EPFO to raise retirement age of organised sector workers

EPFO’s apex decision making body the Central Board of Trustee (CBT) will consider a proposal to raise the retirement age of organised sector workers to 60 years for its pension at a meeting scheduled for Wednesday.

Besides, the CBT in this meeting will also deliberate on a proposal to withdraw two years bonus under the pension scheme provided to subscribers after rendering 20 years of pensionable service.

These proposals are included in the agenda for the CBT meeting scheduled on February 5 to be chaired by Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes.

At present, under the Employees’ Pension Scheme(EPS-95), the subscribers of Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) cease to be a member of the pension scheme and can apply for fixation of his/her pension. Thus, he cannot contribute to the scheme after the age of 58 years.

However, there is no age bar for contributing to the Employees’ Provident Fund Scheme (EFF) 1952 and Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance (EDLI) Scheme 1976 run by the EPFO, an official said.

The Finance Ministry in its memorandum to Labour Ministry has proposed these amendments in the EPS-95 after giving its concurrence for providing a minimum entitlement of Rs 1,000 minimum monthly pension under the scheme.

The Finance Ministry is of the view that raising the retirement age for this purpose will help subscribers accumulate a bigger corpus while delaying the pay-out by two years.

The proposal, if approved, would immediately benefit 27 lakh pensioners. At present, there are about 44 lakh pensioners. Of this 27 lakh, including 5 lakh widows, get less than Rs 1,000 a month.

The Finance Ministry has already agreed to pay Rs 1,217 crore during 2014-15 for ensuring minimum pension of Rs 1,000 per month under the pension scheme.

During the meeting the, CBT is likely to approve the proposal for amending the the EPS-95, EPF and EDLI scheme to enhance the maximum wage ceiling to Rs 15,000 per month from Rs 6,500 per month.

At present, EPFO does not cover organised workers under its social sector schemes whose basic wages including basic pay and dearness allowance exceed Rs 6,500 at the time of joining of service.

Besides other things, the trustees will also consider the proposal for computing the pensionable salary. It is proposed to calculate pensionable salary on the basis of average of salary last 60 months instead of 12 months presently.

The pensionable salary is used for fixing pension of the EPFO subscribers after attaining the age of 58 years.

Source- Economic times

Trade Unions to press for 9.5 per cent interest on PF deposits for FY'14

Trade unions will press for 9.5 per cent interest on PF deposits to over five crore subscribers for the current fiscal at next week's meeting of the trustees of retirement fund body EPFO. 

The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation's apex decision making body the Central Board of Trustees (CBT) will meet on Monday to discuss and approve the proposal regarding rate of return to be provided on PF deposits in 2013-14. 

"We will demand for 9.5 per cent rate of interest for subscribers for the current fiscal, higher than 8.5 per cent provided for 2012-13," All India Trade Union Secretary and a CBT member D L Sachdev told PTI. 

He said: "This rate of 8.5 per cent is less than the interest provided by banks these days, and would not be able to cover inflation." 

Retail inflation for industrial workers in November was 11.47 per cent. This is the rate of inflation which is used by central government for computing hike in Dearness Allowance. 

According to EPFO estimates in its proposal for the trustees, payment of 8.5 per cent rate of interest on PF deposit for this fiscal would leave a small surplus of Rs 56.96 crore. 

The EPFO, which is estimated to have an income of Rs 20,796.96 crore in the current fiscal, needs Rs 20,740 crore to pay 8.5 per cent interest to its subscribers, as per the agenda listed for the CBT meeting. 

EPFO Makes Further Progress MORE than 10 Lakh Claims Settled by EPFO in October, 2013 EPFO Stresses on Complaint Resolution.

               The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) settled 10,21,922 claims during the month of October, 2013.  This number is 28% higher than the claims settled in the month of September, 2013. 72% of these claims were settled within 10 days while remaining 28% were settled within 30 days.  EPFO’s efforts in grievance redressal has paid dividends.  Number of complaints in Central Public Grievances Redressal System (CPGRAM) has come down to less than 100.  No. of grievances in Employees Provident Fund internet Grievance System (EPFiGMS) which has been activated lately have also got reduced from more than 25,000 to less than 5,500. Shri K.K. Jalan, Central Provident Fund Commissioner expressed his happiness over the fact that 108 offices out of 123 offices of EPFO do not have a single complaint pending for more than 30 days.
 
               These data were revealed during  a meeting convened today by the Central Provident Fund Commissioner (CPFC) Shri K.K.Jalan.  He also informed that the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation got a receipt of 5,689 crores as remittances during the month of October, 2013 through 4.86 lakh establishments, which filed electronic challans cum return. He was also happy to note that a annual account updation software which was launched in September, 2013 has resulted into updation of 8.21 crores annual accounts till October, 2013.

