EPFO resolve 1.37 Lakh EPF withdrawal claims to counter Covid-19 within 10 days

Ministry of Labour & Employment
EPFO settles 1.37 Lakh EPF withdrawal claims to fight Covid-19 in less than 10 days

10 APR 2020

Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), an statutory body under Union Ministry of Labour & Employment has processed about 1.37 lakh claims across the country disbursing an amount of Rs. 279.65 crore under a new provision especially formulated by amending the EPF Scheme to help subscribers fight Covid-19. The remittances of the moneys has already started taking place. The system as it stands today is processing all applications which are fully KYC compliant within less than 72 hours. Members, who have applied for claims in some other category, can also file claim to fight pandemic and depending upon the KYC compliance condition of each member, every effort is being made to settle claims at the earliest.

The provision for a special withdrawal from the EPF Scheme to fight Covid-19 pandemic is part of the PMGKY scheme announced by the government and an urgent notification on the matter was made to introduce a para 68 L (3) of the EPF Scheme on 28th March 2020. Under this provision non-refundable withdrawal to the extent of the basic wages and dearness allowances for three months or up to 75% of the amount standing to member's credit in the EPF account, whichever is less, is provided. The member can apply for lesser amount also. This, being an advance, does not attract income tax deductions.

EPFO issues Directions for timely credit of monthly Pension to EPS Pensioners

Anticipating the huge surge in the demand, EPFO came out with acompletely new software which has been developed from scratch and a receipt module for on-line receipt of the claims was introduced within 24 hours and deployed on 29th March 2020. Further, the application was required to be in paperless form to curtail any physical movement in view of social distancing. It was decided to introduce a system of settling claims in auto mode directly by the system in respect of all such members whose KYC requirements was complete in all respects.

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a serious threat and considering dire need of money in these trying times, it has been decided to process advance to fight COVID-19 pandemic on top priority.
Claims for availing advance to fight pandemic are filed online, necessitating every EPF account to be KYC complaint as pre-cursor. EPFO has relaxed date of birth correction criteria to ease KYC compliance enabling submission of claim to fight pandemic online. EPFO would accept the date of birth recorded in the Aadhaar card of a subscriber as a valid proof for rectification of the date of birth in PF records. All cases with variation in date of birth up to three years are now being accepted by EPFO.

PIB

EPF recommends crediting of 8.65% rate of interest on Accumulations in the EPF Member's Account for the year 2018-19

Ministry of Labour & Employment

Central Board of Trustees, EPF recommends crediting of 8.65% rate of interest on Accumulations in the EPF Member's Account for the year 2018-19

21 FEB 2019

The 224th meeting of the Central Board of Trustees, EPF was held here today under the chairmanship of Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment (I/C) Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar.  The Central Board recommended crediting of 8.65 % rate of interest on the EPF accumulations in the EPF member's account for the year 2018-19.

The Central Board ratified the amendment in EPF Scheme 1952, as approved in the 141st   meeting of Financial Investment and Audit Committee (FIAC) held on February 12, 2019, to enable accounting of Investment in Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) (Equity & Related Investment).

The Central Board ratified the approval of Chairman, CBT, EPF for continuation of C-DAC as a consultant to carry out the second phase of Computerisation Project. The Board gave extension to M/s Standard Chartered Bank as custodian of the EPFO securities on the existing terms and conditions of agreement for the period upto March 31, 2019.

The Central Board approved revised estimate for the year 2018-19 and budget estimates for the year 2019-20 and recommended it to the Central Government for approval. The Board gave consent to have performance review of the Portfolio Managers from a separate agency in addition to review by M/s CRISIL Limited.

The Central Board took note of the proposal for recommendation for grant of exemption to six establishments under Section 17(2) of the EPF&MP Act, 1952 read with Para 27A of the EPF Scheme, 1952 by the Appropriate Government . The Board took note of the proposal for recommendation for grant of exemption under Section 17(2) of the EPF & MP Act 1952 read with Para 27A of the EPF Scheme,1952 to M/s Software Technology Parks of India with effect from June 05, 1994 by the Appropriate Government.

PIB

Many Key Decision taken in 222nd Meeting of the Central Board of Trustees, EPF

Ministry of Labour & Employment

Many Key Decision taken in 222nd Meeting of the Central Board of Trustees, EPF

27 JUN 2018

The 222nd meeting of the Central Board of Trustees, EPF was held yesterday under the chairmanship of Union Minister of State for Labour & Employment (Independent Charge) Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar at New Delhi.

The Central Board approved the proposal for insertion of Paragraph 68HH in EPF Scheme, 1952 provisioning Advance from the fund to a member who ceases to be in employment for a continuous period not less than one month. Under this proposal a member can avail 75% of the total fund (including employee as well as employer share) standing to the member's credit with interest thereon.
The Board took note of the Investment of Rs 47,431.24 crore in Exchange Traded Funds (SBI MF, UTI MF, CPSE, Bharat 22) and notional return on ETF investments which stood at 16.07% for the period from August 2015 to 31st May 2018.

The Central Board approved the proposal to continue SBI Mutual Fund and UTI Mutual Fund as ETF manufacturer for investment in ETF by EPFO for tenure of one year i.e. till 30/06/2019.

The Central Board has considered and adopted the Consolidated Annual Accounts with Audit Report for the year 2016-17.

