Public Provident Fund definitions clarify account, accounts office, accounts officer, guardian and year for scheme administration. Definitions set core terms for the Public Provident Fund Scheme: Account means a Public Provident Fund Account; accounts office means specified bank branches or other offices authorised by the Central Government to receive subscriptions; accounts officer is the person in charge of an accounts office; Act denotes the governing Public Provident Fund legislation; Form means a prescribed annexure; guardian defines parental or legally appointed caretakers for a minor; and year means the financial year.