As many as 18,000 workers under the Rourkela PF Regional Office covering Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Bargarh and Jharsuguda districts would be benefited under the new EPF pension scheme, informed Rourkela Regional PF Commissioner Binay Kumar here on Tuesday.
Kumar said earlier 18,000 out of total 31,500 beneficiaries were getting less than `1,000 as pension per month.
launching the programme, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram said there are many instances of Bidi workers getting pension of Rs 40 per month after putting signatures at 15 places. Similarly many retired workers of other units were hardly getting Rs 200 to Rs 300. Now they would get minimum of Rs 1,000 per month under the new scheme announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Minister said 32 lakh out of total 49 lakh beneficiaries in the country who were getting below Rs1,000 as monthly pension would now get Rs 1,000. The Union Government would spend Rs 30,000 crore extra per annum. Similarly, the insurance amount has been enhanced to Rs 3.60 lakh from Rs 1.30 lakh, he said. The Minister felicitated 25 pensioners on this occasion.
Rourkela MlA Dilip Ray said economic condition of the common people would be further strengthened as the Modi-led Union Government is planning to take up more pro-poor and pro-people initiatives.
Among others, Rourkela Chamber of Commerce president Subrat Pattanaik and Regional Provident Fund Commissioner-1, Delhi Animesh Kumar were present.