EPFO Rerformance in September 2013

   While reviewing the work of Employees Provident Fund Organisation during September 2013, it has been observed that the Organisation settled 7,96,759 claims in its 123 offices located throughout the country compared to 7,49,639 claims settled during September 2012. More than 50 % of the offices settled more than 80% of the claims within 10 days of receipt. Offices such as Ujjain, Gwalior, Udaipur, Jabalpur, Agra and Laxmi Nagar among many others are settling 80% of the claims within 3 days. The review meeting was taken by Shri K. K. Jalan, CPFC recently.

   In addition to the above, the Organisation responded to 16,586 grievances in the month of September. As a result, the number of total grievances has come to around 6,000. The earlier number was more than 25,000. It is also relevant that 101 of the 123 offices have no grievance pending for more than a month.

Declaration of Productivity Linked Bonus (P.L.B.) for the year 2012-2013.

Employees' Provident Fund Organisation
(Ministry of Labour & Employment, Govt. Of India)

No. WSU/12(1)12012-13/PLB/13048

Date: 09 Oct 2013

All Regional P.F. Commissioners
In-charge of the ROs/SROs
Regional P.F. Commissioner-I(ASD), Head Office

Sub: Declaration of Productivity Linked Bonus (P.L.B.) for the year 2012-2013.

Sir,
   The Central Government, under Section 5D(7) of the Employees' Provident Funds & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 has conveyed its approval to the extension of the existing Productivity Linked Bonus Scheme 1998-2004 (Revised) for the year 2012-2013 vide their letter No A-26022/1/1994-SS.1 dated 07th October 2013.

Digital Signatures Under EPFO.

   The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has not made it mandatory for all employers with more than 1000 workers to send their digital signatures to the EPFO.

   However, Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is implementing the facility for online claim settlement in respect of transfer claims. This facility is optional and the claims can either be filed on line or through physical form. The system will be made operative after digital signature of willing employer or his representative is registered with EPFO. Necessary communication to this effect has already been sent to all employers and the process of registration of digital signature has also begun.

Data of Members under Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO)

   Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has date of birth details for more than 4 crore members out of a total members of 8.87 crore as on 01.08.2013. Web facility has been provided to the Employers to upload the date of birth details of all employees. Further, Field Offices of EPFO have been directed to ask Employers to upload these details.

   Providing Annual Statement of Accounts (Account Slips) to the members of EPF is already in place. Para 73(1) of the EPF Scheme 1952 lays down that a statement of account in respect of each member through his last employer to be sent after the close of each year.

   Besides, the following facilities have also been provided for the PF members to know their PF balance:

Increase in Death Relief Fund in the 23rd meeting EPF CSWC .

Provident Fund organization
(Ministry of Labour, Govt. of India)
Head Office Bhavisnya Nidhi Bhawan, 14, Bhikaji Carna Place,
New Delhi-110 066.

No. Welfare/23rd Annual Meeting/CSWC/2013/6846

Dated: 14.6.2013

To
Regional Provident Fund Commissioners,

Subject: Increase in Death Relief Fund in the 23rd meeting EPF CSWC .

Sir,
   Kindly refer to this Office letter No. Welfare/2(1)20th meeting/09/87631 dated 13-2-2009 through which it was circulated that Death Relief Fund will be given to the tune of Rs.2,00,000/.-(Rupees Two Lakh Only) in case of Natural Death during the service and Rs. 2.50 Lakh in cases of accidents and Cancer.

Enhancement in the rate of Fixed Medical Allowance from Rs. 1200/- to Rs. 2000/- p.m. w.e.f 01.03.2013, payable to the serving as well as retired employees of the EPFO for outdoor medical treatment - regarding.

Employees Provident Fund Organization
(Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India)

No, HRM-8/V/12/1/2003/FMA/Vol-117/6160

Dated 13 JUN 2013

To,
All Addl. Central P F. Commissioner (Zones)
Director (NATRSS)
All RPFCs-In-Charge of the Region/ZTIs
RPFC (ASD), Head Office
All Officer-in-charge of SROs

Sub:- Enhancement in the rate of Fixed Medical Allowance from Rs. 1200/- to Rs. 2000/- p.m. w.e.f 01.03.2013, payable to the serving as well as retired employees of the EPFO for outdoor medical treatment - regarding.

Sir,

   I am directed to convey the approval of the 76th Executive Committee, CBT, EPF held on 25.02.2013 and Hon'ble Labour & Employment Minister, Government of India for enhancement of the Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA) for pensioners and employees of EPFO from Rs. 1200/- p.m. to Rs 2000/- p.m w.e.f. 1st March, 2013, subject to the following conditions :-

Leveraging Aadhaar for improving the services of EPFO — regarding.

