labour Minister for taking final call on the matter.

Once approved, the proposal is put before the Finance Ministry for its concurrence.

EPFO has recently reconstituted the CBT and thus the FIC would be constituted again in the next meet of trustees.

According to the source, the CBT meeting is likely to be convened next month as the new Central Provident Fund Commissioner, K K Jalan, who is executive head of EPFO has taken charge.

The source said that one of reason for proposing to keep the rate of interest unchanged for this fiscal is slight drop in government securities yield.

As per the 2008-Investment Pattern adopted by the EPFO, the body can invest up to 55 percent of its huge corpus of over Rs 5 lakh crore in the state and central securities.

PTI