The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has fixed the interest rate for the EPF deposits for this financial year as 8.6%. This is 0.5% more than last year, but is far behind the rates given for the earlier year, which was 9.5%. Despite strong protests by the trade unions to restore the rate to 9.5%, the EPFO has only slightly increased it to 8.6%. This is completely injustice. When the bank interest rates have gone up to 11 -12 % or more, why the hard-earned savings of the workers should be given less interests? The government and EPFO should reconsider the issue and grant 9.5% interest this year.