Employees' Provident Fund Organisation
Ministry of Labour & Employment, Govt. Of India
Bhavishya Nidhi Bhawan, 14-Bhikaji Cama Place, New Delhi-110066

R-I/UID/2010/37496

date: 06.02.2013

To
All ACCs (Political states),
All RPFC-I (In-charge of Regions),
All RPFC-II (In-charge of SROs)
(Through web circulation)

Subject:- Leveraging Aadhaar for improving the services of EPFO — regarding.

Sir,
     This is in reference to Head Office letter No. RI/UID/2010/30051 dated 21.01.2013 on the subject cited above.

   The issue of expeditious enrolment of the EPF members was discussed with UIDAI Officials. It has emerged that UIDAI through its registrars has been organising enrolment camps in 18 states only. Register General of India (RGI) has been collecting data in respect of the remaining states through National Population Register (NPR). While the data collected by RGI is also being processed for issue of Aadhaar numbers by UIDAI, the methodology used by RG1 for setting up enrolment camps is different i.e. it is being done on the basis of house-to-house data collected by enumerators during Census Operations 2011, unlike UIDAI camps, where any resident, irrespective of the place of residence, can get himself enrolled for Aadhaar number. Thus enrolment may take considerable time.

   In view of the discussions held with UIDAI officials and the time required in the process of obtaining Aadhaar numbers, it may not be possible to obtain Aadhaar number/ Aadhaar Enrolment number by EPF members by 1st March, 2013. Therefore, it has been decided to not to make Aadhaar Number/Enrolment number mandatory for EPF members from 1st March, 2013. However, the field offices would make maximum efforts to obtain the available Aadhaar numbers of the EPF members.

   Further your attention is invited to Head Office letter no. MIS-II/ISO- 9001/2011-12/24686 dated 9th November 2012 on implementation of ISO 9001 Certification for the field offices which is a mandatory success indicator under the Results Framework Document (RFD). The updation of members' master in database is one of the standards required for the purpose. In view of the benefits that would accrue both to the EPF members as Well as EPFO, it has now been decided to collect the core banking account number of all the contributing members as indicated in ECR.

   The Regional offices and Sub-Regional offices should make an all-out effort to collect the core banking account numbers in respect of all the contributing members as indicated in ECR. Compliance of instructions may kindly be ensured in this regard.

Yours faithfully,

sd/-
(Anil Swarup)
Central Provident Fund Commissioner

Source:http://www.epfindia.com/Circulars/Y2012-13/RI_UID_37496.pdf

EPFO E-SEWA PORTAL - Employer Registration FAQ

 1. Why should an employer register his/her establishment on the EPFO Employer portal?
     With effect from 01.04.2012, any remittance to be made by the employer has to be done only after generating challan from the Employer Portal of EPFO. In case of wage month March 2012 onwards, the employer has to upload Electronic Challan cum Return (ECR) in the pre specified format and challan will be populated on the basis of uploaded return. For previous and other dues the challan has to be filled in online to generate and print it for remittance.

 2. What happens if the employer does not register?
   The online generation of challan will not be possible if the employer has not registered his/her establsihment. The employer has to register and create his/her user id & password for accessing the Employer Portal of EPFO.

 3. Once the employer enters his/her establishment id a message is displayed ‘No record found”. What should he/she do?
   Please check whether you have entered the correct code number and extension number, if any and have selected the correct EPFO Office. If correct, then please contact the concerned EPFO Regional/Sub Regional Office.

Investment by EPFO in Equities

   The Employees Provident Fund Organisation is not considering investment in equities as funds earning 12 per cent annually in the National Pension System.

   As on 31.10.2012, the total of Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) corpus invested in private sector is Rs. 26,896.54 Crore including Rs. 4.05 Crore investments in blue chip manufacturing companies.

   Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)ensure security of the capital contributed by the beneficiaries with risk free, consistent return on the same.

   This information was given by the Minister of State for Labour Shri K.Suresh in reply to a written question in the Rajya Sabha today.

Payment of EPF.

   Employees of a liquidated company can file their claim for provident fund, duly attested by any of the following authorized persons:

    Member of Parliament;

    Member of Legislative Assembly;

    Magistrate;

    A Gazetted Officer;

    Sarpanch of the Village;

    Manager of the Bank in which the Bank Account of the claimant is maintained; and

    Notary Public, etc.

   As per the provisions contained in the Employees’ Provident Funds Scheme, 1952, claims of a member, completed in all respect, is to be settled within 30 days of its receipt in the office Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO).

   This information was given by the Union Labour & Employment Minister Shri Mallikarjun Kharge in reply to a written question in the Lok Sabha today.

PIB