The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), under the Union Ministry of labour and Employment brought several reform policies and claim system in the country.
According to information available, the organisation has disposed of 1.19 crore applications pertaining to the various demands and claims of the employees in the current year and launched online help desk system.
Some of the other measures include minimisation of administrative hurdles and execution of the historic agreement between India and Norway pertaining to social security, said Assistant PF Commissioner (Admn) and SRO S Das Mohapatra in a Press release here.
Central Commissioner KK Jallan while reviewing the progress of the reforms and other measures initiated by the Central Government to minimise the administrative hassles and make the PF claims employee-friendly had said that the EPFO had successfully attended and settled 10.71 lakh applications out of which 75 per cent were disposed of within ten days and 95 per cent disposed of within 20 days which itself set a milestone in the EPF claims history in the country.
The release further pointed out that Minister (Independent Charge) Bandaru Duttatreya introduced Helpdesk system for PF beneficiaries in the country last month by which an employee can now obtain all information about their defunct EPF book and their PF accounts including withdrawal of their subscriptions. Now the employees can pay their subscriptions or dues online, besides getting benefits of the issue corporate cheque payable at par (CCPAP) proposed system.
The administrative charge in respect of the EPF Scheme has been reduced 0.85 per cent from the existing 1.10 per cent. However, the minimum charges payable has been fixed at Rs 75 per month for every non functional establishment having no contributory member and Rs 500 per month per establishment for other establishments. likewise, the minimum administrative charges with regard to EDlI scheme have been fixed at Rs 25 per month for every non- functional establishment having no contributory member and Rs 200 per month per establishment for other establishments and the revised charges shall be effective from January 1 this year, the release added.
During February this year, the EPFO also made online filing of the statutory return regarding ownership of establishment mandatory.
As the return contains details of owners, occupiers, directors, partners, and managers, this would help the organization in refining database of the employers and their proper identification, sources said.
Similarly, on the compliance front, directives were issued regarding the procedure to be followed while taking over trusts which have surrendered their exemption. Now the Government has made it imperative for the trusts to be audited by third party auditors and examine their financial health so that no cross subsidization takes place by other existing subscribers.
The organisation has also directed the field officers to sensitize workers, especially migrant workers, about various initiatives like UAN, direct payment benefits to their bank accounts online pass book and online claim status, online grievances etc. so that the benefits available shall reach the target group. In addition to this, the Social Security Agreement (SSA) has also come into force between India and Kingdom of Norway which provides for detachment, tantalization, and portability.
Under its provisions, a worker from one country deputed to the other for 60 months or less, is exempted from making social security contributions, provided he/she is already covered in his/her home country, the release pointed out.