PIB

Inoperative EPF Accounts

Inoperative EPF Accounts

The Government vide notification no. G.S.R. 1065 (E) dated 11.11.2016 has amended paragraph 72(6) of the Employees’ Provident Funds (EPF) Scheme, 1952 wherein changes have been made in the conditions leading to a Provident Fund (PF) account becoming an Inoperative Account. As per amended definition of Inoperative Account (w.e.f. 11.11.2016), an account becomes inoperative after the age of 58 years, i.e., 36 months after the retirement age of 55 years. The details of inoperative accounts and amounts involved therein, consequent upon implementation of the above notification, have not been ascertained by Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) presently as the date of birth in respect of many employees is not available in the EPFO database presently.

As per paragraph 60(6) of EPF Scheme, 1952, interest shall not be credited to the account of a member from the date on which it has become an inoperative account under paragraph 72(6) of EPF Scheme, 1952. However, as per amended definition, an account shall be classified as Inoperative after the member attains the age of 58 years. Hence, interest shall be credited to the account of a member upto the age of 58 years.
This information was given by Shri Bandaru Dattatreya the Minister of State (IC) for Labour and Employment, in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, today.

Withdrawal under paragraph 68-BD of EPF Scheme, 1952 for housing needs of the PF members

Withdrawal under paragraph 68-BD of EPF Scheme, 1952 for housing needs of the PF members

Employees Provident Fund Organisation
(Ministry of Labour & Employment, Govt. of India)
Head Office
Bhavishya Nidhi Bhawan, 14-Bhikaiji Cama Place, New Delhi-110066

No: WSU/39(1)2017/Housing Scheme/4106

Date: 24.05.2017

To
All Addl. CPFC (HQ/ Zone),
Regional P.F. Commissioners-incharge of
Regional Offices.

Sub: Withdrawal under paragraph 68-BD of EPF Scheme, 1952 for housing needs of the PF members.
Ref: HO circular dated of even numbers dated 21.04.2017, 02.05.2017 & 19.05.2017

Sir,
Please refer to the above said subject.

2. There are a number of State Housing Boards or other authorities owned by the Government which construct and sell houses. In certain cases their houses remain unsold. Considering this, it is advised that RPFCs-incharge of ROs should contact all such Housing Board/authorities in their jurisdiction and persuade them for allotment of such unsold houses directly to the PF Workers' Cooperative Societies but EPFO shall not recommend or be associated in the agreement with any particular housing agency/housing society. RPFCs should also discuss the issue with PF Workers' Union and employers of establishments for formation of cooperative societies so that the concerned society may also negotiate with such Housing Board/ authorities.

3. Accordingly, it is advised that provisions of paragraph 68-BD of EPF Scheme, 1952 be given due focus and publicity by all such possible means in the interest of the workers.

Yours faithfully,

S/d,
(K.L. Taneja)
Addl. Central P.F. Commission (Housing)

Source: epfindia.gov.in

EPFO disbursed Rs. 47,630 crore as member benefits and Rs. 8,200 crore as monthly pensions in 2015-16

EPFO disbursed Rs. 47,630 crore as member benefits and Rs. 8,200 crore as monthly pensions in 2015-16

In 2015-16, EPFO disbursed approximately Rs. 47,630 crore as member benefits and Rs. 8,200 crore as monthly pensions.

To monitor the status of enrolment of contractual employees especially in municipalities, EPFO has taken steps towards putting in place a system where principal employers including government bodies who enroll workers directly or through contractors can view details of contractors including the amount paid towards PF dues on real time basis. Now, EPFO will be in a position to compare the PF dues reimbursed to contractors and the PF dues actually remitted by contractors. Mismatch in the amounts would indicate possible specific evasion that can be followed up towards seeking compliance. A facility already exists in public domain wherein all principal employers can check the amounts remitted by contactors’ establishments. Any person through this report can also check if her / his name appears in the list of employees submitted by contractor to EPFO on a monthly basis. EPFO is also in the process of digitizing compliance reporting system. It is expected that reporting in Compliance area shall be online and real time by the second quarter of this financial year.

The process of seeding EPS pensioners’ data with Aadhaar is underway in EPFO. While seeding the data, it has been noticed that in certain cases there is data mismatch between EPF data and Aadhaar data in respect of date of birth and name of pensioner. To rectify it, pensioners / members are being advised to correct either their details provided to EPFO offices or to correct the details given in Aadhaar, whichever is correct.
It is also seen that a number of online transfer applications by members are pending with the employers for attestation and verification of member details by the employers Field offices of EPFO have been directed to take up the matter with employers to clear this on priority.

On the occasion of International Labour Day, EPFO launched a special mission consolidation drive “One –Employee-One – EPF Account”. The drive is to consolidate multiple accounts of members so that they are able to access variety of IT enabled services such as e-mail / SMS alerts, access to e-passbook at their leisure. Shri Bandaru Dattatreya, Union Minister of State for Labour & Employment (Independent Charge) while presiding over the function marking International Labour Day stated that this drive would result in EPF members having lifelong one EPF account and multiple conveniences. The Universal Account Number (UAN) that is Aadhaar seeded will consolidate multiple past service accounts, across various spells of employment of an EPF member.

The month of April also saw withdrawal of notification dated 10th February 2016 on amendment in Paragraph 68 NN, 68-O and 69 and insertion of new Para 68 –NNNN in the EPF Scheme, 1952. The interest rate of 8.8% to be credited to members’ accounts for the financial year 2015-16 was also finalized by the Government as recommended by the Central Board of Trustees, EPF.

PIB